Am I Strong, Weak, or What?

Last Sunday I preached a sermon entitled Help the Weak, based on Romans 15:1-7.  As I explained near the outset of the sermon, the immediate context dealt with the matter of Christian liberty, but the broader principle was that stronger Christians should befriend and build up weaker Christians.

No doubt some believers left the worship service thinking, "Am I a strong Christian or a weak Christian?" To answer that question correctly, you must understand the terms "weak" and "strong." To gain a correct understanding, we must keep in mind the context. Paul began the discussion at the outset of Romans 14, where he refers to those who are "weak in the faith" (v. 1). "The faith" refers to the body of truth God has revealed to us through the Scriptures, particularly the gospel (see Col. 1:23; Jude 3).

So a "strong" Christian, in the context of Romans 14-15, is a believer who is well-grounded in Bible doctrine, particularly the gospel and the freedom it brings. A "weak" Christian is one who is not as well-grounded when it comes to understanding and living out their faith in Jesus Christ. Their weakness has nothing to do with their faithfulness to the Lord or their commitment to righteous living. It's important to remember that in the context of Romans 14-15, both the weak Christian and the strong Christian have a desire to please God.

Looking at this issue of weakness and strength in a broader and experiential sense, we can see that a couple of things are true:

1. Strong Christians can be weak in some areas (e.g. fragile emotions), and weak Christians can be strong in some areas (e.g. compassion, generosity).
2. Strong Christians can become weak in a given moment (e.g. when succumbing to temptation), and a weak Christian can demonstrate tremendous strength and resiliency (e.g. power in witnessing).

So spiritual weakness and strength can be demonstrated in certain areas and at certain times or seasons of our lives. For this reason Christians, whether weak or strong in terms of their doctrinal understanding, are to "welcome one another," "encourage one another," and "build up one another" to the glory of God. 

Certainly there is no room for pride on anyone's part. "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God as dealt to each one a measure of faith" (Romans 12:3). "Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you are doing" (1 Thess. 5:11).

A Better Atmosphere for Breathing

"Did you know that spending time outside for 20 minutes a day reduces household sickness by 47 percent?" My wife, who is quite dedicated to her daily walk, had just read this statistic in a magazine and happily shared it with the rest of our family. 

It really is an impressive stat. Breathing in a cleaner atmosphere does wonders for your health. If this is true physically, how much more so spiritually? Many homes and churches suffer from spiritually unhealthy atmospheres.   They are filled with the bacteria of bitterness, anger and resentment. They are permeated with the germs of gossip, complaining, backbiting, and other unwholesome talk.

Some of these very sins were addressed at our church in last Sunday's sermon on Ephesians 4:25-32. Sin grieves the Spirit of God, for he is, after all, the Holy Spirit.  Anything that is not holy is distasteful to him and diminishes his work among us.

What exactly is the Holy Spirit's work? That's a loaded question, for the work of God's Spirit is multi-faceted. He guides and directs God's people, gives us assurance, teaches us, illumines us, and unifies us, among other things. But one of the primary purposes of the Holy Spirit in this present age, as noted by theological Wayne Grudem, is to "make the presence of God known." He does this in ways that show "he is working to fulfill his purposes in the church and to bring blessing to his people." (Systematic Theology, p. 641)

When we grieve the Holy Spirit, we're only hurting ourselves. We make ourselves miss out on the manifest presence of God and all the blessings that accompany it. We poison the atmosphere of our home and church. So if we want to cultivate the Spirit's presence rather than kill it, then:

1. We must not tell lies, for he is the "Spirit of truth" (John 16:13).
2. We must not give in to sinful anger, for he is the "Spirit of grace" (Heb. 10:29).
3. We must not steal, for he is the Spirit who distributes gifts from God (1 Cor. 12:11).
4. We must not speak corruptly, for the Holy Spirit fills our mouths God's word (Acts 4:31; Eph. 18-19).

Years ago Michael W. Smith came out with a song entitled "Breathe." The song begins with these lyrics:

This is the air I breathe

This is the air I breathe

Your holy presence living in me.

Frankly, I never cared much for the song because it lacked doctrinal substance. But when sung in the context of the biblical truths discussed above, this musical prayer is quite appropriate. A Christian living in sin should feel like a fish out of water. To be a Christian is to live "in the Spirit" (Rom. 8:9), and the Spirit always produces a Godlike atmosphere when he manifests his presence.

How can you cooperate with the Holy Spirit to promote spiritual health in your home and church?

