Treat Others As...

Our church is starting a series on 1 Thessalonians and so far it has been really enlightening. I just heard a sermon on chapter 2 and imbedded within it was some great instruction on how to treat others.

It comes from verses 6b – 12;

6bAs apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 7but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. 9Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

To me it boils down to one word; love! But, what does that really mean or better yet what does that look like? Well, guess what; Paul tells us. Paul explains we should not be a burden to others; we should be gentle loving like a mother caring for her children. We should love so much because we care. We should care enough to share the gospel but we should also care enough to share our lives. We should deal with others as a father; encouraging, comforting, urging others to live lives worthy of God.

You know the world is in desperate need for a love like this. May we all reach deep and love others. Reminds me of a bumper sticker I once saw; Love Wins!

Grace and Peace!

Rag Dolls

John Ortberg tells the story of his sister’s love for a doll. When she got it, the doll was so beautiful, and his sister just truly loved that doll, she took the doll everywhere with her, slept with the doll, and played with the doll continuously. However, over time there was wear and tear; missing hair, broken arm, torn clothes. Still, his sister’s love remained constant, strong, and unconditional.

Ortberg drew two conclusions from this illustration. “First, we are all rag dolls; flawed, wounded, broken and bent. But the second truth is that we are God’s rag dolls. He knows about our raggedness and loves us anyway.”

You have to let that sink in for a few minutes, but once it does it is so encouraging. It is truly amazing to think about this unconditional love of the creator for those that believe; for those that understand and recognize their raggedness and their need for a savior.

Romans 5 tells us just how much God loves us;

6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Can you see it? God demonstrates his love for us by loving us even when we were His enemy; through Christ we are reconciled by love and our response should be unconditional love for God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Amen!

Ortberg continues that this can be summarized into one statement uttered by a wise theologian years ago; “God is for us!” It is so true and we can see it clearly in Romans 8;

31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

Abba Father, thank you so much for loving your rag dolls so much that we might be reconciled to you forever and ever. Thank you for being for us so that nothing will ever separate us from the love of Christ. Amen and Amen!

Grace and Peace!

Welcome Mat

Our business men’s group recently reviewed a tough teaching concerning showing favoritism. We used part of a sermon from Francis Chan to kick it off and we covered James 2:1-13;

1My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. 2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? 8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself,"[a] you are doing right. 9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11For he who said, "Do not commit adultery,"[b] also said, "Do not murder."[c] If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

This really caused us to stop and think. I began to ask myself is my welcome mat out? In fact in our Churches is our welcome mat out or do we show favoritism? It brought to mind Luke 15:1-2;

1Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

Can you see the example that Christ set? He welcomes sinners and eats with them. It seems so obvious, yet can be so hard. As Christians should we offer places of unconditional acceptance; a place of love, family and hope? This reminds me of a story a friend’s pastor told a story to which I have certainly embellished.

Once upon a time there was a fine Church in a fine city. Sunday service was truly a time of worship. The congregation would gather, truly a Church family. One Sunday as the sermon was about to begin, a stranger walks in. He is dressed so differently, with leather pants, jacket and chains. He was wearing a bandanna and proceeded to walk down to the first row (you know the empty one) and sat right in front of the preacher.

Now the preacher notices this man and notices the whispers in the congregation. However, after the sermon the man disappears quickly. Some of the longstanding members of the congregation stopped the preacher to express a little concern over the appearance of the visitor, but there was little to do; probably just a man passing through town.

The next Sunday, the stranger appears again and sits once again in the front row. The preacher can see the stares and whispers. After the sermon, he makes a point to find this man. He tells him how truly glad they are that he found this Church and how welcome he was. He goes on to say that while they are truly happy he is worshipping with them; their Church is a little more conservative and tries to put on their Sunday best for worship. The man looks confused and the preacher advises him to go home and pray about what God would have him wear to Church.

The next Sunday comes and the stranger appears wearing exactly the same thing he always had. The congregation again is staring and the whispers become louder. The preacher is a little more concerned and after the sermon corners the man. He says to the stranger, “I thought you were going to ask God what He would have you wear to our Church”. The stranger answered, “I did”. There was a pause and the preacher finally asked, “Well what did He say?” The stranger hesitated and then humbly said, “He said He didn’t know because He had never been in your Church”.

Humorous? Perhaps, but what a lesson. Friends, is our welcome mat out? Better yet are we out seeking; are we stepping out in faith; outside of our comfort zone to develop relationships?

God, may we all put out the welcome mat of Christ; may we all seek the lost and the lonely; all to your Glory!

Grace and Peace!