Recently, I have noticed the utter disrespect children have for adults. I thought this was because I was getting older, but a police officer I rode along with affirmed this as well. "It starts with the parents," he kept saying. I agree. Recently, I told some young kids playing on a playground to stop swearing. They asked me, "Who are you?" I said, "It doesn't matter, now knock it off!" To my amazement, they didn't care what I said. Now when I grew up, if an adult said that to me, I would have been terrified and worried that my parents would find out. There is no respect for authority and no fear either.
Further supporting the notion that respect for authority is evaporating, is the reality that we live in a postmodern world, where people are highly critical and suspect of anyone in authority. In France, very few people aspire to be leaders because there is such rampant disrespect for and constant blame placed upon leaders.
However, as an assistant coach of a 3rd and 4th grade football team, I have noticed a certain quality in the younger head coach. The head coach is a young man in the Navy. He is so different from so many other coaches because he respects the referees, the players, the other coaches and me. (He calls me "Mr. Cushing.") His respect and humility for authority and people in general is really different, it is seperate and set apart from all that is worldly. His respect for authority is rather holy.
Christians are called to submit to authority and live in humility. Christians as husbands should submit to their wives. Wives should submit to their husbands. Children should submit to parents. Employees should submit to empolyers. Congregations should submit to their pastors and leaders. All Christians should submit to civil authorities and Christians are to consider other's interests as more important than their own. And of course we are all to submit in humility to the Lord.
Do we have a spirit of humility at CrossPoint, with our family, at work, etc.? Does being holy as God is holy require humility and submission? What is at stake if we don't live in humility and submission to those in authority over us?
Romans 13:1-4 says, Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.
God's word tells us that our inability to live in submission and humility to those in authority is rebellion against the holy God. Also, this passage assumes this rebellion is caused by fear of authority and it brings bondage from which God wants us freed. If we struggle with authority, its is because we are struggling with fear. Fear of what? I believe it is the age-old problem of fear of being out of control and under the control of someone else. This fear of being controlled by those in authority is really lack of faith in the holy who has instituted those in authority.
In short, when we do not live in humility and submission to authority, we are rebelling against God, ruining our witness for Christ, failing to live a life that is holy and living in fear rather than faith.
May CrossPoint be marked by our sincere, pronounced and pervasive quality of humility and submission so that others would notice our freedom, desire our faith and also submit to the Holy One. Without such humility is it not as compelling for others to pursue being holy.
Beams Away!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Realizing the Holy and Hell's Reality
Recently there has been debate among professing Christian leaders regarding the Doctrine of Hell. Some uphold the 2,000 year old doctrine, while others object to the notion that God could send people to hell for eternity. Despite scripture's teaching on the subject, those who object, do so because this doctrine seems extreme in its punishment and this doctrine appears to malign God's character as loving and merciful. They object in part as an effort to save God's reputation. But in saving God's reputation, they are abolishing God's essence, which essentially is a dismissal of God as God.
What is important to understand about this debate is what is ultimately at stake. For those who are offended by the doctrine of Hell, they are offended because people's souls are at stake. They object that God could send people to hell. However, for those who support the doctrine of Hell, they ardently and rightly affirm this doctrine because something far more important is at stake. What is at stake is the recognition of the holiness of God. It is God's holy justice in response to our unholy, profaning rebellion that demands a punishment of hell. Holiness is God's essence and the essence of God's holiness demands hell. Therefore, for us to object to this reality is to object to God's essence and character.
John Brown, a Nineteenth-century Scottish theologian once said, "Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervour's, or uncommanded austerities; it consists in thinking as God thinks, and willing as God wills." Perhaps when people object to the reality of hell as revealed from scripture its because they are simply not thinking or willing as a holy God thinks and wills. As this debate within Christian dome continues, it might behoove us to remember God's essence of holiness which means, "His ways are not our ways." Also it is important to remember Jesus' words in Matthew 11:6, "Blessed is the one who is not offended by me."
In short we object to the doctrine of hell, and it is this very objection that proves our sinful nature's objection to a holy God's essence and character. While the reality of hell can speak to the terrifying aspect of God's holiness, we also see that God's holiness is utterly awe-inspiring. Furthermore, because of Christ we are spared the terror and are afforded the opportunity to enjoy the blissful overwhelming Holy One.
Beams Away.
What is important to understand about this debate is what is ultimately at stake. For those who are offended by the doctrine of Hell, they are offended because people's souls are at stake. They object that God could send people to hell. However, for those who support the doctrine of Hell, they ardently and rightly affirm this doctrine because something far more important is at stake. What is at stake is the recognition of the holiness of God. It is God's holy justice in response to our unholy, profaning rebellion that demands a punishment of hell. Holiness is God's essence and the essence of God's holiness demands hell. Therefore, for us to object to this reality is to object to God's essence and character.
