Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matt. 5:4)

Jesus does not gloss over the pain of life in this world. As I sit and write this exhortation, I feel the weight of sadness on my shoulders. As I have gone about my day with that kind of hazy moroseness that accompanies grief. Luckily, as Christians, we don’t need to be happy all the time to prove our faith. According to the Psalms, the life of faith is well acquainted with all manner of emotions: joy, peace, anger, frustration, love, hope, doubt, and fear. 

But in the midst of sorrow, we can hold fast to the promise of God’s comfort: a promise that even in the dark days we are blessed. As Christ-followers, we are those who receive divine favor. Being blessed means that we have not been forgotten, but that God the Father loves us and is with us. It is easy to think that the happy person, the rich person, or the successful person is the one that is blessed. But that is a worldly way of thinking. God says that even those who are down and out, overlooked, struggling, and sad are the ones that receive his attention and favor. Their current struggles do not keep them from the certain hope of knowing and being known by God. 

Whatever you are feeling today, don’t try to rush through it and get to “happy”. Sit in your emotions and invite in the Holy Spirit. Let him remind you that you are blessed; you are the recipient of divine favor. You are not forgotten. And whatever you are going through is not the end of the story. 

We have an eternal hope; Jesus wins. 

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” (Rev. 21:3-4)

The Zealot & the Tax Collector

The current climate in our nation has had me thinking a lot about two guys with radically different ideologies that Jesus invited to be part of his twelve disciples. First, there was Simon the Zealot. According to brittanica.com, “The Zealots were an aggressive political party whose concern for the national and religious life of the Jewish people led them to despise even Jews who sought peace and conciliation with the Roman authorities.” 

This was a group in complete opposition to Roman imperialism and anyone connected to it. “Extremists among the Zealots turned to terrorism and assassination and became known as Sicarii (“dagger men”). They frequented public places with hidden daggers to strike down persons friendly to Rome.”

Then there was Matthew the Tax Collector. Tax Collectors “were reviled by the Jews of Jesus' day because of their perceived greed and collaboration with the Roman occupiers. “Tax collectors amassed personal wealth by demanding tax payments in excess of what Rome levied and keeping the difference” (Wikipedia.com). This was Matthew through and through. Can you imagine some tense conversations in the Twelve’s travels around Galilee? Did Simon still carry a dagger hidden in his clothes?

Our current cultural polarization is not that different from that of the 1st century. Whether it is COVID, racial equality, sexual identity, conservative or liberal ideas about government, or a myriad of other contentions, we find ourselves digging into our camps and lobbing grenades at the other side. But, just as Jesus called Simon and Matthew to a better way he is calling us to a better way. Christians are those who are called to follow Jesus as peacemakers and reconcilers. 

I think there is a good chance that Matthew and Simon reconciled their differences and became peacemakers through their long conversations on the roads between ministry stops. As they got to know one another, and as they learned to surrender everything to the way of Jesus and the kingdom, they stepped into unity. They bore witness of the good news that Jesus was king, not Caesar and not Israelite nationalism. 

My prayer is that we can be a church that models this. We are all united with one another in Jesus. We all put our hope ultimately in Jesus and his kingdom. Let’s walk alongside one another: getting to know one another, praying for one another, and bearing with one another as we look forward to Jesus’ return and his setting right of this fallen, broken world.

Be the Church

About 15 years ago, I found out that there were about 260 churches in Kalamazoo county. I was working with church leaders and we were trying to build unity between churches. A group of us actually telephoned every church in our county inviting them to a leaders’ gathering. Additionally, we mailed invites and promoted it in other ways. The event was successful, but we didn’t get even close to every church participating. 

I also discovered that there are about 260,000 people living in Kalamazoo County. Wow. That means that there is potential for nearly every church to have as many as 1000 members! Of course not every church is called to be that large, and some churches are called to be much larger. But it’s the idea of so many souls not living in connection with a life giving spiritual family that grabbed my heart. 

When starting New Day Vandalia, one of the first things I did was see how many people live in Cass County. I found out that there are over 52,000 people that live within about a 20 minute drive from our church there. I’m not sure how many churches there are in Cass County, but it’s likely similar to Kalamazoo County. The BIG IDEA is that we are surrounded by thousands of people that either do not know the Father or have a genuine relationship of faith in Jesus, or they may, but are not connected in a meaningful way with a local church. 

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” The church is the only thing Jesus said He would build. In Ephesians 5:25-27 we discover what Jesus intends for His church, “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” So the church, though no doubt still in the process of having our stains, wrinkles, and blemishes removed, is nevertheless the bride of Christ and the object of His affection. 

