Racial Conundrums

Racism exists. 

Yes, in America.  Especially, in America.

Ferguson proves that racial strife is far from over in this country, despite all the attention paid to it by civil rights leaders, the media and the protestors on the street.

But the aftermath of the grand jury decision brings more questions to the surface.  Do we have the right judicial system in place?  Can justice in America succeed?  If the system succeeds or fails based on the desired outcome of a segment of society, then how can it be fixed?

If we don’t like the outcome of the judicial process which is based on the law, then we really don’t want the present process.  It means we don’t trust the process.  And, if we don’t want or trust the process, then we should get rid of the process.  What should we do?  We should go back to the system that existed before the process was instituted.  And what was that system?

The system that pre-dated the present process was rule by fiat.  One person, or one group of people who obtained their right to govern by birth or force, got to make all the decisions.  They didn’t go through a process.  They simply did what they wanted to do.  They had advisors, consultants, aides, confidantes and friends, but ultimately, they still did what they wanted to do.  No one else participated in the decision. 

Is that what we want?

Maybe it is.  Maybe blacks only trust other blacks to rule over them.  Maybe whites only trust other whites to rule over them. 

Oh, no.  Guess what?  More questions.

If blacks only want blacks to make decisions for them, and whites only want whites to make decisions for them, then we must have total and absolute segregation.  It’s the only way it can work.  We have to eliminate any and all situations where the two races can co-mingle.  No black officer can interact with a white subject; no white officer can interact with a black subject. 

Separate, but equal.

Absolute color lines.  Enforced.  No exceptions.  Blending sets up prejudicial situations.

But, haven’t we tried that?  Didn’t we have segregation in the south?  Yes.  And it was horrendous.  It was separate, but it was not equal.   And how can we fix that?  Can we make them equal? 

Therein lies the problem.  The essence of equality—that blacks and whites are equal—cannot be questioned.  That’s the theory.  But equality of opportunity, equality of wealth, equality of education, equality of treatment, equality of history and equality of social status; those equalities don’t exist.  Many think that they will never exist unless we have a total societal revolution.  By societal revolution, we mean reversal of power, exchange of leadership, breakdown of the present system and the institution of something brand new.  The problem with revolutions, however, is that we cannot predict how everything will end up.  When the dust settles, we could end up with a Putin, a Castro or a Kim Jong Un at the helm.  We certainly have no guarantee that any aggrieved segment of society will end up better off than they were before.  In fact, if we cast off the present rule of law and take our chances on something else to take its place, it is highly unlikely that a minority will come out on top.  The very thing that a revolution will hopefully accomplish will most assuredly not happen! Revolutionaries who dream of winding up in charge of society are probably delusionary. 

And so, as long as there is racial prejudice, racial discrimination, racial inequality, racial anything, then the problem has no solution.  If whites always fear that blacks have wrong motives, and if blacks always fear that whites have wrong motives, then there is no basis for trust.  If there is no trust, there can be no peaceful solutions.  If there are no peaceful solutions, then we are consigned to more Fergusons, more riots, more strife and more conflict.

The conundrum is this: how can you change the outcome of a Ferguson without creating something much worse than a Ferguson?  This question leads to other questions.

How can we achieve love by preaching hate?

How can we get harmony by encouraging strife?

How can we get trust by fomenting doubt?

How can we get past the past by constantly referring to the past?

How can we achieve equality by constantly talking about inequality?

How can whites and blacks work together without working together?

How can we respect each other’s property by burning each other’s property?

Racial conundrums.  It’s going to take someone smarter than me to find the answer. 

Relation Ships

Relationships; the word itself has become so clichéd, so overused and commonplace that it has nearly lost its impact.  In thinking about this, I wanted to create an image for this article that would convey a powerful definition of the word.  Here’s the way my mind traveled on this trajectory.  Two words:  relation and ships.  Two ships.  Two ships that collided with each other.  The bow of one ship smashing into the hull of the other ship.  In that event, each ship would bear the unmistakable evidence of the impact.  They would both be very different than they were before the collision.  Thus, a relationship is the interaction (or perhaps the collision) that happens between two or more people.  What is the point?  Just this:  you cannot be in a relationship without giving and receiving an unmistakable impact on yourself and the other person or persons.  

Now, let’s step back for a moment.  Why do we need to re-think relationships, especially with regard to the church?  We need it because I see strong evidence of compartmentalization, of a stand-alone mentality, of a special interest focus, of co-existence, of a segregation of components in the body of Christ.  “You do your thing and I’ll do mine!” It has happened gradually, incrementally, without prejudice and without intention.  Ladies, men, young men, young women, young marrieds, singles, seniors, toddlers, children, adolescents, older saints, new converts, visitors, members, contributors, families, professionals, spiritual, non-spiritual, worshippers, pew-sitters, passionate, passive, and the list goes on.  Certainly there is good reason to separate individuals into different categories.  Pronounced differences between them make it impossible for us to efficiently carry on the work of teaching, leading, organizing and execution of duties unless we group ourselves around common traits.  I get that.  

But, there is a law of unintended consequences that comes into play as well.  By separation, we may unwittingly sanction competition, comparison, and an unhealthy rivalry between groups.  This means that people who should be working for each other may instead be working against each other to achieve some contrived goal or reward.  Support may be withdrawn or withheld from one group to another because it sees a loss of advantage, a diversion of energy or even a forfeiture of financial gain.  This can even go to extremes of selfishness and lead to sabotage and infighting.  Surely, all mature Christians would understand that such practices clearly violate the brotherly love the mutual support that should characterize the church. 

