As is my practice, I opened “My Utmost for His Highest” this morning, but on Mondays, staff meeting days, I just read the text, and not the writing from Ozwald Chambers. I always let the text he picks stir me and then I begin writing my staff devotion. O. Chambers today quotes part of John 17, Jesus praying the night before he is crucified.
In many ways Jesus is saying, “Well Father, here we are.” Scripture tells us that Jesus has committed to and anticipated his death as sacrifice for our sin since before the world was created. He created us, and man fell, and now time has passed and “here we are, Father”. John 17:1, “the hour has come.” There is so much in this prayer. O. Chambers focuses on v22, “that they may be one, even as we are one.” And when I read that my mind began racing with that.
“So, I go back and put it in context. “Glorify your son, that the son may glorify you.” then “You gave authority… so that… may give eternal life… glorify me in your presence.” Oh My, we often want our glory… recognition… but at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and for the wrong reasons. “So, I go back and put it in context. “Glorify your son, that the son may glorify you.” then “You gave authority… so that… may give eternal life… glorify me in your presence.” Oh My, we often want our glory… recognition… but at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and for the wrong reasons.
“I revealed your name to the people you gave me…” Oh that’s not just for Jesus, or preachers, but for all of us. Are we revealing his name to all he has given us?
And Jesus prays for all of us. He prays for our protection as we are in this world but not OF this world. We are bound for God’s presence. And again, this is not just for the disciples, but all the way down the line. v20 I pray not only for these (the 12) but also for those who believe in me through this word (that’s all of us) v21 May they be one, as you, Father are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that (say “so that”) the world may believe you sent me v22 I have given them the glory (doxa – brightness / reputation) you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one v23 I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be one, that the world may know you sent me, and have loved them as you have loved me
Now, I am always greatly challenged by verses that say, “so that”. Not “so what?” but “so that” Go back and count all the “so that” statements in this prayer. There are 4 just in these vv21-23 alone.
That they may be one – so many times we want to stop right there and define it for ourselves. “See we need to all like the same stuff, no fighting, just love…” But then Jesus defines “one” “as we are one”. Now, ues, you and I are NOT God. We don’t know all, love all, we aren’t perfect. But still, there is a marker, “you must be THIS tall to ride this ride.” as we are one
Well church, the hour has come, long since come, for us to do what we were born to do. Every church has been born to be the Bride of Christ, a city on a hill, the light of the world, live love, not just proclaim but live good news. I go back to the opening of this prayer and ask, “are we glorifying God?” Are we shining HIS goodness, making his reputation known? How do we do that? By completing the work he gave us to do. Matthew 28:19-20 As you go, make disciples, baptize them, teach them. Acts 1:8 – be witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the ends of the earth. John 13:34-35 – love one another, just as I have loved you… by this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another. You know why the world doesn’t know or believe? It is because we are striving to complete the wrong tasks. God did not send us to fix political policy, or straighten out our neighbors, but to love and make disciples as we go. He has called us, prayed for us to be ONE AS… Father and Son are One.
v17 Sanctify them by the truth – we need to be cleaned, washed, made holy, hallowed by this truth. – Oh but that’s just “Jesus stuff” right pastor? well, v18 as you sent me… I have sent them into the world… that they may sanctify themselves by this truth – Oh… me too huh?
Oh we all love God, and we admire God, but do we really want to bear and live toward his bright glorious reputation? Like it or not, if we are the people of God, servants of God, the church of God, we have a reputation of love, commitment, sacrifice, holiness, purpose – God’s reputation / glory has been given to us. Have you ever had a non-Christian say to you, “but the church should be…” or “aren’t you a Christian and you should be…” And they are actually RIGHT! They may not want but they expect US to do it. And we should be a unified “WE” committed to that glory, that unity, as Jesus and the Father are one. Jesus lived that out, “I only speak what the Father says” “I only do what the Father is doing” “I have completed the tasks you gave me to do” “I reveal your name to those you gave me”.
Do we do this so that we can be famous? NO It is so that HE can be famous. So that THEY may believe.
Let me close with this thought – May we be ONE like a HAND… not like even 5 fingers, but as a HAND. Fingers are there, but they are together a HAND. Fingers operating fully independently can get hurt, or do things the hand didn’t intend. But fingers working together, according to the direction of the head, empowered by the arm, can play a symphony in perfect tune, and that’s beautiful.
We are to be made one SO THAT the world may KNOW – that we have a Sending Lord and God – That we have a Purpose and Power that is not ours. Know that you are SENT and know that you Just as Jesus was loved by the Father, then we also are loved in the same way
Oh, let’s be ONE – Define it, Determine to do it, Depend upon it, be Directed by it.
Romans 3 is a very well-known passage and verse 23 one of the most quoted in scripture. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Yep, we know it and quote it, and I’m not going to write anything here that most don’t know, but… I’m going to write anyway. Yesterday, I read v22 which begins, The Righteousness of God…
Growing up in the church, in a pastor’s home, doing “right” was drummed into me from the beginning. And when I came up short, it was often drummed in with the drum of discipline, often administered with wood or leather. I know that’s not politically correct, but discipline IS important for good development. I’m not saying that I believe in abuse, but I do believe in correction. Yet, even good correction doesn’t bring about God’s Righteousness.