This means that every expression of the church is valuable and is intended by God to display certain characteristics of Christ. Over the next few weeks we’ll be looking at four aspects of being a church that we feel are ingredients that define the New Day Flavor. These are aspects we work into everything we do, and make us unique among all the churches in our region. We will look at our vision of Making Disciples & Multiplying Churches out of our Passion for Jesus, what it means to be a Presence Based Church, our Core F.I.R.E. Values, and our emphasis on Healthy Community. 

New Day is an amazing church with three distinct but interdependent congregations that all share these same ingredients. It's time to celebrate who we are and what we offer to our communities. You are New Day; you are the affection of Christ and the fruit of His labors. Let’s step up and be the church in our community!

GO!

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Jesus gave the charge to his disciples to GO, to share the gospel with people all over the world and then help train them up in the Lord. Beloved church, while we are all called to GO, I want to point out, your fulfillment of this call may be local. 

Yes, sometimes “going” may look like moving away to attend ministry school or to plant a church in another city. But if not, you must know it is no less valuable a call. There are plenty of people in our communities and neighborhoods who need us to go to them, love them, share the gospel with them, and disciple them right here. The Spirit of God is moving. You can be a part of bringing it to others, right now, in this season of life. Your two options aren’t “go and do cool stuff for God somewhere else” or “stay behind twiddling your thumbs”!

This weekend, New Day celebrates Pastors Jimmy and Chloe McKee being blessed and released to go to the east side of the state, to continue their obedience to the Great Commission call to GO. They have spent the last three years pastoring at New Day, and we have thoroughly enjoyed them. While we are excited for them, we are sad and will miss them dearly. 

Over the years, many from our New Day congregation have gone to other cities or states to follow God’s call on their life. Simultaneously, God has called many of you to stay to continue the ministry here while consistently adding more amazing people to our church family. We can plan on this dynamic continuing, as it is the way of the church. 

In the book of Acts, we see the dynamic of some going and some staying play out as Christians spread the gospel. The Apostle Paul would travel to a new city, share the gospel, then stay for a time to establish a church there. When he was called to move on, he would often bring someone with him, but the majority of the believers didn’t leave. They stayed to disciple people and spread the fame of Jesus in that place. They got to do cool stuff and see cool stuff happen right there.

Remember, if you aren’t called away to serve the Lord, your call is no less valuable. The important thing is that we all GO, whether locally or to a distant place, to further the kingdom of God on the earth, thus fulfilling the Great Commission. What does your obedience to this call look like? Ask the Lord to affirm what and where He’s called you to.

Luke 8

Reading the Gospel of Luke a week and a half ago, I saw something that I can’t get out of my mind. In Luke 8:18, just after explaining the parable of the sower to the disciples, Jesus says “Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

Long story short, I’ve always wondered what in the world Jesus was talking about. What does one person have? What does it mean that whoever “thinks” he has will lose what he has? Weird, right? Then I realized (about 30 years late…) that Jesus ends the parable of the sower with this exhortation: “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear!”

...and when asked to interpret the parable, He said: “‘The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’”

I’ll get right to the point: Jesus is saying that we’d better have ears to hear and understand what he says to us. Further, he promises that if we listen in such a way as to understand, we will be told more. Frighteningly, if we think we have some divine understanding but we actually aren’t listening, Jesus promises to take away what we mistakenly think we have. 

That’s one really encouraging promise and one super-scary promise sandwiched together. 

Jesus doesn’t leave this there, though. He puts a finer point on it. The next scene is Jesus’ family coming to take him away. He doesn’t go with them, but instead says: “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”

Having ears to hear is so important to Jesus that it elevates you to the level of immediate blood relation. Intense. But who is eligible for that? Anyone? Oh yes, friends. Anyone. 

Later in the same chapter, Jesus casts a legion of demons out of a violent, creepy, naked guy. Afterwards, this happens: “Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return home and tell how much God has done for you.’ So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.”

Did you see it? He heard. He obeyed. He will be given “more” and is now Christ’s brother. We should expect no less, if only we have ears to hear. Really, that’s all I want to say: pray for ears to hear and a heart to obey. The rewards are great. The alternatives are dismal.

Our Faithful Response to the Faithful God

As a church, we are in a teaching series called Stand Firm. We are looking at Biblical figures who persevered in the way of God despite difficult circumstances and significant opposition. This decision to stand firm is for each individual Christ-follower and for communities of believers. Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthians, tells about the generosity of the Macedonian churches. This group of churches were “in the midst of a very severe trial” (8:2). And yet, their great poverty did not keep them from overflowing in generosity through financially giving to the apostles and their ministry. According to Paul, these poor churches gave “beyond their means” (8:3). 