Yet, there is a more insidious, and less obvious consequence of dysfunctional relationships in the church.  It manifests itself in the form of the supposed “generational gap,” or the disparity between older saints worship customs and the more youthful cultural preferences.  We see it in music styles, lyric compositions, rhythmic choices, and volume levels.  We see it in dress, in vocabulary, in demeanor and behavioral patterns.  We even see it in changing definitions of how we should discipline our children, whether or not we should impose cultural preferences or norms on the younger generation, or whether we should hold the performance of recent converts to the same standards as in the past.  There is no doubt that the twenty-first century social realities are rocking our world.  Of course, all of our activities must come under the regulation and definition of the scriptures—that is a given.  There are other customs we have, however, that are based more on traditions than on scriptural teachings. It is in these areas that we receive our greatest challenges, and threats, to the overarching law of relationships.

I point you to the words of the Apostle Paul.  “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:15-16. That doesn’t sound like an endorsement of a “separate, but equal” philosophy.  He is not urging the members of the church to major on their differences, but to understand that the true purpose of each part is to relate to the whole. 

An orchestra consists of brass, woodwinds, strings, and percussive segments.  Sometimes different sections take the lead.  Sometimes individual instruments play a solo part.  But the rich and full music, and the brilliance of the composer, can only be expressed as the entire orchestra plays as one.  In the same vein, the body of Christ is not merely a collection of parts, but an integration of parts that only become useful as they interact with every other part.  The purpose of the parts is the make the body function as one entity.  Let me put it into perspective.  A successful youth group at the expense of the church as a whole is not a success.  A strong Sunday School that drains the life out of every other part of the church is not a success.  A great worship program that undermines discipleship and prayer signals the failure of the purpose of the church.  A beautiful edifice and campus with great curb appeal that neglects Biblical preaching and teaching is counterproductive to God’s design for the church.  Each part is ugly when isolated and standing by itself!  It is the relationship that each component has to the whole that makes it beautiful!  It seems way too simple to state it this way, but you cannot be a parent without a child.  You cannot be a son or daughter without a mother and a father.  An arm has no purpose unless it is attached to a body, regardless of how strong and well-proportioned it appears.  A church thrives on its relationships, not on its several components. 

It is time for each local assembly to subordinate departmentalization and groupings to the far more superior need for strong, solid and loving relationships.  Instead of promoting our differences, we need to be searching out ways to promote interaction and support.  Different age groupings need to cultivate respect, love and even deference to each other.  Elders need to build a bridge to the youth; young people need to associate with their elders; ministries in the church need to promote understanding and support of each other.  Everyone needs to listen to each other and search out pathways to unify and embrace each other.  These ideas must not be affirmed in theory alone; they must be expressed and experienced in practical ways as well.  

“But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  If they were all one part, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, but one body.  The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”   On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.” 1 Corinthians 12:18-25 (NIV)

A dysfunctional church has nothing to offer a hurting world.  We cannot be disjointed, detached, existing in a solitary role, as though each of us could do the Master’s bidding by exalting and asserting ourselves.  No part can find its true meaning in a solo rendition of its own will.  The ships of relation need to impact each other in real, loving, serving ways if the church is to realize its mission in the world. 

Creating an Environment of Growth through Leadership Training

The Challenge of Training

1.Teaching is not training!  It information impartation and skill transmission.

2.Coaching is not training!  It is motivation and encouragement.

3.Training is involvement in player’s lives, imposing discipline, listening to complaints, overcoming resistance, correcting mistakes and pushing players to greater performances.  Training is hard work!

Don’t just teach people to lead; don’t just push them to lead; train them to lead!

Your Plan. 

1.You get what you plan for.

2.Put water in the tank if you expect to baptize someone! 

3.The future belongs to those who plan for it.

Your Concept.

1.Function follows form. 

2.Create the architecture that suggests and anticipates the desired action.

3.A major regret of builders is the use of the building changes after completion. 

4.Build in flexibility and expansion of your program.

Your Questions 

1.What is your overall goal (How will you determine the success of your program?)

2.What intermediate goals do you need to establish en route?

3.Who will this involve? (Age, gender, status, etc.)

4.What do you anticipate the needs to be for ministry? (HBS, transportation, graphics, etc.)

5.Establish your priorities.  (Immediacy, importance, logistically)

Your Team

1.Enlist an executive core of people who will be your training team.  (If you have to be the star player, you will create a ceiling for your mission and ensure its demise.)

2.Aptitude for teaching is paramount.  (As opposed to personality, enthusiasm, expertise.)

3.Share your burden with your team. (Passion, focused, determined.)

4.Make sure they can understand and articulate your passion.  (Feedback and execution.)

5.Encourage questions, but don’t tolerate disagreement. 

Your Trainees (Criteria)

1.Spirituality

2.Burden

3.Faithfulness

4.Ability

5.Leadership qualities

6.Loyalty

7.Scholarship 

Your System

1.Establish a format for training. (Classroom, roundtable, projects, media, etc.)

2.Select your curriculum

3.Choose a way to measure progress.

4.Reward success. 

Your Assignments

1.The job must fit the person.  (30/60/100 fold)

2.The lesser qualified person needs more specificity in assignments. 

3.The more qualified person should have greater latitude.

4.Most failures are not incapable—only misdiagnosed. 

Your Execution

1.Require internships with feedback before training is complete.

2.Set up probationary periods

3.Establish monitoring mechanisms.