Scripture is clear that ALL of our righteous acts are comparatively “filthy rags”. (Isaiah 64.6) polluted garments (CSB) and the literal meaning of the word is worse than that, something we wouldn’t want to talk about but a regular reality of life. So, Paul makes it clear v22 the righteousness of God is THROUGH (because of, by) faith IN Jesus Christ – Not just ANY faith, not just sincerity, but by belief IN Jesus – And not just anyone named Jesus, but Jesus, born in Bethlehem, the promised Christ / Messiah, the previously existent, only, Son of God, faith in that Jesus is the vehicle to the righteousness of God
To ALLwho believe (verb, present, active tense = believe, entrust, actively now)
Why? Because we all fall short. I said a few minutes ago, I often came up short, and I still do. And discipline was drummed into me. But verse 22 says there is no distinction. Colossians 3:11 says there is no distinction, not Greek or Jew… Barbarian or Scythian slave or free” … WE are the one who make distinctions, well if you come from this family, or are in this position, or are only THIS “bad”. But without distinction, we ALL come up short. “Well, my sin isn’t as bad as theirs.” NO DIFFERENCE, no table of reference – Short is Short = unrighteous. The “bar” of measure is the glory (weight, reputation) of God. ALL SHORT
But v22 also says to all who believe… that is also without distinction. ALL… v24 they… oh here’s the good news – just like there is no distinction / difference in our sin, there is not distinction in the OPPORTUNITY
– SAVE ONE – to all WHO BELIEVE – IF they have faith in Jesus, THEN, they are Justified Freelyby his grace.
Now stop and look at that backwards – charis – grace = that’s receiving something good that I do not deserve. It comes freely – dorean = a gift, no charge, not earned. Grace, freely given… they – those who believe – they are justified – dikaioo = declared righteous. A verdict is rendered in the courts of Heaven. This is not earned on the battlefield, it is not earned in a contest, it is not earned by inheritance or family position. This word is in the present tense, is passive, and plural. This isn’t only for ONE, but for ALL WHO, and I can’t DO anything for it, but it is being done, remains done, for all who believe – Our position / standing is changed from the state of short of God’s Glory / righteousness, to being declared righteous!
Whew hands up somebody celebrate
We are, in the declaration of Heaven, moved from one position to another; from short of, to positioned in
By Grace… through the redemption that is IN Christ Jesus
Yes, God IS Love, but he is also JUST. So, forgiveness is available, but is borne by the work of Christ at the cross, and only received as we believe and receive that provision. I owed a debt beyond my ability to pay, and he had paid a debt he did not owe on my behalf. And when I believe and receive, everything CHANGES!
Oh, I know we know this, or do we? do you? Just an important reminder today, and if you have not, you can right now. Stop trying and start trusting, stop wondering and believe, and find the change of God. There is a great chasm between us and God, but faith in the work of Christ, bridges the gap
Genesis 24 in total is a very interesting event in the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham. At the end of verse 27 of chapter 24, the servant of Abraham on task to find a wife for Isaac said, “as for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to…
Abraham finally got the promised son, Isaac, when he was 100. Not the son he had first fathered, trying to “help” God. But the son that God had promised in unprecedented circumstances, unnatural timing, but still in the natural way with his wife, Sarah. Sarah has now died, and Isaac is of marrying age. They are living in tents in Canaan, the land of God’s promise. Abraham wanted him to have a wife from his people back in his homeland. So, he assigns his servant to go “home” and find a suitable wife for Isaac. He made this servant give him a deep oath of promise. That practice was gripping under the thigh. The strongest bone, the strongest muscle, strongest tendon, it was a way to say, I won’t break this or that.
Now, I was thinking about this and that servant
Abraham gave the instruction and he would ultimately get descendants, heirs of the promise of God that would carry on the promise of God – Good for Him
Isaac would get a wife – Good for Him
But the Servant – what’s in it for HIM?
The Journey with the Lord
the Fulfillment of his task
the Joy of just being a Cog in a wheel in something bigger than Him
A story to tell in Eternity
What’s a “cog in a wheel”?
American Heritage Dictionary says “someone or something that is small in significance in an operation or organization
Fairlex Partner Idioms says small or mundane, could be underappreciated, or unacknowledged in a large enterprise
Do you ever feel that way? Genesis 24:2 Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household who managed all he owned… So this IS a guy who is important and does a lot… but we don’t even know his NAME. Yet, the “machine” that would fulfill Genesis 12’s promises to Abraham – name great – family – land – has a “gear” that has a “tooth” “a cog” that is this Servant. Without his work, no wife for Isaac, no children, no Jacob, no Israel, the people that become the birthing nation of the Messiah. Certainly God will do what God will do, but this Cog, keeps them involved. And so this unnamed, insignificant cog, goes, follows, and meets a girl named Rebekah, and in v27 he states the way of the cog in the wheel, “as for me…”. Many of us try and make our own way for fulfillment, make a name… but as for me…
The Lord has led me on the journey
Wow, there is a sermon here, but this is just a devotion. The Lord is at work. This servant, this cog, asks Abraham and God a series of clarifying questions. A lot of “what if” scenarios are laid out. “What is she won’t come?” “Should I take Isaac there?” NO – Abraham has trust in the God he knows personally because Abraham as been on a journey with the Lord. v7 The LORD – YHWH – any time you see all caps in the scripture it is speaking of God’s covenant name. So when Moses tells us this story, he is talking to God’s people and reminding them that this is the God he met in the burning bush, the I AM. And so Abraham tells this cog in the wheel, the God who took me from… who spoke to me… swore to me… HE… He will send his angel before… if she is unwilling then you are free from this oath. In other words, I trust God, and if I’ve missed God, then you are free, but I Trust God to prepare the way for fulfillment of his promises.
The Lord has LED me – nachah = bring, brought, lead, guide I’m just a cog in the wheel… there are powers behind this wheel. I’m just a tooth, not the wheel, I’m part of the wheel, but not the machine, I’m part of it, but I’m not the power behind it, I’m just doing my part
In verse 12 this servant prays to the source, the LORD and asks make this happen for me today and show kindness to Abrham…. And he asks for very clear signs so he can be sure and follow and do his part. And it says that before he even finished praying, there was Rebekah. Now, I’m not saying nor expecting that God always does what I want, but God does always answer. And v21 says he silently watched to see whether or not the Lord had made his journey a success.
As for me, the LORD has led me on the JOURNEY to
the journey – derek = road, distance, journey, manner. A tooth on a machine wheel can’t get anywhere alone. A cog just goes WITH the wheel, in the machine, under the power, for the purpose. The cog is always just on a journey.
