"The Narrow Road": Blogs By Shane Kastler

Kanye the Christian? May It Be So

By Shane Kastler

“For this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.” (Luke 15:24)

The worlds of secular music and Christianity collided recently with the reported Christian conversion of infamous rap singer Kanye West, and his subsequent gospel album entitled, “Jesus is King.” Kanye has a long history of living a wild life, and writing trashy songs, but he claims to have been “radically saved” and has become a bold and outspoken proclaimer of the Christian faith. Is this a true conversion, or a publicity stunt? Many signs point to a true conversion, and as Christians we should celebrate and hope this is true, rather than smugly watching and waiting for him to stumble. And he WILL stumble, just like we all do.

Church history is full of surprising conversions, that no one expected to happen. In the 4^th century, Augustine was a womanizing pagan who had a child out of wedlock with his live-in lover. (If you thought this type of behavior was a modern day phenomenon, then you're wrong). But Augustine was converted at the age of 31, and went on to become one of the most influential theologians in history. John Bunyan was a drunken brawler, who by his own admission used so much profanity that he invented new ways to cuss. Yet the Lord saved him and he went on to become a pastor who wrote one the world's most famous books, “Pilgrim's Progress.” John Newton was a blasphemer and hater of God. But the Lord saved him and he wrote a song you may have heard of called, “Amazing Grace.” God specializes in saving sinners, and the depth of their depravity is irrelevant in the light of His grace.

One line from Kanye's song, “God Is” particularity caught my attention. I read the line to my wife, without telling her who it was and asked her if she thought it was written by Charles Spurgeon or Oswald Chambers. Then I sprung it on her that it was Kanye! Here's the line, “Christ is the fountain that filled up my cup.” This lyric is beautiful, no matter who wrote it. And it sounds very much like the worshipful fruit of a “born again” man.

Kanye's music style is not the same as mine. But the world is not forced to adopt my style. If Kanye's conversion is real, then he will no doubt continue to produce God-glorifying songs in his own style. And it will speak to a group of people that I might never be able to reach. For this, we should praise God. Kanye's conversion may prove to be false, and if so we should be saddened by it. But then again, this all may be legitimate; and if so then we should be thankful and supportive of this most unlikely new brother in Christ. The fact is that your sin is no prettier than Kanye's is. All sin is ugly, but thankfully, there is a Redeemer who is powerful enough to save even the Chief of Sinners. To God be the glory, great things He has done.

Outdone By Demons

By Shane Kastler

Have you ever considered the fact that demons might have better theology than you do? Or that demons, who hate Jesus, might show him more reverence than you do? No Christian would care to admit that or even entertain it as a possibility. Yet, when we see Jesus encounter demons in scripture, they clearly know how he is (which speaks to their accurate theology); and they submit to his power (which speaks to their respect). Even if they would rather not submit to Christ, they simply have no choice because of his overwhelming power.

During Jesus's early Galilean ministry, the Bible records, "Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God!” (Mark 3:11) What is interesting to note here, is that as soon as they saw him, they would fall down before him. In their case, this was not an act of loving worship, but rather begrudging submission. Yet for Christians, we should long to bow down before him in reverence. Even though we are not physically in his presence, and we may not be able to physically bow down; certainly in our hearts we should be in a state of constant reverent submission to Christ, motivated by our love for him.

Secondly, the unclean spirits would shout, “You are the Son of God!” They are openly, publicly giving testimony as to who Jesus is. And they are not wrong about it. Do you openly profess Christ in such a way? While you don't have to go around shouting his name, you should be willing to openly identify with him and to tell others about him as the opportunity presents itself.

Demons recognize and react to Jesus because they are painfully aware of who he is and what power he possesses. They are not motivated by love; but their actions prove that they recognize him, acknowledge him, and fear him. We should never be outdone by these evil, unclean spirits. As believers we should openly, willingly, and joyfully confess and follow Christ. We should gladly tell the world of what he has done for us, and what he will do for other sinners who repent and believe in him. Demons submit to Christ out of begrudging hatred. Make sure that you submit to him out of genuine love. May it never be said that demons would out do you in showing reverence for the Lord.