(Performance appraisals, debriefings, submission of plans, 3/6/12 month interviews, accountability to other team members)

4.Make all assignments term limited with renewal possibilities.

5.No one should own their job for life. 

Do’s and Don’ts

1.Do not base assignments on emotional or personality considerations.

2.Do not undertrain or overtrain.

3.Be careful of partnerships based on friendships or cliques.

4.Be careful of teams based on blood relationship.

5.Be consistent.

6.Do not treat training casually or lightly. 

More Do’s and Don’ts

1.Don’t lock yourself in to your pet format.  Others may learn differently.

2.Combine training with assignments.  “Don’t go near the water until you learn to swim” is not a good method.

3.Model your assignments.

4.Plan for refresher courses.  Training should be unending.

5.Always look for and provide for new methods, upgraded technologies, expanded fields and opportunities.

6.Reward victories and progress. 

The ultimate success of your work will rise or fall on the quality of your training program.

Eleventh Hour Paradox

Just when you think you have Jesus figured out, he says something so mysterious and paradoxical that it puts you back to square one.  He loves Lazarus and then lets him die, only to go to the tomb and bring him back to life.  He tells the Syrophoenician woman that he cannot give meat to the dogs, and then He heals her daughter anyway.  He goes to sleep in the midst of the storm that scares His disciples half to death, then calms the storm and upbraids them for their lack of faith. 

Matthew 20:1-16 ¹ For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. ² And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, ⁴ And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. ⁵ Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. ⁶ And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? ⁷ They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. ⁸ So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. ⁹ And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. ¹⁰ But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. ¹¹ And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, ¹² Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. ¹³ But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? ¹⁴ Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. ¹⁵ Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? ¹⁶ So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Ephesians 2:4-9 ⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, ⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) ⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: ⁷ That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.

This parable about the eleventh hour laborers flies in the face of our sense of fairness.  Anyone who has ever worked in the labor force for a wage knows that a worker ought to be paid according to the amount of work done.  

Imagine, then, how those who worked all day long felt when they found out that the Johnny-come-latelies were paid the same amount they were.  The pay for the ones who just showed up for the last hour of the day was the same as those who worked for twelve long hours.  Either this was an inexcusable miscarriage of justice, or Jesus was expressing a profound spiritual truth.  Most of you know it had to be the latter.

It’s All About God and the Kingdom of Heaven

The first truth we need to understand is that this is not about business practices or labor unions.  It is not about a fair wage or how vineyards are to be operated.  This is about the kingdom of heaven.  

Pardon me if I get too preachy right off the bat, but I have something very direct to say to you today.  

Everything in your life must be about the Kingdom of Heaven.  To every new convert, never lose sight of the fact that it is all about the Kingdom of Heaven.  To those who have served the Lord for a number of years, it is very possible—in fact, probable—that you slowly and almost imperceptibly, have filtered the spiritual and godly out of your daily lives.  I have come to ask you some questions. 

Has your life become more and more about you and less and less about God?

Are you living in the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of Earth?  Has the God who saved you become the God who annoys you? Has the church of the Firstborn become the family that bothers you?

Have the worship that once inspired you now become the rituals that bore you?

Has your cheerful giving turned into begrudging payments?

Have your hours of prayer become your seconds of silence?

It does not matter how high you rise in this life; it does not matter how self-sufficient you become;

It does not matter how many important people you know; it does not matter the number of degrees you earn;

Not pride, not prestige, not wealth, not security, not money, not position.

You will never associate with a greater group of people than your brothers and sisters of this like precious faith!  You will never engage in a greater mission than the one the church is involved in today! 

Ephesians 3:14-21 ¹⁴ For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
¹⁵ Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶ That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; ¹⁷ That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; ¹⁹ And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. ²⁰ Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, ²¹ Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. The Kingdom of Heaven is more important than your job.

The Kingdom of Heaven is more important than your club, clique, association, union or party.

The Kingdom of Heaven is more important than your overtime, side jobs, pastimes or leisure activities.

David said, “I was glad when they said it unto me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”

Standing Idle

These words—standing idle—have almost a sinful ring to them.  There was a harvest to be gathered, and yet there were those standing idle.  Standing idle doesn’t mean that these men were incapacitated in some way.  It didn’t mean that they lacked the basic training to do the work.  Standing idle implies that they were wasting the time and opportunity afforded them to do some productive work.

What exactly does it mean to be “idle”? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes idleness as “groundless”, “worthless”, “useless”, “not occupied or employed”, “inactive”, “lazy” and finally to “spend time doing nothing”. In the Bible, GOD condemns the behavior of being idle.

Romans 13:11-14 ¹¹ And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. ¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

“But,” you say, “I don’t have time!” 

If you have time for “surfing the internet”, you have time for GOD.
If you have time for hobbies, you have time for GOD.

If you have time for pets, you have time for God.

If you have time for sports, you have time for God.
If you have time to rent DVD’s, you have time for GOD.
If you have time to goof off with your friends, you have time for GOD.

It takes 2-3 minutes to read one chapter in the Bible.

It takes 5 minutes to pray for five people.

It takes 2 minutes to make a call to someone to invite them to church.

It takes 2-3 minutes to send an email or text someone.

It takes 1-2 hours a week to visit a shut-in or make a hospital visit.

It takes 10 minutes to send a card to someone.

We may not have the time to do everything we want to do.

We do have the time to do everything we need to do!

The Bucket

Here is a good illustration given by a teacher to his class.  The teacher pulled out a small bucket and set it on the table in front of him. He then pulled out several fist-sized rocks and carefully piled them into the bucket. When the bucket was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit in, he asked, “Is this bucket full?” 

