"Now Isn't That Special!"

Why do we like the “Church Lady” so much? Perhaps it’s because so many of us grew up with her (literally).  One of my favorite scenes is when she puts something or someone in their place by commenting, “Well isn’t that special!” I think of that scene when the subject of spiritual gifts and gift-based ministry comes up. While it’s true that spiritual gifts and gift-based ministries are special, all too often normal (self-centered) people use the process of gift discovery to prove that they are special. And that’s really not the purpose of spiritual gifts.

But that won’t deter us from exploring the subject. The simple truth is this: Jesus is building his church, the Holy Spirit is empowering Christ-followers to participate in that building, and the primary tools used are the special grace-gifts distributed by God’s Spirit. The Holy Spirit places certain brothers and sisters into a congregation to share life together, and that same Spirit distributes the specific gifts needed for that congregation to effectively and powerfully represent God’s Kingdom in the world.

The big picture is this: God created every human being with a specific purpose in mind. God planned you and me before we were born (Psalm 139:13-16). Biblical writers testified that God had known them and chosen them before they were conceived (Jeremiah 1:5; Galatians 1:13-15). “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). No one is without divine purpose and eternal significance. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Romans 8:28-29). Unfortunately, God’s purpose for our lives is detracted by the problems we have with sin. We tend to wander off, go astray, and miss the mark. The Good News is that Jesus has come to rescue us, to give us a new identity, and to put our feet on the right track, the track of God’s purpose. Each one of us are now “in Christ,” new creations (2 Corinthians 5:16-17). In Christ we are God’s craftsmanship, God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10), and we are confident that the God who began this work of restoration in our lives will complete it (Philippians 1:6).

Aspects of God’s purpose for our lives depends on us discovering the specific and unique ways God has equipped and empowered us with grace-gifts. The New Testament word for “gift” (Greek charisma) literally means “the things pertaining to grace.” By definition, “grace” is not earned but is given freely. When God “gifts” us, it is not because we are special but because of the special purpose of God for us lives, determined from before the foundation of the world. Spiritual gifts are the tools we need to fulfill the purpose God has in mind for us. If we are to make any spiritually significant, redemptive contributions in life, it will be a result of us discovering and learning how to utilize the gifts God has given.

So what are spiritual gifts, what attitude should we have toward them, and how are we responsible to develop and use them? “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:10-11). Peter is very clear in saying that (1) spiritual gifts are to be used, (2) they are to serve others, and (3) we are stewards of those gifts. Peter goes on to describe general kinds of serving and speaking gifts. In the specific context of the Body of Christ Paul taught this: “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us” (Romans 12:3-6). Before even bringing up the subject of grace-gifts Paul takes pains to remind us that God’s gifts are not about us but about the fruitful functioning of the members of Christ’s Body.

As a result, it is vitally necessary that every member of Christ’s church take the time to think about and discover the unique way God has gifted them. The church offers a variety of gift-discovery opportunities. However, finding out how you are gifted by God’s grace is pointless unless you are also committed to stewarding those gifts to serve others.

Every human person is born with a divine purpose. But that purpose is not self-contained; God’s purpose can only be fulfilled in the context of the human connections made in the context of authentic community. You and I have significance to the extent that we bear good fruit in the lives of others. Now that’s special!

"House to House"

Active participation in the life of a local church meets any number of personal and corporate needs that cannot be met any other way. It all begins with a discernment process, asking God to clarify where our spiritual family is to be found, and then submit to the Lord as he “plants us,” puts our roots down, and connects our hearts to real brothers and sisters in a real time and place.

After that, a shared life begins. We are able to experience important spiritual and personal growth and development as we share our lives with our church family. We find out about the gifts God has given us and the various ways in which they can be used to glorify God. We discover opportunities to meet each other needs in personal and practical ways. We also present a powerful Kingdom witness to the world around us.

As “an Acts two church” we see that the real life of a local church “on the ground” is actually quite practical. Here’s how the book of Acts speaks about it: “They continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts” (2:46). The lifestyle of this first church involved spending a fair amount of time together in a variety of contexts, large and small. “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah” (5:42). Once again we see the “day after day” life of the church described. “You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house” (20:20). Paul testified about his consistent “house to house” strategy.

In his letters the apostle Paul acknowledged the various ways in which local churches were meeting in smaller fellowship contexts. “Greet also the church that meets at their house” (Romans 16:5). Priscilla and Aquila carried on a “house to house ministry.” “Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house” (1 Corinthians 16:19). “Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house” (Colossians 4:15). The church at Laodicea had a similar ministry context. (Unfortunately, busybodies and trouble makers also had a house to house ministry, 1 Timothy 5:13; Titus 1:11).