Thinking Deeply About God

By Shane Kastler

Do you have the ability to think deeply about the things of God? Modern day people have largely lost the ability to think deeply about anything. While technological advances like the internet, social media, and cell phones have been beneficial in many ways, they have also been counter productive in other ways. We are so bombarded with information that many times we become overloaded and just mentally “check out.” The idea of spending time thinking deeply about an issue is largely foreign to our thought processes. But we can and should think deeply about God.

King David lived in a much different world than us. And before he was a King, he was a shepherd who spent a lot of time in the wilderness, by himself. He was probably in just such a place when he penned Psalm 8. In the silence and solitude of the country, with no electronic gadgets to distract him; David looked up at the sky and thought deeply about God. Then he wrote: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? (Psalm 8:3-4)

While David's thoughts were deep, the process was fairly simple. He thought about God, and one thought led him to another thought. He saw God's creative power in the moon and stars, and this led him to think of God's sovereign power as the one who “ordains” things. Then as he thought of God's sovereign power, it led him to think of man's nothingness in comparison. Then as he thought of God's sovereign power and man's nothingness, this led him to be amazed that God has any regard for man at all. “What is man that you take thought of him, and the son of man that you care for him.”

Thinking deeply takes time and patience. And these are things that the modern world wars against. No one wants to be patient and take the time to think deeply. But if we will make the commitment to doing this, then our lives will be drastically changed.

We should take the time everyday to read God's word and think deeply about Him. We should verbalize our thoughts to Him in prayer as we read and think about what He has given us in His word. We should think deeply about God, so that we can grow in godliness.

Renew your commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and devote time everyday to growing in godliness by thinking deeply about the things of God. This world is full of distractions. Resist them, and fight for the things that will still be around, long after your latest cell phone has bit the dust.

 

In Defense of the Small Church & In Response to Andy Stanley

By Shane Kastler

Should churches be small, or should they be massive? Are churches with 100 members or less failures? Are they worthless? Should they be shut down? Should there only be “megachurches”? Is it God's will for every church to number in the thousands? These are some of the questions I would like to consider in this article.

Recently, in a truly nauseating interview with Russell Moore, megachurch pastor Andy Stanley attacked small churches (and the word of God) by saying that if he had his way all “dying churches” would be shut down and their property given to thriving churches (as he would define thriving). Stanley also encouraged pastors to “take the spotlight off of the Bible” in their preaching and focus solely on the resurrection of Christ. While such a damnable attack on the Word of God is dangerous, I want to focus instead on his arrogant insinuation that all “dying” churches should shut down; and that the “megachurches” of the world are the only hope.

Stanley incorrectly equates “small” with “dying.” While there is no doubt that Christianity would be better off if some churches closed; is it always necessarily the smaller churches that are dying? To the contrary I would argue that a megachurch that downplays the importance of God's Word would be a much better candidate for closure. In fact, the ironic aspect of Stanley's claim is that it might actually be his church that is a true hindrance to the gospel and sinners coming to TRUE saving faith. But closing his church is not for me to decide. Nor is it for Stanely to decide which churches are “dying” and need to be closed. To assume such a position is unspeakably arrogant. Yet Stanley does it.

This isn't Stanley's first attack on the small church. He recently stated that any parent who took their child to a small church was being “selfish” and didn't really care about their kids. The false assumption he makes here is that bigger means better. That numerous children's programs equates to true Godliness. And that children are too young and immature to comprehend deeper truths. These are colossal errors.

While there is certainly nothing wrong with programs per se, nor is there anything wrong with kids having fun at church; it should be noted that dodge ball will not save their souls. Children need to hear the glorious and deep theological truths of Scripture. And they need to hear them at a young age. I have marveled over the years at how much children hear, comprehend, and pick up simply by sitting through a sermon that is supposedly “over their heads.” In this regard they are no different than adults. We must be taught truths that we currently don't know if we are to ever grow in the faith. As John Piper recently noted, the English language is "over the heads" of toddlers; yet we don't seek to keep it from them. To the contrary, we immerse them in it.  We teach it to them as though life depends upon it.  How much more so the Word of God?  It is not “uncaring” to take your child to a small church. It is “uncaring” to take your child to a church that doesn't emphasize God's Word and accurately preach the gospel. Sadly, many parents will live to regret the days they wasted frolicking when they should have been discipling. A child who grows up in a church devoted to entertainment will become an adult who demands entertainment. And adults who demand entertainment have no stomach for a church that seeks to transcend a “feel good” culture by preaching the “glorious gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24)

Now, back to the original question: How big should churches be? The fact is that the Bible does not give a numerical answer to this question. A church can be tiny and yet faithful in God's eyes; and likewise a church can number in the thousands and still be faithful in God's eyes. The true measure of a church is not seen in the size of it's attendance, but rather in it's faithfulness unto the Lord.