The Macedonians actually begged the apostles “for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints” (8:4). Let’s take a moment to look at three key words found in this verse. First, the word favor is the Greek word charis. Hopefully, this word is familiar to you after we spent six months last year talking about it. Charis is often translated as “grace” or “gift”. For the Macedonians, generosity was not a chore, but a way that they could participate in the free, unmerited favor they had received from God. Second, the Macedonians wanted to “take part”. Again, we find a relatively familiar Greek word: koinonia. This very same word was used in the first letter to the Corinthians when Paul said, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship (koinonia) of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Koinonia means “participation” or “fellowship”. The Macedonians wanted to give generously, to participate in the life of the saints because they had been invited into participation with Jesus. Being united with Jesus means being united with believers all over the world. And finally, the Macedonians wanted to bring relief. This is our Christian vocation: to move towards and bring relief to the hurting and needy, because that is what Jesus did. 

Although Jesus was fully God, he did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage (Phil. 2:6). He stepped down from his place in glory at the right hand of God to be born a man, to suffer and die on a cross so that people far from God could be brought close. Jesus is grace revealed to humanity stuck in sin. Jesus came to bring each one of us into fellowship with God. Jesus brings relief to people struggling in the quagmire of sin.

As we look to Jesus we receive his grace, we find fellowship with him, and we receive his merciful relief. Despite the challenges around us and our own selfish disposition, the faithful response is to do likewise—to participate with Jesus in bringing the kingdom of God to earth as it is in heaven.

Stand Firm - Character Lessons from People Who Persevered

For the rest of June, we will teach from the lives of those who proved their character through perseverance.  Perseverance is: “persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.” It is an essential trait for Christ-followers. In our day of instant conveniences, we are still required to persevere through hardship of being faithful to the Word and will of God, and enduring opposition from a world that is counterculture to the Kingdom of Christ. 

“The secret to success is not giving up.” I truly believe this in nearly every endeavor we take on. Countless times I’ve been working on a task only to have it fail, and I am often tempted to just give up. But I’ve found that if I keep on trying, in most cases I, or someone I ask, can figure it out. If this is true for fixing a computer problem, or getting a car to work, or locating something we’ve misplaced, perhaps it is true for the bigger issues of life. We need perseverance to learn to live Christ-like. 

Galatians 5:22-23: “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” I don’t think it is an accident that the traits God wants to cultivate in us are called “fruit.” The thing about fruit is that it takes time to grow. I grew up on a small farm with a good sized orchard. We had many kinds of apple trees as well as pear, crabapple, and cherry trees. They all took a lot of work to maintain. I particularly remember when my father planted a Northern Spy apple tree. They were not a common tree, but the apples had a unique taste and characteristics that my father desired. After we worked hard to dig a hole and plant the young sapling, covering the base with mulch and watering it sufficiently, my father told me something that took me by surprise. “It’ll be over ten years before we will see an apple on this tree,” he said. Wow - I was thinking we’d enjoy the fruit of our labor that fall. I was about 10 when we planted the tree, and I remember when I was in my early twenties enjoying eating one of the apples from the eventual harvest.

 How often do we tend the issues in our lives for decades before being able to enjoy the fruits of our labor? How long are you willing to persevere to make a relationship great, and not give up prematurely and “move on”? How long are you willing to discipline yourself to abstain from behavior that God calls destruction (sin)? And for how long do you develop habits that reflect Christ’s character (virtues)? In this day of instant gratification, let’s take the time to grow as Christian by learning how to stand firm and persevere!

Ripe for an Argument

Has anyone else found the dynamics of dealing with Covid-19 conducive to an argument—whether with your spouse, a roommate, your children, your family, or via social media, "them"? I haven't. Just kidding. I have. While arguments (or disagreements/difference of opinion in a more moderate sense) are a normal part of human interactions, they seem to have intensified in this season. 

It's been the case for Chloe and me that we don't think the same way about some things. Surprising, I know. Specific to this season, how we’ve processed things has been on different wavelengths and times…and I know we're not alone. In writing this, I have talked to/heard from many couples and people who have expressed that they are not on the same page with their spouse, roommates, friends, etc., when it comes to how they're thinking about the virus and its aftermath. Is one of you right, and the other wrong? Maybe…but that’s the wrong question. 

I remember receiving the premarital advice: "the person is more important than the point." Is that, in a general sense, true? Only if you can admit that you're wrong. My dad used to say, jokingly, "I thought I was wrong once, but it turns out, I was mistaken." We don’t like to be wrong, and we especially don’t like to admit it. But again, seeing an argument only along the lines of “right and wrong” is often the wrong question. 

