Other Matters Podcast

The recent Supreme Court decision brought a monumental shift in American culture as same-sex marriage was official declared normal and institutionalized as a constitutionally protected human right. What are we, who have taken up the cross to follow Christ, to think and do?

What makes a life significant, both now and for eternity? As we end one year and begin another, it is important for us to be reminded of some biblical essentials for living lives that are worthy of the Savior and the gospel of our salvation.

With another year’s passing, it is right to look ahead and consider how God wants us to view the challenges and opportunities the New Year holds. However, peering into the future is always little more than conjecture simply because we can’t know what lies around the corner. But we do know who does know all that the future holds, both good and bad. So the only good strategy for the future is to reflect on the goodness of God in the past, recognize His promises to us, and dive into the future committed to walk in righteousness, love, and truth.

Perhaps no six verses have been so comforting to the people of God as Psalm 23. And yet its message never gets old. This weekend we take time to reflect on the joys of being shepherded by the great Shepherd of the sheep, our Lord.

In chapter four of the book of Ephesians, Paul exhorts the church to walk in a manner worthy of their calling.

Today we stand with Christ-followers all over the world and recognize the monumental significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Paul would write in 1 Corinthians 15, “If Christ has not been raised then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” The resurrection has been central to our worldview since the day the grave was found empty. But what did the first Christians understand about the resurrection of Jesus? Today we will listen as Peter preaches the first recorded sermon that made use of this miraculous event. We’ll sit in his audience, hear his explanations, and then ask the question his original listeners asked. And we’ll find that the way we answer will make all the difference, both in this life and the next.

The Lord has blessed Grace in grand measure over the course of the past years. Yet we must always desire that our best days for Christ are yet to come. But how will we be effective? The answer is: Our corporate effectiveness for Christ will depend on our individual commitment to Christ. In the last 2 chapters of Philippians, Paul gives a number of areas for Christ-followers to consider as they think through becoming more and more intentional in walking “in a manner that is worthy of Christ.”

Jesus’ example of humility in this foundational passage of Scripture is not only an amazing glimpse into the character and nature of God, but also a powerful model for believers today. Seeking to stoke the fire of unity amongst believers in the Roman colony of Philippi, Paul encourages selfless humility as the key to unity. In a status-driven culture, he offers them Jesus. The lessons we see Jesus model for us become a great pattern for anyone to follow who wants to exude Christ-likeness, build unity in relationships, and put “status” in its right place.

Jesus Himself said that being His disciple would mean enduring the suffering He Himself endured. It would demand that we deny ourselves and take up His cross. So, why would anyone do it? Why do something hard? Why give up living life on your own to follow Jesus as Master of your life? A missionary named Jim Elliot was martyred trying to bring the message of Jesus Christ to the jungles of Ecuador. Here was his answer to the question: He is no fool to give what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose. I love being a Christ-follower because in Christ I have found fundamental truths that make sense of this world and infuse me with meaning, purpose, and satisfaction in this life, and a guarantee of eternal joy in the next.

This weekend we end one year and bring in the next. As always, we are thankful for what God has done in the past, and expectant for what He will choose to do in the future. But regardless of what the circumstances of our lives may bring some things never change. Our Lord Christ has called us to be His church. He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ His son. But He doesn’t expect us to sit comfortably in the confines of the Kingdom and watch as others remain broken and desperate in the darkness. Rather, He has outfitted us with the armor of the Spirit and commissioned us to go back into the dark world as agents of light and transformation. The mission by which He rescued us has now become the mission of our lives. The only question is: Will we take up the challenge? Fundamental to our success in the mission of Christ is an understanding of what sort of people, and what sort of church we are to be. This weekend we take up this subject and find that Paul has covered it very well in his first letter to a young pastor in Ephesus, Timothy. His words, as true now as then, provide a constant reminder that there is not, and never has been in the mind of God, any antagonism between the mind and the heart, between belief and behavior. While both are necessary, neither is sufficient by itself. To accomplish the mission of Christ through Grace to the world be must be a church where people care and truth matters. Nothing less can be tolerated; nothing less will be used mightily by God.

Ten years ago when the airplanes crashed into the World Trade Towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington DC, so much changed in our lives. The security we took for granted was shattered. The threat of terrorism on our soil became a daily concern even as we realized how truly vulnerable we were to those willing to die to harm us. But beyond even these life-altering realizations, the greatest consequence of 9/11 was that we came face to face with the evil that can reside in the heart of man. All of this left us with the lingering fear that things would never be the same again. Today we look back, but not in order to remind ourselves of the tragedy. Today we want to better understand how hope can be found in the midst of such horrible circumstances. Perhaps the greatest lesson learned from 9/11 is that, while these kinds of events will certainly be a part of our world’s reality, they in no way can eclipse the peace and hope we can have in God through Jesus Christ our Lord. In each of these kinds of events, Christ-followers can maintain a hope that is lasting and secure. For believers, what man means for evil, God can use for good.

Ten years ago when the airplanes crashed into the World Trade Towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington DC, so much changed in our lives. The security we took for granted was shattered. The threat of terrorism on our soil became a daily concern even as we realized how truly vulnerable we were to those willing to die to harm us. But beyond even these life-altering realizations, the greatest consequence of 9/11 was that we came face to face with the evil that can reside in the heart of man. All of this left us with the lingering fear that things would never be the same again. Today we look back, but not in order to remind ourselves of the tragedy. Today we want to better understand how hope can be found in the midst of such horrible circumstances. Perhaps the greatest lesson learned from 9/11 is that, while these kinds of events will certainly be a part of our world’s reality, they in no way can eclipse the peace and hope we can have in God through Jesus Christ our Lord. In each of these kinds of events, Christ-followers can maintain a hope that is lasting and secure. For believers, what man means for evil, God can use for good.

