One Pastor's Perspective

Last night in evening worship, we combed through the commands of Jesus in Matthew 5.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ calls His disciples to live to a HIGHER STANDARD.  “You have heard it was said ‘Do not murder’, but I tell you ‘Do not WISH someone dead.'”  Jesus calls us to a holy life, one that hinges on the state of our hearts.

He also told us to turn the other cheek if slapped, and if compelled to carry a pack for one mile, to carry it for TWO.  He commanded us to LOVE OUR ENEMIES and PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE US.  And now, one week after the brutal attack on citizens, on innocent by-standers, at the Boston Marathon, we are left to ask “What does this mean??”  Truth is, it takes on a whole new meaning for us.

Jesus did NOT say to let the remaining bomber off the hook.  He deserves to answer for his crimes, and will do this. But I believe Christ is addressing the hatred that we can possibly feel in our hearts towards this young man.

Every time I see a picture of that little eight year-old boy that was killed, my blood boils.  It makes me ANGRY.  I want to go do something about that.  And, I cannot even imagine how I would respond if that had been my son.  If one of the young ladies killed had been my daughter.  I pray I never have to face that, because I just don’t know how I would handle it.

I think most of us that love America probably felt the same way.  We would not hesitate to pull the trigger and end that guy’s life.  But vengeance is not ours to be had … it belongs to God Almighty Himself.

As hard as it seems, we have to realize that Jesus Christ died for that young man, “Suspect #2.”  Sometimes I wonder if someone had reached out to he and his brother years earlier and told them about the hope of Jesus Christ, if this bombing would have even happened.  I wonder if the church not doing our job is the reason these men plunged so far into darkness.

But, Christ made it clear we are to LOVE our enemies and PRAY for those who persecute us.  Even though our instinct is to do the opposite.  And if you don’t believe me, go read Matthew 5.

A tough thought for the day… But, I believe there is a reason for all of this.  I believe God is protecting us from ourselves when He reminds us to love our enemies, because He knows if we plunge into a world of hate and bitterness it will hurt US far more than it hurts anyone else.

We still do not know all of the details.  And we might never know them all.  But the United States of America has been attacked again, in a cowardly way.  The goal of any kind of terrorism is to strike terror into the hearts of intended victims… There are actually two circles of targets in a terrorist attack:  Those directly impacted by the attack.  In the case of Boston, those killed, injured, and those who were eyewitnesses of this heinous action.  The second circle is anyone who watches this on television, online, or through other forms of media… These are those who will fear based on this attack.

With all of that understood, what do we tell our children?  We hold much of the key to their feelings of security and, unfortunately, they are growing up in an age where this seems to happen more and more often.  How do we convey this message to them and preserve their sense of security??

First of all, remember that each child is different and will handle this information differently.  Second, be very selective about which news shows and web articles you permit them to see…  Over the last hours, some of the images on the web and in news coverage are pretty gruesome.  While these images are true, I’ll confess at 46 years old there are a couple I wish I could unsee…

What can we do??

1.  Tell them the truth … as they can handle it.  I think God models this to us in how He has progressively revealed Himself to us.  He has told us the truth, as we can handle it and process it.  This is where you MUST know your children.  And if you have different aged siblings, this will be tougher.  But the best thing you can do is be as honest as you can with them.

2.  A fact of life is that evil exists in this world.  Most children can understand that.  And, one of the saddest facts of what happened yesterday is the perpetrator(s) of this act of terror did this with no regard to the fact that they were hurting innocent people.  In fact, that is what they intended to do.  You cannot get any more evil than that.

3.  Another fact is that God expects His people to bring LIGHT and GOODNESS into the world.  So now WE have a job to do.  Satan might have struck the first in this battle, but WE MUST WIN THE WAR.  We can now find ways to bring GOOD to something that is really, really BAD.

4.  Tell them to pray, and pray often.  Pray for the victims.  Pray for the first responders, who ran TOWARD the explosions while others ran away from them… (THESE FOLKS ARE HEROES!  GOOD IS ALREADY RUNNING IN).  Pray for those who will investigate this terrible crime, that they will find the truth.  And, finally, pray for whomever did this.  YES, Jesus told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.  I know this seems to go against EVERYTHING we feel inside right now, but they obviously are in DESPERATE NEED of a real relationship with Jesus Christ.

5.  We remind them to BE OF GREAT COURAGE.  We allow a terrorist to win when we FEAR.  I know that is hard, but God walks the paths of life with us everyday.  Even when evil tries to strike us.  And truthfully, we never know what will come our way.  But we were not given a spirit of fear, but a spirit of POWER.  Of courage.  And we can defeat this act of terrorism by holding our heads high and being BRAVE.