John Brown, a Nineteenth-century Scottish theologian once said, "Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervour's, or uncommanded austerities; it consists in thinking as God thinks, and willing as God wills." Perhaps when people object to the reality of hell as revealed from scripture its because they are simply not thinking or willing as a holy God thinks and wills. As this debate within Christian dome continues, it might behoove us to remember God's essence of holiness which means, "His ways are not our ways." Also it is important to remember Jesus' words in Matthew 11:6, "Blessed is the one who is not offended by me."
In short we object to the doctrine of hell, and it is this very objection that proves our sinful nature's objection to a holy God's essence and character. While the reality of hell can speak to the terrifying aspect of God's holiness, we also see that God's holiness is utterly awe-inspiring. Furthermore, because of Christ we are spared the terror and are afforded the opportunity to enjoy the blissful overwhelming Holy One.
Beams Away.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
What Do We Burn and Yearn For In Life?
Last Sunday I referred to the Seraphim, who are described in Isaiah 6:1-5 as angelic beings who are in the very presence of God. These angels are magnificent and awesome. Some have suggested the Seraphim are of the highest order of angels because they are in the very presence of God. They are described as having six wings. They flew with two wings and with two they covered their faces and with two they covered their feet. So, despite their magnifence and awesome apprearance, they covered their faces and feet because they were in the presence of Someone far greater and more powerful. Furthermore, they were worshipping this Being by declaring Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty. They were drawing special attention to the glory and majesty of God.
What an image! How does this image affect you and I today? Isaiah was affected by saying, "I am ruined for I am a man of unclean lips." The Hebrew means that Isaiah was describing the affect upon him as being disintegrated in the presence of God. For those who are in Christ, we no longer need to fear this disintegration before the presence of God. We can boldly go into the presence of this awesome Being, because of Christ's shed blood for us. But what affect does this reality have upon us today?
The Seraphim were exstatic about this and praised God continually as they were in God's presence. What is more telling to me is what the word Serpahim means. It means, "Burning ones." Why are they called this? Names of people in the bible describe the person. I believe the Seraphim are called burning ones, because they were burning and on fire for the glory of God and because of the holy nature of God. Perhaps this is the affect of being in the presence of God.
Yesterday a very dear friend of Laura's and mine died after a fifteen year battle with cancer. I had spoken to his oldest son. We cried together and grieved, but we also pondered what it must be like for his dad, Steve. We remembered that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Steve was the long-time worship leader of his church. Now, I can only imagine how he is burning up and so on fire as he is in the presence of the Lord.
May we enjoy and sense the presence of the Holy One even now. May God strip away our attachment and affections for the things of this world, so that we are overwhelmed and overcome with firey passion for this awesome, majestic and Holy Being.
Beams Away!
What an image! How does this image affect you and I today? Isaiah was affected by saying, "I am ruined for I am a man of unclean lips." The Hebrew means that Isaiah was describing the affect upon him as being disintegrated in the presence of God. For those who are in Christ, we no longer need to fear this disintegration before the presence of God. We can boldly go into the presence of this awesome Being, because of Christ's shed blood for us. But what affect does this reality have upon us today?
The Seraphim were exstatic about this and praised God continually as they were in God's presence. What is more telling to me is what the word Serpahim means. It means, "Burning ones." Why are they called this? Names of people in the bible describe the person. I believe the Seraphim are called burning ones, because they were burning and on fire for the glory of God and because of the holy nature of God. Perhaps this is the affect of being in the presence of God.
Yesterday a very dear friend of Laura's and mine died after a fifteen year battle with cancer. I had spoken to his oldest son. We cried together and grieved, but we also pondered what it must be like for his dad, Steve. We remembered that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Steve was the long-time worship leader of his church. Now, I can only imagine how he is burning up and so on fire as he is in the presence of the Lord.
May we enjoy and sense the presence of the Holy One even now. May God strip away our attachment and affections for the things of this world, so that we are overwhelmed and overcome with firey passion for this awesome, majestic and Holy Being.
Beams Away!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Only a Transcendent God Can be a Transforming God
Ok, I will admit from the start that I am going a little heavy today. But, as I talk about the transcendence of God versus the immanence of God, please don't be put off by theological jargon but wrestle with its implications for you life. These characteristics of God are vitally important toward understanding and enjoying both our God and our lives.