The LORD has led me on THE journey TO
notice two significant cog-like words THE and TO. This is not just ANY journey, but THE journey. And not just ANYWHERE but TO a destination. There is specificity to the journey the Lord leads us on. There is a reason, a destination… we are part of something he is doing. It is not just a decoration, but an instrument for God’s reckoning, we are on a mission.
Rebekah, meets him, hears him, and runs to tell her mother’s household, and this grateful cog in a wheel begins v27, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld his kindness and faithfulness from my Master – notice the focus again on the work of God FOR those he serves. And As For Me…
If we,who are just a cog in the wheel, will look we CAN find joy. Joy comes from… we already said it, but let’s refocus – the Joy for the Cog in the wheel comes from…
The Journey with the LORD – even if it seems like we aren’t going anywhere, or doing anything special, we ARE WITH the LORD. That’s Joy
The Joy of fulfillment of the tasks given. Not the Joy of who knows, or recognition for accomplishment, but of finishing the task… it was FOR the LORD anyway
The Joy of being even an insignificant cog in the wheel. Each cog is important, so we join in the work, on the wheel, part of the machine, enabled by the power, for the greater purpose.
And then the Joy of the Story we will tell in Eternity – no one may know here. This guy is unnamed in scripture, and surely never got to see much of the result of his work, but I believe he went into eternity a man who knew and trusted the LORD and he will have a story when I meet him in Heaven one day
On my, that unnamed servant. He believed in the LORD – He believed it was By Him and For Him. He praised the Lord and the Lord’s blessing of others through him. He cultivated and welcomed being a Cog in an Eternal Wheel.
Don’t be discouraged by anything that is unrecognized nor insignificant in your service, trusted servant – God has blessed you and included you in an amazing eternal story
James 1:4 (CSB) Let endurance have its full effect so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing
(Moffat) Let endurance be a finished product, so that you may be finished and complete, with never a defect
James got a little late start as the brother of Jesus, having grown up around him, yet didn’t believe in him as Savior and Lord until after the resurrection. When he finally believed, resurrection proven, he was all in and his letter is like, “Hi, I’m James…” then he gets right to it.
As an athlete, I relate to this, vv2-3 “consider it a great joy… various trials… the testing of your faith produces endurance.” But they have a purpose… v4 Let Endurance have its full effect… or Moffat says be a finished product. Gaining endurance is important for every athletic endeavor, but not just for the sake of endurance.
So that… you HAVE endurance? NO. So that you have endurance FOR THE TASK, the full effect. The finished product is NOT endurance, but so that you may be mature, be complete, be lacking nothing.
I’ve always been an athlete, but I was never a fan of running. Then a few years ago things happened, I had some surgery, and couldn’t work out or do anything with my shoulder, so I started running on a treadmill. I got into a routine, and it became part of my life. My brother is a marathoner and an ironman, I asked him a few months in, “am I a runner, even though I only run on a treadmill?” He said, “well, you run…” About 10 months later we chatted on Facetime and he said to me, “you look great, you are more fit than ever, and you have ‘runner’s face’”. And I said, “so you are saying, ‘I am a runner.’” He said, “yes, you are a runner.”
My endurance is producing something bigger. So, “let endurance have its full effect.”
Churches are full of people who know a lot and have been through hard struggles, and developed endurance, but is the endurance having its full effect? Is the work moving toward results so that you may be mature, complete, lacking nothing? You may be positionally “perfect” but has it completed something in you? The work has a goal, the endurance has a by-product. What does 2 Corinthians 1:4-7 say? You have affliction and God takes us through it, comforts us in it, “so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction… just as sufferings overflow to us, so also the comfort overflows… affliction is for comfort and salvation… which produces in you patient endurance. Then if you read on Paul says, don’t be unaware that it was more than our strength could handle, and we even thought we might not make it. But we DID… for you, for others, for maturity, Christ has delivered us, and we have hope that he will again! Back to James, he says if you don’t know what to do, ask God and he gives answers.
Brethren, fellow travelers, let this struggle, trials, work, effort, give you endurance… but let the endurance have full effect. Let it reach its end, its purpose, making you what God intended, that you might bring someone along the way with you. God has a finish, and the endurance you have had built in you by what God is taking you through will get you there.
Revelation 7:10-11 BECAUSE YOU have kept my command to endure, I Will also keep you from the hour of testing… I AM COMING SOON. Hold on to what you have so that no one takes your crown
In the letters to the churches in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, he always begins with a name that states his right to speak, then an assessment, a conclusion of challenge, and an expectation, “let anyone who has ears listen”. To the church of brotherly love, Philadelphia, beginning in v7 he identifies himself as The Holy One, the True one, the One who has the Key of David (Authority) to open and close doors definitively, decisively, then, I place before you an open door that no one can close…
He says in v8, you have little power… YET… Oh I love the conjunctions of God. Yet. Listen, don’t pray for tasks that equal your power, but for power equal to the tasks, because, you have little power. YET, remember Paul said that God chooses the weak to confound the strong… So, when he says you have little power, it isn’t a “diss” but it’s not a call to get stronger, but it’s just a statement of reality, that God has opened a door of opportunity that we cannot open.
Why? v8, You have kept my word, you have not denied my name… We often close our doors of opportunity because we won’t stay the course, and stay with The True One. When we do not stay with him, we become liars and make him appear to be a liar. He is calling, Keep my word… keep to my name… Our Relationship is important. V9 those who claim a relationship, but don’t have it are in fact satan worshippers.
Yet, in the midst of a lying generation – lying about the authority of God, lying about the nature of God, lying about the coming of God… We have held to his word. That is, our actions as obedient followers are true to his name and his word. In our expectation, believing that he is coming, in our surrender, knowing he is God, Good, and Gracious, we have NOT denied him, but instead freely confessed him. So…
Because… there ARE Conditional Promises – Except a man be born again… no one comes to the Father BUT BY ME… So because, in spite of little strength, we have kept to his word, name, commands, it is not saying we are perfect, or even “good”. But notice the command was to endure – hypomone = a remaining behind, a patient enduring, steadfast, perseverance. Oh, I like that picture, remaining behind, enduring. He doesn’t say “keep up with me”, he says “keep coming AFTER / BEHIND me.” Keep coming child of God. I can’t always “keep up”, but I can get up and Keep Coming.
