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More bills than funds, more demands than time, more hurts than answers, exhaustion, stress, overload – these are the things many of us face daily. Though we may be excellent pretenders on the outside, on the inside we are crumbling.
So what are our options? Honestly I only see three: medicate, give up, or surrender.
Medicate: We are constantly tempted to medicate our sense of exhaustion, stress, failure, and pain. Medicate with what? The choices are endless. Possessions, hobbies, exercise, alcohol, work, sex, opinions of others, church activities, facebook, porn, a new relationship, and on and on and on. Here’s the thing about this kind of medication: it usually works! The problem is that it only works for a very short period of time. None of those things can really satisfy or take away the emptiness and pain.
Give up: After our ‘drugs’ of choice are no longer effective there is a great temptation to give up. People give up all the time. Some may still go through the motions but inside they are hollow. Others walk away – from church, from work, from family, from godly dreams, even from God himself. The problem with this is that it is guaranteed to only result in deeper pain and despair.
Surrender: To surrender is to yield power over to other. When I am overwhelmed by the tremendous demands of life it is usually because I am trying to live life in my own power…I’ve taken God off the throne and put myself there. The only way to persevere is for God to be on the throne. In reality he is there all the time.
A resounding theme of the Bible is that God is worth surrendering to. But how? Trite spiritual answers won’t do for major struggles. Although Jesus really is the answer for everything, he must be understood correctly or we simply will not find him sufficient. There are major moments of surrender, such as the moment one becomes a Christian, or says the wedding vows, or decides to keep the pregnancy. There are hundreds of moments of surrender every day though. They may feel less significant but it many ways we are the sum of the ‘little surrenders’. Do we turn to God again and again and again throughout the day asking for his power and peace to be displayed in our hearts? If we are moving that direction, we are moving in the direction of daily surrender.
The Apostle Paul put it like this, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:4-7).
Learning to surrender with you,
Chuck
Last Sunday night Church on Mill members unanimously embraced Nathaniel Carlson as our new Assistant Pastor of Worship! It was a special evening of rejoicing in God’s provision for our church family. Nathaniel will be leading us in worship again this Sunday and he will be licensed to ministry.
If you missed the Compass Meeting and would like to view a detailed agenda and a handout I shared on the pilot Gospel Communities, you may do so by following the below links.
www.churchonmill.com/compass/Compass-Agenda-2012-02-19.pdf 
www.churchonmill.com/compass/Gospel-Communities-2012-02-19.pdf
Chuck
This coming Sunday is going to be a big day at Church on Mill! Make plans now for a key day for the church family. What’s special about this Sunday? I’m glad you asked!
1) We’ll be taking the Lord’s Supper in the worship gathering at 10:45am. The Lord’s Supper is the powerful way Jesus gave his followers to remember his sacrifice. It is a spiritual highpoint for many. Come with a ‘confessed-up heart’ ready to worship the God who gave up everything for us.
2) Our first Connections Class will continue in the church offices. This class is called “How to Get More from the Bible.” If you struggle with reading the Bible or just want to learn how to understand it better, show up at 9:30am. You’ll be glad you did.
3) Sunday night at 6pm we will gather for our Compass Meeting. Compass Meetings are actually way more important and fun than the name might imply (few of us get fired up by attending a ‘meeting’). Sunday night the church family will enjoy some food together and discuss a variety of important things happening in the church. A few highlights on the agenda include:
a) Nathaniel Carlson will share and church members will vote to call him as our Assistant Pastor of Worship
b) An update will be given on the terrific property enhancements underway by Harold (you’ll be excited to hear about what he’s doing!)
c) I will share how the Gospel Communities pilot groups experiment is going thus far and describe the vision for the groups. This was discussed briefly in a worship gathering recently but I would love the opportunity to share more of what God is doing and what he seems to be saying.
d) Several evidences of God’s grace on the church family will be shared
Scripture describes the local church as a family of brothers and sisters. Strong families spend time together and know what’s happening in the family. It’s part of being a member of the family. Make plans now to join in all these great things planned for Sunday!