Yesterday in my Jr. High Confirmation class we discussed the essence of God being described as God's holiness. Holiness means "to seperate, to divide." It refers to God's essence as being so utterly different from us. In other words, God is seperate, distinct from and different from us. This seems in contrast but in no way nullifies God's immanence which means God is with us. Both realities are true of God, yet do we celebrate the immanence of God to the exclusion of God's transcendence? In other words, do we celebrate that God is with us, close, near and identifying with us to the exclusion of celebrating God being different, seperate and different from us?
The question for my confirmation class is the question I have for all of us today, "Why should we celebrate God's transcendence?" "Why should we be thankful that God is so utterly different and seperate from us?" Also, what happens if we celebrate only God's immanence at the exclusion of God's transcendence? Finally, "how would actively celebrating God's transcendence imact our every day lives?"
The answers to these questions can have a significant impact on our lives, if we put in the effort to wrestle with these questions. I would enjoy hearing your feedback.
Beams Away!
Yesterday in my Jr. High Confirmation class we discussed the essence of God being described as God's holiness. Holiness means "to seperate, to divide." It refers to God's essence as being so utterly different from us. In other words, God is seperate, distinct from and different from us. This seems in contrast but in no way nullifies God's immanence which means God is with us. Both realities are true of God, yet do we celebrate the immanence of God to the exclusion of God's transcendence? In other words, do we celebrate that God is with us, close, near and identifying with us to the exclusion of celebrating God being different, seperate and different from us?
The question for my confirmation class is the question I have for all of us today, "Why should we celebrate God's transcendence?" "Why should we be thankful that God is so utterly different and seperate from us?" Also, what happens if we celebrate only God's immanence at the exclusion of God's transcendence? Finally, "how would actively celebrating God's transcendence imact our every day lives?"
The answers to these questions can have a significant impact on our lives, if we put in the effort to wrestle with these questions. I would enjoy hearing your feedback.
Beams Away!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
I'm Sorry God, But May I Put You on Hold For a Moment?
It is so frustrating to call a customer service representative and be put on hold. When this happens we are frustrated because we have something important to share. But have you ever been disconnected while you were already on hold for quite some time? This can be infuriating. But is this not too dissimilar to what we do to Christ, when we either miss or are disengaged from worship services? God has important things to say to each one of us, but are we putting him on hold, hanging up or simply disconnected?
Recently, I was sitting at a local McDonald's overhearing the Monday morning quarterbacks discuss how the Vikings season is going to be. Inevitably I will hear discussions about God and church. This past Monday, I heard one older gentleman, who apparently missed church, ask of a friend, "What was the sermon about yesterday?"
The friend was hesitant and did not know how to respond. I couldn't help but wonder if this man was having a hard time remembering the sermon. (Obviusly not a CrossPointer) But then the friend had a revelation of what to say and responded by saying, "The sermon was about you."
I almost laughed out loud, because the other man was speechless and did not know what to say. But that statement was so true. God's word speaks to each of us right where we are in life. The question is are we listening? Are we regularly going to church with the expectation that God will speak to me. Do we prepare ourselves before worship with the realization that the sermon is not about the pastor, but about me?
If you missed last week's sermon, I will tell you what it was about...it was about you. Does this realization cause us to be speechless? Will you be sure to attend the worship service this Sunday, knowing that the message is about you because God wants to speak to you? In general the service is about God and all he has done. We go to give, but in giving, we will be receiving more from our Lord.
Hope to see you Sunday,
Beams Away!
Recently, I was sitting at a local McDonald's overhearing the Monday morning quarterbacks discuss how the Vikings season is going to be. Inevitably I will hear discussions about God and church. This past Monday, I heard one older gentleman, who apparently missed church, ask of a friend, "What was the sermon about yesterday?"
The friend was hesitant and did not know how to respond. I couldn't help but wonder if this man was having a hard time remembering the sermon. (Obviusly not a CrossPointer) But then the friend had a revelation of what to say and responded by saying, "The sermon was about you."
I almost laughed out loud, because the other man was speechless and did not know what to say. But that statement was so true. God's word speaks to each of us right where we are in life. The question is are we listening? Are we regularly going to church with the expectation that God will speak to me. Do we prepare ourselves before worship with the realization that the sermon is not about the pastor, but about me?
If you missed last week's sermon, I will tell you what it was about...it was about you. Does this realization cause us to be speechless? Will you be sure to attend the worship service this Sunday, knowing that the message is about you because God wants to speak to you? In general the service is about God and all he has done. We go to give, but in giving, we will be receiving more from our Lord.
Hope to see you Sunday,
Beams Away!
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