A church that perseveres in trials
In the first post in this short series, I explained that I’m working my way through a few posts on the topic of perseverance. But, I’m dealing with some different issues related to perseverance and the church, perhaps some topics that we don’t often deal with. For example, the first post dealt with persevering through temptation, the second post dealt with persevering through forgiveness, and the third post dealt with persevering in grace.
In today’s post, I’m looking at persevering in trials. We don’t like trials, persecutions, and suffering, but the New Testament authors warn that trials will come, and they exhort their readers to persevere during and through those trials.
As with the other scriptural exhortations to persevere, there are many passages that I could turn to as an example of encouragement to persevere in the midst of trials and suffering. I picked this one:
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds… (James 1:2 ESV)
Many people have commented on the fact that those who follow Jesus should rejoice whenever they face persecution for their faith in God. (Jesus himself said this in Matthew 5:11-12, among other places.)
However, notice that James is commanded his readers to rejoice. “Count it all joy” is an imperative. Why would James need to command his readers to rejoice during trial? Because the tendency (human tendency, perhaps) is to not rejoice, but to despair when facing persecution.
(And, I need to state up front that I am talking about persecution caused by someone’s faith and by following Jesus Christ. I’m not talking about giving up certain TV shows or caffeinated drinks or having someone smirk at your or other things that people often call “trials”.)
When we are submitted to the Lord – when we are walking in the Holy Spirit – we are able to rejoice in the midst of trials and persecutions. When we look away from him and toward ourselves, we begin to despair because of the troubles that we’re facing.
This is where our brothers and sisters in Christ can help us, and where we can help other believers. Our encouragement and reminders to those facing trials to remember Jesus can help them turn back to their joy of their life in Christ. (By the way, this is exactly what the author of Hebrews is doing in Hebrews 12:1-3 and following.)
Obviously, joy comes only from God working in our lives. But, as we all know, God often works through our brothers and sisters in Christ – as well as others. We can be conduit for joy that God uses, and we can expect God to work through others to bring us joy – even when we are facing persecution and trials.
Do you have any stories to share of times when other believers have helped you be joyful in spite of persecution or when God used you to bring joy to a brother or sister who was being persecuted?
[Addendum: Last weekend, I had a change to speak with a brother from Ethiopia who constantly lived in the midst of trials and physical persecution. He not only reminded me that it is possible to have joy during trials, but he also reminded me how important it is that we share in one another’s suffering. He told me how helpful it was for him to receive notes of encouragement and to know that people were praying for him.]
A church that perseveres in grace
In the first post in this short series, I explained that I’m working my way through a few posts on the topic of perseverance. But, I’m dealing with some different issues related to perseverance and the church, perhaps some topics that we don’t often deal with. For example, the first post dealt with persevering through temptation and the second post dealt with persevering through forgiveness.
In today’s post, I’m looking at persevering in grace. That seems strange doesn’t it. We are saved by Gods grace, and we live by God’s grace. So, why do we need to persevere in grace?
Well, let’s begin with something that Peter wrote:
By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. (1 Peter 5:12 ESV)
In this short sentence, Peter tells us that Silvanus wrote down his letter. And, he tells us why he wrote the letter: to exhort his readers to stand firm (i.e., persevere) in the true grace of God.
On the surface, you would think that the grace of God would be something that comes naturally to his children – much like forgiveness. But, Peter – at least – thinks it’s necessary for people to persevere in grace in the way they think and the way they live.
In ourselves, we slink away from grace and toward self-righteousness or works to try to please God. Grace is too easy, too forgiving, too powerful. We need something else. So, we add something else on our own, which makes us feel better about ourselves. But, that’s not grace.
Similarly, we often are willing to accept grace for ourselves, but demand something else for others. The grace that saves us and empowers us to live in Christ is the same grace that God offers to others. We must willing to allow others to live in that same grace!
So, Peter commands, “Stand firm in [grace]!” Check your motives; check your attitude; check your reasons; check your goals. Are you standing firm in the true grace of God? If not, move back into grace.
And, guess what? Peter is speaking in the plural here: Y’all stand firm in grace!
Of course, this is not surprising when you read through Peter’s letter and recognize how community-centered it is. Not just community, of course – a community that is centered in Jesus Christ.
We need one another (in Christ) to help us stand firm (persevere) in grace. We need to be willing to ask one another if we are living in the grace of God. We need to be willing to listen to one another if someone suggests we may not be resting in God’s grace. We need one another to help us persevere in grace, just as we need one another to help us persevere during temptation and to help us persevere in forgiveness.
Do you have any stories that you can share with us about how your brothers and sisters in Christ have helped you stand firm in God’s grace, or how you have helped others persevere in grace?