At New Day we’ve been in a series on the book of James. It’s been punching me in the gut. This past week, Pastor Cameron hyperlinked to Ephesians 4:29 in the Message Bible, where it states, “Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.” Each word a gift. A gift doesn’t fit on the “right or wrong” scale—it’s about the attitude of the giver. Are you saying things that are helpful or hurtful?

Here's the thing: in an argument, you (probably) both have a point.  Something has come to the surface. It needs to be discussed. Your tone of voice matters. Words are powerful. The tone of your words are also powerful. The Scriptures tell us "the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.” (James 3:5). May we be ones who speak with kindness in a world of harshness. May we, by the Spirit of God, and as Kally Fielding of New Day Nichols depicted in the beautiful artwork  below, make every word a gift.

Your New Home

Imagine you have an employee who always pulls his old car into the parking lot at least a half hour late, never completes any task on time because of his ancient coffee-stained laptop, and is always depressed. You might choose to fire him outright (and who could blame you?), but perhaps you ask some questions first. Questions such as...

“My guy, your old car makes you late everyday. Any thoughts on buying a new one?”

“Homie, that computer. It’s a fossil. The keys stick. It’s all turtle and no rabbit. Can you afford a Macbook or something?”

“Dude my dude, life can’t be horrible all the time. Plus I pay you really, really well; how can you be sad and tired constantly?”

Wouldn’t it be ridiculous if this awful employee said that he had a brand new Mercedes… it was just a few miles away parked in the driveway of his lakehouse? Or if he said that he did indeed have a brand-new computer, also at his lakehouse? And wouldn’t it be perplexing, almost infuriating, if he said he was so tired and depressed because the apartment he had been staying in was old, noisy, rundown, and sad?

Of course this is unrealistic… or is it? If this was happening in real life, certainly the solution would be to live in the lakehouse! It’s close. It’s paid for. It has the tools that are needed and an environment of rest and peace. No one would choose to abide anywhere but there if they had the option, right? 

Wrong, I’m afraid. At least spiritually speaking. Christians have the option to abide in Christ. There, in that spiritual lakehouse, is rest, wisdom, love, all the fruit of the spirit, confidence, and a peace to see us through the trials of life. Amazingly, many of us choose to stay in the stresses, mindsets, destructive drives, band-aid solutions, and anesthetic habits we’re used to rather than move into our new estate…although it has been totally paid for.

Justin Dumois got me thinking along these lines two weeks ago, and I have been abiding more intentionally ever since. It has been refreshing, and so I heartily suggest you do the same. Take some time to sit with the Lord. Don’t bring an agenda other than to be with Him. It might be challenging or weird at first, but if you can make it a habit, you will be richly rewarded. If you don’t…not so much. After all, he did say “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

What’s Wrong with My Tree?

Six years ago, I planted a little dogwood tree in my front yard. Every spring I look forward to it blooming beautiful pink flowers like I see on other dogwoods in my neighborhood. But every year I am a little disappointed. There are dead branches, and many of the already patchy blooms are wilted at the tips. Why isn’t my little tree flourishing? Earlier this week, I jumped onto Google to figure out the problem. The problem is that I am not taking care of my tree properly.

Apparently, my little dogwood would do better if it wasn’t planted in full sun where it is “susceptible to dogwood borers and heat stress”. In early winter, I should be pruning the dead branches. I should have 4” to 6” of mulch around the base of the tree. And I should water it in such a way that I don’t saturate the leaves, which promotes fungal growth. I guess my periodic watering and sincere belief that it was going to be a great little tree are not enough.

Just as there are certain practices that we can do to see dogwood trees flourish and grow, there are certain practices that Christians can do to see their spiritual lives flourish and grow. I know that there are times I have treated my relationship with God like I have treated my dogwood tree. I assumed that periodic attention to spiritual things and believing in Jesus was enough. But the results were disappointing. Yet with a little care, we can all have vibrant, life-giving relationships with Jesus.

What does this spiritual care look like? Well, it’s pretty simple, but it isn’t easy. First, we flourish as we learn to dwell in the presence of God—when we learn to find ourselves daily resting in him and reorienting ourselves to him. Just fifteen minutes at the start of each day can set us on a trajectory of experiencing Jesus throughout the day. Second, being in community with believers regularly—worshipping together weekly—grounds us in our identity as the people of God. Third, practicing Sabbath rest weekly rejuvenates us to run the race Jesus has set before us. Regular rhythms of worship and rest keep us connected with the living God. Through this spiritual care, we will flourish and bear much fruit.