For example, in the 1800s Charles Spurgeon pastored one of the largest congregations in the world and he was committed to Biblical preaching. He was maligned by many for being too confrontational and too theologically focused. Yet he did not shy away from proclaiming the sovereignty of God over all things, including salvation. He was a far cry from seeker-sensitivity, weekly proclaiming the glories of Heaven and the miseries of Hell. He called out pastors and churches that sought to please the world rather than pleasing God and was famously censured by his own denomination during what became known as the “Downgrade Controversy.” Spurgeon's “sin” in the denominational leaders eyes, was to be divisive in his defense of the Bible. But Spurgeon knew that this wasn't about him. Indeed the gospel was at stake. God used him to build a massive church; yet amazingly there was no gymnasium, no coffee bar, and no laser light show. Not that these things are bad, in and of themselves; but these things are not requirements for a true church.

The book of Acts tells us exactly what the New Testament church was devoted to. The text says, “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42) The “apostle's teaching” for us would be the Word of God. We don't have the apostles, but we do have their writings. Amazingly the very thing Andy Stanley says preachers should avoid, is also the thing the New Testament church was “CONTINUALLY DEVOTING themselves to.” They were also devoted to “fellowship” which means they held spiritual truths in common and they edified one another by discussing them. The “breaking of bread” could mean a fellowship meal, but also is a clear reference to the Lord's Supper. And no church will last, apart from devotion to prayer. It is not only very telling what the early church was devoted to; it is also very telling what is missing from the equation.

The vast majority of modern church growth tools, that leadership gurus tell you that your church MUST HAVE to reach people are missing from the Biblical account. It seems the people were satisfied with Christ alone and didn't need pyrotechnics nor slapstick shenanigans masquerading as worship. And this early church grew in numbers; but not all healthy ones do. The canard that “all healthy churches grow” has been peddled for decades by the likes of Rick Warren (The Purpose Driven Church) and Bill Hyblels (Willow Creek); megachurch pastors who pridefully assume their big churches are the result of their own clever methods. Such men have written several books encouraging pastors to imitate them and experience growth. Some churches have copied and seen increase, many others have copied and fizzled out. Regardless of which experience your church has had; numbers do not necessarily equate to success. And in fact, often times large numbers come about by an “ear-tickling” model of ministry that seeks to give “consumers” what they want. As opposed to a Biblical ministry that gives dying sinners what they need.

The Apostle Paul warned, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4 NASB) In other words, people will shun Biblical preaching (as Stanley encourages them to do); and they will crave “myths” which is to say they will long for clever and cute stories rather than theological depth. How many modern churches brag about their “relevant” sermons? Which are in actuality nothing more than a trendy-dressed snake oil salesman giving a “conversational discussion” that is half stand up comedy routine, and half self-help psychobabble, with mere lip service paid to actual text of Scripture. This is what many modern megachurches are devoted to; and the faithful preacher who keeps his hand to the plow by weekly expositing the Word of God will be mocked, ridiculed, and slandered by the church growth gurus who deem him a loser in ministry because he doesn't amass a crowd.

In a slice of bitter Biblical irony, the Apostle Paul was just such a “loser” and the false apostles of Corinth mocked him as such saying of him, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.” (2 Corinthians 10:10) But Paul refused to take the bait and play their game. They no doubt accused him of lacking skill in how to grow a church. Yet Paul knew full well that TRUE church growth only comes about from by a sovereign God's hand; as does salvation itself. Jesus said, “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8) In other words, men cannot truly grow a church because men cannot create “new creatures in Christ.” Only God can do that.