Sixth Blogiversary
I started “The Assembling of the Church” six years ago today – March 21, 2006. So, today is my sixth blogiversary.
The blog started on blogger, but I switched to a self-hosted WordPress-based blog a few years ago. (That’s why you may occasionally find links to assembling.blogspot.com, but those links should direct you back here.)
Even though I started blogging with two posts on the same day (“Welcome” and “Questions“), I didn’t write many posts for the first few months. I did not start blogging regularly (i.e., usually daily) until November 2006.
Originally, I started blogging to parallel my PhD studies. I’ve always enjoyed the interaction with readers and commenters, either on the blog or through email. While many of you remain “virtual” friends, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity of meeting several of you “face-to-face.”
Over the last couple of years, the purpose and scope of this blog has changed. Actually, for me, the change was gradual and natural. I’ve shifted from focusing primarily on what Scripture says about the church, and I’ve added more focus on living according to what Scripture says about the church. This may seem like a small change – perhaps even a change in terminology. But, in reality, there’s a huge difference.
So, hopefully, I will continue to write posts examining Scripture and discussing various aspects of church life as described by the authors of the New Testament. But, I also plan to continue to write posts exhorting us to live according to these patterns.
Remember that a disciple of Jesus Christ is not someone who knows about God or what God commands. Instead, a disciple is someone who hears, knows, and OBEYS God more and more. (Matthew 7:24-27; Matthew 28:19-20) So, let’s continually help one another grow in our understanding of God and in our obedience to his way of life.
Thank you for reading my blog, for commenting on my posts, and for being a part of my life in Christ.
A church that perseveres through forgiveness
In yesterday’s post, I explained that I’m working my way through a short series on the topic of perseverance. But, I’m dealing with some different issues related to perseverance and the church, perhaps some topics that we don’t often deal with. For example, yesterday’s post dealt with persevering through temptation.
In today’s post, I’m looking at the flip-side of temptation… persevering through forgiveness. As I said yesterday, temptation will come in the life of every believer. And, when temptation comes, sin will follow. No, no one wants to sin, and no one has to sin, but, then again, no one perfectly follows Jesus Christ.
The question is, what happens when someone sins? In Matthew 18, Jesus broached the subject of dealing with someone who has sinned against you. (Matthew 18:15-20) While this passage is traditionally considered “church discipline,” Peter understood it to be about “church forgiveness.” He asks Jesus,
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22 ESV)
Peter understood the true implication of Jesus’ words. If someone sins against you, and you – and perhaps others later – go to that person, the person will usually ask for forgiveness. And, for a follower a Jesus, forgiveness must be granted… every time. Even if that person has offended someone and been forgive many times, the believer must still offer forgiveness.
Yes, Peter could see what was coming, and he knew that he would have a difficult time persevering in this kind of forgiveness. He even offered to forgive someone seven times, but Jesus would not accept the plea. “No,” Jesus replied, “Just keep on forgiving and forgiving.”
Of course, forgiveness is an essential characteristic of anyone who is following Jesus Christ. As Paul said, we must be willing to continually bear with one another and forgive one another. How should we forgive? The same way that God forgave us in Jesus Christ… and that’s alot! (Ephesians 4:32; and see also Matthew 6:14-15)
But, even though forgiveness is an essential characteristic of anyone who follows Jesus Christ, that does not mean that forgiveness comes readily or naturally. In fact, forgiveness only comes “unnaturally” when we are willing to give up our rights for the sake of God and for the sake of others.
We cannot whip up within ourselves the kind of grace and love it take to forgive someone – and especially to continually and consistently forgive someone who continually and consistently offends you – not seven times, but seventy times seven (give or take). Only God can give us the faith and courage it takes to continually forgive someone like that. Of course, he often works through his children.
As in the case of temptation, we must help one another persevere in forgiveness. We must be willing to look for and deal with issues of unforgiveness, just as we must be willing to help people deal with temptation.
Can you share any examples with us of times when brothers and sisters helped you persevere in forgiveness or when you helped someone else persevere in forgiveness?
Sometimes I can’t stand that guy Jesus
Josh at “Called to Rebuild” has written an excellent post called “The thing we evangelicals can’t stand about Jesus.”
Oh, I know what you’re thinking: “Evangelicals love Jesus!” Yes, of course. All of Jesus’ followers love him.
But, sometimes, when you’re reading through Scripture, don’t you wish he did something or said something a little differently… a little more plainly… a little more obvious… a little more “Jesus-like”?
