A Living Body's Caution About Death

It’s the week of Vacation Bible School. It is one of the greatest weeks in the life of our congregation. I always delight to see young and old working together with one purpose: serving the youngest generation (our first and closest mission field!). This morning during opening assembly it was exciting to hear the children singing the great truths packed densely in the exciting, up-beat music. As they danced in the auditorium of a Baptist Church. Yes, I was smiling as I typed that.

The Executive Director of our wonderful State Convention recommended a book recently: Autopsy of a Deceased Church: 12 Ways to KeepYours Alive, by Thom S. Rainer. It’s a small, short book. I was able to get through it in an hour.

It was an interesting juxtaposition to our experience going through V.B.S. this week. For all the wonderful things that are going on at I.H.B.C. right now, I confess that I’m always trying to peer around the corner to what’s ahead. Reading Rainer’s book reinforced that practice. Dead churches don’t die overnight, but very slowly and subtly fall into complacency over a long period of time. Sometimes, like people with health problems, they don’t realize something’s wrong until it’s too late. I don't ever want that to be us. God has brought us too far!

I’m going to put the book on the table in the foyer. You’re all welcome to take it home, read it, and bring it back if you’d like. Until then, let me give you a few good quotes from the book...as I’m typing this the speakers are really thumping with music in the auditorium! It’s a happy sound, much preferred to a still, quiet building (like a museum or mausoleum) because I know the great Gospel truth that’s being sung along with that pounding bass.

Here are the highlights I took away from the book:

“According to the writer of Hebrews [in chapter 11], all of these men and women were heroes of faith because they obeyed God even though they did not know they consequences of that obedience. They saw themselves as foreigners of this land and life, temporary residents of the earth (v. 13). They sacrificed their comfort, their homes, their ways of life, and their possessions because they knew that this life was only temporary, that a better and eternal life awaited them. The ‘good old days’ did not exist in their minds. The future held the best days. They understood that this life is not a time to get comfortable. I got an e-mail today from someone who was really mad...he described American churches as they were in the 1970s and 1980s, perhaps earlier. He was mad about music styles. He was mad about church architecture. He was mad about audio speakers and big screens. He was mad about ‘appropriate’ church attire...for him, the past was his hero. He was clinging, hanging on to the things of this world. And because it was slipping away, he was angry, hurt, and probably fearful” (pgs. 19-20).

“...these dying churches focused on their own needs instead of others. They look inwardly instead of outwardly. Their highest priorities were the way they’ve always done it, and that which made them the most comfortable” (pg. 22).

“People in the community did not feel welcome in the church. Those in the church were more concerned about protecting the way they did church than reaching residents of the community” (pg. 27).

“...no church can sustain such an inward focus indefinitely. It will eventually die of heart failure” (pg. 36).

“A church cannot survive long-term where members are focused on their own preferences:

• My music style.
• My desired length and order of worship services.
• My desired color and design of buildings and rooms.
• My activities and programs.
• My need of ministers and staff.
• My, my, my” (pg. 48).

“We are members of the body of Christ. We do not exist to serve ourselves; instead, we exist for the greater good of the body...when church members increasingly demand their own preferences, the church is steadily not becoming the church” (pgs. 51-52).

“A church without a gospel-centered purpose is no longer a church at all” (pg. 75).

“Being a good steward of those material things that God has given our churches is good. Becoming obsessed with any one item to the neglect of His mission is idolatry” (pg. 80).

I could quote all of chapter 9 about the importance of our prayer life together as the church. I’ve been personally burdened to seek growth in this area all year long.

Like I said, I.H.B.C.’s in such a great place. But I think it’s good thing to hear voices like Thom Rainer’s. This little book has great prayers at the end of every chapter, and good self-diagnostic questions.

Let’s keep moving forward together toward glory, beloved, and let’s see how many (currently) lost people we can bring with us. Let’s see how much more outward-focused (mission/evangelism) and upward-focused (prayer) we can become. One of my favorite quotes is from a Baptist history textbook: “Perhaps the origin of Baptists is best explained as a search for a pure church” (The Baptist Heritage, H. Leon McBeth, pg. 75). This is balanced by a phrase in the 1689 Baptist Confession: “The purest churches under Heaven are subject to mixture and error” (26.3). We’re not Home yet, but that doesn’t mean we don’t seek to reflect Home more and more while on this pilgrim journey together.

Gonna go walk the halls now dressed in my black suit and sunglasses (I get to be a master spy this week), rejoicing at the little screaming voices and loving hearts of the workers. God is good. May He keep this body healthy, alive, dynamic, adapting, and growing for generations to come.

Noah.

I don't know if any of you are going to see "Noah" in the theaters, but I thought I'd give you a few resources.