It’s a joy to be your pastor,
Chuck
Last Sunday we explored the fact that legalism (the belief that you can earn a relationship with God or maintain a relationship with God by what you do) leads to horrific mistreatment of people. Legalism is to be rejected passionately! Furthermore, we discovered that reverse-legalism (the belief that grace nullifies the need for obedience) is just as bad as legalism. It too is to be rejected passionately!
Both the legalist and the reverse-legalist misunderstand the commandments of God. Perhaps this will help us all walk in the gospel of grace:
“Every time I deliberately disobey a command of God, it is because I am in that moment doubtful as to God’s true intentions in giving me that command. Does He really have my best interests at heart? Or is He withholding something from me that I would be better off having? Such questions, whether consciously asked or not, lie underneath every act of disobedience.
However, the gospel changes my view of God’s commandments, in that it helps me to see the heart of the Person from whom those commandments come. When I begin my train of thought with the gospel, I realize that if God loved me enough to sacrifice His Son’s life for me, then He must be guided by that same love when He speaks His commandments to me. Viewing God’s commands and prohibitions in this light, I can see them for what they really are: friendly signposts from a heavenly Father who is seeking to love me through each directive, so that I might experience His very fullness forever.
When controlling my thoughts as described above, the gospel cures me of my suspicion of God, thereby disposing me to walk more trustingly on the path of obedience to His commands.” -Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer
Enjoy the gospel today and, by grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, seek to obey the Father. Milton’s excellent book can be ordered here (http://www.churchonmill.com/books/) or purchased on Sunday at Church on Mill. I warmly recommend it.
Chuck
Tomorrow – in COM’s worship gathering – we’ll feature a book called A Gospel Primer for Christians by Milton Vincent. With a name like Milton you know it’s going to be good! Basically the book is about how to apply the truths of the gospel to every moment of every day.
Here’s an excerpt to enjoy:
“As long as I am stricken with the guilt of my sins, I will be captive to them, and will often find myself re-committing the very sins about which I feel most guilty. The Devil is well aware of this fact; he knows that if he can keep me tormented by sin’s guilt, he can dominate me with sin’s power.
The gospel, however, slays sin at this root point and thereby nullifies sin’s power over me. The forgiveness of God, made known to me through the gospel, liberates me from sin’s power because it liberates me first from its guilt; and preaching such forgiveness to myself is a practical way of putting the gospel into operation as a nullifier of sin’s power in my life” (pg 19).
See you tomorrow,
Chuck
At the very heart of biblical Christianity is the astonishing truth that Jesus’ death and resurrection provide a way to be saved. All who repent of their sin and believe he is Lord are rescued and enjoy peace with God. Wow! But this is not just “a way” to be saved, rather, it is “the way” to be saved. God says there’s no other way.
One of the most important implications of salvation in Christ alone is the dire need for love-driven Christian obedience to the mission of the Church. What is the mission of the Church? Jesus says our mission is to make disciples – people who believe the gospel, are learning to obey Jesus in all things, and help others do the same (Matt 28:18-20, Acts 1:8). The way we’ve expressed this at Church on Mill is: Glorifying God through lives changed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.
There is salvation in no one except Jesus Christ. People must put conscious trust in Jesus in order to be rescued from a certain future in hell and given the glorious promise of eternal joy in heaven. This is why Jesus directs us to take the gospel to the ends of the earth: there’s no other way for people to be saved!
Whether your heart is passionate about those across the hall in your apartment complex, the guy in the cubical next to you at work, your physical therapist, your barista, your classmates, or an unreached people group on the other side of the world, your obedience to the mission of making disciples is imperative. God will direct all of us on slightly different paths and give us slightly different people to be passionate about but – if we listen to the Holy Spirit’s direction – the call is always the same. Make disciples.