Everyone in the class said, “Yes.”

The teacher said, “Really?” He reached under the table and pulled out a sack of gravel and dumped some into the bucket, and shaking it, he caused the pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.

He smiled and asked his class, “Is the bucket full?”

By this time the class was onto him. “Probably not,” one of them answered.” “Good,” he replied. Again, he reached under the table and brought out a sack of sand. He started dumping the sand into the bucket and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.

Once more he asked, “Is this bucket full?” “No,” the class shouted. Again, he said, “Good.” Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began pouring it into the bucket until it was full to the brim. 

Then he asked, “What is the point of this illustration?” One eager beaver raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you really try hard, you can always fit some more things into it.”

The teacher replied, “No, that’s not the point. The point is: if you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.”

Contract or Discretion 

Now, I want to take you a step further in this parable.  I saw something in it the other day that I had never paid attention to prior to this.  In fact, I believe this is the key to the very response that the Master of the Vineyard gave, the response that seemed to be so unfair.

Early in the morning, when the Lord of the Harvest went out to the marketplace to hire workers, you will notice that he promised them one denarius, or about $20 for the day.  It was not an arbitrary decision.  It was a contract that both the owner and the laborer agreed upon.  I don’t know if the final wage was offered by the owner or demanded by the worker, but it was definitely the amount that they negotiated. 

At the third, sixth, ninth and eleventh hour, something very different happened.  He did not negotiate with the workers.  In fact, he did not quote them a wage at all.  He said something very different, something that violates the bargaining instincts of most workers. 

Matthew 20:4 (KJV) And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

“Whatsoever is right.”  They went to work based on trust.  They trusted that the owner of the vineyard would not cheat them out of a fair wage.  They had missed out on the initial hiring, so they had no expectation of receiving $20.  If you think about it, the math tells you that they should have gotten $16, $12, $9 and about $1.50 respectively.

Anyone who works alongside of other people knows that eventually everyone finds out what everyone else is making.  The first hires were outraged when they heard that the workers who came later—especially the eleventh hour workers—made over thirteen times what they did! 

They complained to the owner, but their protests got them nowhere. 

Matthew 20:9-14 (NIV)
⁹ “The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius.
¹⁰ So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius.
¹¹ When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner.
¹² ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
¹³ “But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius?
¹⁴ Take your pay and go.

Do you know why?  Because, before they picked a single cluster of grapes, before they filled a single bushel, they knew what they were going to get.  They had already agreed on the price.  Their fellow workers, however, left their wages up to the Master. 

Don’t ever try to bargain with God.  If you have something in your mind that you think God should do for you, you will always underestimate Him.  When you leave the wages up to the Master, He will always do you right.  In fact, He will always do more for you than you expect.

Matthew 20:14-16  I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you.
¹⁵ Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
¹⁶ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

This is a critical point in the parable, and in the message today.  Hear me well.

The world is the vineyard and the church supplies the laborers.  There are some in the church who have been serving God all of your life.  You’ve given, you’ve sacrificed, you’ve worked hours and hours, and you’ve attended thousands of services and endured—I mean heard—thousands of sermons. 

Others who have just joined us have not put in a fraction of that time working for God.  They may have been standing idle in the marketplace most of the day.  Now, you feel like you should be given greater consideration for your pay.

I don’t think most of us complain about receiving less than others get.  I think we are happy that others receive the remission of sins when they are baptized in Jesus’ Name, and when they get the joy of the Holy Ghost as God fills them to overflowing.

But we do have a problem with something else.  We often think that we deserve better treatment from God than we do.  In fact, I believe the single greatest factor in discouragement, hurt, and bitterness is when we feel that God allowed something bad to happen to us—something that we don’t think we deserved.  It’s why many people become atheistic or agnostic.

I can’t tell you the number of times people have shaken their heads and said, “I just don’t understand it.  I’ve served God all these years.  I’ve paid my tithes.  I’ve lived according to the teachings of the Bible.  I’ve been faithful to church.  Why is this happening to me?

And guess what?  I’m only human.  I end up sympathizing with the laborer!  I see their point.

Yes, I would like to question why.  Why were the incredible missionaries, the Willoughbys, stricken with cancer after they had done such an unbelievable job in Singapore?  Why did Sister Melissa Anderson, secretary of the Ladies Ministries for so long, lose her life in that terrible accident on the way home from General Conference?  Why did one of the greatest men I know, Bro. J. L. Hall, editor-in-chief of the UPCI for so many years lose his mind to Alzheimer’s?

Why did God allow Sister Pat Caudill to have that horrific explosion and reduce her to a frail invalid?  Why did God let this person or that person lose their job when they have a family to feed?  Our standard answer is “We’ll understand it better bye and bye.”

We are tossed and driv’n on the restless sea of time;
Somber skies and howling tempests oft succeed a bright sunshine;
In that land of perfect day, when the mists have rolled away,
We will understand it better by and by.

By and by, when the morning comes,
When the saints of God are gathered home,
We’ll tell the story how we’ve overcome,
For we’ll understand it better by and by.

We are often destitute of the things that life demands,
Want of food and want of shelter, thirsty hills and barren lands;
We are trusting in the Lord, and according to God’s Word,
We will understand it better by and by.

Trials dark on every hand, and we cannot understand
All the ways that God could lead us to that blessèd promised land;
But He guides us with His eye, and we’ll follow till we die,
For we’ll understand it better by and by.

