This week's message is entitled, "Hark the Herald Jesus Sings." It is a play on the Christmas Carol title, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." The main point of the message deals with the word herald and what it means.
It basically has two meanings. 1. First, "The bearer of news." Not just good news, but any news including bad news. We Christians are bearers of both good news and bad news; although for the most part, unless you are a pessimist, we concentrate mostly on the Good News of the gospel.
We are bearers of bad news as well. We may not like being the negative side of the message of the gospel, but it is a reality about the Christlike lifestyle that we have to live with. We don't even have to be drastic as some like to be by getting up on a soapbox and preaching a doomsday message to be bearers of bad news. Our presence alone can be bad news to the lost and dying world in sin.
The apostle Paul certainly realized this when he said, "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." The implication here is that for those who are perishing (and maybe for some who are saved as well) the aroma of Christ is bad news on at least a few accounts. It is kind of good news and bad news all in the same breath. For example, when we live righteously in the presence of the unsaved, or the backsliden Christian, it can be comparable to rubbing sandpaper together. There is a lot of spiritual friction that takes place. When holiness and evil co-exist there can't help but be tension. Holiness is bad news to evil.
2. This brings me to the second meaning of herald: "signs of what will happen." Sometimes just the presence of righteousness and holiness because of the presence of Christ within us can be a sign to an unsaved person about the reality of their own lives. I stated to someone lately that God is like a mirror. When we look into His spiritual reflection we see not the face of God but ourselves; and we may not like what we see. Bad news in this sense however is not a bad thing if you respond to it in a righteous manner. God wants to turn the bad news about your own life into the Good News of the gospel. Praise God.
Why not listen in to Sunday's message, again entitled, "Hark the Herald Jesus Sings," which will be posted on our church website after the service Sunday morning, and find out more about what it means to be a herald for Jesus Christ.
Blessings,
-Leo
Friday, September 2, 2011
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Jack-in-the-box Theology
We don't talk much about the return of Christ anymore in many of our churches. Last night we had quite a discussion about Luke 12:35-49, which talks about our preparedness for the return of Christ. Verse 35 states: "Be ready for the service and keep your lamps burning;" Also verse 40: "You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him."
I was still thinking about these two verses after I went to bed last night. It came to me that this is somewhat comparable to a jack-in-the-box experience. A little child gets a new toy for birthday/Christmas. It is the shape of a box - red in color - with a tiny crank-like feature protruding from the side. He is told to turn the crank. He does but nothing happens. He's then encouraged to keep turning it and wait for something special to happen.
He turns and turns and turns, and just when he is about to give up - up pops Jack-in-the-box. He giggles with delight. Jack-in-the-box is pushed down into the box and he turns and turns the crank again.
This is a great illustration to help us understand the type of readiness and awareness that Jesus is talking about in this passage of Luke. "The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him." We must have the same type of anticipation in our preparedness for the return of Christ. To keep turning the crank of discipleship is an important part of our readiness.
Jesus begins the parable on readiness by stating: "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?" (Luke 12:42) Good question don't you think? In respect to readiness for the return of Christ the church needs to be doing something until that time. We should do it with great anticipation, fervor, and excitement. We turn and turn and turn the crank of discipleship, never stopping as long as we can breathe air; waiting for the great surprise.
Discipleship itself is a "turn-over" type of ministry. The genius of discipleship ministry is that disciples make disciples. It is a learner/teacher type of experience. We continually "pay it forward" in the discipleship process.
I have a friend who often says that churches are birthing stations for new Christians. In a manner-of-speaking we are spiritual maternity wards. Once the church stops making new Christians it is then destined to die.
What are you doing that keeps you keenly aware of the spiritual things that are happening all around you. Hopefully you are doing the Lord's business of readiness and preparedness, ever looking for His eminent return. Keep on turning and before you know it Jesus could return in our lifetime.
Blessings,
-Leo
I was still thinking about these two verses after I went to bed last night. It came to me that this is somewhat comparable to a jack-in-the-box experience. A little child gets a new toy for birthday/Christmas. It is the shape of a box - red in color - with a tiny crank-like feature protruding from the side. He is told to turn the crank. He does but nothing happens. He's then encouraged to keep turning it and wait for something special to happen.
He turns and turns and turns, and just when he is about to give up - up pops Jack-in-the-box. He giggles with delight. Jack-in-the-box is pushed down into the box and he turns and turns the crank again.
This is a great illustration to help us understand the type of readiness and awareness that Jesus is talking about in this passage of Luke. "The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him." We must have the same type of anticipation in our preparedness for the return of Christ. To keep turning the crank of discipleship is an important part of our readiness.
Jesus begins the parable on readiness by stating: "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?" (Luke 12:42) Good question don't you think? In respect to readiness for the return of Christ the church needs to be doing something until that time. We should do it with great anticipation, fervor, and excitement. We turn and turn and turn the crank of discipleship, never stopping as long as we can breathe air; waiting for the great surprise.
Discipleship itself is a "turn-over" type of ministry. The genius of discipleship ministry is that disciples make disciples. It is a learner/teacher type of experience. We continually "pay it forward" in the discipleship process.
I have a friend who often says that churches are birthing stations for new Christians. In a manner-of-speaking we are spiritual maternity wards. Once the church stops making new Christians it is then destined to die.
What are you doing that keeps you keenly aware of the spiritual things that are happening all around you. Hopefully you are doing the Lord's business of readiness and preparedness, ever looking for His eminent return. Keep on turning and before you know it Jesus could return in our lifetime.
Blessings,
-Leo
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