THE COAST ANCHOR

2012-01-26T14:27:00.000-08:00

The Rest of the Story

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Romans 10:1-4; Coast Community Church; Pastor Earl Miles; January 22, 2012

Look at Romans 10:1-4

Where Am I?

Where Should I Be?

Living to glorify (honor God as “God”) and enjoy (find our happiness in God) God through faith and love.

The question is always, “How am I to trust and how am I to love?”

The answer to the love question will always involve “laying down my life” in some way.

Let’s look today at Romans 10:1-4 and see how it encourages us to trust and love.

Three Reasons for Paul’s Prayer

Paul prays for national Israel because they aren’t resting. - Romans 10:1-4

Notice that Paul says he is praying for national Israel and then at the beginning of verse 2, 3, and 4 we see a “for” which gives us reasons why he is praying for Israel so fervently.

And the essence of the reason why Paul is praying for national Israel is because of the contrast in this passage between Israel working instead of resting (in some crucial way). We can see this in the passage leading up to Romans 10. (Romans 9:30-33)

Paul highlights this contrast between working and resting as the crucial point earlier in Romans. (Romans 4:3-6)

I titled this message, ‘The Rest of the Story.’ This is a phrase that was made famous by the radio news commentator, Paul Harvey. The Rest of the Story was a Monday-through-Friday radio program originally hosted by Paul Harvey. Beginning as a part of his newscasts during the Second World War and then premiering as its own series on the ABC Radio Networks on May 10, 1976, The Rest of the Story consisted of stories presented as little-known or forgotten facts on a variety of subjects with some key element of the story (usually the name of some well-known person) held back until the end. The broadcasts always concluded with a variation on the tag line "And now you know the rest of the story." (Wikipedia)

He would begin by saying, "Hello Americans, I'm Paul Harvey. You know what the news is, in a minute, you're going to hear ... the rest of the story." (Wikipedia) Or He would tell part of an interesting story and then announce that, after a commercial break, he would give his listeners ‘the rest of the story.’ As a result, if you missed ‘the rest of the story’ you would be left with a wrong impression of what the story was all about.

This is what Paul is talking about here. National Israel, as a majority, had missed the ‘rest’ of the story of what God was doing in that they missed the part about God providing a ‘rest’ from having to fulfill His Law and from having to earn our own righteousness before Him.

A Sincerely Wrong Zeal for God

Paul highlights the truth that being sincere and enthusiastic is not enough if we are wrong. (Romans 10:2)

The word ‘zeal’ means ‘a hot emotion or boiling desire’ in regard to their relationship with God. They were not indifferent or passive about the issue of their relationship to the true and living God.

‘Not according to knowledge’ means ‘without an accurate understanding of the truth’ not ‘without a knowledge of the Bible.’

‘I testify about them’ means ‘I solemnly bear witness from personal experience’ and is likely a reflection on Paul’s own past history as a Pharisee.

The Pharisee and the Tax-Collector (Luke 18:9-14)

The Pharisee in this story trusts in himself that he is righteous and is zealous for God (fasting and paying tithes) – putting his food and money where his mouth is. The Lord Jesus makes it clear that he is not justified even though he is zealous.

Paul says he was a ‘Pharisee of Pharisees’ and he was more zealous than any of the zealous Pharisees, even to the point of persecuting the Church. But he had to be struck down and humbled on the road to Damascus.

If you see someone robbing a grocery store and you chase them down and jump on top of them, but you’ve got the wrong person … do you think Grandma is going to be happy as you help her up off the ground and hand her her broken glasses and say, “I’m sorry … I was just sure you were the robber!”

Personal Application: Will the excuse ‘I was trusting and loving according to what I was taught (by family or culture or tradition or Wikipedia)’ stand up in the day of judgment?

A Responsible Ignorance

Paul highlights the truth that we can be ignorant and still responsible. (Romans 10:3)

‘Not knowing about’ means ‘to be ignorant of’ and is the word from which we get our word, ‘agnostic.’ They were agnostics with regard to God’s method of saving sinners. But this ignorance did not elimi-nate their responsibility before God for rejecting their Messiah.

It is like the young man in Proverbs who goes to meet an immoral woman and suffers the consequences even though he was ignorant of what he was getting himself into. (Proverbs 7:22-23)

If I get pulled over for speeding (going 50 in a 25 mph zone) and reply, “But I didn’t know the speed limit was 25 mph.” That may be true. But the policeman can still point to the sign in front of you that reads “Speed Limit 25 MPH.” The issue isn’t simply whether you knew you were breaking the law but also whether you could have known that you were breaking the law. In the case of the Jews, they may not have understood God’s method of saving sinners, but they could have known if they really wanted to know. Their ignorance was a ‘deliberate’ or ‘responsible ignorance.’

Personal Application: Can I justify my failure to know how to trust and love as God calls me to when I neglect to read His Word which is so abundantly available to me and pray for help?

Submission to a Gift

Paul reveals that the problem with Israel is that they won’t humbly submit in order to receive God’s gift. (Romans 10:3)

The idea of ‘subject themselves’ is that of a soldier falling in line and following the directions of his commander rather than asserting his own independence.

There are only two possible approaches to being reconciled to God: (1) Wrong: righteousness by (my own) works or (2) Right: righteousness by faith (in the work of Another).

God can not punish sinners and freely give them the reward of eternal life because of what Jesus Christ has done. (Romans 1:16-17; Romans 3:21-30; Romans 5:17-21)

God did not give the Law (10 Commandments and other laws) to imply that anyone actually could earn his/her salvation by their own efforts but to point to the need for an alien righteousness.

God gave the Law to deliver us from self-righteousness, not to encourage it.

Have you ever been given something as a gift but you really struggled with accepting it? why? (1) Maybe because you didn’t think you deserved it (ie, pride masquerading as false humility). (2) Maybe because you didn’t think you needed it and didn’t want people to think you needed it (ie, pride). So pride is what keeps us from joyfully accepting gifts! And it takes a type of ‘humble submission’ to receive a gift!

The parable of the King’s Feast is a great picture of the simple issue of submission to a gift. (Matthew 22:1-14)

Personal Application: Do you resist receiving gifts? Can you see your pride in that? Have you resisted receiving the gift of God’s righteousness in Christ? Will God be pleased with us if we try to trust and love but refuse to rest in Jesus?

End of the Law

Paul proclaims that for all those trusting in Christ the attempts to keep the law to achieve righteousness have ended. (Romans 10:4)

The word ‘end’ here can mean ‘fulfillment’ or ‘termination’ or ‘goal.’

Paul is saying that the ‘rat race’ is over for those who trust in Jesus as the fulfillment of all that God demands in His Law.

Someone has said that life is like a ‘rat race’ and someone else has said that ‘the problem with the rat race is that even if you win the rat race, you’re still a rat!’