Josh writes:
But He is unboxable at the same time. His self-presentation does not come in one pre-packaged form, and that is just what we evangelical Christians can’t stand about the Lord. We like it all cut-and-dry, methodical, systematic. We prefer a neatly defined approach to God and a bullet-pointed salvation: Follow these steps and you’re in. Then check these boxes everyday to make sure you stay in, or (for those with more Calvinistic tastes) to constantly re-verify that you were actually in to begin with. 😉 We may not care to admit it, but that is how we often view things.
What I love about the Lord Jesus is that He does not fit into the molds of men, even the Christian molds which we’ve been told Christ Himself invented. He is untameable by any of our standards. One moment He’s telling me that the person who is not with us is against us, but then just as I’m about to rise up and denounce my brother’s heresy, he comes back at me with “but he that is not against us is for us.”
Yes. Good stuff, Josh. And, of course, there’s a difference between following Jesus and following our tamed, boxed, predictable version of “Jesus.”
Or, as C.S. Lewis wrote (about Aslan), “He’s not a tame lion, but he’s good.”
No, Jesus is not a tame Savior or Lord, but he’s good. He may not do what we expect (and often he doesn’t), but we can trust him.
But, that “Jesus” who is predictable and tame… don’t trust that guy.
A church that perseveres through temptation
A few months ago, I wrote a series about some of the lessons that I’ve learned trail running. But, I want to talk about something else that I’m learning as a result of running: perseverance. You see, even though I love to run, that does not mean that I love to run every week, or every day, or every step. Sometimes, I have to make myself run even though I don’t want to. That’s perseverance. Sometimes, I have to start running again because I’ve stopped for a time. That’s perseverance.
Perseverance is one of those difficult lessons. First, it’s difficult because it always involved something that is not easy. Second, it’s difficult because it’s easy to drift into thinking that it’s all about me or all by my power. Finally, it’s difficult because it’s easy to sit back and assume that God is going to make everything pleasant and perfect and desirable before I have to get started. But, perseverance isn’t any of those things.
So, in this short series, I’m going to look at some aspects of life in which the church is called to persevere… to stand fast… the keep on keeping on… to not stop.
The first of these is temptation. James writes:
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (James 1:12-14 ESV)
While temptation can come from many different directions, James points to our own hearts as the center of temptation. Even when the temptation is spiritual or worldly (systemic), it is the desires of our own heart (perhaps to control our own lives) that makes lure a temptation.
Here’s the thing: temptation is something that will come. It seems to be a given in Scripture. (Jesus said, “Temptations to sin are sure to come” – Luke 17:1) But, it is also something that must be withstood. Like other forms of perseverance, standing firm in withstanding temptation (withstanding firm?) is hard work. It is not something that is pleasant, and it is not something that we also want to do.
What does this have to do with the church? Well, withstanding temptation can be a community exercise. Yes, sin is often personal, but it is never ONLY personal. Sin and temptation always affect the body of Christ, whether we realize it or not and whether we know how it is affected or not.
We must understand and accept that when we yield to temptation we are harming the church. Then, we must be willing to ask for the church’s help in persevering in withstanding temptation. (If someone or some group judges you because you are tempted in a certain area, then find another group of brothers and sisters who will not judge you, who will accept you, and who will stand with you to persevere through these temptations.)
Yes, we need God to persevere through temptation. Yes, we need to stand firm ourselves when we are tempted. But, we also need one another. We can persevere together against temptation.
I’d love to hear your stories about how your brothers and sisters in Christ have helped you or others persevere through temptation.
Jesus Meets with his Ministry Staff
I love a good story. Make it a story with a bit of sarcasm, and it becomes even better. Use the sarcasm/story to compare and contrast Jesus with modern church practices… and I’m hooked.
That’s what a guest author did recently over at “Internet Monk.” The story is called “Jesus Holds a Business Meeting.”
The author begins with a few “one liners”:
*Did Jesus always pray before his staff meetings?
*I’m guessing Jesus’ administrative assistant was tough to get past. I’ll bet she protected him well.
*And then Jesus said, “Go into the world and cast my vision.”
*Then Jesus sat down with his exec team & said “What are your measurable goals for this year?”
*Then Phillip said to the Ethiopian, “When you get back, find some big dog power brokers in your church & get them on board with your vision.”
*And then Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, because if you get the kids, their parents will follow.”
*Then Jesus said, “Do not worry about tomorrow, but stockpile canned goods because the world will end soon.”
*When they gathered in the upper room for supper Jesus said, “This is my brand, created for you. Share it where ever you may go.”
Following these, the author “recreates” a “staff meeting” between Jesus and some of his followers. It is interesting, entertaining, and perhaps eye-opening to put Jesus in this kind of meeting – the kind of meeting that happens week in and week out among many vocational ministers.
I encourage you to read the entire post.
