Tag Archives: Paul

It All Comes Down to Jesus

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What matters in life? What matters in faith? What is the most important thing that we can talk about deal, with with, focus on?

For each of us, we have different answers. It may be family. It may be work. It may be million different things.

For some it may be something like politics. It may be something like hobbies or sports teams. It may be something like church denominations or theologies. It could be a number of things for us.

And these things are important to us. But, they are not what is most important. They are not what what matter the most most. What matters the most? What is most important?

Jesus.

Listen to what Pauls says today in Colossians 1:15-20:

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For byt him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

This is what Paul tells us today. Jesus is all that matters. He is the visible image of the invisible God. So, in other words, to see God look at Jesus.

Do you want to really know who God is? Look at Jesus. He shows the heart of God. He reveals who God is.

In Him we see God’s mercy. God’s love. God’s grace. God’s heart. We see the desire of God for all to know Him, and to feel their worth. Through Jesus, we know that no matter what has happened in our lives, God really does love us!

Jesus holds all creation together. Everything was made through Him. All things hold together through Him. He is the head of the church. And through Him God is reconciling all things to Himself.

It all comes down to Jesus. Everything. In life. In faith. In church. In family. In everything. He is what matters the most. He defines it all. He is life.

He is life. Not anything else that we may try to hang our hat on. Jesus.

Today, is He your everything? Does everything come back to Him? Is He your life, your light, your source, your strength?

He is where life is found. In Him and through Him. Today, may He be the foundation of our lives and of all that matters in our lives.

It all comes down to Jesus. Today, may we make Him, and nothing else, the center of lives.

You are Beautiful

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Thomas is excited because today is “mismatch” day at school. He is wearing one of his crocs, and one of his flip-flops. I never thought he’d like anything as much as his crocs.

Until he got his flip flops. He thinks they are the coolest thing ever. He has hasn’t told me why, but I think it’s because he thinks it’s cool he gets to see his feet all day long.

It’s like being barefoot, except not.

We don’t often think of feet as cool or neat, or really something worth talking about about.

But Paul listen to what Paul says today in Romans 10: 14-15

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Paul says today that when are our feet are obedient and take the gospel to others, they are beautiful. They are beautiful for they are being used for a beautiful purpose.

To tell others about the grace of God.

There is not a part of us, of our story, of our lives, of all that we are, that God can’t use for beauty. There’s not a part of us, that when we submit it to God and use it for His purpose and plan that isn’t beautiful.

Today, you are beautiful. Today, through His grace and for His purpose, you a beautiful.

Today, live in His grace and for His purpose. And through that, know how beautiful you are.

What We Say about Jesus

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Paul can be really confusing to read sometimes. Dr. Harold Bryson, one of my professors at Mississippi College used to always joke that we preachers like to preach on Paul, not Jesus, because Paul was hard to understand. He said Jesus wasn’t hard to understand, He was just hard to follow.

There’s nothing confusing about loving your enemy. It’s just hard to do!

One of the more interesting books to read in the Bible is 1 Corinthians, because when you read it, you see Paul going through so many different emotions with the church in Corinth. He gets angry. He gets frustrated. He loves them. It runs the gamut.

Today he says something amazing in 1 Corinthians 4: 14-15. Listen to what he says:

I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

He says; if you want to see what a Christian does, imitate me.

If you want to see how a Christian lives, watch me, and do what I do.

If you want to follow Jesus – follow me.

Wow! Those are big words. Can you imagine going out to the world and saying – he y’all, you want to see a Christian? Watch me.

Wow, that’s a big and bold statement. That’s what Paul tells the church. I have a theory as to why he said it, though.

He said it, because it was reality. It was what was already happening. Whether he said it or not, the church was going to watch him to see what they should do. To see what a Christian should do. To see how a Christian should act. To see whom they should be.

And today, in our lives, the same thing is going to happen to us. There are going to be eyes watching us. Seeing what we do. Seeing how we live. Listening to what we say. Following us.

Seeing if our lives match our words. Seeing if what we say about Jesus matches what we live about Jesus.

Today, folks will be watching us.

Today, what will they see? Today, may what say about Jesus match what we live about Jesus.

Today, folks will be imitators of us. May with our lives, may we set for them an example of what a Christian should be.

Same Team

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I wonder what it looks like to the world when we as Christians can’t get along?