 

Read the narrative itself - Genesis 5:28 - 10:32.

Read how the rest of the Bible reflects on this narrative - Isaiah 54:7-10; Ezekiel 14:12-23; Matthew 24:36-51; Luke 3:23-38 (esp. 3:36); 17:26-36; Hebrews 11:6,7; 1 Peter 3:18-22; 2 Peter 2:1-22 (esp. 2:5).

 

Click here and here to read a few Christian reviews of the movie.

Click here to read some thoughts on those urging Christians to see the movie.

Click here to read a good devotional on Noah.

Click here to see an evangelistic movie on Noah.

 

Despite the message of the movie, God didn't destroy the world for the sake of environmentalism (why would He command Noah to chop down a forest to build the ark if this were true? Why would He destroy all of nature if this were true??).

Despite the message of the movie, it is after the flood that human beings are explicitly told they are allowed to eat animals. The wickedness of humanity was not technology or carnivorism. It's true that Cain's original building of cities was a rebellion against God's command (Genesis 4:12,16,17), but this in itself is not the wickedness of humanity.

 

"Noah" is the equivalent of sitting through a 139-minute sermon delivered by an atheist. What thinking Christian (which we should all be - Matthew 22:37) would do this? I'm reminded of Paul's sarcastic comments on how well the Corinthians were tolerating false teachers because they looked and sounded good (2 Corinthians 11:19,20).

 

I'm not against movies. I like a good story. I was even intrigued by the trailer to "Noah" before I did a little research. But you and I are meant to encounter the truth of the Word of God through the reading, hearing, and teaching of the Book...together. Why? Because the bare events and words (even if they're accurately portrayed, which they're not in "Noah") are not enough. We have the whole Book because it records the events and words, but also their meaning. We are not meant to give the narratives our own meanings or values, or reflect on how they make us feel. No matter how faithful a movie like "Son of God" is, it doesn't contain the New Testament apostolic testimony about what Christ's life meant and what it requires from us. Enjoy the movie if it doesn't mock and twist Scripture (which "Noah" does), but don't ever, ever think the movie is enough. We are meant to gather together and fellowship in the Word by the power of the Spirit. He works through His Word in the gathering of His people.

 

* * * * * * *

 

Finally, Noah himself was not the Promised Seed (Genesis 3:15), but he did prophecy concerning the Gospel work of the Promised Seed:

"Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants he shall be to his brothers...blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem, and let Canaan be his servant" (Genesis 9:25,26).

 

"Canaan" (the descendants of Ham) will be subdued during Israel's conquering of the Promised Land.

"Shem" will become the Hebrews, the children of Israel, the Jews: the people through whom Christ the King comes into the world (John 4:22; Romans 9:5).

"Japheth" will be the Gentiles, the largest people group. Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ "people from every tribe and language and people and nation" (Revelation 5:9) will be taken from Japheth and united with Christians from the tribe of Shem (Jews) to be one people in Christ (Acts 11:1-18; 20:21; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 2:11-22; Colossians 3:9-11). They will, in other words, "dwell in the tents of Shem" by faith in Jesus Christ.

 

Everything in the biblical story points us to Christ and the saving work of His Gospel. AND it reminds us how seriously God takes sin and how unstoppable His wrath against it is.

 

* * * * * * *

There are numerous different understandings of Genesis 6:1,2, but here's how I understand it - the "sons of God" are those who were of God's covenant people in those days, and the "daughters of men" were those outside of God's covenant people. In other words, the sons of God's people took wives from the women of unbelievers...we'll see this echoed in Numbers 25:1-18 and in the adulterous temptress of Proverbs (see also Genesis 28:6-9; Judges 16:4-20). I think this interpretation best fits themes we will see later in the Bible. (The fact of the matter is that we don't know precisely what the word "Nephilim" in Genesis 6:4 is, so it's safer not to let theories about this word direct your interpretation).

Be the Church...Even in New Mexico

CLICK HERE to see the original source of this graphic.

Well, if this subjective estimation of New Mexico is true, I suppose I'm in the right state. I am by nature shy, an introvert, and a downright loner. New Mexico, by this confession, is just right for me. I fit right in by not being the least bit interested in fitting in.

But Church, is this what I am supposed to be? Is this what the Church in New Mexico is supposed to be?

No.

"Day by day...they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart" (Acts 2:46). We are called to be one Body (Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 10:10; 12:12,13,20; Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 3:15) and to take joy in it!

I discipline myself to engage others in the congregation, to have conversations, to attend our congregation's social opportunities. It is not natural to me, but in Christ I am not to lean on my own natural tendencies. I am to love. 1 John, in fact, says that this love is a sure sign that I am a true believer and know the love of God in Christ Jesus. I'm not perfect at this thing of actively engaging you, I know. I need to be prodded at times. It is something about which I regularly pray. But God has said this is what His people do, and I desire above all things to live as He has commanded me to live - it is for my good and His glory.