In various ways, the OT (all of which is sometimes called the Law) points to a Divine Rest which is why the Law included not only the Ten Commandments but also within the Ten Commandments the law of the day of rest (Sabbath) and in addition to this, the laws of sacrifice which pictured substitution as the means of reconciliation with God. (Exodus 31:15; Leviticus 16:31; Numbers 15:32-36; Hebrews 4:8-10)

Jesus proclaimed Himself the ‘Lord of the Sabbath’ and the fulfillment of the promised Rest. (Matthew 11:28-30)

If you are deathly sick and you ask the doctor, ‘What is more important? Rest or work?’ He is going to say, ‘Before you do anything else, get the rest you need!’ This implies, not that work is unimportant, but that the key to work is not skipping rest but honoring rest. It is the same with work before God. We do not honor God unless we rest before we work, indeed, unless we work from a position of rest.

Personal Application: Is obedience to God important to you? Why? Is what you do for God, so to speak, more important than what God has done for you in Christ? Are you working from a position of rest, for the sake of love not the sake of earning righteousness? Are you trusting in the righteousness of Christ as you work to love?

What must I do to grow in trust and love?

I must rest in Jesus and His righteousness.

Receiving and resting in Jesus and His righteous-ness, by God’s grace, I am to live to glorify and enjoy God by trusting and loving in every situation and in every relationship according to God’s Word and in fellowship with God’s people.

Then (in this context) …

Think about the truth.

Pray in light of the truth.

Do something different because of the truth.

We could begin by doing one thing …

Do something more, better or different …

· In your fellowship with God, read your Bible and stop living on ‘second-hand’ knowledge

· In your fellowship with God, pray and read on your worst days, resting in the righteousness of Christ

· In your home and church family, encourage yourself and others to always confess sin and confess righteousness in Christ together

· In your world, focus on the heart of the gospel – a gift of righteousness for the ungodly – when you encounter and are offended by ungodly people.

What must I do to be saved?

· Turn to God for LIFE (Help and Happiness)

· Trust in Jesus for Righteousness (Pardon and Perfection)

· Obey to Love (submit to Jesus as Lord)

Praying to a Sovereign and Good God

2012-01-26T14:05:00.000-08:00

Praying to a Sovereign and Good God

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Romans 10:1-4; Coast Community Church; Pastor Earl Miles; January 15, 2012

Look at Romans 10:1-4.

The Bible is God’s Word and the Bible addresses where we are spiritually. (slide 1)

In order to be where we need to be spiritually, we have to understand the truth of the gospel, which is what the book of Romans is all about.

The gospel begins with the God who created us.

But those God created fell into sin.

And the consequences of sin have been great.

There are only two ways that we can try to solve this problem.

But God sent His Son to be a Savior for sinners.

Because of what Jesus did, God promises us wonderful things.

But these promises must be received by faith in Jesus.

Those who trust in Jesus are to live to glorify and enjoy God by trusting and loving in every situation and relationship.

Two main points today:

1. I am to trust that God is sovereign and good and pray.

2. I am to love by praying for unbelievers to be saved.

1. I am to trust that God is sovereign and good and pray. (Romans 10:1-4)

A. Paul says this on the heels of a strong passage on the sovereignty of God over the salvation of men.

- Romans 9:15-16, 18

B. Paul says this in light of God’s revelation of His glory to Moses in terms of sovereignty and goodness.

- Exodus 33:18-19

C. Paul says this in light of books like Jonah that un-ashamedly portray God as profoundly sovereign and profoundly merciful.

– Jonah 1:4

– Jonah 1:17

– Jonah 2:10

– Jonah 4:6-8

– Jonah 1:14-16

– Jonah 2:7-9

– Jonah 3:4-10

– Jonah 4:1-3

– Jonah 4:10-11

D. Seeing Paul’s prayer life in light of his faith in the sovereignty of God is important because of psychological dangers.

“There are theological dangers. First, a person might conclude that God is unjust in the exercise of his sovereignty. So Paul raises this question in verse 14: "Is there then injustice on God's part?" And secondly, a person might conclude that man can no longer be faulted for his sin if God is sovereign. So Paul raises this question in verse 19, "Why then does he still find fault?" So Paul is not unaware of the theological dangers in the doctrine of God's sovereignty.

But these are not our concern this morning. There are psychological as well as theological dangers, and these are our concern today. Specifically, there are three emotional mistakes that we might make in response to this doctrine. Paul knows of these too and guards us from them. That's what we want to talk about today.

First, the doctrine of God's sovereignty might lead us to feel no sorrow for those who are perishing.

Second, the doctrine of God's sovereignty might lead us to feel no desire that they would be converted.

And third, the doctrine of God's sovereignty might lead us to give up praying that they would be saved.

In other words, our limited and sinful human reasonings might respond to the sovereignty of God by saying, "If God decides who will be saved and who won't, then why grieve over any who are lost, why desire for more to be saved, why pray in the face of God's eternal decrees?"

Paul knows about these dangers too. And I think he chooses the most effective means possible to guard us against these dangers. At the beginning of Romans 9 and at the end he shows us his heart. Now I urge you, don't let your own heart dictate what a compassionate person can believe about the sovereignty of God. Rather let the apostle show you what a person who believes in the sovereignty of God can and should really feel for the lost. (John Piper, My Heart’s Desire: That They Might Be Saved – Romans 10:1)

Ezekiel 18:23; 33:11; Matthew 23:37-39; 5:43-48; Deuteronomy 5:29; 29:4; 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1

E. If I trust in God’s sovereignty rightly, then I will pray for the salvation of others. (Romans 10:1-4)

Therefore, when he says in Romans 10:1, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they might be saved," he means, "Be like this. Have a heart like mine." … Paul prays for God to actually save Israel. That is, Paul does not pray for God just to make them able to save themselves. He prays for their salvation not for their saveability. Here's what I mean. If you believe that God has the right and power to raise the spiritually dead and to grant repentance to the disobedient and have mercy on whom he will have mercy, then you pray that God will do that. You ask God to actually save them—pull them up from the bottom of the lake, slide their limp bodies over the edge of the boat, and to do whatever he has to do to make them alive spiritually. (John Piper, ibid)

2. I am to love by praying for unbelievers to be saved. - Romans 10:1-4

A. Paul is testifying to his obedience to Christ’s command. - Matthew 5:43-48

WE ought to have an intense longing for the salvation of all sorts of men and especially for those, if there are any, that treat us badly. We should never wish them ill, not for a moment, but in proportion to their malice should be our intense desire for their good. Israel had persecuted Paul everywhere with the most bitter imaginable hate. When he addressed them in their synagogues, they rushed upon him in their fury. When he left them alone and preached quietly to the Gen-tiles, they made a mob, dragged him before the mag-istrates, charged him with causing a tumult and either stoned him or beat him with rods. He was “an Israel-ite, indeed,” but his people regarded him as a turn-coat, indeed, because he had become a Christian! Mad as they were against all Christians, they had a special spite and fury against the apostate Pharisee. Paul’s only reply to all their infuriated malice is this gentle assertion—“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.”