Indeed, we are required to preach the truth, but only God can change the heart and save the soul. The modern church growth fanatics largely reject this theology of the sovereignty of God over salvation having reduced a supernatural act of grace to a mere sales pitch and a pathetically coerced attempt to convince a sinner to pray a magic “sinner's prayer.” A prayer, I might add, that is never found in Scripture. Biblical theology is tossed aside when the ultimate goal is a big church with flashy numbers. Humble pastors, relying upon God's power and God's Word alone, will be shown the door in favor of glib charlatans who dazzle with their “church growth plans” and their charismatic public personas. When “numbers” become the ultimate goal, then faithfulness is easily discarded and even criticized as not being “relevant” enough for today's crowd. “Modern people want entertained” they say. But even today, it is not entertainment that saves. It is Christ Jesus alone.

Many church growth experts will point to the early church as their example of the megachurch model. Since 3000 were saved at Pentecost, some assume that this is the norm for every church. But Pentecost was not normal. Such a massive amount of souls converted in one day is rare. We praise God when it happens, but it is rare. Likewise, the “megachurch” model is not the norm in Scripture. It might surprise you to know that the vast majority of New Testament churches were small. So small in fact, that they met in homes rather than public buildings. The early church started with a bang at Pentecost, then fanned out by way of persecution, as believers took the gospel to other cities. Early missionaries like Paul, Barnabas, and Silas planted churches; then moved on to plant more churches; most of which were small in number. These early church planters didn't come into cities with fanfare, block parties, and dunking tanks. They humbly arrived and spoke the gospel truth to those they encountered. At times they started out by going to the Jewish synagogues; and at other times they went into the market place to witness to whoever they found. More often than not they ended up in jail, or were beaten. They were publicly humiliated and amazingly rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer “shame for the name of Christ.” (Acts 5:41) What a far cry this is from the modern day glory hounds who prance around stages like wannabe rock stars; and ridicule the small church pastors who wannabe like their Lord.

Some would say that my words are merely evidence of my bitterness. I've pastored two churches in my life and both were “small” in the eyes of the world. But I have often said, and now repeat again, “I would rather have a church with 50 who are faithful, than 5000 who are phonies.” And I would much rather be a pastor who seeks to be a genuine and faithful proclaimer of truth, than a celebrity who mocks God's very Word. Pastors who are faithful to their calling should be encouraged rather than maligned. Many are the trials of those who preach the truth, and opposition is guaranteed to come. Sometimes it even comes from those in the church and those in other pulpits. To the small church pastor who is faithful in his daily pastoral duties, I would say this: “Don't be discouraged when your numbers are low. By the end of Jesus's earthly ministry he had a handful of public followers and one of them denied even knowing Him. Was Jesus a loser? Did He pastor a dying church? Was he in need of reading the latest bestseller from a church growth guru?” To contrary, the true church BELONGS to Jesus; and He reserves the right to plant them and kill them as He sees fit. There have been many recent examples of megachurches closing their doors also, modern day Laodiceas (See Revelation 3) that didn't think they needed the Lord and His Word so the Lord removed His presence.

God can squelch or bless whatever church He pleases. And often He has been pleased to bless the smaller church. Churches where the elderly and the toddlers actually know each other's names and interact. Churches where the Pastor is approachable for fellowship and counsel, rather than locked away in an ivory tower safely removed from the masses. Churches where a faithful man who has worked all week on a text, ascends the pulpit knowing that he breathes the words of eternal life and eternal death. To him this is no carnival. To him this is no game. He doesn't fancy himself an entertainer, for God has called him to preach the truth “in season and out of season.” And this he must do. Let the megachurch and denominational bigwigs scorn as they may. But let the Lord be pleased and glorified in his faithful servant.

In Biblical times we are told that “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-30) Back then, God used the weak and lowly. Today, he still does. The preacher shouldn't seek to be the next Andy Stanley, with a massive following, bestselling book deal, and countless accolades. Instead the preacher should seek to be like Paul. A faithful man who spent his final days in prison. Alone. With the Lord. Rejected by almost everyone for his "poor" leadership skills and his gospel of true grace. Let us strive to be like him and consider it all joy to pastor that tiny flock.