Our State, arguably, may have "anti-social" as the least pleasant thing about the Land of Enchantment, but the Church in New Mexico is not to be the Church of New Mexico. We are the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and He has called us to unity and love in Himself.

Even in New Mexico.

Loving you guys,
Pastor Michael

Obedience in Baptism

Sunday evening we had the joy of baptizing four new brothers and sisters as the Lord added them to His local congregation here at Indian Hills Baptist Church. This was their first public step in new lives of obedience by faith in the King of kings, Jesus Christ.

Obedience is a very important part of baptism. On the day of Pentecost, some did not hear the voice of God the Holy Spirit through Peter's message. They heard a drunken man's rambling: "He is full of sweet wine" (Acts 2:13). However, some had their ears opened and heard, for the first time in their lives, the voice of God speaking through the apostle. What they heard did not tickle those newly-opened ears, but "they were pierced to the heart" (Acts 2:37) by what they heard concerning the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ the Lord of all. They cried out, pleading, to Peter: "Brethren, what shall we do?" Peter's response was not an "invitation," but the issuance of the King's order to those rebellious traitors who are seeking reconciliation from His eternal throne: "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" (Acts 2:38). That day the Lord added 3,000 who, after being brought to faith in Christ, took the first step in a life of obedience to Him by submitting to His command to be baptized.

That first step of obedience is not the last, of course, but the first. Jesus, speaking to the 11 gathered on the hill in Galilee, identifies Himself as the One in Whom "all authority has been given...in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18). This all-sovereign King then issues His marching orders to the apostles: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you" (Matthew 28:19,20). After the first step of obedience (baptism) is to come a life growing in faith and obedience to the King of kings. It is a lifelong commitment to teaching and learning together in faith-based obedience as the Church that begins at baptism.

For four, it was a beautiful, God-glorifying beginning last Sunday night. We rejoice, and look forward to seeing what the King will work through their lives for His Kingdom as they follow His voice with us all the days of their lives.

Getting the Family-Church Connection Right

“Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church...the marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people...parents are to demonstrate to their children God’s pattern for marriage” (Baptist Faith & Message 2000, art. 18).

These statements from our confession come out of the apostle’s revelation in Ephesians 5:22-6:4. What’s not usually noted is the preceding foundation for these commands: “...be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ” (5:18-21). A Spirit-filled corporate life - a congregational-Church self-identity - is the foundation for the family’s life, which pours out of this group relationship/interaction with the holy Trinity. We should not expect generational blessings before God apart from a rich imbibing of the covenantal commitment to the local church as the foundation for the family. I value, respect, and continue to learn much from family-faith ministries like that of Voddie Baucham, but I believe they have the model upside-down. They start with the family as a faith-unity and proceed to the Church because this was the chronological progression in the Old Testament. However, I believe Paul teaches something quite opposite in Ephesians 5. Being Spirit-filled leads to Church life (which transcends biological or familial bonds – see Matthew 10:37; 12:50; 19:29) which then expresses itself through the marriage/family relationships.

Be the Spirit-filled Church of Jesus Christ to the glory of the Father, and then live that out in the home. The faith-community of the Trinity should be our “North Star” for how all other relationships are understood (not our self-esteem, felt needs, desires, priorities, cultural standards, etc.).

This, of course, means that we are all Bible students, seeking deeply how Christ loves the Church and how the Church is to submit to Christ. This means we are thankful in all things to the Father. This means that we teach one another the truth in our Spirit-filled worship. This means that we submit to one another in the fear of Christ. This means that we seek to live together as the Church biblically. We have no right to expect blessed family life apart from making a priority of this Kingdom foundation.

- Pastor Michael

Passing the Plate

This week we’re worshiping together in the confession’s article on giving: “God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are we owe to Him. Christians have a spiritual debtorship to the whole world, a holy trusteeship in the gospel, and a binding stewardship in their possessions. They are therefore under obligation to serve Him with their time, talents, and material possessions; and should recognize all these as entrusted to them to use for the glory of God and for helping others. According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer's cause on earth” (Baptist Faith & Message 2000, art. 13).

2 Corinthians 8-9 is my favorite New Testament “theology of giving.” I’ve summed these chapters this way: “God, in accordance to His plan and by the empowering of His grace, causes His Church to be radically and unrestrainedly devoted to blessing the saints of God to the increase of the giving of thanks to Him for His great glory." I love these chapters and would teach through them every year if I could – not because I love talking about giving, but because these chapters show giving as being started by God’s grace in us, empowered by God’s provision to us, and having God as the goal since He’s the One Who receives all the glory for it. It’s a God-centered, not percentage-centered, view of giving. I love it. My prayer is continually that God’s people get this into their understanding.