Timely Truth From Titus

(Titus 3:1-2) “Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good. They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.” This scripture is from a letter Paul wrote to Titus, a young pastor. The previous chapter in Titus included instructions for how to be Christ-like in a variety of household roles, such as older men and women, young women and men, bondservants and masters (employees and bosses), and how these are ways we proclaim Christ to our generation. 

This same truth is applied to how we treat governmental authorities. One commentator wrote, “This doctrine of obedience to the civil powers was highly necessary for the Cretans, who were reputed a people exceedingly jealous of their civil privileges, and ready to run into a state of insurrection when they suspected any attempt on the part of their rulers to infringe their liberties.” (Barnes). The IVP commentary states, “Allegiance to the state and submission to its authorities … were as important as, or possibly more important than, household duties in undermining slander about subversiveness, because the Romans hated nothing worse than cults they deemed seditious. The epitome of right relationships was being kind toward everyone, including one’s enemies; this injunction is a fitting climax to Paul’s rules on relationships.” 

Paul was speaking to people under the rule of a government that was literally anti-Christ. It was the same Roman empire under which Christ was crucified. Additionally, the moral state of the Roman Empire would make modern America seem puritan. Yet, God’s Word instructs us to be obedient and humble, and respectful in our speech. Why? Because as Christ followers we represent a more powerful government—the Kingdom of God. And our ultimate goal is communicating the truth of the Gospel, not merely proving that our opinion is better than others’.  

Are there times that call for civil disobedience? I believe there are. Many times in history we have seen the church rise up against oppression and willingly suffer sacrificially to see change. Protesting slavery was primarily done by Christ-followers. Standing up against communism in the Soviet Union and China was a clear triumph of the church as many thousands, perhaps millions, suffered for their faith. But these cannot be compared to what we are being asked to do in response to this current pandemic. 

I’m grateful we live in a nation that values freedom of speech. That principle means that I’m willing to die for your right to say something I think is absolutely wrong. If we desire to maintain freedom of speech for those with whom we agree, we must also defend that right for those whom we think are wrong. As Christ-followers, as the light of the World that Jesus has called us to be, let us find ways to demonstrate our faith during this time that does good without slander or quarreling, realizing that the need for everyone to hear the Good News of Jesus is more vital now than it may ever have been in our time.

Walk the Tree

The Mensers like to camp. And when we camp, we like to have adventures in creation’s playground. A favorite game is called “tight-log walking”. It’s like the circus tightrope but using a fallen tree—ideally across a creek to raise the stakes a bit.

The key to a successful tight-log walk is to keep to the middle of the tree. Stay the course—right down the center—without leaning too far to the left or to the right.

Jesus talks about tight-log walking in Mark, chapter 8. Okay—you got me. He doesn’t even mention tight-log walking, although I’m sure he was thinking of it...

[Mark 8:15 ESV] And he cautioned them, saying, "Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."

Leaven was a rich word picture in the time of Jesus. There are two common leaven themes to be aware of here:

1. Leaven often symbolizes sinfulness [1 Cor. 5:6-8]

2. A little bit goes a LONG way [Matt. 13:33, Gal. 5:9]

So Jesus is saying, “Watch out! A little bit of the sinful way of the Pharisees can ruin your whole life. A little bit of the sinful way of Herod can ruin your whole life.”

Jesus warns his disciples about two ways to lean and fall off the tree! 

The way of the Pharisees was legalism. They loved following the religious rules. But they totally lost contact with the Rule Maker. The Pharisees would argue about the rules and regulations—they would accuse. And they would totally fall off the tree into the creek!

The way of Herod was immoral. He did what he wanted and found ways to justify his sin. He took his brother’s wife—and imprisoned John the Baptist for calling him out on it. Later he had John beheaded. Herod would totally fall off the tree into the creek!

Jesus highlights two ways to fall off the tree—one to the left and one to the right. Either way you turn, you end up wet!

My encouragement to you today is this: 

Walk the tree. And if you find you’ve fallen off, get back on and try again. Repeat for a lifetime, with the help of the voice of the Holy Spirit to guide you...

[Isa 30:21 NIV] Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

Drawing Black Lines

Why, yes! That is the name of Project 86’s sophomore album from back in 2000 that still ranks as one of my favorite metal releases ever. Sadly, that only fits into this exhortation tangentially, but it does fit in eventually. 

I want to write about the necessity of making distinctions between right and wrong, good and bad, Godly and ungodly, in the church. It's a job that never stops needing to be done but isn’t ever any fun. A case in point would be 1 Corinthians 5. 