King David's original flock was tiny also, as his brothers derisively pointed out (1 Sam. 17:28). But David was a true shepherd who cared for the sheep. May the small church pastor commit himself to this narrow road which leads to life. It is an often lonely path, but rest assured others share your burden and others remain faithful. Others suffer with you and others know your discouragement. Take heart! The world at large; and the large worldly church will not notice you, other than to ridicule you. But one day you will hear “Well done, good and faithful servant” from the only voice that truly matters in this debate. So let us press on with joy, preach the truth, and praise the Lord. Let us shun the world's ways and leave the ministry in the infinitely capable hands of the Lord Jesus Christ and His word. Rather than “take the spotlight off the Bible” let us shine it ever brighter; for this Bible points us to Christ, and apart from HIM, we can do nothing.

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Note: Here's a link to a sermon I recently preached on Acts 2 called "Marks of a Real Church."

 

Church & State Interview with Tim Castillo

On the March 30, 2016 edition of "Church & State" on KELB radio, Shane Kastler interviewed Tim Castillo, pastor of Grace Hill Church in Farmington, NM.  Topics included Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, the importance of theology, expository preaching, and the nature of true salvation.

To listen or download the audio, click here.

 

Why We Sing In Church

By Shane Kastler

Recently, I asked a group of children why they thought we should sing in church.  They gave a myriad of answers, all of which were good.  They said we sing to worship God; and that we sing because we love Jesus.  They said we sing because it sounds pretty; and that we sing because we're happy.  Certainly we hope this is the case for all who lift their voices in a worship service.  But there is another, often neglected aspect of singing in church.  The Bible says:  “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16 NASB)
    Part of the reason we sing in church is to teach and encourage both ourselves and each other.  Every song we sing in church should contain within it Biblical truth that will strengthen the people of God.  Think about this as you sing.  What Bible passage might this song be teaching?  And if the song is simply a “feel good” number that doesn't teach anything Biblical; it should be tossed aside for something that edifies.  In our world today, feelings and emotions often trump truth and accuracy.  In all honesty these things should not be pitted against one another.  For the Christian, truth should touch the heart in such a way that joyful feelings and emotions are the result.  We should sing about doctrinal truths.  And we should rejoice in the reality of them.
    So next time you sing in church; think about what you are singing.  Is it Biblical?  And if it is, do you really mean it?  Are the lyrics to the song edifying you and others who hear?  Because this is one of the Biblical reasons for singing in a church service.
    Those who have had their hearts changed by the grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus have reason to sing.  They have reason to rejoice.  And they have a Biblical command to “teach and admonish” one another in song.  Lift up your voice and glorify God this Sunday.  And help your brothers and sisters in Christ to glorify God as well.  Maybe even sing in such a way that an unbeliever in your presence would be intrigued as to why you have such joy.  Then “give a reason for the hope that is within you.” (1 Peter 3:15)  Singing is much more than just making a joyful noise.  It is also about proclaiming the truth of God.  Commit yourself to doing this each and every time you sing a song unto the Lord.

When Church Growth Is Bad

By Shane Kastler

In the late 1800s, London pastor Charles Spurgeon was embroiled in controversy. He had confronted his denomination over the fact that many of them had abandoned the Word of God for modern “church growth” techniques. Rather than faithfully proclaiming truth, many pastors had succumbed to a worldly ambition to boost attendance by telling sinners what they wanted to hear. Rather than what they needed to hear. Spurgeon decried this saying: “If pastors were more focused on understanding theology then they wouldn't be duped by the pretenders who pose as experts.” In Spurgeon's day this came to be known as the “Downgrade Controversy.” In our day this tragedy still exists, especially in the American church.

Many churches today seem to be more obsessed with numbers than they are faithfulness. I frequently hear pastors who will lay out a myriad of statistics that supposedly tell who will get saved and how it will happen. Yet God is not subject to statistical analysis. Such an undue obsession with trying to analyze God ignores what Scripture clearly teaches about His sovereignty over all things, including the salvation of sinners. Statistical analysis means nothing in light of Jesus' words: “The wind blows wherever it wishes, so it is with those born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)

So should the church's primary focus be unbelievers? Absolutely not. In fact the church's primary focus should not be believers either. The primary focus should be God and His glorification. The worship service itself should be a regular practice of leading believers to worship their God, since unbelievers have not the ability to worship anyway. The Bible describes them as “dead in their sins” (Ephesians 2:1) Yet believers worship with the hope that if any unbelievers are in their midst God would show them mercy and grant salvation. A church or a worship service designed for unbelievers is a fool's errand that makes a mockery of the church. And even if such a church were blessed with thousands it would be largely meaningless, if the truth isn't being clearly proclaimed.