Could you imagine Jesus holding this kind of staff meeting? Why does it seem so normal for church organizations today?
So, what would a “staff meeting” with Jesus actually look like?
Guest Blogger: You are not well… come here!
I’ve invited several people to write “guest blog posts” for this blog. There are several reasons for this: 1) To offer different perspectives. 2) To generate even more discussion and conversation between blogs. 3) To introduce other bloggers to my readers.
(If you are interested in writing a guest blog post, please contact me at aknox[at]sebts[dot]com.)
Today’s post was written by Dayna Bickham. You can follow Dayna at her blog “A Year in the Spiritual Life” or on Twitter (@Dayawren).
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You are not Well… come Here!
What is the church’s response to someone that has been so offended by something that they blame the church and now lump the love of God with the failings of us as a body together? Whenever I talk to someone that is this hurt, (and I was there for years) I am moved with such compassion.
Pain, no matter the reason, has one source: the enemy. (John 10:10) Emotional pain is like a bruise that never quite heals and it is possibly the hardest to get free from. So when we, the body of Christ, His church, see someone who is so hurt they lash out at us, what should our response be?
I believe it is this: You are not well… come here..
We must be transparent (1 Thessalonians 5:9) before the world and this means sharing our failings and our triumphs. The body is made up of broken people that are being made whole by the love of Christ. Notice the verb “being made”. It is present tense and we are in a constant state of change, renewal, growth, and transformation. (Romans 12:1-3, Galatians 6:15, Acts 20:32)
When people realize we are “real” and not pretentious self-possessed and self-righteous snobs, they begin to pay attention to what is going on in our lives. This is our witness: that though it rains on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45), we have a place to run that is our refuge. A spiritual triage, if you will. The church is that place. Here the body acts like the nurses, attentively caring for the hurting, while the Great Physician heals the source of their pain.
Bruises, iniquities, the old wounds that we almost forget about until someone knocks into them, are the hardest to get over. They are the ones we hold onto and caress like a little child. The ones we bring out at holidays and birthdays and special occasions to nurse until no one around can ignore the pain they cause. When we do this we pay more attention to the bruise than to the Healer. (Matthew 9:35) Our job as the body is to remember why Jesus came, and to share that reason with the hurting. (John18:37, Romans 9:16-17) He came to heal the broken hearted, to bind up their wounds, and to set them free!
So, when we encounter that individual that is actively holding on to hurt and blaming the Church body and God for their pain, what should we say? What should we show? I believe it is the transparent and transforming love of Christ active in our lives we should show and we should say, “No matter your pain, no matter your hurts, I know the Great Physician and you need His attention. You are not well… come here. Come to get loved on, come to get taught, come to get your wounds bound up and come here to get well!”
What say you?
Scripture… As We Live It #200
This is the 200th passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
But you are a chosen race many chosen races, a royal priesthood different royal priesthoods, a holy nation several holy nations, a people various peoples for his own possession, that you may proclaim argue with one another about who better understands the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Replay: Getting to know the real Patrick of Ireland
So, today is St. Patrick’s Day, a day for green beer, corned beef, and all things Irish. I’ve written a few posts about Patrick of Ireland in the past. My favorite is the post that I wrote last year called, “Three Quotes from Paddy.” You see, we know alot about the legends surrounding Patrick. But, did you know that we actually have some of his writings? It’s true. So, here is a post about his Confessio.
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Three Quotes from Paddy
Last night, I read back through Confessio by Patrick (of Ireland), Paddy to his friends.
I love the story that he tells about being away from God, then being taken into slavery and turning to God. He talks about being rejected up his return because of his lack of education. He talks about his love for God and for the people of Ireland.
I especially appreciated these three quotes, and I hope you enjoy them also. The first quote is about his motivation for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ:
Therefore, indeed, I cannot keep silent, nor would it be proper, so many favours and graces has the Lord deigned to bestow on me in the land of my captivity. For after chastisement from God, and recognizing him, our way to repay him is to exalt him and confess his wonders before every nation under heaven.
In the second quote, he describes how the love of God brought him to a point where he could humbly serve others:
Me, truly wretched in this world, he inspired before others that I could be — if I would — such a one who, with fear and reverence, and faithfully, without complaint, would come to the people to whom the love of Christ brought me and gave me in my lifetime, if I should be worthy, to serve them truly and with humility.
The final quote is an entreaty and challenge for those who read his confession:
But I entreat those who believe in and fear God, whoever deigns to examine or receive this document composed by the obviously unlearned sinner Patrick in Ireland, that nobody shall ever ascribe to my ignorance any trivial thing that I achieved or may have expounded that was pleasing to God, but accept and truly believe that it would have been the gift of God.