Temptations, hidden snares often take us unawares,
And our hearts are made to bleed for a thoughtless word or deed;
And we wonder why the test when we try to do our best,
But we’ll understand it better by and by.

You may be thinking, “Pastor, you’ve got us out on a limb.  What’s your answer?”

After all these years, I’m not sure I agree with the premise of the song.  Stop and think about it.  “And we wonder why the test when we try to do our best, but we’ll understand it better by and by.”  It’s like saying, “God, you are being unfair with me, but I’m sure you will explain yourself when I get to heaven!” 

First of all, we desperately need to understand that we deserve nothing from God. 

Romans 3:9-18 (KJV)
⁹ What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
¹⁰ As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
¹¹ There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
¹² They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
¹³ Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
¹⁴ Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
¹⁵ Their feet are swift to shed blood:
¹⁶ Destruction and misery are in their ways:
¹⁷ And the way of peace have they not known:
¹⁸ There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Romans 3:19,23 (KJV)
¹⁹ Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

The truth is that we don’t have a right to one blessing, one day in the presence of Jehovah, one drop of grace, one moment of mercy.  Whatever we have, be it material blessings, family relationships, good job, whatever, they are not wages, but God’s divine generosity.

If God should give any of us what we deserve, we don’t stand a chance.

We deserve the same fate as the devil and the fallen angels.

We deserve eternal punishment in a lake that burns with fire and brimstone.

We deserve a total separation from God thoughout the endless ages.

Instead of questioning why something bad has happened to you; you should ask why something worse hasn’t happened!  Think about it:  would you rather have a good job and be lost, or have a bad job or no job and be saved?  Would you rather be perfectly healthy and lose your soul or have poor health and enter into the joys of heaven?

When you sink into a sea of bitterness and rancor because of the supposed inequities of God, you lose your concept of the grace, the mercy and the generosity of God.

Don’t be so worried abour your financial well-being that you forget about the treasures you’ve laid up over there!

Don’t be so concerned about your physical health that you forget about your glorified body over there!

Jesus did not take the repentant thief down from his cross, but He said, “Today, you will be with me in paradise!”

Is It Worth It?

This entire parable was an answer to a question that Peter asked in the previous chapter.

Matthew 19:23-27 (KJV)
²³ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
²⁴ And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
²⁵ When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
²⁶ But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
²⁷ Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

This question that Peter asked is put another way in the Message Bible.

Matthew 19:27 (MSG)
²⁷ Then Peter chimed in, “We left everything and followed you. What do we get out of it?”

The enemy of your soul is always goading you to ask, “So, I’ve served God for x number of years.  What am I getting out of it?” 

It’s a question that comes from frustration, disappointment, unrealized expectations.  It comes from comparing yourself with others that seem to have more, but they are not quite as educated, or skilled, or accomplished as you. 

I want to remind you today what you are getting out of salvation and right living:

You are washed with the blood of Jesus, the spotless Lamb!

You have a conscience that’s free from condemnation.

Your name is written down in the Lamb’s book of Life.

In the depths of your deepest trial, you have a companion who walks with you every day.

A split second after the trumpet sounds, you will dismiss every misfortune, every trial, every trouble from your mind.  The moment you lay your eyes on the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, your losses in this life will be transformed into gains.

John 14:1-3 (KJV)
¹ Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
² In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Oft times the day seems long, our trials hard to bear,
We’re tempted to complain, to murmur and despair;
But Christ will soon appear to catch His Bride away,
All tears forever over in God’s eternal day.
       
      It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
      Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ;
      One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,
      So bravely run the race till we see Christ.

To the eleventh hour workers, Come on!  Join in.  The harvest is too great for us to handle by ourselves.  We need you.  We don’t care how much you get paid.  We don’t resent you.  We don’t want to block you or keep you from being used of God in a great way.

You have a part in this glorious kingdom of God.

Funeral Message for ___________

(I don’t often put a funeral message in the main part of this blog, but a friend suggested that I should share this one with you.  I have either changed or omitted the names to spare the family from any embarrassment.)

I would like to thank each of you today for making the effort to attend this service.  A funeral represents one of the few opportunities in our hectic, busy, distracted microwave lives when we actually stop long enough to think, to reflect, and to embrace the distasteful subject of mortality.  It is all some of you can do to resist looking at your smart phones for a text message or a Facebook posting!  Some of you have already yielded to temptation! 

We have come here today to fulfill several purposes, all of them worthwhile and significant.  First, we have come to reflect on Reggie and how much he meant to us and impacted our lives.  Second, we have come to extend our condolences to his family and let them know how much we love and care for them.  But last, we have also come to contemplate the fact of a tragic loss, a relatively young man who left us before his time.  And, may I say at the outset, we must not fail at this final purpose.

To know Reggie Baker was to like him.  When he flashed his engaging smile, shook your hand and put his arm around your shoulder, you could not help but be attracted to him and his personality.  He always had a ready compliment and a kind expression of appreciation.  Regardless of how he was feeling (he lived in constant, chronic pain), he took time to come directly to you and either in some small way or in a magnanimous gesture, he would acknowledge your presence.  His loving and congenial spirit could warm a cold heart when it was needed the most. 