Having just returned from visiting and teaching in India, I am excited to share with you what I believe are important truths we can learn from our Indian brothers and sisters. Their following of Christ is greatly different from ours, and there is much about their simplicity and sobriety that we need to imitate. They have very simple, yet profound views on the call to be salt and light in a dark and broken world. They are very serious about the call to follow Christ, regardless of the obstacles. And behind all of their belief lies an unshakable joy that flows from their understanding that God has promised to do something quite significant through them in this world. In fact, they define significance by what their lives ultimately end up contributing to the reach of the Kingdom among their people. My intent is not to browbeat us with guilt, but to encourage us to join in the battle, to catch the vision that God intends to do something great through us in our world, and now is the time to pray and prepare.

Over two weekends we will look at a strategy for magnifying the glory of God through the intentional pursuit of righteousness in our lives.David, the King of Israel, lived thousands of years ago, but it turns out he faced the same kinds of pressures and fears as we do today. Looking ahead to 2011, we may be prone to get distracted by all the wickedness in our world, perpetrated by those who seem to prosper through the evil that they do. It is easy to become afraid of their potential, distressed at their influence, or even envious of their prosperity. But when we look at the times and turns of history through the lens of God’s sovereign purposes, we are reminded that he way of the wicked shall perish, while those who trust in the Lord have every reason to expect that He will fill their hearts with His desires.

Over two weekends we will look at a strategy for magnifying the glory of God through the intentional pursuit of righteousness in our lives.David, the King of Israel, lived thousands of years ago, but it turns out he faced the same kinds of pressures and fears as we do today. Looking ahead to 2011, we may be prone to get distracted by all the wickedness in our world, perpetrated by those who seem to prosper through the evil that they do. It is easy to become afraid of their potential, distressed at their influence, or even envious of their prosperity. But when we look at the times and turns of history through the lens of God’s sovereign purposes, we are reminded that he way of the wicked shall perish, while those who trust in the Lord have every reason to expect that He will fill their hearts with His desires.

Over two weekends we will look at a strategy for magnifying the glory of God through the intentional pursuit of righteousness in our lives.David, the King of Israel, lived thousands of years ago, but it turns out he faced the same kinds of pressures and fears as we do today. Looking ahead to 2011, we may be prone to get distracted by all the wickedness in our world, perpetrated by those who seem to prosper through the evil that they do. It is easy to become afraid of their potential, distressed at their influence, or even envious of their prosperity. But when we look at the times and turns of history through the lens of God’s sovereign purposes, we are reminded that he way of the wicked shall perish, while those who trust in the Lord have every reason to expect that He will fill their hearts with His desires.

Over two weekends we will look at a strategy for magnifying the glory of God through the intentional pursuit of righteousness in our lives.David, the King of Israel, lived thousands of years ago, but it turns out he faced the same kinds of pressures and fears as we do today. Looking ahead to 2011, we may be prone to get distracted by all the wickedness in our world, perpetrated by those who seem to prosper through the evil that they do. It is easy to become afraid of their potential, distressed at their influence, or even envious of their prosperity. But when we look at the times and turns of history through the lens of God’s sovereign purposes, we are reminded that he way of the wicked shall perish, while those who trust in the Lord have every reason to expect that He will fill their hearts with His desires.

One of the first things a good parent tries to form in a child is a consistent attitude of thankfulness. And yet we understand as adults that there can be a huge distance between the action of saying "thank you" and the heart attitude of thankfulness. Thanksgiving is simply the giving of thanks. But true thanksgiving is really much more than mere external expression. It is also the sincere state of the heart as we revel in the joys of unfettered appreciation and adoration overflowing to our great God. The idea of a day set aside to thank God for who He is and what He does is not new. In fact, it might be said that the origins of Thanksgiving can rightly be traced back to the days of King David. As the Ark of the Covenant was finally returned to a place of honor among the Israelites, David called for a day of thanksgiving and even assigned particular musicians to play as the people gathered to express their thanks to God. As well, David gave the people a script - a thanksgiving roadmap - that will prove to be as profitable for us today as it was back then. So let us join with the saints of all ages and give thanks to the Lord for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting!

One of the first things a good parent tries to form in a child is a consistent attitude of thankfulness. And yet we understand as adults that there can be a huge distance between the action of saying "thank you" and the heart attitude of thankfulness. Thanksgiving is simply the giving of thanks. But true thanksgiving is really much more than mere external expression. It is also the sincere state of the heart as we revel in the joys of unfettered appreciation and adoration overflowing to our great God. The idea of a day set aside to thank God for who He is and what He does is not new. In fact, it might be said that the origins of Thanksgiving can rightly be traced back to the days of King David. As the Ark of the Covenant was finally returned to a place of honor among the Israelites, David called for a day of thanksgiving and even assigned particular musicians to play as the people gathered to express their thanks to God. As well, David gave the people a script - a thanksgiving roadmap - that will prove to be as profitable for us today as it was back then. So let us join with the saints of all ages and give thanks to the Lord for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting!