Drop Your Stone and Pray - The Right Response to Sin

I recently read of a local pastor who had been accused of a sinful and shameful act. This man was a leader, a teacher, a councilor, and a theologian lead astray by sexual temptation.  I can hear the murmurs of unbelievers who caught wind of the story, mocking the man, mocking Christianity, and generally using the account as an argument against God.  Not surprising because the unbeliever often looks for a slip of the tongue, an inconsistency in moral conduct, or hypocrisy to say, "Look, he's no different than anyone else; maybe even worse!"

Maybe you know this story or one like it.  Maybe you had feelings of disgust, anger, sadness, bitterness, or judgement.  What should the believer's response be to the sin of a fellow believer, even when the sin is particularly offensive or egregious? Not to be cliche-ish, but WWJD?  (For those not from this planet - What Would Jesus Do?)

Now let me first say that there are earthy consequences for breaking the law and for sin in general but this is not about what happens in the court of law but what happens in the human heart.  What is the internal dialogue that goes on in your head when you hear a story of someone else's fall? What is the external dialogue that happens as you discuss the story with your friends and family?  What is whispered from ear to ear down the length of the church pew and at the church's Wednesday evening potluck? "Can you believe . . .?"  "He seemed like such a nice man."

So, did you pick up your stone yet?

There was a woman "caught in adultery" who was brought to Jesus by the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees.  They "made her stand before the group."  I assume "caught in adultery" means that someone walked in on the act which, I imagine, was quite embarrassing but then making her stand before the group was humiliating.  Deserved?  Maybe yes, maybe no but how did Jesus respond when the Pharisees asked him if she should be stoned, as required by Old Testament Law?  With his finger writing in the dust of the ground, Jesus said, "Let anyone of you who is without sin, be the first to throw a stone at her."  One by one the stones fell to the ground as they walked away.

If you have a stone in your hand, you might want to loosen the grip just a little.

In Luke chapter 6 Jesus said, "Do not judge and you will not be judged." Then, in chapter 7,  he followed with "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged."

Loosening the grip a little more?

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus told his followers, "You have heard that is was said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment." and "anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Feel the stone starting to slip from your hand?

The Apostle Paul will pry the last two fingers from your stone with these words: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life." Herod Antipas (who beheaded John the Baptist), Cain (who killed his brother Abel), Jezebel (who sacrificed babies to the idol Baal and murdered many prophets), yet Paul says twice that he was the WORST OF SINNERS! Thud! Your stone should be on the ground.

Now within Christian leadership there is accountability and consequences for overt sin and rebellion which the elders will hopefully handle biblically with love and grace through prayer both to protect the flock as well as to bring the straying back in line through repentance.  Jesus was clear that leaders and teachers would be held to a higher standard and Paul taught us that God "chastens those he loves." But, this post is not about consequences as much as is is about the hearts of fellow believers toward the sinner. Hearts of judgment, bitterness, hatred, or disgust versus hearts of grace, compassion, combined with prayers for repentance, healing, and restoration.  God says his "grace is sufficient" for us, for little sins and for big ones.  I pray for this man, for his family, for his church, for his school, for those he offended, and for you and me (that we would remember without the Cross of Christ we too would be condemned).

Peace,

David

The God on the Shelf - Who is God to You?

Who is God to you?  Really.  I mean on any given day at any particular moment who is God to you.  Now the reality is that God is who God is regardless of what you think of him but who he is to you determines how you live and how you die. You might initially give me a laundry list of the usual Christian responses:

"He is my heavenly Father."
"He is my friend."
"He is my guide."
"He is my Lord."

I'd like to give you a picture of what I believe most of us have done with God and maybe what you're doing right now.  Be careful not to put up your shield of defense right away. Instead meditate on this and let it do its work in you.  I think we all can see a little of ourselves in this.

God is often a god on the shelf; a definable, compartmentalized, usable god.  We put him on three different shelves depending on where we need him.

First, is what I see as the work shelf.  It's like a shelf in a workshop, carrying a cordless drill, a belt sander, and a couple hammers. Oh yeah, and a tiny god. He sits on our work shelf silent and lifeless until we have a job for him to do. We go about our days and weeks with little or no acknowledgment  of his presence and we rarely if ever look at him in awe of who he is.  That is, until we need a little financial help, maybe maybe we're in legal trouble, or in a relationship struggle.  It's time to go to the shelf, dust him off and see it he can get the job done.  We cry out, "Why God? Why this or that and why me?  Help me please!" When the situation passes we place him back on the shelf in case we need him in the future.  Off we go,

The second shelf is more like a mantle above the fireplace.  It's a place where we keep our trophies and various awards.  It's the shelf of religiosity of pride.  It's where we place God to show others that we have him. It may look like a weekly trip to church where we really don't meet God or truly worship him. It may look like the donations we can tell our accountant about at tax time.  However, like the god of the workshop, this god is also lifeless and doesn't play any real part in the minute by minute reality of our lives.