Because you have kept (guarded, watched – tereo) …I will ALSO KEEP… Oh we could talk about what we THINK this means, and there is a time and a place for that eschatological discussion, but for NOW… know this, God always KEEPS MORE for us, gives more TO us, than he asks from us. And so here he says I will ALSO KEEP you from the hour of testing. Oh, I certainly have what I believe this means in the short term of a 7-year period… but ultimately those who endure, who keep going, will find that what we have endured is nothing in comparison to what he has kept us FROM because we obeyed him. What we have endured is nothing compared to the joy set before us, what he has prepared for us… and then just know this…
I Am Coming Soon
The world is hard, just like he said it would be in John 16:33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world, but Be Courageous! I have conquered the world. Jesus is not GOING TO Win, he has ALREADY WON, he just hasn’t come to complete the transaction yet.
So, Hold On to what you have, so that no one takes your crown. Oh they can’t steal your salvation, they can’t steal what’s in my heart, but they may try to steal my hat. They might take my opportunity to be a pillar in the Temple of God, my place of honor and recognition. What do you have? Faith, Courage, Strength in Suffering, and a stephanos – Crown of victory, medal of valor if you will. But I am mindful of Hebrews 10:37-39 – we are not of those who shrink back…
Jesus is Coming Soon – “coming “- erchomai = to arrive, to be center stage, – “Soon”= quick, swift, faster. Certainly, he is coming sooner than yesterday, but when he comes, it will be swift, quick, fast so
Be Ready
Be Faithful
Be Obedient
Be Persistent
Be Expectant
Be Encouraged
He is Coming, and he has more for you, than you have given him, so much more than we could ever imagine.
An hour is coming, and has come when each of you will be scattered. I have told you these things so that IN ME you will have peace. You WILL have suffering in this world. BE COURAGEOUS. I have conquered the world
Jesus said, “Oh NOW you believe.” How often we make little steps out of “belief” and into faith. God shows us the same thing he’s BEEN showing us for months, or years, and we finally GET IT, or at least part of it; our eyes are opened and God says, “now you see.”
“Now You Believe” – so just go on with your revelation? No… this revelation is for the hard stuff still to come. “an hour is coming, and HAS come” You GOT THIS. It is IN the struggle that we are forced into the Master’s presence. At the Master’s feet, or on our backs, knocked down by life, we focus on his voice and his message and v30 says “by THIS we believe”. How many hard things have happened that were the vehicle that moved you OUT of “self-competency” and INTO faith in God? And this new knowledge / revelation, is FOR THIS HOUR
An hour is coming and has come
There is something coming and we are now at the threshold and the increased knowledge and faith you have received is what will get you through the next chapter to come.
You will be scattered i.e. “you ain’t seen nothing yet”.
The enemy is riled up too… you will FEEL alone. But if we are on the obedient, God-honoring, Spirit empowered mission, you are NOT ALONE, never alone, “because the Father is with me”. Jesus understood what we must, that we will never be alone in the plan and purposes of God. So he says, “now that you believe… let me tell you why I revealed this… What’s God saying today? Believe and Go
So that – those are some of my favorite words in scripture – God is always a SO THAT God, not a SO WHAT, God.
So that you may have PEACE – Eirene = welfare, peace, be undisturbed
God’s revelation comes not for your permission, not even for your embrace… but that you might not be disturbed by the struggle, but have PEACE, not in the information, because peace comes not from the information but is a gift of the Holy Spirit
John 11 is famous for the death and resurrection of one of Jesus’ close friends, Lazarus. Jesus gets word that Lazarus is sick and dying. But Jesus, in his Omniscience, knows that Lazarus is already dead. He says “this sickness will not end in death, but is for the glory of God”.
The last time they had been in Judea, they had attempted to stone him to death in John 10. So, when Jesus says, “Let’s go to Judea again”, the disciples aren’t keen on the idea. “uh, Teacher, they tried to stone you, and you’re going there again?” I like that “you’re”, meaning, “we’re”.
Has God ever called you to go back to a place where things were hard the last time? Have you been asked to revisit a place where you were attacked before?
I once got invited to come back to a church shortly after being at a camp with them where a person got angry with me over a minor sporting event and things got out of control. “Well Lord, ok”. Then when I got there, the issue hadn’t blown over. While I was speaking the Lord told me to do something. He told me to give my check to that person. You should know at this moment, coming out of a natural break in my schedule as an evangelist, I hadn’t worked in 6 weeks. This was my first check in 6 weeks. Ultimately, I did what God told me to do. The person didn’t want it, but I gave it anyway, publicly, and told them God told me to, and just to pray and ask God what to do with it. Then I had to go home and explain to my wife what I had just done, which of course she said, “maybe he needed it.”
Well the disciples said, “Jesus is this a good idea?” And Jesus response is a bit cryptic at first, v9 “aren’t there twelve hours in a day? If anyone walks during the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the LIGHT OF THE WORLD” (emphasis mine). Later he explains, “Lazarus is dead… let’s go to him” and Thomas replies, “let’s go too so that we may DIE WITH HIM”. Not sure if he was expecting to die with Lazarus or with JESUS. But “let’s go”.
What does it mean to “walk in the day”. I don’t think it means from 06:00 to 18:00. It means to walk in the “light of the world” the “light of God”.
1 John 1:7 says, “if we walk in the light we have fellowship… the blood of Jesus cleanses”
Isaiah 2:5 says “come let us walk in the Lord’s light”
Psalm 56:13 “you rescued me to walk before God in the Light”
Psalm 89:15 “happy are the people who know the joyful shout; Lord they walk in the light of your face” – what is the joyful shout? “Jesus Saves”
Isaiah 9:2 “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light“
John 8:12 “I Am the light of the World”
are you with me? Jesus IS the Light. He doesn’t just contain light, give light, he IS Light. If we walk in HIS revelation, we can trust where we are going. But often he doesn’t “shine” light on everything, just the area he wants obedience, “Let’s go to Judea”. That was the only light he was giving them at first. He didn’t tell them the whole situation, or what he was going to do. Yes, an Amazing thing was going to happen. Perhaps the greatest act, before the Cross and Resurrection, was Jesus raising Lazarus. They were going to see the high point. And yet that High Point was also going to bring about renewed effort to KILL him, which was a LOW point for Him and a HIGH Point for all of us who would receive.