Proof of the Spirit's Presence

As part of last Sunday's sermon, I shared six ways to cultivate and experience the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives. I adapted this list from the one that appeared in J. D. Greear's newly released book, Jesus, Continued...: Why the Spirit Inside You Is Better Than Jesus Beside You. I read this book in its entirety between Christmas and New Year's, and it was a tremendous encouragement to me spiritually. While I differ with Greear on a point here and there, any disagreements are relatively minor and are not substantial enough to keep me from giving a "thumbs up" on the book. In the brief video clip below, J. D. Greear tells us about his book and mentions the six ways we can experience the Spirit's presence:

If I had more time on Sunday, I would have talked not only about the Spirit's presence, but also about the proof of the Spirit's presence. Certainly a major indication would be the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23, virtues such as "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...." But we find additional evidence delineated in Ephesians 5. In verse 18 we find the command, "Be filled with the Spirit." This directive is followed by four proofs of the Spirit's filling. They appear as five participles (words formed from verbs but used as adjectives) in verses 19-21:

1. addressing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs: The Spirit-filled Christian speaks God's truth to others in such a way that encourages them and builds them up in the Lord.
2. singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart: The Spirit-filled Christian has a heart that is fully devoted to God. He expresses this by "singing his heart out" to God, especially gathered with fellow believers for worship. 
3. giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: The Spirit-filled Christian has a life marked by gratitude. This gratitude persists even through unpleasant circumstances because it is God-focused and Christ-centered.
4. submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ: The Spirit-filled Christian selflessly serves others out of love and respect for Jesus Christ.

Can you imagine how different our church would be if each of us was truly Spirit-filled? Think about it! No wonder Scripture exhorts us to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18) and "go on to maturity" (Hebrews 6:1).

One thing is for sure: As we grow, it will show!

The Next in Line

On December 12, I received my Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The occasion was sweetened by my family's presence at the graduation ceremony. My wife and our three youngest sons, as well as my dad and youngest brother, were able to make the trip to Louisville, Kentucky, for this special day.

The commencement exercises took place in Alumni Chapel, which was beautifully decorated for Christmas. The ninety-minute program was really a worship service that consisted of Scripture reading from both the Old and New Testaments, several Christmas hymns, meaningful prayers, and a timely commencement address from seminary president R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

But my favorite part of the ceremony was "The Graduation Pledge" that took place after the conferring of the degrees, the presentation of the diplomas, and the declaration of graduation. As the graduates recited the pledge in unison, we were reminded that our commencement came with a commitment. As I read the following words aloud, my eyes moistened with tears, and a lump formed in my throat.

As graduates of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, we hereby declare to the watching world that we are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ who are called to ministry and service by the power of the Holy Spirit. By grace we have been saved, and by grace we have been called into the service of our Lord and of his Christ. On this day of graduation and commencement, with gladness we join that long line of faithful servants who have gone before us. With gratitude we have received the privilege of theological education.We are now stewards of a priceless inheritance and servants of a church that has been fed by generations of pastors and shepherds, planted by missionaries, served by those who labored in obscurity, and watered by the blood of martyrs. We now take up our charge and eagerly take our place. We stand on the truth of God's Word, on the power of the Gospel, and on the faith once for all delivered to the saints. We will minister in fidelity and in the purity of the Gospel, letting no harm come to the church by our hands, no injury by our tongues, and no hindrance to the Kingdom by our lives. We are unashamed of the Gospel, determined to serve wherever God may call us, knowing that by the power of the resurrected Christ, our labor is not in vain.  We are heralds of the good news, stewards of the mysteries of God, and torchbearers to the nations. We are soldiers of Christ, arrayed in truth, and we commit the length of our days to the service of our Savior. We are graduates of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. By God's grace, we are the next in line.

How can a pastor read those words and not feel overwhelmed by the solemnity of the call to ministry, the joy of serving Christ, and the weight of responsibility that comes with such a privilege? I find myself crying out with the apostle Paul, "Who is sufficient for these things?" (2 Cor. 2:16). Then I immediately respond, as Paul did, "Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.... But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Cor. 3:4-5; 4:7).

Yes, by God's grace, we are the next in line. As I think about the implications of such a standing, my hope is best expressed by Jon Mohr's hymn that Christian recording artist Steve Green sang years ago:

O may all who come behind us find us faithful;

May the fire of our devotion light their way!

May the footprints that we leave

Lead them to believe,

And the lives we live

Inspire them to obey.

O may all who come behind us find us faithful!

Mary's Saturated Mind

Saturated

[sach-uh-rey-tid]

soaked, impregnated, or imbued thoroughly; charged thoroughly or completely; brought to a state of saturation.

One of the most formidable challenges of biblical preaching is to condense 20+ hours of study material into a 40-minute sermon. Do the math. That’s a one-minute summary for every 30 minutes of study. This being the case, there is always more I want to say in the course of a sermon but can’t, due to time constraints. 