I wonder what it looks like when let real, but insignificant, theological disagreements cause us to separate?

I wonder what it looks like when we as Christians nuke each other?

I told my folks last night in our first Disciple Bible Study that I like my theology. I think my theology is right. I like what I believe and I think that it’s Biblical and grounded in what is right.

But, you know how much that matters?  Not much.  You know what matters?

Loving in Jesus name.  My folks have heard me quote Phillip Yancey before – “No one ever says, I became a Christian because I lost an argument one night.” I’ve met many who say, “I became a Christian because someone loved me.”

Paul puts it this way in 1 Corinthians:

I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters. Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.” Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not!

We are on the same team. Through Christ, we are all brothers and sisters.

We have the same Father.  We have the same Savior. We are led by the same Spirit.  In spite of any disagreements we may have.  In spite of any different views on things.

If you are Christian, we are on the same team.

Imagine if the church worked together more? Imagine if we as Christians worked together more.  Imagine if we were to pull together and go on the attack against the forces of evil.

Just think what we can do.

Today, let there be no division among us. Let us work together. Let us pull together.  Let us serve together.  Let us love together.

Let us love each other.

We are on the same team.  Today, may there be no division among us.

 

Follow Me – Outreach Podcast

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The sermon podcast for Sunday, August 28, 2011 is up on Asbury Church’s website.  This is the next sermon in our series about discipleship and the transformed life entitled “Follow Me.”  It is about following Jesus to a life of outreach, and yes, giving witness to our faith and to the power of Jesus Christ. The text is Acts 16: 6-10.  You can listen to it by clicking here, or you can listen to it here on this blog by clicking below. And, as always, you can subscribe to my sermon podcasts through iTunes.

The Israel of God? Huh?

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Last night in my Asbury Small Group Connection (by the way, quick plug, if you’d like to sign up for one of our Small Group Connections, you can click here) we finished up Galatians. Galatians is one of my favorite books of the Bible. It deals with grace, and law, and faith.

And, as Paul ends this letter, he is reminding the people of what he has stressed to them throughout the letter – you are saved by grace.  Not by action. Not be the law, not by anything you can do.

You are saved by the grace of God. That’s it. That’s the list.

As I told my group last night, there’s nothing you can do to make God love you any more.  Nothing.  You can’t make God love you anymore. He simple loves you more than you’ll ever imagine, right now.  You can’t make God love you any more.  You can’t make God love you any less.  He simply loves you.

Remember that.  We aren’t faithful to make God love us. We are faithful because that is the response of a thankful heart.

And Paul ends this letter on grace and love with these words:

For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

It’s that last phrase that I love.  All who walk by grace will be the “Israel of God.”  Notice when you hear those words in scripture, it’s normally the “God of Israel.”  Here is the Israel of God.  Paul spends time throughout Galatians saying that those that live by faith, not the law, are the true children of God, and they can claim the promises of the Old Testament.

Here, Paul calls those of us that believe, the “new” Israel.  And he is saying in that, that we belong to God.  We are His.  He claims us.  He owns us.  We are His.

You, today, are the Israel of God.  Your identity, your worth, your everything, it comes not from anything you can do, it comes from what He has done.

Today, above all else that counts in your life, there is this.  You are a child of God. Remember that.  You are His.  That’s what counts. That’s what matter.  You are His.

Today, remember who you.  Remember whose you are.  You are the Israel of God. Don’t forget.

 

Lists

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This morning as I was reading in Mark, I noticed Jesus do something that I seem to only catch in Paul. I’m sure Jesus did it quiet often, but something about it caught my eye today.

He gave a list.

Jesus was teaching about things that make one “clean” or ‘unclean.”  His disciples had been fussed at because they were “unclean.” They hadn’t washed their hands and the religious leaders said – hey, they are unclean!  Jesus did some teaching on the truth of what makes someone unclean. He said what makes you unclean isn’t what’s on your hands, but what’s in your heart.

And then, He lists off some of this things.  Listen to what He says in Mark 7:

And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”

And what always sticks out to me is this. It’s the same thing that Paul does a lot. He says the unclean things like sexual immorality, theft, murder, things like this and folks are thinking, yeah God!  Get ’em!

Get those evil, immoral people! They deserve to be smited!  They deserve your judgement!  Get ’em!