The last shelf is like a shelf in the medicine cabinet or vanity. Like the mantle place god this is also a god of religion but based less on pride and more on guilt.  We look in the mirror and see a blemish a rash or a sore.  We are sick or just don't look very good. We open the mirror pull out the little Bandaid god or the makeup god and cover up the blemish.  This god doesn't heal the wound or make us younger, it just makes us look better.  Then back in the cabinet, on the shelf and the mirror closes.

Before you say, "Not me!!" think carefully about your typical day.  How does it start?  Does it start in prayer, in worship, in acknowledging Him?  How do you make the hundreds of decisions you make every day?  Is God  . . . GOD . . . in your life?  I mean a living, all powerful, all knowing, ever present, eternal, Holy, loving, creator GOD in your life?  Because whether we act like it, live like it, or acknowledge it, that's who he is.

God loves you (cordless drills, trophies, and mascara can't love). God can do amazing things in you, through you, and for you.  He is El Shaddai "God All Mighty", Elohim "God the Creator".  You see a hammer can't create.  It can only create if it is carried.  God needs no help.  He is there to help in times of need but not as a part time god on a shelf.  He is Yahweh-rapha "The God who Heals".  He heals our insides and outsides, not just covering up the wound but healing it. Jesus died so that we might have life.  He made blind eyes to see, deaf ears to hear, lame legs to walk, and brought the dead to life. If God has at times been a shelf god in your life (as he has in mine) ask him to forgive you and walk with him in a new way today.

Peace, David

How Far is the East from the West?

I was talking with a young man recently and he repeatedly used the word "Christian" in his conversation.

For instance:

"He is a Christian."

"She grew up in a Christian home."

So, I thought to myself, "Hmmm? I wonder what he means by that." I had a sneaking suspicion what he meant so I asked him, "What do you mean when you say the word 'Christian'? I then gave him a scenario. "If a friend, who happened to be an atheist, came up to you and told you that he was interested in Christianity and asked you 'What does it mean to be a Christian?', what would you tell him?"

The young man began to tell me that it meant having integrity, honesty, and doing the things Jesus did. So I pressed just a little farther. "So, do you mean that to become a Christian you just start to do good things, use Jesus as a role model, and then just go to a 'Christian' church on Sunday and WALLA you're a Christian?" He thought for a moment and then wasn't sure what to say. "No", I said. You aren't a Christian because you were raised in a "Christian " home. You aren't a Christian because you signed a membership card at the Church on the corner. You aren't a Christian because you listen to "Christian" music. You aren't a Christian because you do good things and wear a WWJD bracelet.

So off we went to the Scriptures and looked at what Jesus said and what his disciples said. We saw that becoming a Christian is a real transaction that occurs in the Spirit realm when a person who was separated from God by their sin and is "dead in their trespasses and sins" is forgiven, reconciled (To reestablish a close relationship) to God, and are "Born Again". This happens as a result of repentance and faith in the One who paid the penalty, who gave his life, and who was raised from the dead. I helped him to see that becoming a Christian is something that God does in us through our faith and not something we become by "signing up for" or "joining" like we would the Rotary Club or the fraternity house. We saw that integrity, honesty, love, peace, patience, and our good deeds are the fruits of that rekindled relationship not the prerequisite to it.

With that said, I want to share a few really awesome promises that the Bible gives us regarding the amazing work that occurs in those who trust Jesus Christ as Lord. I want to focus mainly on sin and what happens to all that ugly junk in our lives when that transaction takes place. It's instantaneous and it's permanent.

1) Psalm 103:11-13

"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him."