In this chapter, Paul has to tell the church to remove a man that calls himself a believer who is having an ongoing incestuous relationship with “his father’s wife”. (Just to mitigate the gross factor, let’s go ahead and assume this is his stepmother). The church thinks it's to their credit that they are tolerating this behavior. Paul demands the guy be removed from the fellowship.  

Then, lest we think it takes incest to be cut off from the body, Paul drops this bomb:

“I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—  not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people… Expel the wicked person from among you.”

Whaaaaaaat? Isn’t there grace? What about forgiveness?!

Of course there is, and in 2 Corinthians we find out this dude has repented and is welcomed back into the church. Paul isn’t talking about excommunicating anyone who messes up or fails to be perfect, he’s talking about a person/people practicing continued, willful, unrepentant sin and a church that is proud to house them. Both, according to scripture, are unacceptable. 

No one wants to be separated from the church. No one likes being corrected, much less rebuked, and thankfully God has given us an internal test to make sure we don’t need to be. We can draw the black lines for ourselves! This is how we know we’re doing it right:

1 John 5:3 (NIV) “In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.”

If following God’s commands and keeping “in step” with the Spirit are becoming a burden, perhaps some internal lines need to be redrawn. Having confidence about what is right and wrong, good and bad, comes easier the closer we get to the Lord, and it is a wonderful help as we navigate this confusing world we live in. As Andrew Schwab, the lyricist for Project 86, said: "Drawing Black Lines is not just a catchphrase or an album title... When I am faced with challenges, my true character is revealed. And only by drawing a definite line, which separates me from every wrong choice, will I be able to be all I am meant to be."

May it be so with us as well.

The Unstoppable Gospel

Jesus is alive! What had looked like defeat was the greatest miracle anyone had ever seen. Not only was Jesus alive, but he had predicted exactly what would happen. He is the long expected Messiah. In the midst of this excitement and after forty days of the resurrected Lord appearing among them, Luke records these words of the Eleven: “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know the times or the dates the Father has set for his own authority.” (v. 7).

The apostles continued their desire to see the restoration of national Israel. They thought that in this restored earthly kingdom they would have positions of authority (Mark 10:34-45; Luke 22:24-27). Perhaps the coming of the Spirit and the new age was just what they had been waiting for. 

But, Jesus’ response correctly reoriented them. This was not a movement of political and worldly strength. This new age of the Spirit was a time of gospel declaration, the good news that Jesus is alive and that through him all could be made alive. This Jesus movement would not be highlighted with human power, but with a cruciform life – a life modeled after the cross – and Spiritual power.

Far from a restored Israel, we see throughout the book of Acts that the fledgling church was persecuted and dispersed. Rome’s grip on Israel was far from over. But, in the midst of this persecution, out of an insignificant looking church, the gospel spread and thousands of people bowed to Jesus as Lord. 

The gospel is powerful and effective. Everywhere that people heard the good news of Jesus’ resurrection and the grace of God revealed through it, people were bowing to King Jesus. People who were far from God were brought near. Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free, men and women were all finding equal footing in the kingdom of God.  The kingdom was on the move and lives were being changed. It did not look like the apostles expected. 

Today, we do not know what God is up to. We must be humble and admit that we may misunderstand the times just like the Eleven did. But what we do know is that the gospel is on the move. God is working to draw people to himself. And our response is that we will join in this work. Just as the gospel was seen most powerfully in the death of Jesus on the cross, our call is to see the gospel extended through taking up our own cross (Matt. 16:24-25). God’s will is that all people know him. This is not done through the enacting of power and influence, but through the power of the gospel, the spiritual power given to us to bear witness as we walk the way of the cross.

Easter Sunday

This weekend we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. While Easter is going to look quite a bit different this year as we are staying home to lower the incidence of COVID-19, we still rejoice! We rejoice because nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. “Neither death nor life, angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love” (Rom. 8:38). And God’s love is seen most clearly, most spectacularly, in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

This week, instead of giving you some of my own thoughts about Easter and resurrection, I thought we would let Scripture speak to us about this amazing reality. I encourage you to read these verses slowly and meditatively. Allow the truth to wash over you, and see how it inspires worship and thanksgiving to rise up in your heart.

Isaiah 25.8: "He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces."

Isaiah 53.5: "But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; on him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and by his stripes we are healed."

John 11.25-26: "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

1 Corinthians 15.21-22: "For as by a man came death, by a man has come the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive."

1 Peter 1.3: "According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

Romans 6.4: "...just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."