Through grace-driven effort strive today to be obedient to the mission of sharing the gospel with your words and demonstrating its reality with your actions. The best way to do this is in community with other believers. Go for it, enjoy it, and living missionally because Jesus loved you and died for you while you were yet a sinner!
For Jesus,
Chuck
Last Sunday we tackled a subject of utmost importance, namely, how to be saved. If you missed it I encourage you to take 40 minutes and give it a listen. There is widespread confusion on how many paths there are to heaven, and this is a topic that one simply cannot afford to be unclear on. We’ve got to get this one right!
Because the Bible’s teaching is radically counter-cultural on the topic of how to get right with God, it is easy to get our feather’s ruffled when the topic of exclusivity comes up. I used to have a very, very difficult time with the topic. Everything in our culture teaches us that there are no absolutes, truth is relative, and any belief about spirituality is equally valid. It’s no wonder this is confusing! Thankfully God is clear and the Bible is trustworthy.
The great news for humanity is that there is a way to be saved! Despite our sin it is possible to become right with a holy and just God. We can move from being enemies of God to friends of God. The way – the only way – that happens is through Jesus Christ. Here’s how Jesus put it:
Jn 14:1-7 ESV “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
In a post later this week we’ll consider the importance of obedience to the mission of the church. This is a vital implication of the fact that salvation is found in Christ alone.
Last Sunday we explored the universe-changing truth that Jesus is King. But he’s not the sort of King most people of his day were expecting and he’s not the sort of King, God, Rescuer, Healer you might expect either. If you are disappointed, confused, and questioning who Jesus is I have great news for you: you’re in good company.
The greatest prophet in Israel’s history was a man named John the Baptist. Everything about him was special – his conception, his calling in life, his bold preaching, his popularity – the list is tremendous. He was Jesus’ cousin and his purpose for existence was to prepare the way for people to hear and receive Jesus. He boldly proclaimed the Messiah, the King, was coming, called people to repent, and drew a great following. He was an answer to prayer. He spoke God’s words and knew God well. And yet, perhaps like you, he was confused and disappointed with Jesus. How in the world does that happen?
John had confronted the Roman ruler of the area, King Herod, for his unscrupulous behavior. Herod, a married man, fell for his brother’s wife. He arranged to send his wife away and take his brother’s wife, Herodias, for himself. Jerry Springer would have been proud. John the Baptist took Herod to task for this immoral behavior, which landed John in a dungeon prison underneath King Herod’s palace.
John was apparently in prison for quite some time. Herod is hanging upstairs living a life of sin while John is in prison. Jesus is out proclaiming the gospel, healing people, casting out demons, and announcing the kingdom of God, and John is in prison. You can see why this would get confusing! When you are hurting, feel the weight of injustice, find yourself in a time of suffering, and see the wicked living the high life it is easy to get confused about who Jesus is, what he is doing, what he has promised, and if he’s trustworthy. So, John sent a question to Jesus (the one he had spent his life talking about!), “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matt 11:3). Oh my! Do you hear what he’s saying? Have I spent my life announcing the wrong King? Are you the Messiah or not? Have both of us been liars? If you are King, why the heck am I locked up? John was confused and struggling. John was disappointed with Jesus. I find that massively encouraging.
Jesus’ entire reaction to John’s question is well-worth your careful consideration, but consider just these few words, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me” (Matt 11:4-6). There’s a carefully crafted message here that echoes way, way back into the Old Testament. Jesus is King but John’s not going to get out of prison.
Jesus is King. He brought, is bringing, and one day will bring in full his Kingdom. But Jesus as King does not mean life will be easy here on earth. It doesn’t mean all will be healed or spouses won’t leave or no one will die. It doesn’t mean cancer won’t come or money won’t run out or battling temptation won’t be difficult. And it certainly doesn’t mean we will reach a full understanding of what God is up to (John the Baptist ended up getting beheaded after a drunken party with table dancing). But, my dear friend, Jesus is King. Jesus rules and reigns! He has your very best interest in mind. What he wants most is for his glory to shine through you as you are changed into Christlikeness. And, at least for some of us, the path of change is a path of pain. Even in hardship Jesus reigns and is accomplishing his good pleasure.