But the list doesn’t stop there. It keeps going.  He gets to envy. . . . pride. . . . . foolishness. . . . . gulp.  Suddenly our judgement is gone.  Jesus has gone from preaching to meddling.  It’s not just “them” who are sinful.  It’s us too.

And that’s the problem with lists. That’s the problem with any of us thinking we are better than anyone else. We are all lacking somewhere. We are have some fault, somewhere. We all miss the mark somewhere.

That’s why it’s called grace. That’s why we can’t earn it. That’s why we all are saved by faith, not by works.

If we are saved by works, then we’d all end up on the “naughty” list.

So today, let’s not keep lists.  Let’s not keep a list of “their” sin.  Or “our” sin.  Let’s just love.  Love as we’ve been loved.  Forgive as we’ve been forgiven.  And know that God wants our heart, above all else. And if He has our heart, He’ll take care of the rest.

Today, may we give Him our total hearts.

Listen to This

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There are some days when I am reading the scripture and working on this morning devotionat, that I have a passage that I feel the need to explain a little. I feel the next to expand it. Or explain it. Or work with it. There is something I need to “do” to help you better understand what God is saying it.

Or perhaps help you to see something about it in a new way. Maybe to think about it in a way that you’ve never thought about it before.

I’m a preacher. That’s what I do 🙂 It’s what I really love doing, and in doing it I hope I’m a help to your faith.

That can be the joy of scripture. We can read the same passage, over, and over, and over again, but each time get something different out of it; each time here the Lord say something that we didn’t expect to hear.

Today, though, today is a passage that I want you to just listen to do. Today, no matter where you are, and what you are doing (unless you are driving when reading this!) I want you to stop.

Stop what you are doing. Take a five-minute break from work.

Slow yourself. Breathe. And listen to what Paul writes in Romans 8:

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Today, I don’t really have a lot to add to that. Just think about it.

Nothing will separate you from God’s love. Nothing. Nothing you have ever done. Nothing you could ever do. Nothing in creation. Nothing at all. Nothing.

God loves more today than He ever has. God loves you.

Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has given everything to know you, to love you, to save you.

You are loved. Block away everything that’s ever happened in your life. Block away every mistake. Every failing. Every fault. Everything.

And know that you are loved today. Nothing can separate you from that love.

Are you living out that love today? Outside of living through God’s love, we will always be restless. But, living in the power of God’s love, we’ll find life.

Today, nothing can separate you. Nothing. Live in that love.

Missing the Point

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One of the more interesting books in all the Bible is 1 Timothy.

In this book, Paul is writing to someone who is his “son.” Not actually his son, in the biological sense, but in the spiritual sense. Timothy is a young man who Paul helped mentor in the faith.

He was someone who Paul walked beside, that Paul taught, that Paul helped to grow in the faith and become a leader. He was someone who Paul really loved, and he was someone who really looked up to Paul.

So, Paul wrote him this letter as a way to share with him what he knew to be important. Paul knew that Timothy was a preacher and a teacher, and that Timothy would be leading others in the way of Jesus and would be teaching them about what was most important.

Paul knew that Timothy needed to know what those most important things were to share with his people. This letter is Paul’s way of sharing with his spiritual son what was most important.

We see Paul share some key things in chapter 1:

The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions.

Paul tells him that the point of it all is to be filled with that love that comes from a pure heart and clear conscience. That’s what God wants for us and from us.

As we are filled with His Spirit and His love, we will be impacted by God and will be able to impact the world in amazing ways.

That’s what matters most. That’s what is most important. Being filled with God so that we can know Him better and show His love to all persons. Being filled with His power, His love, His vision, His passion – being filled completely with God.

Everything else misses the point. That’s what it is all about. Knowing God and being known by God. Loving God and being loved by God.

And loving each other with that love of Jesus.

Let’s not get bogged down in the things that miss the point. Let’s focus on Jesus, on knowing Him better each moment and being filled with His power and presence.

That’s what it is all about. That’s what matters. And let’s focus on that.

Today, and each day.

What We Can Learn from Paul Podcast

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The sermon podcast for February 13, 2011 is up on Asbury Church’s website. It’s the first in our series “What We can Learn from Acts.” This sermon is about the life of Paul. The texts are Acts 9: 1-8, 17: 22-27, and 20: 22-25.  You can listen to it by clicking here, or you can listen to it here on this blog by clicking below. And, as always, you can subscribe to my sermon podcasts through iTunes.