Brethren, let us pray for men that they may be saved! Simple as the statement is, I feel sure that we shall see more conversions when more people pray for conver-sions. If, as we went about the streets, we made a rule that whenever we heard a man swear, we would pray that he might be saved, might we not hope to see a great many more saved? If, whenever we saw a case of special sin, or read of it in the newspaper, we were to make it a habit always to offer our heart’s desire and prayer for such offenders that they might be saved, I cannot tell what countless blessings would come from God’s right hand. (Charles Spurgeon, Zealous But Wrong – Romans 10:1-3)

B. Paul is testifying to his obedience to the law of love. – Matthew 7:7-12

We must feel compassion for the perishing and a longing for their conversion because our own salvation is such a precious undeserved gift. Surely it is unthinkable that we should be drug from the bottom of the lake, resuscitated at the cost of another's life, handed the instruments of rescue, and then just sit down and play cards on the beach while others are drowning. Is that not unthinkable in your own life?

And did Jesus not tell a parable about a servant who was treated with immense mercy but then refused to show compassion for his fellow servant (Matthew 18:23–35)? How can we feel the wonder of having been rescued freely by Christ, and then not live for the rescue of others? Surely there would be something ominous and fearful in such an inconsistency! (John Piper, ibid)

C. Paul obviously prayed that they would submit to the gift of righteousness in Christ. - Romans 10:1-4

D. Prayer in general and prayer for unbelievers requires that I love by laying down my life to do so.- Colossians 4

I am now, in 1864, waiting upon God for certain blessings, for which I have daily besought Him for 19 years and 6 months, without one day's intermission. Still the full answer is not yet given concerning the conversion of certain individuals. In the meantime, I have received many thousands of answers to prayer. I have also prayed daily, without intermission, for the conversion of other individuals about ten years, for others six or seven years, for others four, three, and two years, for others about eighteen months; and still the answer is not yet granted, concerning these persons [for whom I have prayed for nineteen years and six months] . . . Yet I am daily continuing in prayer and expecting the answer . . . Be encouraged, dear Christian reader, with fresh earnestness to give yourself to prayer, if you can only be sure that you ask for things which are for the glory of God. (George Muller, Autobiography, p. 296)

Conclusion

Do you desire to see others know the grace you’ve known?

Do you need to pray for unbelievers or do you need to be prayed for?

Have you submitted to God’s righteousness?

Have you received the gift of Christ’s righteousness?

Two Roads, One Way

2012-01-09T09:56:00.000-08:00

Two roads, one way #2

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The GPS
Let’s begin by reminding ourselves, as Christians, of our Biblical GPS for 2012 – our spiritual triangulation for determining where we are and what direction we need to head. What our goal should be. What our highest priority should be. And what our basic strategy for living should be.

Reality Check: Where are you really?

• Goal: What do you really want?
• Priority: What is really important?
• Strategy: What do you really pursue?

Biblical GPS: Where should you be (where Christ is)?

• Our Goal (aim of our lives): to glorify (honor God as ‘God’) and enjoy God (rest in Him as my supreme Good). (1 Corinthians 10:31; Psalm 16:11)

• Our Priority (important in every situation/relationship): to trust (His promises) and love (according to His Word). (Galatians 5:6; 1 John 3:23)

• Our Strategy (specific plan of action): to lay down our lives (John 12:24-26; 1 John 3:16; Romans 12:1-2)

Today, we want to be encouraged and equipped for living this way from Romans 9:30-33.

Let highlight six things from this passage.

I. Human Responsibility and God’s Sovereignty

Is God fully sovereign or is man fully responsible? Yes!

Does God have everything planned out or does man make real choices? Yes!

Does God have to give man faith or does man have to believe? Yes!

Is God alone to be praised for our believing or is man alone at fault for not believing? Yes!

Romans 9:30

Paul has been discussing his sorrow over Israel’s rejection of the Messiah (Romans 9:1-5) and the question of whether this rejection means that God has failed to keep His Word of promise to Israel (Romans 9:6). Paul says that that is not the case because God never promised to save every Israelite by natural birth but only those who were of the faith of Abraham (Romans 9:6-9). And because no one will believe apart from God’s sovereign grace, it is part of God’s plan that only a remnant of Israel has been saved thus far (Romans 9:7-18). God has graciously chosen to save a portion of natural Israel and to save many of the Gentiles at this point in history (Romans 9:19-29). Indeed, God predicted that the majority of the Jewish people would reject their Messiah. But this does not mean that God’s rejection of most of national Israel is simply based on His arbitrary choice but is the result of their responsible rejection of the Messiah that God has provided for Israel.

Some want to erase all paradox from the Bible, but when we attempt to do so, we erase the Bible itself. This is a paradox (an apparent contradiction): God is fully sovereign and man is fully responsible. We need to treat God as fully sovereign and we need to treat man as fully responsible. Anything less is to deny the Bible.

Dinosaur Bones

Trying to think through this paradox is like trying to piece bones together without a complete picture of what the animal looks like. It’s like finding two dinosaur bones and then trying to come up with a way to fit it all together. Some just throw one bone away and say “this is the only real dinosaur bone.” Others try to keep both bones as “dinosaur bones” but how they imagine them going together essentially does the same thing and practically results in saying, “this is the only real dinosaur bone.” Others simply and humbly say, “Both of these bones belong to a dinosaur, indeed, the same dinosaur, but how they fit together, we don’t know.”

• Romans 11:33

II. Righteousness and LIFE

When I was in school my strategy for success was to figure out what the teacher required and to pursue that to the best of my ability. To disregard what the requirements of the course were was to ensure failure.

What is it that God requires? Good intentions? Your best? Religious ritual? Being a good person? Not doing certain things? Having more good works than bad? Being sorry for your mistakes/sin?

Romans 9:30-31

Paul says the bottom line is righteousness. And righteousness is important because God blesses the righteous. God’s promises for now and eternity are for the righteous. The only other category for people to be other than the “righteous” category is the “wicked” category. And the “wicked” receive the wrath of God. So righteousness is crucial for what it doesn’t receive (wrath) and for what it does receive (the promises of God’s blessing).

• Romans 2:13

• Romans 5:21

But what is righteousness? Righteousness is conformity to the Law of God. Someone is righteous if they keep the Law. The Lord Jesus said that the Law us is summed up in the commands to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. One deviation from this in attitude or word or action and the wages of any sin is death.