They had no idea what he was going to do, what would happen, maybe they will kill us… but if “failure” is the result of OBEDIENCE, then it is never failure, it is following in faithful obedience, and he will say “well done.”
That Wednesday night, I gave some money to a student, and went home with the satisfaction of obedience, and didn’t give it a second thought. Flash Forward 4 years. I was speaking at a Youth Camp. One Evening outside, I heard a voice say, “Pastor Jim can I talk to you.” The person was shadowed in the night. I came over, and stepped into the light and saw the face of that young man from 4 years before. He looked at me and said “I don’t know if you know who I am…” I said, “Yes I know who you are.” And then he said, “The last 4 years have been for this moment… You were right, I was wrong, I’m sorry, but you should know that God has called me into the ministry and I’m in school studying to be a youth minister.”
Acts 26:16 – I have appeared to you For This Purpose
Staff meeting devotion for today
God always has a purpose. When he called Paul, he gave him a vision statement from the start. Oh he’d been calling Paul for awhile, “why are you kicking against the goads” that tells us that he had been trying to get Paul’s attention and prod him in the right direction, but when Paul finally listened on the road to Damascus, God cast a vision as he called him into salvation.
God always has a purpose. God doesn’t cause all things; in the way we understand causation, but he is on the throne, Lord of all things. So, as he allows things, or causes things, he has a purpose.
Joseph understood that from Egypt, when he told his brothers, “What you intended for evil, God intended for good.”
Mordecai told Esther, “Who knows, perhaps you have come to royal position, for such a time as this.” (Esther 4:14)
God uses our life experiences for his purposes. Rocks make rapid, moving water faster. Falls increase power. God always has a purpose, as rapids and water falls shape terrain and drive seeds downstream, and power the electric grid. When we believe that God has a purpose, we can trust him with the outcome.
Esther 4:16, after committing to fast for 3 days before she acted, Esther said “If I perish, I perish.” She understood that the Lord is still Sovereign over all we just obey and move.
Back to Acts 26:15-16 – I Am Jesus… in other words, my very name is, Jehovah Saves.
So, Get Up and Stand on your feet … we get knocked down, but we get up, God is in the Knocking down and in the Rising.
“Get Up” – the word means to rise for the purpose of action. Think about that tomorrow morning, Rise for the purpose of Action. Plant your feet and STAND.
I think of Joshua telling the Israelites, consecrate yourselves today for tomorrow the Lord is going to do something amazing. Often God doesn’t work because he spoke but we haven’t moved, we haven’t risen, gotten up, made ready, stood, ready to be used.
Get Up… Stand, “FOR” – that little preposition means into, in, for the purpose of …
God says to appoint you… Oh My, we need to do LESS Giving of Appointments to God, and Let HIM GIVE US Appointments. He is the vine, WE are the Branches.
to appoint you as a Servant and a Witness – that’s a beautiful two-fold ministry, serve and witness. That word for servant is NOT doulos that bondservant. It is hyperetes = officer, assistant. We are an officer under the authority, and mission of King Jesus. to Witness, martys = see and report. We are to serve and witness to what we HAVE SEEN and WILL SEE – Oh there is a past and a future in the work of witnessing the move of God. What have you seen, what will you see God do.
And he tells Paul that he will use him to open the eyes… so that they may turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan, and receive forgiveness and a share
Oh, praise God our ministry is to tell people the wonder of forgiveness but also that there is a portion for us in the wonderful inheritance of Christ Jesus our Lord
What a message, what a vision God is calling us into.
Every year after I attend the SBC Annual Meeting I bring a message reporting what we are doing in the Southern Baptist Convention, based on the inspiration of the messages I heard, and the reports about our primary ministries.
Here is my message, it’s sort of long, but maybe NOT as controversial as you might think.
Convention Inspiration 2021
Matthew 28:18-20; Revelation 7:9
From Commission to Culmination
IN December of 1975, two weeks before my 11th, birthday God called me to preach. I heard it in my heart as clear as can be. But I waited. I didn’t tell anyone, not because I didn’t want to respond, not because I wasn’t sure, but because my dad was called to preach when he was 11 and I had heard that all my life, and when I heard that voice, I waited because I wanted to be 11. So, I waited two weeks and I felt guilty for two weeks because I wanted to be 11.,,
That call has shaped my life. It has taken me to 4 continents, it has taken me to concerts, and preaching engagements, revivals, church staff positions. But it has also had me share my faith one on one with people on planes, and over lunch, and on street corners, in coffee shops. That call was to preach the Gospel. But that is NOT the first call for the Christian. The first call of a Christian is to share their faith, meet Jesus, share Jesus. It will be different for different people, but it is still an expectation.
What then is the Commission of the Church and When is the Culmination of that Mission
Mission should be measurable and attainable, so what is our mission and how do we know how we are doing and when we are finished?
The Southern Baptist Convention is 175 Years old. We didn’t start for ALL the right reasons. We split from Northern Baptists primarily over slavery. We have confessed that sin as a convention. But our focus has always been on people meeting Jesus.
What was Our Commission? – Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8
Read Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8
Why Does Jesus have the Right to Commission Us? 28:18
Because he has the Authority. All the Authority has been given to him.
Why? Because Philippians 2 tells us he emptied himself of glory, took up the nature of a servant, was obedient to death on the cross. So that passage says
Philippians 2:9–10 (CSB)
9For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth—
Ephesians 1:20–22 (CSB)
20He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens—21far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22And he subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything for the church,
The Father has given EVERYTHING to the Son. The Spirit is pointing everyone TO the Son. It is ALL his … and he says;
“THEREFORE”
– We are commissioned because he is the Boss. Because it is HIS Kingdom, not OUR Kingdom. It is his plan not our plan.