So don't fall into the church growth trap. Flashy church programs don't change the sinner's heart. Faithful proclamation of the gospel does. Let God be the focus of your Sundays. Then go out into the world taking the gospel with you throughout the week. Don't expect the unbelievers to come to you, when you are called to go to them. Be faithful witnesses who remember God's sovereignty over salvation. God's sovereignty is routinely ignored and sadly even argued against by many in the church today. Don't be one of them. Remember that salvation is of the Lord and is only of the Lord. Reject the modern church growth experts and leadership gurus who have set themselves up as authorities. Trust in God and in His Word; and leave the results to Him.

Continual Worship

“Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” (Hebrews 13:15 NASB)

What do you think of when you hear the word “worship”?  Typically we think of music, or a church service.  Most people think of “worship” as something you do at church.  Yet the Bible teaches that worship, for a true believer, should be a constant state of action.  The writer of the book of Hebrews says to “continually” offer up a sacrifice of praise.  This doesn’t mean that you are continually at church.  Nor that you are continually singing.  But it does mean that all throughout your day, you are aware of how God is blessing, protecting, and providing for you and you praise Him for it. 

    You should worship God for granting you a cool breeze on a hot day.  You should worship God for providing you a satisfying dinner when you’re hungry.  And you should worship God for giving you a roof over your head and a bed to sleep in.  All of these types of things, which most people take for granted, should spark heartfelt gratitude and worship in the believer’s life. 

    In all honesty, God owes these things to no one.  Many in this world are hungry and homeless.  Yet God has graciously poured out provisions upon you.  Praise Him for it!  Worship Him for who He is and what He has done.  Most of all, praise Him for the gospel of Christ.

    This is the greatest thing God has done for us.  He sent His son to live a perfect life on behalf of sinners, then to die a sacrificial death in their place.  By turning from our sin in repentance and committing our life to Christ as Lord we can be forgiven and be granted eternal life.  Has God saved you?  If so, then praise Him for it!  Continually praise Him for it.  He didn’t have to do it, but He chose to out of grace.

    God doesn’t need our worship.  He is completely self-sufficient and “needs” nothing.  But He allows us to worship Him and know Him.  Worship Him today because He is worthy of all praise.  Indeed, worship Him today, tomorrow, and forever.  Obey the writer of Hebrews and “continually” offer up a sacrifice of praise to the God who doesn’t need you, yet chose to embrace you.  He is worthy of our worship.

SUPREME SOVEREIGNTY: The GOD of The BIG & The small

Believing in a Sovereign God can be a dangerous thing. Don’t get me wrong, I think you should believe in God, as He is…..and He is sovereign. But when you let your mind and heart bow before a God of SUPREME SOVEREIGNTY … it will change the way you live…the way you think…the way you act…the way you pray…and the way you worship.

This past weekend (actually it was Sunday night-Tuesday morning which is as close as a Pastor ever gets to a ‘weekend’), I took the family camping. Of course, you have to understand that camping (at least with me) is always a bit of an adventure. First of all, my truck doesn’t have air conditioning…so we piled the family into the truck, hooked on to the trailer, opened the windows and headed to the great outdoors. As we pulled out of town it was hot and sunny, within 10 minutes it was cloudy and cool. It even looked like it might rain…but it never did. SOMEONE chose to knock the temperature down 15 degrees and send a cool breeze as we spent an hour driving in the UN-air conditioned truck.

The next day, the kids were begging to go swimming but I knew that might be painful. The cloudy and cool temperatures didn’t do much to entice most people to the swimming beach, but my kids were not deterred. Finally, at about 11 o’clock I announced, “After lunch, go put your swimsuits on…We’re GOING TO TRY and go to the swimming beach.” We got to the beach, the kids walked towards the water…AND THE SUN broke through the clouds just as the kids reached the shore. SOMEONE chose to let the sun shine, while my kids swam. (In fact it shinned so well that Andrew had a touch of sunburn.)