But, there was more to Reggie than a smile and a handshake.  As was noted in the obituary, he was tenderhearted and had a deep respect for God and the church, and for all things spiritual.  When he was still a young child, he experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit and was baptized in water according to Acts 2:38.  He loved Sunday School, and when he was four or five years old, his picture was taken with his teacher, who happened to be his aunt, _____, and it was featured on the cover of a national Christian Education magazine.  As an adult, Reggie came to church services often, and on a memorable Sunday morning two weeks ago, he came forward for prayer.  He lingered long at the altar that day, and a number of people stood around him and supported him in prayer.  Also, it is worth noting, that some two months ago, he saw a young lady outside the office of his apartment complex and struck up a conversation about spiritual things.  That talk turned into an impromptu prayer meeting, and the young lady, an member of an Apostolic church in _______, told me personally that there was an incredible presence of the Holy Spirit that descended on both of them in that corridor.  Acts 17:27-28 (KJV)  “That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:  For in him we live, and move, and have our being.”

Yes, there was more to Reggie than personality, and there was more than tenderness.  But it would not serve his memory well, nor would it benefit any of us, to lead you to believe that Reggie didn’t have his challenges.  He died too soon, and his untimely departure prevented him from grasping that final, spiritual goal that he desired in this life.   I found this verse in Psalm 88:9 that gives me some insight into Reggie’s heart.  “Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.”  This is what David wrote about himself, but here, lying in state before you, is also a man who lived with his hands stretched out, searching, reaching, longing for something that he desperately wanted but always felt that he could not attain.  Some would call it good intentions.  And it is interesting that this relevant scripture was written by David, because David, as king, didn’t fulfill the ultimate vision for his life.  Let me explain. 

David wanted to build a house for God—a temple, if you will.  He drew the plans for it.  He spent millions of dollars and gathered the most exquisite materials from far and wide.  But just as he completed his preparations, God spoke and denied him the opportunity and the thrill of building the temple.  The reason was that David was a man of war; there was blood on his hands.  Instead, God instructed David’s son, Solomon, to proceed with the building.  Thus, that magnificent structure that David had planned and procured the materials to build was not called David’s Temple, but Solomon’s Temple. 

At last, the temple was finished and the day of dedication had arrived.  Solomon stood up in the midst of all the priests, elders and multitudes of people and made this intriguing statement.  “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying, ¹⁶  Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel. ¹⁷  And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. ¹⁸  And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart. 1 Kings 8:15-18 (KJV) 

And so, I say to you today, the questions, the fears, the blank spaces we want to be filled in are all answered in God’s assessment of David, “You did well that it was in your heart.”   Had life proceeded according to plan, David would have built the temple.  It didn’t happen, but God saw what was in his heart. Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.  And for Reggie, we can be encouraged that to live reaching means to die grasping.  For now we can echo the 100th Psalm:  “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2  Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3  Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

Next, let me say to those who grieve today; we cannot displace your pain and sorrow now, but we can remind you that you are among people who love you, people who are praying for you.  The heartache you feel can only find consolation in the arms of Christ.  Indeed, Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.” 2 Thess. 2:16-17.   These are the times when we rediscover the true value of the church.  The body of Christ now comes together to bind up the wounds of the hurting and pour in the soothing oil and wine. 

Finally, I address those of you who today are waist-deep in your busyness, dealing with your own challenges of life.  You may be restless, unsure, tentative about the direction you are headed.  Let this day be a defining moment in your lives.  Could it be that God has orchestrated this sobering moment in your schedule?  Until you look into the face of death, you cannot know the value of life.  I want to paraphrase the poetic voice of Thomas Gray, poet, classical scholar and Cambridge (1716 - 1771).

If I should die and leave you
Be not like the others, living undone
Who keep long vigils by the silent
dust and weep.

For my sake turn to life and smile
Nerving your heart and trembling
hand to comfort weaker souls than you.
Complete these unfinished tasks of mine
And I perchance may therein comfort thee.

The Bible says, “It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this, the judgment.”  Hebrews 9:27.  You must not come and go from a funeral parlor without sustaining a strong and solemn impact on your fragile soul.  You may be still numb from this sad event, or you may not have processed the reality of it all, but it will all be in vain if you fail to understand the meaning it holds for yourself.  Living within you is an eternal soul, a soul that will not die with the flesh, but will live forever, according to the Scriptures.  Because, as the poet said, “The world is too much with us,” that we ignore, neglect or postpone the vital conversation we need to have with our Creator.  And, always remember, you are the sole arbiter of your destiny.  No one else can or will co-opt the decision-making power over your life.  It is you who must choose.

Joshua 24:15 (KJV) “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Choose life, choose truth, choose God.  Let us pray.

Transition

“I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. 2  In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. 3  I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. 4  Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. 5  I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. 6  I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. 7  Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? 8  Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? 9  Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah. 10  And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.” Psalm 77:1-10.

I find the premise in this Psalm of David.  Transition simply means that you have moved away from where you used to be, but you have not yet arrived at where you are supposed to be.  It means you are in a state of flux.  You are in transit.  You are somewhere in the middle of your life’s journey. 

But, there’s more to it than that.  Transition also implies that you are going through a metamorphosis.  You are changing.  And, you are doing all of this in a climate of adversity.  Everything around you is resisting and opposing this change.  And, if that is true, then the next step you take is likely to be in an atmosphere of hostility and fear.

If I were to draw a picture for you, it might be something like this: we are on a rickety, swinging footbridge that swings over a deep chasm between two cliffs.  One side is called carnality; the other side is called spirituality.  Not only is the bridge tenuous and uncertain, but there is a wind howling through the canyon below us that threatens to blow us away.  Some of you may get nauseous just imagining yourself up on that bridge!  If the truth were known, every person here lives in a constant state of transition. 