Obviously I am no expert… I am sure many will find problems with some of what I have written.  But the truth is always the best answer.

Sometimes I think about the national issues of today … the politically charged hot issues … and compare them to the hot issues just 20 years ago.  And I am amazed.  And I wonder what kind of world my children will have to navigate in 20 or 30 years.  And, honestly, that makes me sad.

And, slowly, I see the handwriting on the wall:  There are some in this world that call me narrow-minded and bigoted BECAUSE I believe the Word of God.  All because I believe God’s Word is true, and that I believe I am required to add nothing to it or take nothing away from it (Revelation 22:19).  Slowly but surely in these United States, I am seen as a monger of hate.  A pinhead (ok, I’ve been THAT for some time).

But why are we surprised??  There are two simple truths that will make these things more and more true, at least as long as people who do not fear God are at the helm of our society:

1.  People DO NOT WANT their sin exposed.  NO ONE likes to be called on the carpet, and NO ONE likes to be reminded their lives are against the Will of God.  Period.  And they will fight it tooth and nail.  Now, let me interject one very important fact here, too:  ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.  We have ALL SINNED.  NONE OF US IS PERFECT.  So, this statement is not made from some high and lofty perch.  I am just as imperfect as the next guy, and ALL SIN is bad in God’s eyes.  Not just the ones identified in political battles.

2.  Jesus told us people would HATE US because we love Him.  Go read Matthew 10.  Jesus told us that the WORLD would hate us because of Him.  And, they hated Him.  I mean, c’mon, THEY CRUCIFIED HIM!!  ANOTHER NOTE:  When they HATE us, this is NOT A LICENSE for us to HATE THEM.  In fact, Jesus also reminded us that it is EASY to love those who love you … But, we who follow Christ are called to LOVE OUR ENEMIES and to PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE US.  In every way, Jesus reminded us that THE STATE OF OUR HEARTS, EVEN TOWARDS THOSE WHO HATE US, should be that of love.  There is no room for the volleys of hate from our side of any issue.

So, why should we be surprised?  In Matthew 10:22, Jesus reminded us that those who stand firm until the end will be saved.

I know what I’m going to do.  How about you?

NEXT Tuesday, March 19, Roger’s BBQ at 2004 Second Loop Road in Florence will be OPEN for Lunch (10am-2pm)!!  Proceeds will benefit the Honduras Mission Project of Ebenezer Baptist Church.  I was able to go last July for the first time and, quite frankly, my life will never be the same.

It wasn’t the well-over 1000 patients we helped in the medical clinics (I think some of them could be called frontier clinics)…  It wasn’t the absolute JOY and ABANDON of self  with which the Honduran believers approached their worship and belief in God Almighty … It wasn’t even the tears of joy I saw from those who received a Bible in their native language, something they couldn’t afford that only costs us the price of a cup of premium coffee.  No, it wasn’t any of those things, although they all reduced me to tears at times.

You want to know what changed my life while working in this mission:  It was seeing God’s hand at work in His MOST POWERFUL WAYS, and knowing without a doubt that there was NO EXPLANATION for some of what I saw except that it was HIS HAND.  Period.  Just like Saul of Tarsus and so many others would testify, once you come face-to-face with Christ, you life will NEVER be the same!!

So, this year not only am I going back to hand-deliver the Bibles that many of my friends have helped provide, but I am also trying to find a way to take the three other Wikelings with me!!  (Pray for me in that!!!)

But this BBQ is not for ME…  It is helping all of the mission team and all of our stuff to get there!  And providing us with materials with which we will do everything God calls us to do while we are there.

As I stated before, walk-ins are welcomed, but if you would like DELIVERY, please download the attached form and fax it back!!  And thanks for all of your help!!

Honduras BBQ Order Form

And, by the way:  If you want to help send Bibles, you can still do that too!!  Contact me and I will tell you how!!  davidwike@ebcsc.com

God has called US (the church) to share His Good News with the world.  The world STARTS next door to us and moves out.  One day, He will hold us responsible for all of the opportunities we had and how we responded…  The REALITY of it all is this:  We’d better GET BUSY.

We actually bear witness of His reality in many ways:  The words we say, the actions we do, the ethic with which we work, the way we play… THEY ALL bear witness of how REAL Christ is to US!!!  And you had better believe those that do no know Him are watching!!  They want to see if He is real to us before they will ever believe the words we say about Him!!!