1 Corinthians 6.14: "God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power."

Friends, Jesus is alive! And because he lives, we too are raised up by his power. We walk in newness of life. We have a living hope. We know that, in the midst of the chaos of this world and this pandemic, God is in control and he has done something about it. Though we will all die, all who call on the name of Jesus as Lord will be made alive!

Life as Pilgrimage

I want to give you an image to see yourself through in these strange and increasingly difficult times: a pilgrim. Now, when you hear that word, your mind may jump to the Mayflower ship filled with Puritans arriving on the East Coast. These were indeed pilgrims, but that's not the image I have in mind. In the literal sense, a pilgrim is one who is on a religious journey to a sacred land. If you were to travel to Jerusalem out of religious devotion, that would be considered a pilgrimage. But still, that's not the image I have in mind. 

The image I have in mind is the metaphor of a pilgrim, one who sees their life as a journey Godward, not knowing what may come, but knowing where they’re going, and trusting the hand of God to get them there.

The image of a pilgrim is useful because our understanding of God is necessarily limited and finite, subject to our own sinful biases, desires, and affections.  Therefore, we are to be marked by humility and thankfulness, seeking to understand the God who has called us to follow the way of the cross, and yet realizing that our understanding of God will remain limited in this life.

The Christian pilgrim is one who travels with conviction, who worships "on the way", who grieves their losses and grasps their gains, and whose forward movement is a testament to the magnetic grace of God calling them onward. One who travels in company, great or small, noticing the path that other pilgrims have tracked ahead of them, and sees themselves as one small footprint in a grand congregation of travelers. 

We don't know what's around the next bend. We sure didn't see this coming. But we know, as the hymn “Amazing Grace” below so beautifully captures, that God is really the one guiding us home to Him:

Through many dangers, toils and snares
We have already come;
Tis Grace that brought us safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home. 

[ The Stations of the Cross trail behind New Day Nichols is open starting this Sunday, April 5. I invite you to walk it, and have the image of Jesus’ pilgrimage to the cross in your mind, and your pilgrimage to follow in His steps. ]

A Grand Appraisal

Let’s say a guy is about to get a 90-day performance review. Just for kicks, we’ll say his name is Myron Bizzydo. Myron walks confidently into his boss’ office, sits down quite at ease, and waits to be praised. Surely he has exceeded the company's expectations! No one sweeps and mops the kitchen area better (or more frequently) than he does! No one wipes counters as clean (or as often) as he does! No one unloads shipments on the dock as fast, no one cooks tastier breakfast omelets for the staff or bakes better cupcakes for employees’ birthdays! It’s no secret to Myron or anyone else that if you need a piece of tech to work correctly, he’s the most knowledgeable dude in the whole building. Also, he is the best-dressed, most professional, most courteous, and most likely to shovel the front walk when it snows. 

The boss clears his throat: “Mr. Bizzydo, I’m sure this comes as no surprise, but you’re fired.” 

Myron, of course, IS surprised and begins to list all the amazing things he has done during his 90-day employment.

“I don’t care about any of that!” the boss interjects. “You were hired to be a Customer Service Rep. You’re never on your phone and you haven’t serviced a single account! You. Are. Fired!”

Myron, for all his activities and excellence, is a disappointment and a failure because he didn’t do the things he was SUPPOSED to do. And as they say, it doesn’t matter what you do if you don’t do what you should do. 

I hope I’m not Myron. 

I hope our church isn’t Myron.

This pandemic is our grand appraisal.  

I have heard it said that the church you would have if the building disappeared is actually the church you have now. For many of us, that stings. Forget the lights and the fog. Forget any sort of show. Lose the coffee shop, the merchandise, the “official” events, and anything building-centric. What in the world is left?

Just the people. People who, if we have been doing our actual job, are full of God and the Fruit of the Spirit and know how to love each other well in an authentic Jesus-centered community. 

That, and ONLY THAT, is what the church is anyway. 

How are we doing?

Built on the Rock

You may be familiar with the Bible verses from Matthew chapter 7 which teach us that when we put Jesus’ words into practice, we act wisely, building our house on the rock and not on the sand, so when the storm comes we won’t fall down. 

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”  Matthew 7:24-27 

The past few weeks have felt like a storm with strong winds of worry and the unknown beating against us. My mind goes straight to our foundation. Let’s remember during this tumultuous time to keep our footing sure on the rock of Jesus. 

If you’ve built your house on the rock, stay there! Keep being that wise man who hears the words of Jesus and puts them into practice. Keep reading your Bible; continue with your reading plan. If you don’t have a Bible reading plan, start one. Start in Genesis; start in Matthew or Acts. Read through Psalms and Proverbs. Below are some great passages to start with as they bring comfort, direction, and truth during times of trouble. 

Psalm 23 & 27
Jeremiah 17:7-8
Matthew 6:25-34
Romans 8:28-39
Philippians 4:4-9
Hebrews 13:5-6
James 1:2-4
1 Peter 5:6-9

If you’ve built your house on the sand, and find your house has fallen with a great crash because of the storm, call out to Jesus and he will rescue you. Then immerse yourself in Jesus’ words and put them into practice. 

Now is the time to stay focused on connection with God. While it’s good to be informed about the latest developments, let’s not let the distraction of the storm keep us from connecting with God. Worship Him, pray, listen to what He’s saying, then share with a friend or family member about what you’ve read and how He’s speaking to you. This stormy time is a great opportunity for spiritual growth and revival. Whether the weather (yes, I had to do that) is stormy or calm, God is always calling and drawing people to himself. Remember to keep your feet firmly planted on the rock! Love you, church!

This I Know, That God is for Me

“This I know, that God is for me.  In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.” Psa 56:9-11 ESV

King David wrote this after being captured by the Philistines. His life was literally at stake as his enemies had him imprisoned. This song confidently declares David’s trust and that he “shall not be afraid.” But it is a song written out of the very real struggle David was going through as he was being tempted to fear, and experiencing a time when his enemies were triumphing over him. This song was a song of faith in what God would do, based on David’s experience of what God had done in the past. But the song was written during a time of testing, when it didn’t appear as though everything would work out. 

Right now the world is experiencing a level of fear I haven’t seen since the terrible acts of 9/11. In fact, I think the fear being generated by the coronavirus is even greater. The virus is an invisible enemy that is spreading worldwide at an alarming rate. 

People are reacting to the feeling of being powerless by buying up toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and random other items. Psychologists call this “retail therapy.” It is the attempt of maintaining a feeling of control by doing something that might help. But the reality is much of life is lived in times of being out of control. Like David we must put our trust in God. We must settle our heart and confess boldly “This I know, that God is for me!” It is in times like this that our confidence in God must rise to the surface. When we read God’s word and sing songs of praise it is meant to build up our faith for the times when we face real threats. 

Regardless of the severity of this illness, this pandemic will affect everyone.  The financial impact will be massive. Although it seems as though the majority of people will not suffer seriously from the infections, those at risk, such as the elderly or those with other complications may suffer long term or even face death.  For the rest of us we will have to endure many months of other forms of suffering as the economic impact causes rippling effects and the limitations enforced by the government cause our daily lives to be restructured. This is far different than the situation in which King David found himself. His enemies were very visible and the threat of injury or death very tangible. But the overall situation is the same. We face the enemies of disease and economic crisis, and the fear that is imprisoning so many worldwide. What is also the same:  the God in whom David put his trust is available to you and me. We read His word and sing His praise, now we must trust Him and know that, “God is for me… I shall not be afraid.”

Give Like You Know Who Your Father Is

When Chloe and I were first married, we were living in Grand Rapids and having a hard time finding work. We moved there so that I could start seminary, and while school had started, the money from our wedding was running out, we couldn’t find work, and we didn’t know how we were going to pay rent on our new apartment.

We made it three months.

I felt ashamed. Here I was, a new husband in a new city, with the desire to love and care for my new wife, and I couldn’t even find a job. It wasn’t that I was lazy; I would take work if it were there, but I couldn’t find it. I was frustrated, humiliated, and desperate. So…

I called my dad.

I acted like I was just calling to say hi, not knowing how to broach the subject, but he could tell something was up. He said to me, “Jimmy, what’s going on?” I told him that it had been hard to find work and that we were running low on money.

My dad said to me, “Jimmy, what do you need? It doesn’t matter, whatever it is, I’ll give it to you. It’s okay.” We were $300 short for rent. My parents sent me $600. A week or two later, Chloe found a great job at a coffee bar, and I pieced together random jobs over the next few months (you know, teaching gymnastics to toddlers, delivering subs, etc.) and it all worked out.

I just recently recalled that story to some friends, and I got choked up. I didn’t realize it in the thick of the moment, but my dad gave me a perspective on money in that moment that has stuck with me. My dad was generous, and I want to be like my dad.

At church, you should notice that rather than simply passing the baskets, we are going to make an intentional effort to talk about money, generosity, and financial stewardship at our offering time. Because here’s the thing: we want to be like our Father in heaven, and he is remarkably generous. Our goal here is to have a vision for our individual finances that matches not the ways of the world, but the ways of the kingdom of God. A vision of a generous Father of children who give like they know who their Father is.