As soon as we were done swimming, the clouds rolled back in. In fact that evening the clouds REALLY rolled in and began to look rather ominous. The camp host told Erin that storms were expected after midnight, and if it got bad enough we would need to go to the bathhouse for safety. That evening, we had one of those moments that only come when camping. All 5 of us huddled into the camper listening to KKOW radio out of Pittsburg. I serenaded the family by singing along with George Strait, then we would all quiet down to listen to weather reports. Once darkness came, Savannah slept (in spite of my crooning). Then Karissa fell asleep. Andrew stayed awake and tried to act like he wasn’t scared of the approaching storms…though he was. The DJ came on the radio and said that a big storm was moving into Bourbon County and Northern Crawford County, and that in 10 minutes we would be having a downpour. I waited…and waited…but it never came. I went outside and watched the lightening and listened to the thunder….but it was just North of us. SOMEONE chose to make the storm pass us by, while my kids slept. NOW, I ask, who might that SOMEONE be?

The next evening I walked over by the lake and beheld nature’s glory. The sky was lit up with pink, which reflected off of the calm lake surface. Birds glided effortlessly right above the water. Crickets chirped. Fish jumped. It was beautiful. As I sat there taking it in, I prayed. And I wondered what an atheist does in a moment like that. The Psalmist writes, “The Heavens Declare the Glory of God, the sky shows His handiwork.”(Psalm 19:1) Does an atheist look at such a scene and say “WOW!!! I love evolution!” or does he say, “The Heavens declare the Glory of the BIG BANG theory!” or does he say, “How glorious that all of this came from primordial ooze over billions of years of natural selection!”…..OR does he simply ignore it? Does he cynically scoff at the God who created him and the beauty that he placed him in? The Psalmist was right…“the Heavens DECLARE the glory of God” (emphasis on DECLARE). God screams His presence through the world…some accept it, some ignore it. But all will one day know the truth. It'll be too late for them to follow Him as Lord, but they’ll know they wasted their life in pursuit of passing things. Indeed, they'll know all too clearly...that there IS a GOD!

So, WHO was it that controlled the weather on our camping trip? It was God. In fact it was the same God who allowed the air conditioning to go out at the church that Sunday morning. And the same God that allowed all 3 of our kids to cough the entire first night of camping so that NO ONE slept. The first night was one of those nights, when I was hoping someone would break into the camper and say to me “your money or your life.” I would have responded, “you can have all my money…but PLEASE, PLEASE go ahead and shoot me anyway!” OK, it wasn’t quite that bad, but it was a tough night on everyone…and God allowed it. Then God allowed a raccoon to get into our ice chest and eat all of our butter and cheese…the only thing he left was the hamburgers I cooked the night before, which to be honest, kind of offended me. ( Later I found the wrapper to the burgers, so he actually ate those too…thank goodness.) God allowed us to get several mosquito bites, and a couple of tick bites, and some mild sunburn. This morning, God allowed the battery on my car to be dead. I promptly jump started it with Erin’s van, drove the van back to the garage, walked back around to my car, only to find it was dead again. At that point, I decided God had allowed me a nice walk to the church. And as I walked I thought, and I prayed. The God I was worshipping, allowed a train to roar through town and lay on it’s whistle for 45 SECONDS, almost causing me to curse the train, as I praised the Lord.

Do you believe in the God of Sovereignty? Do you believe in the God of SUPREME SOVEREIGNTY? Here’s the point. If you believe in a God who blesses you with little and BIG things…then you must also believe in a God that allows you to face trials in little and BIG things. Some want to have their cake and eat it too. They want God’s blessings with no trials. Or they praise God for good things…and simply curse Satan for bad things. Make no mistake, Satan is evil and vicious…but GOD’S Sovereignty TRUMPS Satan’s power EVERTYTIME. We must bow to the Sovereign ONE when things are good…and when things are bad. THIS is the very essence of worship. Anyone will brag on a God who blesses them. But mature, cross-bearing disciples will praise their King, even when He chooses to send pestilence and misery into their life.