While preaching through Mary’s song of praise (Magnificat) in Luke 1:46-55, I noticed something that I didn’t share in my sermon, and that was this: Mary’s prayer is replete with Scripture.  While commentators are quick to point out similarities between Mary’s prayer and that of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:1-10, most of them neglect to point out other Scripture passages that Mary utilized.  Here is a comparison of Mary's Magnificat with other Scripture passages, as noted by William Hendriksen in his commentary:

• Luke 1:46-47 with Ps. 103:1
• Luke 1:48 with 1 Sam. 1:11
• Luke 1:49 with Ps. 22:3; 71:22; 89:18; 99:3; 103:1
• Luke 1:50 with Ps. 103:17
• Luke 1:51 with Ps. 44:3; 98:1; Isa. 53:1; Ps. 89:10; Job 12:19
• Luke 1:52 with 2 Sam. 22:28; 22:18; Job 5:11
• Luke 1:53 with Ps. 103:5; 107:9
• Luke 1:54 with Ps. 98:3; 147:2, 19; 25:6; 98:3; 136 (second part of each verse)
• Luke 1:55 with Gen. 12:2-3; 17:7; 22:15-18; Exod. 2:24; 2 Sam. 22:51; Ps. 105:6-10; Micah 7:20

Hendricksen notes, "The system of education in Israel was such that from early childhood children were taught 'the sacred writings' (II Tim. 3:15)." Because Mary's mind was saturated with Scripture, it was natural for her to express her praise in biblical language.

Both the Old Testament and New Testament make it clear that the person who meditates on God's Word day and night is blessed as he believes and obeys it (Ps. 1; John 13:17; James 1:25).  Parents have the privilege and responsibility to teach the Scriptures diligently to their children (Deut. 6:5-9; cf. Eph. 6:4). 

How are we doing when it comes to knowing God's Word? Are our minds saturated with Scripture? What about the minds of our children?

As I was wrapping up my study of Mary's Magnificat and thinking along these lines, I took part in a weekend consultation seminar on Christian education. I was reminded of the invaluable role that Christian education plays in the discipleship ministry of the church. The mission statement of our own Christian school is to "assist parents in their God-given responsibility to provide a Christ-centered education for their children that meets or exceeds standard of academic excellence." 

What a glorious mission! I pray that our students would graduate with minds saturated with the truth of God and a heart committed to serving him. Just like Mary. 

After I preached on Mary's Magnificat, a member of our music team sent me the following song which is based almost word-for-word on the text (Luke 1:46-55). You can ignore the video graphics. Simply close your eyes, listen, and lift your heart to the Lord. May our minds and hearts be increasingly saturated with his truth. May God's own words be the language of our praise.

Gospel Interrupted

Coincidence? No, Not a chance.

Singular Passion

A week and a half ago, Billy Graham turned 96.  I once had the privilege of meeting Billy Graham in a the home of a mutual friend back in 1999. It was one of the unexpected highlights of my life. My father came to Christ upon hearing one of Billy Graham's sermons, as did my dad's older brother, who later founded the Pioneers missions organization.  

Way back in 1957 at the Urbana missions conference, Dr. Graham preached on the nature of true commitment to Jesus Christ.  That was the theme of my sermon on Philippians 3:12-21 this past Lord's Day.  I had wanted to share the following illustration during my sermon, but I was running short on time so decided to share this story on my blog instead.

During his 1957 Urbana address, Billy Graham pulled out a copy of a letter that the pastor of the Presbyterian church in his hometown had given him.  The letter was written by a university student after he had gone to Mexico and become a Communist.  He wrote to his fiancée, breaking off their engagement.  Here is part of what he said:

We Communists have a high casualty rate. We're the ones who get shot and hung and lynched and tarred and feathered and jailed and slandered, and ridiculed 
and fired from our jobs, and in every other way made as uncomfortable as possible. 
A certain percentage of us get killed or imprisoned. We live in virtual poverty. 
We turn back to the party every penny we make above what is absolutely necessary
to keep us alive. 
We Communists don't have the time or the money for many movies, or concerts, 
or T-bone steaks, or decent homes and new cars. We've been described as fanatics. 
We are fanatics. Our lives are dominated by one great overshadowing factor, 
THE STRUGGLE FOR WORLD COMMUNISM.



We Communists have a philosophy of life which no amount of money could buy. We have a cause to fight for, a definite purpose in life. We subordinate 
our petty personal selves into a great movement of humanity, and if our personal lives seem hard, or our egos appear to suffer through subordination to the 
party, then we are adequately compensated by the thought that each of us in
his small way is contributing to something new and true and better for mankind.  There is one thing in which I am dead earnest and that is the Communist cause. It is my life, my business, my religion, my hobby, my sweetheart, my wife and mistress, my bread and meat. I work at it in the daytime and dream 
of it at night. Its hold on me grows, not lessens as time goes on. Therefore I cannot carry on a friend-ship, a love affair, or even a conversation without 
relating to this force which both drives and guides my life.  I evaluate people,
books, ideas and actions according to how they effect the Communist cause
and by their attitude toward it.  I've already been in jail because of my ideas
and if necessary, I'm ready to go before a firing squad.

If someone could be so radically committed to such a flawed political system such as Communism, how much more should Christians be committed to the King of kings and Lord of lords, whose "kingdom is one that will never be destroyed" (Daniel 7:14)? Indeed, Jesus himself declared, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt. 16:24). C.T. Studd understood the implications of Jesus' call to discipleship, stating, "If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him."

What are the implications of Jesus' call for your life?  What sacrifice are you willing to make for Him?