2) Isaiah 1:18

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

3) 2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

4) Romans 8:1

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

So, let me ask you a geography question. Exactly how far is the East from the West? OK, so you might not have the answer on the tip of your tongue so I'll give you an experiment that might help. Go out to the garage and find the tape measure in the tool box (It's probably under a pile of work gloves, a hammer, and two saws.) Now use a compass to find East. Start walking until you get to the beginning of East, nail down the end of the tape measure, then begin walking towards the West. Keep going until you get to the end of West. (You might need a few more tape measures.) Alright, I know that was ridiculous but the reality is that the distance is infinite and so is the distance from a Born Again believer to his or her sins. Will you sin again after you are saved? Likely, but two things are true about that: The Holy Spirit in you will "convict" (To make aware of one's sinfulness or guilt) you of that sin and the Bible says that if we confess our sins he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. How much cleansing? All of it!! Last thing to notice. Were all of these promises unconditional? Nope. Go back and look again but this time notice these words, "Those who fear him", "Let us reason together", "If anyone is in Christ", "For those who are in Christ Jesus"

So I hope and pray that if you consider yourself a Christian that you look an see if this actual transaction has occurred. The offer is open to all who call on the name of Jesus but without it you might just be wearing the label. The label is not good enough but the grace that comes through faith is all sufficient!

Peace,

David

A Little Bit of House Cleaning ~ An I-61 Project Ministry Update

A couple nights ago my wife looked at me with a bit of hesitation and whispered, "Honey, can I ask you a favor? Would you please put your clothes away when you take them off?" I looked over the small pile of dirty clothes spread about the chair and floor and then like a spoiled five year old I muttered, "Fine!" I somewhat angrily put the dirty clothes down the laundry chute, folded a pair of pants and stomped into the walk-in closet. What a brat I was! Like the Apostle Paul said, "What a wretched man I am!".

OK, this is not really a post about my brattiness, although I could certainly go down that road. I just wanted to start by sharing my disdain for house cleaning!!! With that said and as much as I don't like to clean house, I want to take this week and let you know all that is going on in and around the I-61 Project ministry. Even if you hate cleaning as much as I do, I hope you'll stick around to see how God is using this ministry to reach people for Jesus Christ.

I want to first share how God is extending the reach of the I-61 Project Blog. To-date, the blog has been visited by people from 23 countries including Great Britain, Indonesia, Turkey, Malaysia, India, South Africa, and Fiji. It's amazing that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is as powerful to a young woman in Hyderabad, India as it is for me here in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We have had visitors from every state in the nation and have had very fruitful dialogue with people from every corner of the country. How amazing that when Jesus commanded his disciples to go preach the Gospel to all nations we would see a day when we could do just that through the power of the Internet! Please feel free to interact with us through the comments section of each post. There is a small number in the upper right hand corner of each post that is clickable and will open the "comments" section for that post. You can also email us at info@i61project.org.

God has opened doors for us to share the Gospel in church environments, in the workplace, in small groups, in youth groups, and has made many divine appointments with other brothers and sisters in Christ. God has joined this ministry together with other powerful ministries including "Speaking 4 Him" which is the outreach ministry of our good friend Andrew Gommesen who is a wonderful preacher of the Word. He preaches Christ from the confinement of his wheelchair. Andrew was born three months prematurely and as a result has cerebral palsy. His ministry is growing and he has blessed us and many others.

Ivor Thomas, the co-founder of the I-61 Project, released his CD "Nowhere Else to Go" early this year and is reaching people through doors opened by the power of music. He has returned to serving the needs of God's people in his position as the Executive Director of the Muskegon County Habitat for Humanity. His CD is available at CD Baby and also on itunes. We have posted a powerful music video of his song "I'll Bother You" on YouTube.

We have recently been blessed to be able to start a worship service at our home church that we hope will reach people who have been hesitant to attend church or are looking to a more interactive way to encounter God in Christ. Appropriately, our good friend Mike Walden gave this gathering the name "Encounter". We hope that if you are in the Grand Rapids area you'll come visit us in this experience. We want you to know that you'll come to know the real Jesus even the parts that make us a little or a lot uncomfortable. We will be real with you and will provide a place where you can be real with us. Come as you are but God won't let you stay that way!

Our main website, "The I-61 Project. ORG" is expanding its content with news updates, music, and audio podcasts (recorded by our good friends at River City Studios). We hope you'll visit the site and listen to the podcasts which are also available for download on iTunes.

The I-61 Project has been incorporated and we will be looking to apply for tax exempt status in the near future. We have place a "Donate" button on the Blog home page and would appreciate your help as God leads you in furthering the reach of the Gospel.

I want to thank all who have visited us and have shared their hearts, their fears, their struggles, and their blessings. We have been blessed by you! Thanks also for cleaning house with me this morning because misery loves company.

Look forward to walking with you in the journey home.

Peace,

David and Ivor and The I-61 Project