So the challenge for today and for this week is this:  START SMALL.  Concentrate on one way to LIVE FOR HIM today.  Completely turn one aspect of your life over to Him, and watch what He does with it.  And I will warn you:  This is contagious!  Once you turn one area over to Him, it will be so much easier to turn the next, and the next, and before you know it you ARE a LIVING WITNESS to Him, and your life is a SPIRITUAL ACT OF WORSHIP.  Just like Paul challenged us to live in Romans 12!!!

Test this and see if it is true …

Last night in prayer meeting we were discussing I Corinthians 5 & 6.  Talking about sin..  Specifically, Paul was writing to the church in Corinth about sexual immorality and their condoning of it within the church.

The question quickly arises, “What is the right thing to do if we know we have a friend or family member engaging in sin?”  In this world of “MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS,” Paul clearly shows us we have a responsibility to our friend, to the family, and to the church.  IF YOU CARE.

This is a difficult subject to consider… The world and society tells us to mind our own business.  That what someone else does is between them and God, and we have no place doing this…  So, WHY did Paul write those two chapters of I Corinthians??

We are NOT OF THIS WORLD.  If Christ is your Savior, then your nature should be like that of His.  And if you have a friend doing something destructive in his/her life, you WILL try to help them.  IF you care.

Not too long ago, a push-lawnmower did not have the safety bar that will not allow it to run unless you are holding the handlebar.  You could just crank it up and it would run as long as it had gasoline.  Remember??  Suppose you cranked such a lawnmower and had to run back into the house for a second, and came back outside to find a toddler from next door stooping to reach under that lawnmower to retrieve a ball.  IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULDN’T SAY OR DO TO STOP THAT???  Because you know the terrible damage that could cause the child.  Personally, I would yell, scream, and run to grab that child.  Because I would NEVER want to be the one who could’ve stopped such destruction and decided not to do it.

If someone I care about is doing destructive things, I’m going to try to stop it.  This is EXACTLY what Paul is challenging us to do.  In LOVE, and NOT in judgment.  If you approach such a thing with a judgmental attitude, you will most assuredly do as much damage as the sin will do.

IF YOU CARE … YOU WILL DARE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Over the past week or so I’ve encountered several events in my life that point back to the same theme.  It’s something I’ve been thinking about for quite a while … And, although it might be easy to think about and even write, I, too, struggle with what I am about to tell you:

Life is like a box of chocolates:  You NEVER know what you are gonna get.  (OK, many thanks to my mentor, Forrest Gump, for that line.)   Life is FILLED with good and bad.  Situations for which you are thankful, and situations you’d rather not experience.  You will prosper … you will make mistakes … life is LIFE.  None of us is perfect and we will all ride the roller coaster up and down.

You (and I) CANNOT CONTROL other people.  You cannot control when others are rude, mean, greedy, crooked, selfish, hateful, this list can go on and on … The bottom line is, you cannot control how others treat you.

You CANNOT CONTROL the situations you face in life.  Many of these are the imperfections ALL of us face and we ALL must struggle through them.  Disease, financial ruin, accidents … they ALL happen.

There are SO MANY THINGS in life you CANNOT CONTROL that I will stop here.  I think you get the picture.  But there is ONE THING you CAN CONTROL:  HOW YOU RESPOND TO THEM.  YOU can control YOUR attitude.  And YES, your level of happiness in life is directly related to HOW YOU RESPOND to these things.

And the BEST RESPONSE???  TRUST IT ALL TO GOD!!  Share your life with God the Father.  Allow Christ to carry you in the valleys.  Allow the Holy Spirit to empower you and pull you through!!!!  He has walked through the TOUGHEST that life has to offer … and He will walk WITH YOU through the same!!!

Proverbs 3:5-6 (The Message)  Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own.  Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track.

//

As far as the sermon topics so far this year go, God is on a roll.  And we are exploring holy living at Ebenezer.  This Thursday there will be yet another chapter of what He has in store for us on 2013 as we have our Annual Wild Game Supper.  The food will be good, the props will be great, and Chris Wells will be our guest speaker.  Chris is a pro-fisherman and chaplain to his fellow pros!!  He is also an evangelist who specializes in challenging men like us with … guess what … living for Christ.  I can’t wait to hear what God has in store for us this week!!

But, we don’t have to wait for Thursday to have an encounter with God.  You can encounter Him EVERY DAY if you look for where He is at work and join Him.  I’m praying we will ALL find Him at work today and do just that!!