Baptism of the Lord Jesus

Matthew 3:13-17

Matthew 5: the Pharisees, the real meaning of the Law and being perfect as the Father is perfect

• Matthew 5:17-20

• Matthew 5:21-22

• Matthew 5:27-28

• Matthew 5:38-39

• Matthew 5:43-48

III. Only Two Kinds of Approaches to God

Have you ever felt inadequate to address people of different religions and have even wondered where to start?

Even though there are many and varied religions in the world, there are only two approaches to God.

Romans 9:32

We either approach God by faith alone or by works in some form (whether in combination with faith or not).

“Pursue” means earnest striving as in a footrace or to run swiftly after something as in hunting.

In the Garden, Adam and Eve tried to make coverings for themselves and God made a covering for them.

• Genesis 3:7

• Genesis 3:21

Prayer meeting of the Pharisee and Tax Collector

• Luke 18:9-14

The King’s Feast

• Matthew 22:1-14

IV. Righteousness by Works

What kind of relationship do you have with ‘to do lists’?

Ancient Israel is a picture of modern ‘me.’ It is Satanically natural for me to disbelieve in God’s provision and rely on my own righteousness and efforts.

Romans 9:31-32

I must fight to avoid the stumbling block that God is loving me or not loving me depending on whether I have been “good enough.” My ‘gut feeling’ that ‘works’ are necessary is true, but I must see that I am saved and forgiven and accepted and loved because of Jesus’ works, not my own. So I am saved by works, but not by my own works.

We can have the right goal (righteousness) and the wrong approach (dependence on my own effort and works).

Pursuing obedience to God’s Law is not rejected here, but the pursuing of it by a works or legalistic or self-righteous mentality rather than by faith in the Messiah.

Rich Young Ruler: The Law Promises Life If We Keep It

• Romans 7:10

• Matthew 19:17

Sinai: But We Can’t and This Was Not God’s Intent

Think about the terrifying spectacle of God’s giving the Law on Mt. Sinai. Why this fearful picture? Because in the giving of the Law God was communicating the danger involved in sinners trying to approach Him on the basis of their own efforts to keep His perfect Law.

• Hebrews 12:18-24

• Romans 3:20

• Galatians 2:21

• Galatians 3:24

V. Righteousness by Faith

What do you think could be the most freeing thing anyone could ever tell you?

The whole point of the book of Romans is that the good news of God to sinners who deserve only His wrath is a gift of Christ’s righteousness which is offered to all men and is received by faith alone so that they can enjoy all that God has promised those who are righteous in His sight.

Romans 9:31-32

• Romans 1:16-17

• Romans 4:4-5

• Romans 5:17

• Philippians 3:9

• Matthew 5:3

This is why I can approach God boldly for mercy and for the grace I need, since I come in the name of Jesus, not in my own name.

In contrast to Sinai, we hear the Lord Jesus saying, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

The Gift of a Lazy Boy?

The righteousness by faith which God offers is like the offer of a Lazy Boy recliner in the shade with a tall glass of sweet tea to a slave picking cotton in the hot sun. The work has already been done on the chair and I am called to receive and rest – to receive the chair and to lay back while my full weight on it, ceasing my work.

Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification; yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love. (Westminster Confession of Faith, Article XI:II)

The Thief on the Cross

• 39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”- Luke 23:39-43

VI. No Disappointment in Jesus

Are you ever disappointed?

If we have received the righteousness of Jesus by faith, we need not fear losing or missing out or failing to receive the blessing of God, now or throughout eternity. It is 100 % guaranteed in Jesus. God cannot fail to bless us and love us any more than He can fail to love His own Son.

Romans 9:33)

“Offense” is a bait stick of a trap.

“Shame” is often associated with judgment in the OT.

• Isaiah 28:16

• Isaiah 8:14

• 1 Peter 2:6

• Matthew 21:42

• Acts 4:11

• Psalm 118:22

• Ephesians 2:20

• 1 Corinthians 1:22-23

I may be disappointed now because of my limited understanding and knowledge, but in the life to come, I will experience no disappointment over the past or the future.

Those who are not righteous, when they trust in the righteousness of Jesus, are declared righteous and treated as righteous.

• Romans 5:1-2

• Romans 8:1

• Romans 8:28

Getting What You Ask For

If our heart is crying out for righteousness before God through Jesus, God will grant it.

• Matthew 5:6

If our heart is crying out to be satisfied in God through Jesus, God will grant it.

• Matthew 5:8

God will not disappoint us by not granting the cry of our hearts if we are looking to His Son, Jesus.

• Matthew 7:9-11

Faith and Love

Let’s make some quick application. We glorify and enjoy God by trusting God and loving others. In every situation and in every relationship my priority should be to trust God and to love. So how does this passage encourage us to trust and love more?

How does this passage encourage me to trust God?

o Trust God for the promises of God in Jesus (Romans 5:1-2)
o Peace
o Provision
o Pleasure

Reformed Theologians and Slavery

What Do We Do With Our Slavery-Affirming Theological Heroes?
by Trevin Wax | January 5, 2012

When I read the works of men like James P. Boyce and Jonathan Edwards, I am amazed at the depth of their biblical knowledge and the keenness of their personal application. At the same time, I am astounded that these theological giants could justify the owning of slaves, support slavery as a system, and conform to the racial prejudice common in their day. John Piper is right: “One of the central cadences of the gospel walk is the breaking down of ethnic hostilities and suspicions, and the impulse of unity and harmony” (Bloodlines, 175). So how is it possible to believe the gospel and articulate so clearly the doctrine of justification by faith alone, yet miss how this doctrine severs the root of racism and ethnocentrism forever? Even more, how can one’s life be so out of step with one’s theology? … Remember that justification by faith levels us all. So what do we do with our heroes? For starters, we cannot stand smugly and chide our forefathers for their shortcomings. We would then ourselves be guilty of denying justification because we would be speaking from a place of moral superiority and chronological snobbery. Justification by faith alone kills the pride that comes from legalism, racism, pedigree, and yes, even chronology. We are no more righteous because of our time period than they were in theirs. It also won’t do for us to abandon the theology of Edwards, Boyce and others simply because they were wrong on slavery. All theology must be measured by its fidelity to the truth of God’s Word, not by our ability to live up to God’s Word. So what to do? Instead of abandoning the biblical understanding of justification expressed eloquently through our heroes despite their flaws, we ought to lean harder into it. Here’s the glorious truth: the reality they saw so clearly provides the answer to the sin they didn’t. In other words, they discerned the reality of justification by faith alone better than they discerned the sinfulness in their own hearts and lives. And it’s that reality of justification by faith alone that levels us all and drives us to our knees — thankful for the clear example of horrendously flawed theologians articulating the only doctrine that gives hope to all of us who are horrendously flawed. Slavery is a great evil, but even slavery cannot stand in the way of the grace and glory of the gospel. And just as we learn from the blind spots of the generations who have gone before us, we trust that the blood of Christ will cover our own blind spots. That’s why the more we walk with God, the more we cry like David: “Cleanse me from my hidden faults.” It’s only in the security of being wrapped up in the righteousness of Christ that we can say, “Challenge me, Lord. Change me, Lord. Expose my wickedness.” And in the midst of it all, we cling to the hope that God’s grace is bigger than our biggest flaws.

How does this passage encourage me to love in regard to my fellowship with God?

o By laying down my life to obey His Word (John 12:24; Romans 12:1)
o To fellowship with God (live like a branch), (John 15:1-11)

I am to approach God daily through His Word and prayer, regardless of my performance, expecting God to speak to me and hear my prayers, not because of my own work or righteousness, but because of the finished work and righteousness of the Lord Jesus.

Can you yell at your kids and drop to your knees?

How does this passage encourage me to love in regard to speaking the truth in love to other believers?

o By laying down my life to obey His Word (John 12:24; Romans 12:1)
o to speak the truth in love to one another (live like a body member) (Ephesians 4:11-16)

I am to fight to rest in the righteousness of Christ and to resist speaking condemnation into the lives of my fellow believers, but rather to encourage them to also rest in His righteousness.

Can you be sinned against and pray that they rest in the righteousness of Christ?

How does this passage encourage me to love in regard to being a fisher of men?

o By laying down my life to obey His Word (John 12:24; Romans 12:1)
o to be a fisher of men (live like a missionary/messenger). (John 1:29-46)

I am to preach the good news of a gift of righteousness which God offers to all men through faith alone in the Lord Jesus.

Is the ‘good news’ you try to communicate primarily about what God has done in Jesus or about what they must do or about what they can’t do?

Who embraces this kind of life?

o Those who receive Jesus for who He is: Lord and Savior (John 1:12)
o as the Way (of acceptance with God – our Pardon and Perfection)
o as the Truth (our Wisdom and Guide for living in this world)
o and the Life (our Help and Happiness). (John 14:6)

Receiving Jesus

Have you received Jesus as your righteousness (the Way to acceptance with God)?

What your step – don’t stumble over Jesus!

Turn and Look to Jesus and Live!

John 14:6

If we have looked to Jesus as our righteousness, our hearts should sing moment by moment and day by day and sin by sin and failure by failure and obedience by obedience and triumph by triumph and trial by trial and blessing and blessing:

1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

o Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

3. His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne. (The Solid Rock by Edward Mote)

2012-01-05T09:55:00.000-08:00

A GPS for 2012
Coast Community Church; Pastor Earl Miles; January 1, 2012

A gps for 2012 jan 1

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Starting Point Text: Galatians 5:5-7

This is a text that challenges us with regard to:

• What we are waiting for.
• What we are hoping for.
• What is really important.
• How we are running the race of life.
• Whether our lives reflect an obedience to the truth of the gospel.

These are the kinds of things we want to speak to today.

Living Life on the Edge

Today we begin a New Year. It is a great time to think about the “big picture” that we find in Scripture. And it is fitting that we think about how we will resolve to live in 2012.

We only have one life to live. We need to ask ourselves every New Year:

• What did I give my life to last year?
• What will I give my life to this year?

Many people live life “on the edge” so to speak and do so without much concern about heading in the wrong direction. (Proverbs 27:12)(Proverbs 14:15)

What does it mean to be ‘prudent’?

o A prudent man looks where he is going.

o Hebrew word = shrewd or crafty in a good sense; sensible; thinks ahead

o Acting with or showing care and thought for the future.

o Shrewd in the management of practical affairs (Merriam-Webster)

o Discreet or cautious in managing one's activities; circumspect

o Practical and careful in providing for the future

o Exercising good judgment or common sense (Collins)

What does it mean to be ‘naïve’?

o A naïve man doesn’t look where he is going.

o Hebrew word = simple or untaught (or acting like he is untaught – me); lacking good sense (here, not looking where he or she is going); unthinking person

o Showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment

o The opposite of prudent!

The Grand Canyon at Midnight

Imagine that you are standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon at midnight and there is no moon and no lights to illumine the darkness.

You do have a handheld GPS (Global Positioning System) in your pocket. And there is a stranger calling to you from a distance.

You have three options: (1) Go with your “gut feelings” in order to navigate yourself to safety (or “follow your heart”) or (2) Follow the strange voice in the distance that is calling to you or (3) Pull out your GPS and follow the path it prescribes.

Following our heart is like following our flesh. Following the strange voice is like following the world and its thinking. Following the GPS is like following the Bible.

The only question is which one do you trust more?

Today I want us to think about what I would call a Biblical GPS or “Gospel Positioning System” or a “Global Positioning System” for Biblically Orienting Our Lives in This World.

Stolen GPS

Recently we had our GPS stolen from our van. It is Satan’s design to steal our Biblical GPS as well and thereby, kill our joy and destroy our effectiveness in this life. (John 10:10)

Spiritual Triangulation

So let’s think this morning about what a Biblical GPS would involve. GPS technology uses “triangulation” in order to determine your location and the direction you need to head (3 out of 4 available satellites on the horizon).

GPS, which stands for Global Positioning System, is a radio navigation system that allows land, sea, and airborne users to determine their exact location, velocity, and time 24 hours a day, in all weather conditions, anywhere in the world. The capabilities of today’s system render other well-known navigation and positioning “technologies”—namely the magnetic compass, the sextant, the chronometer, and radio-based devices—impractical and obsolete. GPS is used to support a broad range of military, commercial, and consumer applications. 24 GPS satellites (21 active, 3 spare) are in orbit at 10,600 miles above the earth. The satellites are spaced so that from any point on earth, four satellites will be above the horizon. Each satellite contains a computer, an atomic clock, and a radio. With an understanding of its own orbit and the clock, the satellite continually broadcasts its changing position and time. (Once a day, each satellite checks its own sense of time and position with a ground station and makes any minor correction.) On the ground, any GPS receiver contains a computer that "triangulates" its own position by getting bearings from three of the four satellites. The result is provided in the form of a geographic position - longitude and latitude - to, for most receivers, within a few meters. (gis2gps.com)

There are three important things to consider as begin this year and seek to head in the right direction.

• Our Goal this year? (what I want)
• Our Priority this year? (what is important)
• Our Strategy this year? (what I pursue)

Our “spiritual triangulation” involves evaluating our answers to these questions, which will show us where we are and how to head in the right direction.

The Goal

Aiming Toy Guns

When our kids get toy guns, we tell them to point it only at snakes and birds, not people. We hit what we aim at. Whether we know it or not, our lives are “aimed” at something.
The question is, “What is the aim of my life?” – 1 Corinthians 9:26

The “G” in GPS stands for “Goal.” What is a “goal”?

The “aim” toward which effort is directed.

Aim, end, target, purpose (Collins Thesaurus)

The result or achievement toward which effort is directed (Reference.com)

• 1 Corinthians 10:31

• Psalm 70:4

• Psalm 16:11

• Isaiah 61:3

• Revelation 19:7

• John 14:13

• John 16:24

I need to ask myself:

• What is my goal in life?

• What do I really want in all this?

• What should I really want in all this?

Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 1

The first question in the Westminster Shorter Catechism (a product of the Westminster Assembly of English and Scottish Reformed Theologians in 1647) asks and answers:

• Question 1: What is the chief end of man?

• Answer 1: Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

John Piper would argue that we should glorify God by enjoying Him.

Others take issue with Piper and argue that we should enjoy God by glorifying Him.

It appears that the question is what do we aim at? Glorifying God or enjoying God?

Thomas Vincent, in commenting on this catechism question in 1674, would support both statements. I think He would answer the question, “Yes! These two things are married! And let no man separate!”

The chief end of man is that which man ought chiefly to aim at or design, to desire, to seek after and endeavor to obtain, as his chief good and happiness; to which his life and his actions should be referred and directed, which is the glorifying of God and the enjoying of God forever. (Vincent)

He defines glorifying God in terms of honoring God, confidence in God, praise of God, and obedience to God.

He defines enjoying God as resting in God as the chief good with contentment and delight.

He asks why glorifying God and enjoying God are joined together as ‘one chief end’?

Because God has inseparably joined them together, so that men cannot truly design and seek the one without the other. (Vincent)

The Coin

This aim or goal or object toward which effort is directed is one goal with two sides, like a coin: one side supports and completes the other side.

Our goal each moment of each day this year, according to the Bible, should be to glorify and enjoy God.

To glorify God is to honor God as “God” in a variety of ways (trust, confidence, praise, thanksgiving, obedience, reverence, hope, pleasing Him, etc).

To enjoy God is to rest in God as my Supreme Good.

Make it your aim to glorify and enjoy God more and more this year.

The Priority

The Revelation of Packing

Let’s say you are going on a trip to India like my mom. You can bring one carry on and check one bag. The process of packing reveals something significant: what is important and what is not. If my mother filled her bags with bowling balls, we would think she was insane. Why? Because she has filled her bags for the trip with things that will not help her in the ways she will need help the most and she has left out what is going to be needed on the trip. She must choose between competing alternatives.

The “P” in GPS is for “Priority.” What is a “priority”?

Something given special attention and importance before competing alternatives.

A priority is something given or meriting attention before competing alternatives (Merriam Webster)

Precedence, especially established by order of importance or urgency (Free Online Dictionary)

I need to ask myself:

• What is my priority in life?

• What is really important in all this?

• What should be really important in all this?

Our priority every day of our lives, in each situation and in every relationship, according to the Bible, should be to trust and to love. This is also one priority, not two, because they are so closely related in Scripture.

• Galatians 5:6

• 1 John 3:23

Note: This is a single commandment with two parts. ‘This is His commandment,’ not ‘These are His commandments.’

• Romans 1:5

• 2 Thessalonians 1:3

• Hebrews 11:6

• 1 Corinthians 13:13

• 1 Timothy 1:5

Westminster Shorter Catechism Questions 2 & 3

The second and third questions in the Westminster Shorter Catechism are helpful here.

Question 2: What rule has God given to direct us in how we may glorify and enjoy Him?

Note: ‘Rule’ means guide or standard or authority.

Answer 2: The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him.

Question 3: What do the Scriptures principally teach?

Answer 3: The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of man.

‘What man is to believe’ highlights the need of faith or trust.

‘What duty God requires of man’ highlights the need of obedience or love.

Faith and love together equal a proper response to the Word of God in our lives.

So that the key to the one goal of glorifying and enjoying God is the one priority of faith working love.

The Tree

We can think of the one priority of a ‘faith working love’ in light of a tree: the root is faith and the fruit is love.

We must seek to grow downward and deeper in faith and to grow upward in love.

Our priority in every situation and in every relationship this year should be to trust and love.

Trusting the Promises

Romans 5:1-2

We need to grow in trusting God’s Word in three main areas:

• Peace (with God; acceptance based on the righteousness of Christ and His cross)

“peace with God” - Romans 5:1

• Provision (all that I need for life and godliness in this world through His Spirit)

“this grace in which we stand” - Romans 5:2

• Pleasure (joy in the midst of sorrow in this life and full and lasting joy forever in His presence in the life to come)

“we exult in hope of the glory of God” - Romans 5:2

Loving in Specific Ways

We need to grow in practical expressions of love according to the Word.

That’s where ‘strategy’ comes in.

The Strategy

Israeli Commandos

In July 1976, Israeli commandos made a daring raid at an airport in Entebbe, Uganda, in which 103 Jewish hostages were freed. In less than 15 minutes, the soldiers had killed all seven of the kidnappers and set the captives free. As successful as the rescue was, however, three of the hostages were killed during the raid. As the commandos entered the terminal, they shouted in Hebrew, “Get down! Crawl!” The Jewish hostages understood and lay down on the floor, while the guerrillas, who did not speak Hebrew, were left standing. Quickly the rescuers shot the upright kidnappers. But two the hostages hesitated – perhaps to see what was happening – and were also cut down. One young man was lying down and actually stood up when the commandos entered the airport. He too, was shot with the bullets meant for the enemy. Had these three heeded the soldiers’ command, they would have been freed with the rest of the captives. (IPT)

God has commanded that we follow Christ in laying down our lives in order to be free from our own sin and to set others free as well.

The “S” in GPS stands for “strategy.” What is a “strategy”?

A plan of action that is designed to reach a goal.

Strategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. (Wikipedia)

A ‘plan of action’ means I think ahead (prudent).

A ‘plan of action’ means I do something.

I need to ask myself?

• What is my strategy?

• What will I really pursue in my life?

• What should I really pursue in my life?

There are things that we must all do regardless of what we pursue (ie, work, keep house, pay bills, mow grass, raise children, exercise, eat, sleep, etc) and it is in the context of these things (and not instead of these things) that we will choose to pursue something with our lives.

Ultimately, I have to decide in what way I will lay down my life.

• John 12:24-26

• 1 John 3:16

• Romans 12:1-2

The Death of a Seed

Our strategy for walking in faith-filled love is to lay down our lives in the specific ways God commands in our relationship with Him, with the family of God and with the unbelieving world.

One way to think about the ‘strategy’ of the Christian life is in terms of a seed: death brings life, to the plant coming from the seed as well as to others.

Applying This to Our Lives

So a Biblical “GPS” involves:
• The Goal of glorifying and enjoying God.
• The Priority of faith (trust) and love.
• The Strategy of laying down our lives.

Wherever we find instruction in how to live including the explicit commands of Scripture as well as clear implications of truth, we see a practical strategy for living that we are to embrace in the exercise of faith and love and the pursuit of the glory and enjoyment of God.

Today, I want to mention three strategies for living in Scripture that are broad but not exhaustive. But these are three things that I would encourage us to focus our attention on this year and to seek to grow in personally, family-wise, and corporately.

The reality is that all of us are not in the same place. We all fall into one of three broad categories. (1) Some of us are an example to us all in one or more of the three strategies I’m about to talk about. (2) Some of us are actively pursuing one or more of these three strategies but are inconsistent and easily distracted from these things. (3) Some of us are not consciously pursuing even one of these things in any significant way that requires us to adjust our lifestyles to make it happen. Think about where you are in light of these 3 categories as we go through this.

Where do we begin?

1. Presentation

We believe in the name of Jesus and present our lives to Him, trusting Him for righteousness and LIFE, and live to do His will. - Romans 12:1-2

But we will never do this unless we believe in His name. We won’t seriously consider adopting this GPS for 2012 unless we believe in Jesus.

• John 1:12

• John 14:6

o Have you received Him as the Life (my ultimate Help and Happiness)?

o Have you received Him as the Way (of acceptance with God by forgiveness and a gift of righteousness)?

o Have you received Him as the Truth (my wisdom for living/reliable Guide/ Lord)?

2. Process

We have to work on applying the truth to our lives. We can’t apply everything at once or expect to be totally different overnight, since usually it is a process of working out the truth in our lives.

We won’t adopt this GPS for 2012 unless we plan to do it.

We have to plan to apply and plan in applying.

• Proverbs 6:6-7

• Proverbs 16:3

• Proverbs 16:9

• Pray (for grace to do this even in your most difficult circumstances and relationships)
• Preach (the truth to yourself with the help of others)
• Practice (make an effort to do things differently, even if they are ‘baby steps’)
• Persevere (don’t give up even if the going is hard and slow)
• Praise (God for any growth, however small)

3. Most Difficult

We need to identify the most difficult circumstances in our lives and the most difficult relationships and ask:

How do I need to trust God’s promises more in this circumstance/relationship?

How do I need to love according to God’s Word more in this circumstance/ relationship?

4. Everyday Life

We need to think about family and work, church and world and ask:

How do I need to trust and love more in my family?

How do I need to trust and love more at work?

How do I need to trust and love more in my church?

How do I need to trust and love more in my world of unbelievers?

5. Three Suggestions

I want to mention three strategies for living in Scripture that are broad but not exhaustive. But these are three things that I would encourage us to focus our attention on this year and to seek to grow in personally, family-wise, and corporately.

• To fellowship with God in the Word and in prayer for love.

Live more like a branch

John 15:4, 7

John 15:1-11

To abide is to ‘remain’ and implies a continual dependent and nourishing relationship through conscious, practical choices.

Practical Suggestion: Read one chapter of the Bible a day, write down one thing that stands out to you and pray for (1) yourself (2) your family (3) Coast members and (4) unbelieving neighbors, co-workers and friends in light of what you read.

• To speak the truth in love in the family and in the church.

Live more like a bodily member

Ephesians 4:15-16

Ephesians 4:11-16

Practical Suggestion: That we ask ourselves two questions: (1) Who could I benefit from in a particular area of need and growth and ask them to disciple me in this area? (2) Who could I benefit in a particular area of need and growth and ask to meet with them on a regular basis and informally disciple them?

• To be a fisher of men in your world through inviting and proclaiming.

Live more like a missionary/messenger

John 1:35- 36, 40-46

John 1:35-36, 40-46

Practical Suggestion: That we ask ourselves: (1) Who can I pray for on a regular basis who needs a Savior? (2) Who can I invite this week to church or to listen or watch something that communicates the truth about Jesus? (3) Who can I speak to this week about the truth of the gospel?

Don’t Waste Your Life

A NEWLY RETIRED COUPLE moves to New Mexico to spend their twilight years on the golf course. A middle-aged man labors all day at the office to make enough money to provide his family with a nice house in a safe neighborhood and fun vacations in the summer. A young student enters college in hopes of gaining the education and skills needed to have a good career. Is this all there is to life? Or did God make us for something greater than the American Dream? (Don’t Waste Your Life study guide by John Piper)

How will your life be different than simply pursuing the American Dream this year?

• It depends on what your goal is.
• It depends on what your priority is.
• It depends on what your strategy is.
• It depends on whether you plan.
• It depends on whether you believe in Jesus.

For the good of your own soul, you need to answer some questions today:

• What is your Goal for 2012? What do you really want this year? Will you embrace the goal of glorifying and enjoying God?

• What is your Priority for 2012? What is really important this year? Will you embrace the priority of faith (trust) and love?

• What is your Strategy for 2012? What will you really pursue year? Will you embrace a life of laying down your life to fellowship with God, to speak the truth in love to others and to be a fisher of men?

• Will you plan? Do you believe?

Some possible, Biblical New Year’s resolutions for 2012:

1. I resolve to lay down my life this year to grow in fellowship with God in devotion to prayer and to the Word.

2. I resolve to lay down my life this year to grow in disciplemaking by speaking the truth in love in my family and in my church.

3. I resolve to lay down my life this year to grow in reaching out to unbelievers by inviting and proclaiming the truth.

The greatest hindrance in our lives is indifference to what God calls us to because we have another agenda for our lives.

We need not fear failure or imperfection, but indifference to God’s vision for our lives.

May God give us grace to:

• Turn from our own agenda for our lives.

• Trust Him for all that He promises us through Jesus.

• Obey His Word in laying down our lives for the glory and enjoyment of God, for ourselves and others.

Let’s pray.

Unconquerable Love

2011-11-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

Believers in Jesus suffer because God loves them not because He does not love them. This is the amazing message of Romans 8:35-39.

This passage teaches us:

1. Our relationship to Christ gives meaning to our suffering.

Often suffering raises this knotty question, “What does this mean?”

· Job’s friends – they thought his suffering surely meant that there was some hidden sin in his life

· The man born blind in John 9 – the disciples thought that the only two possibilities were that his suffering meant that either his parents had sinned or he had sinned

· Jesus on the cross and the comments of the religious leaders – they thought His death on the cross was clear evidence that God was not pleased with Him, indeed, that He was cursed by God!

Understanding the meaning of our suffering is no small matter as Holocaust survivors will attest to.

There is nothing in the world that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions, as the knowledge that there is a meaning in one’s life. … He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how. – Victor Frankly, Jewish psychiatrist and Holocaust (Auschwitz) survivor, in Man’s Search for Meaning

Various answers are given to the question of the meaning of our suffering:

1. Nothing (because we came from nothing and are going to nothing)

Nihilism (from the Latin nihil, nothing) is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value.^[1] Moral nihilists assert that morality does not inherently exist, and that any established moral values are abstractly contrived. (Wikipedia)

2. You are good or you are bad (what you experience defines who and what you are)

A good summary of this theistic view of karma is expressed by the following: "God does not make one suffer for no reason nor does He make one happy for no reason. God is very fair and gives you exactly what you deserve."