Do you want to see Jesus as King, the King he really is? Than don’t look so much for what you want but what he wants. Don’t look to the structures and patterns of the world, but to the design and plan of God. And as you do this, release God is enormously gracious as his kids (us!) stumble on the path of understanding and misunderstanding his Kingdom. Jesus’ commendation of John the Baptist makes that crystal clear.
Confused and disappointed with Jesus? Let the Word of God in Matthew 11 soothe your soul.
See you Sunday,
Chuck
Last Sunday we explored the astonishing truth that Jesus is King over all. He rules and he reigns as the Sovereign One in charge. Though the reasons this is really good news are too numerous to count, here’s just a few:
1) King Jesus is not a tyrant. Throughout history there have been many terrible kings. Kings who took advantage of people, preyed on people, slaughtered people, sent in troops who raped people and needlessly slaughtered people, and on and on and on. Jesus is totally different. He has been tempted in every way we have been. He’s been tempted in every way every a tyrannical king has – yet he never fails (Heb 4:15)! So, you can trust him.
2) King Jesus can deliver on his promises. While we don’t have kings here in America perhaps an analogy to our government might be helpful anyway. Our politicians promise us all sorts of things. It seems rare that these promises can be counted on. There’s no doubt the political process and atmosphere is incredibly complicated and difficult to operate in; however, part of the problem is the subjects (us) and part of the problem is the character of the politicians. Jesus doesn’t roll like that. Because his character is perfect and he has all-power, all-wisdom, and all-knowledge, he both can and will deliver on all his promises. His promises for you are good! So, you can count on him.
3) King Jesus will reign forever. Kings, presidents, mayors, dictators, friends, co-workers. What do they all share? They come and go. Even those who seem to hold their office with the most force and power will one day lie in the dirt, not in their palaces. The Arab Spring has sure taught us that if there was any doubt in our minds. What about Jesus? Will he come and go? Will he reign for a while and then pass like everyone else? Nope! The resurrection was the moment in which God the Father said, “Lord Jesus, you will reign forever” (Phil 2:9-11). So, you can worship him.
Turn to the King today. Yes he’s reigning over the universe, yet – astonishingly – he wants to meet with you.
For the King,
Chuck
Brothers and Sisters,
Well, it’s that time of year again. Time for resolutions of exercise, dieting, graduating, quitting a bad habit, cleaning the closets, taking that big vacation, getting out of debt, you get the idea. I wonder where God falls on your list. Is He on it? Is He an afterthought? Is He the top?
Want to see 2012 be your best year yet? The way that’s going to happen is not by focusing on yourself, rather, it’s going to happen only if you focus first and foremost on God. The wrinkle though is that it is awfully easy to think we are seeking God when the truth is we are merely self-absorbed. It is unbelievably common for people to try to focus on God through self-effort. It plays itself out like, “This year I’m going to go to church more…”, “This year I’m going to be a better husband and father…”, “This year I’m going to stop looking at porn…”, “This year I’m not going to talk about people behind their backs…”, “This year I’m going to have devotions several days a week.”
Sounds harmless, right? Actually it is incredibly dangerous! These are the things we ought to do but the question is, “How?” This is the precise step many of us stumble upon, smashing our faces in the dirt when we could be sprinting ahead to the glory of God. Do we simply work hard at spiritual change because, after all, ‘God helps those who help themselves!’ (try to find that in the Bible)? Or do we rely on God himself at work within us to do the very things he wants us to do? Both Scripture and experience tell us only the latter works.
Friends as you make your resolutions this week focus first and foremost on what changes need to be made so God’s glory will be maximized in and through you. Then, take your list and continually bring it before God asking him to provide the means, power, endurance, and will for long-term change. You’ll be glad you did!
Phil 3:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
For His glory with you,
Chuck
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