Giving is part of the covenant into which all I.H.B.C. members enter when joining the Church: “Living in Christ, we covenant to present our Christian experience in our community and world. We acknowledge that all of our talents and possessions are from God, and we will seek His guidance in their use. We commit to share our material resources and talents for the support of the congregation, its ministries, and mission opportunities” (CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF INDIAN HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH, IV., “Church Covenant”).

Most talk of giving in the Church today is focused on facility payments. I don’t have any complaints about having facilities, but it’s too easy for us to lose sight of the people for whom the building has been built. So, I’d like give us a simple New Testament list of reasons to give and spend on ministry:

·         Paying the man of God who works hard and teaching and preaching (1 Corinthians 9:14; 1 Timothy 5:17,18). The proclamation of the truth of God is foundational to the Church (1 Timothy 3:15), and those called/gifted of God to do this work are gifts of Christ to the Church (Ephesians 4:4-16). The Church shows it understands this indispensable and vital self-identity when it obeys the command of Scripture to pay its preachers/teachers. This includes the support of missionaries who are planting Churches and preaching the Gospel to the lost.

·         Making sure there are no needs within the congregation (Acts 2:44,45; 4:32-37). Until a congregation has met the needs of its own people it has no business doing so among the lost. Most verses used to support caring financially for the poor in the Bible are taken out of context. In the Old Testament these verses are speaking of the covenant people of God, Israel (with the only exception of Daniel 4:27, which is not directed at the covenant people of God). In the New Testament these verses are speaking of the covenant people of God, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Church is to meet the needs of the poor members of the congregation – this is a biblical truth spanning cover-to-cover in the Book.

·         The local Church is also to meet the needs of other local Churches, no matter how far away they are. This is the context of 2 Corinthians 8-9, the Empire-wide effort of the Churches to take up an offering to help believers in Judea (Acts 11:28-30; Romans 15:25-27). Churches are to help other Churches. I would observe that “help” can include supporting those who travel to strengthen the faith of these far-off Churches (Acts 14:21,22; 15:41; 18:23).

With all the great causes out there (including paying a mortgage or rent on ministry facilities), let’s commit ourselves to the basics of biblical giving.

God gives us the grace to desire to give.

God gives us the provision to give.

God causes those who receive the gift to give Him praise for the gift.

God gets glory. This is biblical giving.

Jesus the Judge

“...Christ will judge all men in righteousness...” (Baptist Faith & Message 2000, art. 11, “Last Things”).

This Sunday’s reading of the Baptist Faith & Message (2000) speaks of the “last things,” but I prefer to drag any discussion of “last things” into today, considering how the biblical “end” affects our discipleship and worship right now. One phrase of our confession that is important for daily consideration is the one above which mentions Christ as Judge.

When Peter preached to God-fearers (Gentiles who worshiped with the Jews) for the first time, he preached Jesus as the Judge: “And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One Who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins” (Acts 10:42,43). Yes, Peter mentions the forgiveness of sins - after Jesus is lifted up as Judge.

When Paul preached to Greeks (who had no knowledge of the God of the Bible) on Mars Hill in Athens, he preached Jesus as the Judge: “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man Whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30,31). Yes, Paul mentions the mercy of God (overlooking previous "times of ignorance," but immediately follows it with the command (not "invitation") to "repent."

When they preach this way, they are merely affirming the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself: “Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him Who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him Who sent Me’” (John 5:19-30).

I am always careful to pay attention to witnesses like this from the Scripture, fearful that the Jesus in Whose name I pray, preach, worship, and follow will somehow be a “half-jesus,” an incomplete picture that may look too much like the false jesus portrayed by a scripturally-ignorant and idolatrous culture that wants Him to resemble them in their values (or lack thereof).

He is the Judge of the world, and He judges in the perfect and absolute righteousness appropriate to One Who is fully God (Whom He is). He will not judge by my standards, your standards, the conventional wisdom, cultural norm, or majority vote of seven billion human beings. He judges by the perfect holiness of God as revealed in the Word of God.

“Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” (Psalm 2:12).

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of joy above Your fellows” (Psalm 45:6,7; spoken of the Son, cf. Hebrews 1:8,9).

Christ will judge the world in righteousness, so today may we reverence Him in His holiness. May we love what He loves and hate what He hates, carefully being taught of the Holy Spirit in His Scriptures to have our “senses trained to discern good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14). May we seek refuge in His righteousness alone (not our righteousness). Christ will judge, and He is judge. May we see Him, love Him, and live in that light today and every day until the last day comes in His perfect time.

- Pastor Michael