God’s blessings always pose a veiled challenge…..Will we worship the GIVER? Or do we simply worship HIS GIFTS? The first option is Christianity. The second option is Idolatry. God is either Sovereign over all things….or He is sovereign over NOTHING. Anything less is a god of human design….and unworthy of worship. SO, praise Him in the sun…and praise Him in the storms. Praise Him in the air conditioning…and Praise Him in the sweltering heat. Praise! The GOD of SUPREME SOVEREIGNTY! For He Alone is Worthy….

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"The Heavens Declare the Glory of God, The sky shows His handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1)

Spiritual Criminals….Paroled By Christ

You’re guilty of a crime….and so am I. Every one of us have broken the law and must be punished. If I told you that you had committed a crime against a person and you must go to prison, you would no doubt be devastated. The thought of incarceration and the loss of freedom terrifies us. Even worse, what if you were sentenced to be executed for your crime. Imagine the process: you eat your “last meal”; you say good-bye to your family; you’re strapped to a table; a minister prays with you; then an IV is placed in your arm as the lethal drug is injected……moments later you’re dead. But, you WERE guilty….and thus received the just punishment for you’re crime. What if I told you that you REALLY WERE guilty of a crime and deserved this punishment. No doubt you would scoff and argue that you were innocent. How dare someone accuse a good person like you of such a crime! Well, here’s the reality. You ARE guilty of a crime. Maybe not a crime against man…..but a crime against God. YOU (and I) HAVE BROKEN GOD’S LAW!

AHHHHH, THAT’S what he’s talking about. You breathe a sigh of relief to know that you don’t really have to go to prison or be executed. You haven’t really broke Man’s Law….only God’s…..and after all God is gracious, so I don’t need to fear punishment, right? WRONG. Oh, to be sure, God isn’t going to imprison you in Leavenworth, nor give you the electric chair…..In fact it’s worse….MUCH WORSE…..your crime against God will lead to eternal prison and torment in Hell.

Isn’t it amazing how people shudder at the thought of breaking Man’s Law, yet disregard so lightly the breaking of God’s Law? The fact is God’s Law is MUCH easier to break…..and the consequences are infinitely worse than those for breaking Man’s Law. The Bible says: “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.” (1 John 3:4 NASB) How easily we forget that sinning means you’re breaking God’s law. Which sins? Murder? Adultery? Idolatry? Yes…..and add to that gossiping, lying, gluttony, laziness, disobeying parents, using God’s name in vain, etc. etc. etc.

We have a tendency to disregard our sins as being “little.” While it’s true, the TEMPORAL consequences may differ in their severity, it’s the ETERNAL consequences that are so devastating. For example, if I eat too much dinner and make myself sick, I commit gluttony. If I have an affair, I commit adultery. My wife will show much more tolerance for a glutton than she will an adulterer. The TEMPORAL consequences are much worse for adultery than for gluttony. But in God’s eyes….the ETERNAL consequences for breaking even the smallest of His Laws….are eternal damnation.

If we approach God in this way….knowing how horrible our sin is and knowing the punishment it deserves….then our praise and worship of Him is SO MUCH DEEPER….when we ponder what Christ has done for us.

When we think of God’s perfect standard, we sometimes view Him as harsh. But when we realize that HE HIMSELF took that infinite punishment for us, we will view Him as GRACIOUS….beyond comprehension.

Tomorrow’s sermon will be from 1 John 3:4-6. We will examine the fact that we are Spiritual Criminals deserving punishment…..yet Jesus bore the wrath of God, in our place. We ARE guilty…..yet exonerated. Not because God ignored our sin….but because HE paid for it and punished it on Calvary’s cross.

So think about that as you worship in God’s House tomorrow. You shouldn’t even be allowed to show your face in God’s House….neither should I. We’re guilty sinners, and spiritual lawbreakers……But because of that “Amazing Grace” we NOT ONLY can show our face in God’s House, we’re encouraged (even commanded) to. We can boldly approach His Awesome Throne, as forgiven sinners. His allowing us to show our face….should cause us to fall on our face…..in genuine, deep, heart-felt worship for the God who could have punished you forever…..yet chose to save instead. Celebrate God in worship, as if you were a guilty criminal, paroled by Christ…..because in all reality…..that’s what ALL CHRISTIANS really are. “To God be the glory, great things He hath done…”