Because HE HAS ALL AUTHORITY. And Dr. Tony Evans preached from this passage and several speakers referred to it. Why because it is where we start. It is why we are here. It is why he left us on earth. He hasn’t left us here because he needs 2000 years to get Heaven Ready. He can SPEAK IT READY. But he left us here because he has a commission for us. Tony Evans reminded us that he has Authorityekousia = power in legitimate hands – authorized authority.
So, the authority IS his, legitimized by Father’s Will, and Spirit’s Power, but by HIS Obedience and Faithfulness to the Cross.
Therefore –
Make Disciples
Evans called that process a transformation of worldviews
Certainly, before we can disciple people from being lovers of self into being lovers of God, we have to lead them to Christ through Evangelism. But discipling is copying the Master. But not just discipling THE ONES WE LIKE or the ones like us…
OF the Nations – ethnos
That’s the Kingdom work that Evans has been focusing on all of his books recently, Kingdom People, transformation of the people, the structures, the systems. Yes, we want to see worlds change, but that happens as we change people, and people engage with structures and systems and we change systems – discipling the nations
And right here we need to be careful. Because the question I asked myself in my notes was, “how can we do this without being trapped by Politics?” and I believe the answer is in WHOM we seek to glorify and WHY. It’s not about the Church being Political. It’s about the People of God sharing Jesus, Engaging in Society, Transforming Systems, with the Good News that though we are sinners, there is transformation and LIFE in Jesus Christ.
Our hope is NOT in ANY Political System – One speaker this week reminded us that Christ is “not riding any donkeys or elephants.”
And our Outgoing President J.D. Greer, Pastor of The Summit Church Durham, happens to be sending Pastor to our Children now on the Mission Field, he said, when the Church gets into bed with Politics it always gets pregnant and the offspring never looks like our Heavenly Father”
But we are to Go and Disciple the Nations
How? By going to where they are!
Dr. Evans had been using a football game as a metaphor and said there three teams in every conflict, home, away, and the kingdom representative, the referees. But he said, that the offense gets into the Huddle … but no one came to watch the Huddle. You don’t MIND the Huddle, but you came to watch them break the Huddle and play the game. The question is DID THEY SCORE? Or Did they Stop them? So, we have to GO. And honestly if you go to the book of Acts, they had been commissioned, and they had been given clear instructions. And the instructions weren’t to build a Huge Jerusalem Church. It was to GO, empowered, to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the Church.
And so, what happened?
Before Saul became Paul. Before he became the great Preacher of the Gospel, I think you could say he became the greatest SENDER of the Gospel. Because there he is at the stoning of the deacon Stephen. And in the CHAOS of Persecution, the Church is forced to DO what they were called to.
Go – Baptist, Teach to Observe
Baptizing them, who, the Nations
Baptism is how we identify with Christ and with the Church
And Tony Evans said that our Identity as a Christian is MORE than any other identifier we have. He said God went to SAVE the NATIONS and commissioned us to do that. He says God is NOT Colorblind. Still in Heaven they were every race, tribe, color, and tongue – God is NOT Color Blind, but he is also not Blinded by Color.
Baptizing the Nations in the name of Father, Son, and Spirit
Teaching Them (the nations) to OBSERVE
It is NOT in the Knowing but in the Doing that we truly identify AS Christians. Doing doesn’t MAKE us Christians, but it DOES Identify us as Christians.
It’s about Transformation. Our job is to evangelize but to share the accountability to BE Like Christ. And if WE will Observe all that he is Commanded … THEN as Kingdom People, we can see Kingdom Impact in the World.
Tony Evans said, we can’t expect God to “Skip the church house, to fix the White House”
And then as Evans closed, he reminded us that the I am with you always – literally I even I am with you always to the end of the age … he was NOT talking about salvation, he was talking about how he is WITH us, accompanies us. And that God only Accompanies us, is with us as we are with HIM. As we are doing what we’ve been told to do, THEN he is WITH Us.
As we are Kingdom people, living with Kingdom Authority, For Kingdom Glory … THEN he is with us. In John 2:21-25 Jesus preached and many believe in his name … Jesus, however would not entrust himself to them,
There is and can be a time, when we believe, have faith, but we are on our own Agenda and he is not WITH us.
2. Why Is Our Commission? – Acts 1:3-8
If Jesus only has 40 days on earth what is going to focus on? What is mostimportant. He taught them about the Kingdom of God
The kingdom of God NOW is in our hearts surrendered to God. The Kingdom of God to COME is the Eternal Rule of God over all things – Heart, Soul, Mind, Strength, in a Unified Universe of Surrendered Creation and Creature. And he had spent 40 days teaching them about the Kingdom of God.
And the commands them NOT TO LEAVE Jerusalem but to WAIT for the Father’s promise … What was the promise? John 14 don’t let your hearts be troubled… believe in me… I am going to prepare a place for you… I will come again and take you to myself… but then he says in v16, I will ask the Father, and he will give you another counselor… I will not leave you as orphans… the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send me my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you. Peace I leave with you… don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful and in John 15:25 he continues, he will testify about me. You also will testify… chapter 16 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father… I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.
So, he has told them he is leaving. Now the time is here. He is leaving. He has also promised them that he will return. But In the Meantime, we have a Person, we have Power, and we have a Purpose. Oh wow that sounds like a sermon doesn’t it.
The Person we have is the representative of Jesus Christ, the Person, 3rd Person of the Trinity, The Holy Spirit. He is NOT the Father, He is NOT the Son, He is the Spirit, and He is GOD! His purpose is to teach us, to convict us, he will encourage us, and he will empower us.
The Power – Jesus says he is leaving. We are going to be wondering what to do. But peace comes in realizing that when Jesus left, he was sending all the power we need. There is power in knowledge. There is power in a message, there is power in purpose.