All of us know about the David who killed the lion and the bear; about the David who single-handedly slew Goliath with a sling; about the warrior David fought in hand-to-hand combat until his fingers had to be pried from his sword.  We know about the David of whom it was said that Saul killed his thousands while David killed his tens of thousands as he rode home amidst the singing, waving of flags, the pageantry and spoils of victory.  But I submit to you this evening that David’s greatest enemy was not the lion or the bear.  It was not his jealous brothers.  It was not even Goliath or any of the fierce enemies of Israel on the battlefields.  David’s greatest enemy was located beneath his thick armor, locked up inside his ribcage.  When you read about David’s exploits in 1 Samuel, you might think he has arrived safe, sound and smug at the destination called total victory.  When you read his Psalms, however, you see him struggling to put one foot in front of the other on the footbridge of transition.

And so, in light of this, there is a quality of the character of David that situates him in the middle of the human experience, that extremely sensitive place where few other writers in the Scriptures dare to go.  It is this quality that endears the sweet Psalmist of Israel to us.  It is his introspection, his brutal honesty, his boldness to talk to God about things that really are that shows his depth of understanding.  He does not engage in sugar-coated expressions that are nothing more than contrived impressions, trying to make himself look good in the eyes of his Creator.  He has more questions than he does answers; he has more lamentations than he does rejoicings.  When he does rejoice, he reveals his God to be the source of his joy, not himself.  More than anything else, David teaches us to be real.

One of the hardest scripture passages to grasp is Romans 7:14-25. “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15  For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

Somewhere in the middle.  That’s where most of us are.  Another portion of scripture written by Paul captures the essence of this predicament.

 “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. ¹³  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, ¹⁴  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14   

Just in case you think you are all alone with your feelings, understand that this is exactly what prompted this 77^th Psalm of David—and probably a few other Psalms as well.

There are three stages of the 77^th Psalm—which is actually a prayer—that provide the framework for David’s case. 

1) I cried unto God with my voice;

2) I am so troubled that I cannot speak; and

3) I commune with mine own heart. 

The first question is, then, how do I make this transition?  How do I even get started? 

I cried unto God with my voice.

The place to start is prayer.  David believed in prayer. Psalm 55:16-17  “As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. 17  Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.  Brother Kinzie used to preach a sermon every year called “The Mighty Power of a Little Faith.”  The main point of the message was that you don’t need the faith of Moses or Elijah.  You don’t need enough faith to move a mountain.  You just need enough faith to keep on praying!

Never get discouraged about the power of prayer!  Prayer works.  Pray through your trials.  Pray through your troubles.  Pray through your irritation, your disappointments, your defeats, your difficulties.  Pray through your nights.  Pray through your sicknesses.  Pray through your tragic losses.  You will never, ever meet a problem that you cannot confront and overcome with prayer!

Remember Cornelius.  Acts 10:30-33  “And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31  And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. 32  Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. 33  Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.”

If God hears the prayer of a pagan man, how much more is He going to hear the prayer of the righteous?  James 5:16  “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”  Never let the devil steal your voice of prayer!

God hears your prayer.  But, let me take you a step further.  David confessed something else.

I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

“I’m awake all night—not a wink of sleep; I can’t even say what’s bothering me.” Psalm 77:4 (MSG) Pardon me for using a reference to a pop song of the sixties, but Simon and Garfunkel’s song had some lyrics that are very relevant to the human condition.

The Sound of Silence

In restless dreams I walk alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone,
‘Neath the halo of a street lamp,
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence.

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more.
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence.

You started on this journey.  You left your former life with abandon.  You were happy to get free from the chains of the past.  The way of the transgressor is hard.  You were eager to rush into the arms of God, casting all your care on Him because you knew He cared for you!  But there are times in the middle of your transition footbridge when you stop, you grab the side rails and fear and doubt seize your soul.  What is happening?  You look down and get dizzy.  You don’t want to go back, but you think you can’t go on either.  What makes this happen?  Why do people stop in the middle of their walk with God?  I submit to you that there are some here tonight who have stalemated, plateaued, stalled out.  They haven’t taken another step in years!  Why do people stop praying, fasting, searching, reaching? 

Confusion silences prayer.  When you let confusion dictate to you your mood, your agenda and your actions, you are expressing more confidence in your flesh than you are in God. 

David was often confused. 

Psalm 69:1-5 “Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. 2  I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. 3  I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. 4  They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away. 5  O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.  

Colossians 1:27-29 “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: ²⁸  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: ⁹  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

You may have perceptions about God that are stopping your prayers.  (God does not care; does not hear; is not accessible, or even God is against you, God hates you, God doesn’t think you are worthy of His time.)  There is a silence that is deafening.  No words are coming out, but your mind is going a hundred miles an hour.  You wish you could put your feelings into words, but it just won’t happen.

David said in Psalm 39:1-2 “I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.  I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.”

God hears your silence.  God hears your groanings.  We emit groans when we have emotions that cannot be expressed in words. 

Romans 8:26  “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

I commune with my own heart.

            When no one understands what you’re going through, you retreat into the confines of your own heart.  When you have committed a transgression too great to be confessed, you turn inward and commune with your own heart.  When you become disillusioned with people in your life, you lose confidence in anyone but your own self. 

            The problem:  your heart will deceive you!  The world says, “Listen to your heart.”  But you are the worst interpreter of what your heart is saying. 

I want to help you tonight.  I want you to find a reason to take that next step.  Don’t stand out there on the bridge of transition, just hanging on to the rails.  You have a better fate than just hoping not to fall off into the chasm

Three steps to get you through the transition:

1)           The ability of God to do what he promised he would do.

2 Timothy 1:12-14 “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. I am persuaded that HE is able! 

2)           Hold fast to the Word of God!

¹³  Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

3)           Remember the good thing that was committed unto you.

¹⁴  That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

I do not ask if you are going through a transition, because all of us are.  Just remember, you have to keep walking!

Psalm 23:4-5 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Together

“…That they may be one…”  John 17:11

The cozy word togetherness has fallen into gross disrepair in our twenty-first century culture.  In its place, terms like generation gap, multi-cultural, segmentation and even tribalism have evolved.  We now celebrate our differences instead of emphasizing our commonality.  America, once considered the melting pot of nations, may now be more accurately described as a mosaic or a salad of ethnic groups. 

For these political realities to spread into the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, however, represents the greatest tragedy of this modern development.  One only has to recall the high priestly prayer of Jesus in John seventeen to know that this was not the vision of the Master.  “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.”  John 17:11.  Oneness should not only characterize our theology; it should also depict the state of the church. 

Paul added to this basic understanding of the nature of the church when he spoke about our origins to the superstitious Athenians.  “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.”  Acts 17:26.  He later wrote to the Ephesians, “God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4-6.  We have one Father who created us all and we are all together in our relationship to Christ.  Finally, this concept of oneness could not be spelled out more plainly than the admonition in 1 Corinthians 1:10.  “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” 

In light of this heavenly vision, the church must resist all efforts made to polarize its members into various camps, whether it was by design or unintentionally.  We must deliberately choose strategies that constantly integrate and blend people into worship, service and fellowship.  The “divide and conquer” mentality must give way to a “unite and serve” mode of thinking.  Music, for example, should not be considered the province of the young or the old.  It is a vehicle of worship to the King of Kings.  No one should be shut out of worship because he or she is either too old or too young to participate in a meaningful way.  Perhaps of the bright spots of our culture is the singing of the national anthem.  While it is often performed with an updated beat and sound, people of all ages can still sing along to its recognizable tune and words. 

Ethnicity remains a huge challenge for an evangelistic church.  Human nature gravitates towards those practices that feel comfortable, that give affirmation to a personal style and that conforms to “the way we’ve always done it.”  It is a mistake, however, to cast the church in the light of a particular culture.  The church is not to be a reflection of our comfort and convenience; it is to be an institution that embraces “whosoever will!”  For the first century Jews, the tradition of religion heavily involved meat and drink.  But, Paul’s words to the Romans emphatically rebuked those members who were using the church as an extension or expression of their religion and culture.  “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Romans 14:17.

This is God’s church, conceived, designed and built by Him and for Him.  “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18.  The church does not belong to the old.  It does not belong to the young.  It does not belong to the wealthy.  It does not belong to the poor.  It does not belong to a skin color, an ethnic group, a prominent family, a political faction, a church board, a cadre of influential persons, a clique of friends, a group of “cool” people or a radical core.  Its architecture reflects the mission of the Architect.  “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” Matthew 18:11.  Let us not look for ways to divide us; let us continually seek for ways to unite us. 

“O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.”  Psalm 34:3.

A Parable of a Great Meeting

A certain man had five sons.  The blessing of the Lord was upon them and they grew in stature and favor with the people.  The father and mother had established a tradition among them that at Christmastide, every member of the family would meet together for a great feast and to enjoy each other’s company.  The father and the mother were exceedingly pleased with this special day of the year.

And it came to pass that each son found a wife and were blessed with children of their own.  For a time, the tradition was honored among them to return home and celebrate Christmastide.  Their father and mother were overjoyed to see them and to rejoice over the children whom the Lord added to their family.  Each year, the father spoke words of wisdom and encouragement to his sons and their families.  Each of them also greatly encouraged their father and also showed their love each to the other.

But one year, one of the sons made it known that he could not return for the celebration.  He had planted a crop and could not leave it unattended.  Soon, another son also revealed that he could not participate in the feast, for he said that the journey was too far and that he could not pay for the expenses.  It followed that a third son sent word to his father that he would not come because he lost his love for the feast and that he wanted to separate himself unto his own friends.  A fourth son did not impart knowledge to others that he would not attend, but it was heard that he refused to come because the last feast was disappointing and he received nothing for his efforts to attend. 

The father and mother prepared a great feast for all of their offspring, but only one son and his family came to pay respect to his parents and receive wise and comforting words.  He and his family were exceedingly blessed for they received not only the part of the inheritance that was coming to him but also was given that which was intended for his brethren.

And it came to pass that each of the sons who did not continue to attend the feast had sons and daughters of his own.  Each one established his own tradition and welcomed his family to come and enjoy the blessings of God with him and their mother.  Howbeit, in due season, each of their sons and daughters also refused to come to the feast that was prepared for them.  Each of them cried unto the Lord and pleaded with their families to return to them for one day out of the year.  Their pleas fell on deaf years, however, and the bond between them was broken.  The rest of the history of their families is not known because there was no one who cared enough to record the acts of their fathers.  To this day, there are legends and tales that are told about the great family, but name of the family is lost among the names of the people of the world.

Only one great word is known that was spoken by the great father of the clan.  He said, “My children came to receive, but they did not come to give.  For they said each to the other, ‘It is more blessed to receive than to give.’  They did not understand that I called then together so that they could give love, strength and fellowship to each other.  Because their understanding of this great purpose was darkened, I alone was blessed when they came because I came to give!”

This is a personal and unsolicited appeal for everyone to attend General Conference UPCI, September 30 - October 3, 2014.  Come to give, financially if you can, but more importantly, give yourself.  We need each other!