The fact is this: the church is the church only as it gathers together. But the full-orbed life of the local church requires more than one gathering context. To experience the abundant life that is available in the context of a local church it is necessary to meet both in a larger, mass gathering, as well as in smaller communities. Each gathering context meets specific and unique needs that cannot be met in any other way. I like to think of this in terms of “Celebration” and “Cells.”

Celebration. In Acts 2 the church met “daily in the temple.” These larger gatherings met certain needs in the shared life of the community:

1.   Corporate Worship. We highly value times when all of us can combine our hearts and voices together to worship God, to give God thanks, to honor God as a congregation, to make it clear that the church is primarily about drawing attention to Jesus.

2.   Gospel Demonstration. The local church needs opportunities to represent and present the Gospel to the larger community. While this can be done in more intimate settings, the larger gathering of the church has a powerful Gospel potential.

3.   Pastoral Instruction. In order to grow and go in a healthy manner the whole church needs to be regularly instructed in the ways of the Lord. The gathering of the whole church affords an opportunity for pastoral leaders to instruct the members.

4.   Community Witness. When the world sees we are “one,” then the world will recognize that God is at work in the congregation and will glorify God.

Cells. In Acts 2 we also see the church breaking bread together in their homes. There were many opportunities for those who were “members of one another” to share life in more intimate ways. These smaller gatherings did not attempt to duplicate the larger gatherings or to meet the needs that were being fulfilled in the larger gatherings. Instead, the smaller groups met specific needs that could not be met in any other way.

1.   Fellowship. An authentic “shared life” cannot really be experienced in a mass gathering. It’s only in smaller, face-to-face settings that this kind of life can be experienced.

2.   Body Ministry. It is the relational connections between the members of the Body that provide the strength and life needed for health and growth (see Ephesians 4:16). Our lives need to connect in ways that will make a personal contribution to the well-being of each one.

3.   Pastoral Care. While pastoral instruction is best accomplished in larger settings, the hands-on shepherding needed in the congregation requires a smaller, relational context.

4.   Personal Witness. The quality of our relationships in smaller groups, when shared by “outsiders” and “newcomers,” is contagious. When people see how we love each other, they will become hungry and thirsty for what only Jesus can supply.

Our commitment to the local church, and our desire to receive the life found as a result of that commitment, includes regular gatherings and connections, in larger and smaller group contexts. May God give us grace to experience both this year. 

What Are We Missing?

We love the fact that God ordained for us to be born in America. Even though there are a variety of regional variations, we all identify with our American culture. And the #1 feature of American culture is “individualism.” Our focus tends to be on our individual rights and responsibilities. The great American is a “self-made man” who pulled himself up by his own boot-straps, needing nothing and no one. We sometimes refer to this as “autonomous individualism,” a belief that meaning is found primarily in the context of disconnected individuals. Personal fulfillment is the goal and any and all behaviors are OK (as long as they don’t “hurt” anyone else).

At the same time, those who study American culture have concluded that our #1 complaint, the issue that haunts us most often, is “loneliness.” One source defined loneliness as “a social pain – a psychological mechanism meant to alert an individual of isolation and motivate him/her to seek social connections.” Think about it! Individualism and loneliness: Do you think there is a connection? What are we missing? Gilbert Belezikian has famously pointed out, “All people have a strong need to Know and be Known, Love and be Loved, Serve and be Served, and Celebrated for who they are regardless of age, race, sex or nationality.” What we are missing is real, meaningful relational connections. What we need is authentic community. We need each other!

We know we need connections. We complain about not being connected. Yet we don’t take the time to pursue those connections. We know the value of authentic community, but we seldom do the hard work needed to experience a meaningful level of community. I contend that every human being, because of the sin virus, is focused on themselves as an individual. Because we tend to see ourselves at the center of the universe, relationships in community are counterintuitive. We tend to connect with people to the extent that they meet our personal needs. We all bring our own issues, baggage and agendas into our relationships, and those issues tend to conflict with the issues of those we whom we share community. We can’t have lived very long and attempted very many relationships before being bumped and bruised by others and their needs. Eventually we may conclude that our needs aren’t being met, so we draw back and even draw out of a relationship. Maybe it’s better to just be alone. Or is it?

From God’s perspective, because “God is love,” and because God has created human beings primarily for relationship – with him, each other, and the rest of creation – being alone is the worst thing that could happen to us. You remember the creation story: “The Lord God said, It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Moses was rebuked for his individualistic style of leadership: “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening? …The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone” (Exodus 18:14, 18). That’s why the Lord gave Moses a group of elders: “They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone” (Numbers 11:17).