I have been running 3-4 times a week since I started focusing on running, back in August. It’s been a different thing for me. It has stretched my endurance, my perseverance. There is a trainer that I have been using via video, Tommy Rivers Puzey. And he will be ramping things up and he often says, “come on, you can do anything for a minute”. And so, we would press on and push forward at this new rate, for a minute. We can make it for a minute. And by breaking it down, my endurance increases. What the training is doing is increasing my power, but also increasing my mental, and even spiritual power to continue.
So, Peter said, to the Lord, a day is “like 1000 years.” So, a day is 24 hours right. So, if 1000 years is a day, then 41 years is an hour. So, I’m going to live to 100 at least. That would simply be living 2 ½ HOURS. And if 41 years is an hour then 8 months is a minute, and 4 days is a second. Tommy Rivs says, “you can do anything for a minute”
And Jesus said, “for a little while you will have trouble, but take heart I have overcome the world.” If your whole life is TROUBLE – it’s just a couple of hours. But in those HOURS – we can make it because we have the Power of the Holy Spirit.
But IN THOSE HOURS … let’s focus on the RIGHT THINGS
The Purpose – I’m giving you the Holy Spirit to work on the KINGDOM. Now there in Acts 1 the disciples are trying to get the verbiage right. And He has just again promised them that they would be BAPTIZED with the Holy Spirit with Power for the Purpose, IN A FEW DAYS … and the disciples ask, Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?
Oh my they got the word right, but not the concept. We ARE Kingdom People in Christ Jesus, but it’s NOT that kind of Kingdom. Some of us step into the voting booth trying to bring the Kingdom and that’s NOT the place. OH YES. THAT Kingdom is Coming. And that Promise will be fulfilled, but Jesus isn’t asking for our help with THAT Kingdom, but he DOES want to USE us in the Advancement of the Kingdom of God here on earth IN the Heart of All who Would Believe.
And Jesus gently answers their question by saying, it’s not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority …
… BUT you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
So, if that’s our Commission, WHEN will we know we are finished?
3. When Is the Culmination? – Revelation 7:9
Until we get to Heaven and see Revelation 5:9 and 7:9 become a reality, we have work to do.
What does that look like?
Revelation 7:9 (CSB)
9After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands.
This is the vision that Great Commission Baptists are Committed to. Yes, we are still the Southern Baptist Convention. We are not all “southern”, but we are all Great Commission Baptists. We adopted this moniker 10 years ago as a way to refer to us. That is our Mission, that is our Focus, to fulfill the great commission. And we put our money where our mission is.
SBC Budget 2021/22 – $190,000,000.
We can do that because we are 48,000 churches cooperating together for the Great Commission. Some might expect that to be a bloating of facilitation and administration, but that’s the beautify of the SBC.
Of the $190Million only 2.99% is spent on Facilitating Ministries, that is the Executive Committee which operates for the SBC between Annual Meetings, and the overall Operations of the SBC.
1.65% is spent on the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission which works with Culture and Engagement of Issues. It assists churches in moral and ethical issues, engagement and education. They work with faith-based adoption issues, human rights issues, and religious liberty engagement.
22% is spent on our 6 Seminaries, training the next generation of Pastors and Staff.
Then 73% of our Budget is Spent on World MissionsMinistries!
That includes $43,000,000 on the North American Mission Board. The North American Mission Board is focused in the USA and Canada in Compassion Ministry, Evangelism, Church Planting, and Chaplains (Hospitals and Military)
The IMB and NAMB work together on www.sendrelief.org When there is a tragedy worldwide, if you want to give to a specific need, go to send relief. You can give directly to them and know that in addition to meeting needs they will share the gospel. You can also know that they will work WITH Salvation Army and many others on the field to make the most of the opportunity, not compete.
The NAMB is focused heavily on Church Planting and Replanting of existing churches struggling and ready to reengage. Church planting is the strategy to spread the gospel, respond to brokenness, and bring spiritual, emotional, economic and social healing.
Look at this.
Notice the church plants in 2010.
Now SINCE 2011, look at this.
In 2020 we have truly LIT up the Continent with the gospel. 7,300 churches planted in 10 years. 80% are still thriving after 4 years. 18% of the baptisms in our 48,000 churches come from church plants. And notice a little but exciting thing. Down there on the bottom right in Puerto Rico. 16 New Church Plants. No new churches had been planted there in 25 years previously. That’s Great Commission Baptists at Work. http://www.namb.net
Then our Biggest Focus on Revelation 7:9 is the International Mission Board. And we allocate $95.6 Million or 50% of our budget to the IMB, and that does NOT include the $159Million given to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, in spite of COVID, that was the 2nd largest Offering every. And with that investment, there are more than 3,500 missionaries and their 2500 children on the field right now. The world becomes more hostile to the Gospel daily and so they have to be creative and create jobs that allow them to work and connect overseas. Companies like www.kingdomgrowers.com in Forney Texas. I’m not a coffee drinker, but you can order online. Check it out. And you can buy plants that go overseas to farmers in need. The IMB is a Partner for the Gospel with Kingdom Growers so you get great Coffee and people learn about Jesus. I could go on and on. But what happens with that money and those missionaries. And with the thousands of short-term missionaries that partner?
Well, last year in spite of covid 422 new missionaries went to their fields. 18,000 local pastors received training. 127,000 received leadership and theological training. In Healthy Church Formation 35,000 groups are meeting intending to BECOME a church. 15,000 groups were just started with the intention of becoming a church. 18,380 New Churches were formed 57,888 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Generation churches are meeting with only 670 churches that have stopped meeting. Then the Big Winning Numbers. 769,494 people heard a Gospel Witness by our 3552 missionaries and partners. OF those 576,395 had an opportunity to respond to Christ. 144,322 became New Believers. One of those new believers was a young man who met our son and the went through the Gospel of John and He said, “I can’t believe what they did to Jesus”. He is a brother now. Then of those new believers 86,587 baptisms. You realize that is equal to nearly Two Mission Baptism for EACH of our Churches.
That brings us to ONE other Focus. $200,000 has been allocated for a new effort from our Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd.
