Sunday, September 16, 2018

Day of Praise

Mon, 09/17/18, "Day of Praise"

[And Samuel said to the people,] "Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty." - 1 Samuel 12:20b-21

Amanda and I have our anniversary quickly approaching. One of my reminders is the box her wedding ring was in. The box is in the office room next to our bedroom. 

The ring box with "Diamonds Direct" clearly printed on the top is there for all the world to see. Well, not all the world is coming into our all our rooms, but oftentimes I think how sad it would be if a burglar got in our house and made off with the ring box. I think how sad that would be because of what's actually in the box. 

Namely, nothing. 

There's nothing in the box. Oh sure, it's a nice enough box, and it says "Diamonds Direct" on the outside, but there's absolutely nothing on the inside.

The nice box is empty. 

Just like a lot of stuff that people chase in this world.

Today is a workday. What are you chasing after with your work today? In today's Bible verses, God clearly says through Samuel, "And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty." (1 Samuel 12:21 (ESV))

So what should we chase after with our work? God gives that answer too in today's Bible verses, "Serve the Lord with all your heart."

Passage after passage in the Holy Bible says that if we'll just trust God at the center of all things (Genesis 2), love God above all things (Matthew 22), and seek God first before all things (Matthew 6), then we'll be given everything else that we need and more!

So, have a great day with Jesus!

And remember to "not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty." (1 Samuel 12:20b-21 - ESV)

Praise God!


Pastor Chris 
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson


The DNA of a Disciple Making Movement

Imagine a day when disciple making is the norm for the local church! Everyday Christians engage in relationships with people (inside and outside the church) so that they can show the love of Jesus and help people to trust and follow him. Churches are known as disciple making places, where Jesus-like people are created. And pastors are evaluated by the people they raise up and the disciple makers they have made in the Spirit's power. Jesus' message AND Jesus' methods dominate. What would it take? I would like to suggest the DNA of a movement.

1. The Gospel is our message – this Good news is focused on Jesus and his death, burial, and resurrection. All who respond to salvation are also called to discipleship, no exceptions, no excuses (1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Mark 8:34-38). The gospel we preach and believe dictates the kind of disciples we are and the kind of disciples we make. If we attempt to make a Christ-like disciple from a non-discipleship gospel we will fail [A non-discipleship gospel is one that does not include discipleship as a natural part of the message and expectation]. Historically, many have called this Biblical response to the Gospel the "Gospel Imperative."

2. We are Compelled to be and make disciples of Jesus. We believe Jesus Christ is supreme and worthy of all devotion, worship, and emulation – and disciple making is a natural and necessary life responses to Jesus. With laser focus, it was Jesus himself who made disciples who could make disciples… and then Jesus commanded us to do the same (Matthew 28:16-20, John 20:21).

3. Jesus is the model (for life and ministry).  Jesus showed us how to live life and how to make disciples.  We seek to emulate his method and model. As the sinless second Adam, He was man as God intended man to be.  He then told us, "do what I have done" (John 14:12) and "walk as I have walked" (I John 2:6).   Paul understood this when he said, "imitate me as I imitate Christ" (I Corinthians 11:1). Discipleship demands us to "follow" the resurrected Christ, and "imitate" the priorities and patterns of the incarnate Christ.  We prefer to use the expression "Disciple Making" over "discipleship" because the former is closer to the words of the Great Commission and the latter is often mischaracterized (Matthew 28:18-20). We like the expression "Jesus model of disciple making," as a summary of what we do.

4. Love is the driving motive.  The Great Commandment precedes the Great Commission. 

And there's more. Tell me if you'd like to hear more. 

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