The Teacher of Ecclesiastes reflected on an isolated individual. “There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. ‘For whom am I toiling,’ he asked, ‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?’ This too is meaningless—a miserable business!” (4:8). His conclusion? A disconnected life is meaningless! The Teacher concluded with this famous poem:

“Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

One thing is sure: no relationship with any person will meet all your personal needs – only God can do that. In fact, if there is any hope of experiencing a healthy relationship and authentic community, your first relational connection must be with God. Then with God at the center, you will be free to love and serve those you are connected to, asking nothing in return. I love the promise penned by the Psalmist: “God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing” (Psalm 68:6). Because God has created us for community, it is his will that we be connected, to him and to others, and God provides us with opportunities to connect in “families,” including the local church. However, the Psalm goes on to say, “but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” Some have given up hope that meaningful, relational connections are possible (because they are too painful). Others stubbornly guard their individual rights without consideration of others. They will find that loneliness is a “sun-scorched land,” a desert, a Death Valley. They will discover that what we are missing is authentic community. 

New Beginnings

Have you ever wished for the opportunity to start over, to begin again, to have a fresh start? “The Christmas Carol” is one of the most famous Christmas stories involving a Scrooge who has spent his entire adult life taking advantage of the poor, manipulating and controlling others, all in the name of his own selfish ambition, advancement, even self-preservation. We discover that his childhood was filled with neglect, lovelessness and heartache. As we all know, “hurt people hurt people.” But all Scrooge’s attempts to serve and protect himself resulted only in loneliness and despair. Finally, certain “ghosts” visit him on Christmas Eve and give him an opportunity to begin again, to make a difference with every one of his remaining days.

Jesus made an interesting statement about the authority of God’s Kingdom. “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19). Citizens of the Kingdom of God are promised authority and given keys. Authority to do what with those keys? Authority to “bind” and “loose,” or literally, to close and open. The keys of the Kingdom are to be used to close some doors in order that other doors may be opened. Jesus promised to open doors for us. “For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:8). The apostles acknowledged their dependence on God’s Spirit to open doors for the Gospel. “On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles” (Acts 14:27). “The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message” (Acts 16:14). Paul understood that he was able to travel to a certain place only if God opened the door for him. “I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you” (Romans 1:10). “I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me” (2 Corinthians 2:12). God opened (and opens) doors in response to prayer. “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message” (Colossians 4:3). In fact, in the Revelation given to John, Jesus revealed himself as the one “who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open” (Revelation 3:7).

However, in order for us to go through the door into our future, other doors from the past need to be closed. Sometimes we must experience significant “closure” from the past before we have real freedom to move into the future. The key Bible word is “repent.” To “repent” is simply to turn or to return to God. It involves shifting the posture of our hearts back to God’s heart and presence, coming under God’s authority in our lives. But “repent” also refers to other things we are “turning” from. We are always “turning,” either from God to other things or from other things to God. Our backs are facing some things are our faces are turned toward others. We cannot face both God and other gods. We cannot serve two masters.

Sometimes we try to turn to God without turning from those other things that distract us from God. When we do, we find our returning, our repenting, to be superficial and temporary. Such turning is really only a religious expression with no real depth or meaning. The prophet Jeremiah was particularly clear at this point: “They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, Come and save us!” (Jeremiah 2:27). True repentance requires a returning from the heart, from the will, not just the mind and the emotions. “Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions” (Jeremiah 35:15). “They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart” (Jeremiah 24:7).

What if old Scrooge had gotten up on Christmas morning and said, “I’m going to change. I’m going to distribute some Christmas presents this morning, eat dinner with my nephew, and tomorrow morning return to my counting house and catch up on my foreclosures”? What if he had tried to open a new door without closing the old one? How deep and long-lasting would his change have really been? On the other hand, what if on that Christmas morning Scrooge had said, “I would love to start over again, but most of my life is behind me. What’s the use? Although I see the error of my ways it’s too late to really do anything about it,” and gone his way unchanged? Would we consider that response a tragic ending? Yet how many of us despair of beginning again, of finding a new way, the way God of God for our lives?

The Good News is this: If we will turn to God with all our hearts, God promises to restore lost years. “Now, therefore,” says the Lord,
Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness (Joel 2:12-13), “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten” (Joel 2:25). In fact, Joel went on to prophesy, “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days” (Joel 2:28-29). New beginnings marked by a new fullness of God’s Spirit.

As we come to the end of this year we have the door into a new year in front of us, with new opportunities and new beginnings. God promises a year of freshness in his presence, of healing and restoration. May God give us the grace to close the 2012 doors that need to be closed so new Kingdom doors can open before us. “Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in” (Psalm 24:7).