We are Great Commission Baptist. The Great Commission Compels us to Go. Why? Because Matthew 25:46 says that without Christ, they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. What’s common, ETERNAL. What’s different is the address. If we want to take the Gospel to the Nations, leading to faith, baptizing for declaration, teaching to live according to the truth of the Kingdom, We have work to do.
So, we have been presented with Vision 2025 with 5 Initiatives. It was amended to include a 6th initiative.
Increase the total number of Missionaries by 500. That will account for 100 lost annually.
Add 5,000 new Church Plants taking us over 50,000 churches.
Calling Out the Call – each church taking their role in calling on students, adults even retirees or career change new Pastors and Staff Ministers.
Turn Around Current Reduction in Baptisms by focusing on children and students between the ages of 5 and 17. The numbers have dropped dramatically in the last 10 years
Increase % giving, and Numbers given to the CP to 500,000,000
Then from the Floor came a recommendation for an addition to this task, of these important things:
Prayerfully Endeavor to eliminate all incidents of sexual abuse, and racial discrimination, in our churches – those two atrocities’ damage people and damage the work of the church. We will seek to END their incidence, and end churches being silent when it happens. We must protect the next church after you put that pastor out. We have a responsibility to protect one another. And there is no place for hatred of any kind in the Church of Jesus Christ.
I read Francis Bacon – he said that what gives rise to Atheism is primarily 3 things, 1) divisions in religions. When we fight, the world doesn’t believe. 2) Scandal among the preachers of the gospel. 3) Profane Scoffing in Holy matters, which he says defaces the reverence for God. He then added a 4) learned times especially in peace and prosperity. When times are GOOD, and we are “smart”, we forget God.
We can combat Atheism, not by ARGUING truth, but by Living the Gospel we Speak of
David Jeremiah says “Preach the Gospel with Word, Picture the Gospel with Life, Practice the Gospel with Love.”
The Prayer is to engage the 331million Americans, and 7.9 Billion worldwide, with the Gospel.
But until we stand around the throne, we have work to do.
What does that mean for us? There is a Message for Everyone. Oh, you might say, “well, there are mostly white people around us.” If that’s TRUE. I would still say the word “mostly”. Reach the rest. But Revelation says, “every tribe and people”. Are there people you don’t reach out to because they are of a different “tribe” or a different “people”? “Oh they aren’t LIKE US”. Praise God … go get them! Different Tribe. Is there a place for Republicans here? How about Democrats? How about Independents? What about other Tribes? You name the divider do they need Jesus? Will we allow Jesus to be the only definer? Will we allow his WORD to be our only Teacher? We still have work to do.
And so, the Call for you and for me is to Go
Go To friends
…To family
…To hard places
…To near places
…To far places
Give to facilitate the work of others
Pray for the advancement of the gospel
Cooperate with others on the same mission
You may not be called to be a preacher, or a missionary
But you have a Commission to Share your faith, from home, across the street, into the hard places to the ends of the Earth.
Are you A Great Commission Baptist? I am, We are, There’s room for you.
I saw this beautiful image today taken from Hubble Telescope and immediately my mind went to Psalm 19.
Can you imagine the songs David writes today? The Technology he has access to I’m sure is wonderful and supercedes the use of a shepherds flute and lyre. But more than that, ages in the presence of God. But here he writes:
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands. Day after day they pourout speech, night after night they communicate knowledge. There is no speech; there are no words; their voice is not heard. Their message has gone out to the whole earth, and their words to the ends of the world …
The Glory of God. Oh it is one of my favorite thoughts and concepts in scripture. In John 1:14, the aged apostle writing at the close of the first century, I see him in my mind’s eye, thinking back on his walk with the Lord. And in perhaps some of the most beautiful text ever written, he talks about the coming of Jesus. And he says the word became flesh and dwelt among us … and then can see him pause, and perhaps take a long breath of remembrance and he says and we beheld his glory, the glory of the one and only of the Father, full of grace and truth. OH My My My – the glory. The word in the NT Greek is doxa. That’s the word also used when the Old Testament was translated into Greek from Hebrew and the word here the heavens declare the glory of God. That word at its root means “heaviness” or “weighty” and describes the worth. The concept is the Weight of the Reputation of God. There are times, when I come home at night to our house away from city lights. And the clouds have been swept away, and I look into the beauty of the sky and see all those Lights Proclaiming God’s Glory, the moon and the stars, and I often just stop and stand there staring into the sky.
Paul wrote in the first chapter of Romans that God has been revealed through creation so we are without excuse if we do not embrace the revelation of the glory of God in creation.
David sings here that the Sun going from East to West is like a fully adorned Bridegroom traveling from his home. It’s like a well conditioned athlete running perfectly their course.
And then David makes a shift in his song. He transitions from praise to revelation – the instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy… the precepts are right, making the heart glad… the fear of the Lord is pure… the ordinances of the Lord are reliable… desirable… sweeter than honey… Just as sure as the stars shine, so the words of God, tell the glory of God, the weight of God’s reputation, the truth of his being. Just as true as the sun rises and sets, so God’s teaching follow his path and accomplish his purposes.
And then in the final transition from revelation to application – oh when the sun rises we can see the world as it is. Sometimes the night hides things in the darkness, but the sun rising gives us light to see reality. And so the glory of God reveals to us not only the right path but the reality that we stray from the path. And faced with the grace and truth glory of God, David sings, cleanse me… keep your servant from willful sins; do not let them rule me… then I will be blameless and cleansed…
And from the Glory of God revealed, David, in the light of truth, surrenders to the Glory and closes: may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
When all around me and even with in me, seems to be falling apart and unstable, God is my Rock
When the cost of sin is greater than I can bear, HE is My Redeemer, purchasing my soul from sin’s ransom.
The Heavens declare the glory of God
The Scripture reveal the glory of God
God’s Spirit with me reminds of the glory of God
And Jesus Christ, my rock and my Redeemer, brings ME, a sinner, INTO the Glory of God as I Surrender All
Pastor Goforth 