Many western cultures have notions similar to karma, as demonstrated in the phrase what goes around comes around. The concepts of reaping what you sow from Galatians 6:7, violence begets violence and live by the sword, die by the sword are Christian expressions similar to karma. Some observershave compared the action of karma to Western notions of sin and judgment by God or gods, while others understand karma as an inherent principle of the universe without the intervention of any supernatural being. In Hinduism, God does play a role and is seen as a dispenser of karma. (See Karma in Hinduism for more details.) The non-interventionist view is that of Buddhism and Jainism. (Wikipedia)

3. It means whatever I want it to mean.

Søren Kierkegaard coined the term "leap of faith", arguing that life is full of absurdity, and one must make his and her own values in an indifferent world. One can live meaningfully (free of despair and anxiety) in an unconditional commitment to something finite, and devotes that meaningful life to the commitment, despite the vulnerability inherent to doing so. (Existentialism, Wikipedia)

4. It all depends on your relationship to the Point of it all, Jesus Christ.

My suffering has a different meaning depending on whether I am in union with Christ by faith or not. (Romans 8:35-39)

Again, believers in Jesus suffer because God loves them not because He does not love them.

Paul argues that God’s love for believers in Jesus is unconquerable and suffering is no exception to the rule.

2. No one can prevent God from loving us. (Romans 8:35)

The use of “who” makes these circumstances somehow “personal” so that either Paul is personifying these circumstances or highlighting the involvement of people in these kinds of difficult circumstances.

The love of Christ here does not refer to our love for Christ but to Christ’s love for us as the context indicates.

Tribulation is pressure or crushing and is used for suffering in general. Distress is a narrow place and may refer to the inner turmoil produced by suffering. Persecution is affliction intentionally caused by others. Famine is a lack of food and nakedness is a lack of clothing/shelter (the necessities of life). Peril is danger of any kind and sword refers to execution.

Why would Paul pose the question of being separated from the love of Christ through suffering, often involving other people?

Suffering often raises the question of whether God loves us and whether we are presently being loved by God in what we are experiencing.

Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 17:3; Deuteronomy 1:26-27)

Suffering often involves the hatred of man for man and therefore does not feel like we are being loved by anyone, including God.

The identification of Jesus and His disciple in hatred and love (John 17:14; John 17:23)

Yet we need not doubt the operation of God’s love even in the most difficult of circumstances or in the most hostile of people.

3. No thing can prevent God from loving us. (Romans 8:38-39)

This is Paul’s own testimony in light of truth and experience.

Death refers to physical death and life refers to all that we might experience whether good or bad. Angels refers to good angels and principalities refers to evil angels. Things present refers to this age (or what is now) and things to come refers to the age to come (or what is going to be). Powers refers to supernatural events or beings. Height refers to things in heavenly places and depth refers to things in the earthly realm (or even in hell). Any other created thing is comprehensive and refers to everything in the created universe (leaving only God the Creator unmentioned).

The love of God is the love of Christ and is always united to Jesus and to those who are in union with Jesus by faith alone.

Why would Paul say that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ?

Because there are powers that desire to do that very thing.

Job’s temptation by Satan (Job 1:11)

Yet we need not fear the powers that be.

4. God loves and gives a faith in Jesus that overcomes trials. (Romans 8:37)

The word for overwhelmingly conquer means ‘we are hyper-victorious’ and refers to the fact that we are ‘totally victorious’ and the benefit far exceeds the suffering endured in the battle.

The conquering is not due to our faith but it is the result of the victory of Christ on the cross so that our victory is the application of and outworking of His victory on the cross in our place.

The conquering is about our faith and is through faith because it is our faith in Christ that enables us to transcend every circumstance and glorify God.

What does this tell me about a God who loves me perfectly and persistently and ordains that I suffer much in this life?

He values tribulation-transcending faith. (1 John 5:4-5; 1 Peter 1:6-7)

He and his wife arrived on the island of Tanna November 5, 1858, and Mary was pregnant. The baby was born February 12, 1859. "Our island-exile thrilled with joy! But the greatest of sorrows was treading hard upon the heels of that great joy!" (p. 79). Mary had reaped attacks of ague and fever and pneumonia and diarrhea with delirium for two weeks.

“Then in a moment, altogether unexpectedly, she died on March third. To crown my sorrows, and complete my loneliness, the dear baby-boy, whom we had named after her father, Peter Robert Robson, was taken from me after one week's sickness, on the 20th of March. Let those who have ever passed through any similar darkness as of midnight feel for me; as for all others, it would be more than vain to try to paint my sorrows! (p. 79)”

He dug the two graves with his own hands and buried them by the house he had built.

“Stunned by that dreadful loss, in entering upon this field of labor to which the Lord had Himself so evidently led me, my reason seemed for a time almost to give way. The ever-merciful Lord sustained me . . . and that spot became my sacred and much- frequented shrine, during all the following months and years when I labored on for the salvation of the savage Islanders amidst difficulties, dangers, and deaths. . . . But for Jesus, and the fellowship he vouchsafed to me there, I must have gone mad and died beside the lonely grave! (p. 80)”

The courage to risk the loss was one thing. But the courage to experience the loss and press on alone was supernatural.

"I felt her loss beyond all conception or description, in that dark land. It was very difficult to be resigned, left alone, and in sorrowful circumstances; but feeling immovably assured that my God and father was too wise and loving to err in anything that he does or permits, I looked up to the Lord for help, and struggled on in His work" (p. 85).

Here we get a glimpse of the theology that we will see underneath this man's massive courage and toil.

"I do not pretend to see through the mystery of such visitations – wherein God calls away the young, the promising, and those sorely needed for his service here; but this I do know and feel, that, in the light of such dispensations, it becomes us all to love and serve our blessed Lord Jesus so that we may be ready at his call for death and eternity" (p. 85). (short biography of John Paton, missionary to the cannibals in the New Hebrides islands, by John Piper)

5. Expect to be loved by God and to suffer in this life.

We often find ourselves in difficult situations like those of John Bunyan.

The parting with my Wife and poor children hath often been to me in this place as the pulling of the Flesh from my bones; and that not only because I am somewhat too fond of these great Mercies, but also because I should have often brought to my mind the many hardships, miseries and wants that my poor Family was like to meet with should I be taken from them, especially my poor blind child, who lay nearer my heart than all I had besides; O the thoughts of the hardship I thought my Blind one might go under, would break my heart to pieces. … (John Bunyan on his 12 year imprisonment for preaching)

Last week we began looking at this passage in light of the fact that often suffering raises this knotty question, “What does this mean?”

Various answers are given to the question of the meaning of our suffering:

1. Nothing (because we came from nothing and are going to nothing)

2. You are good or you are bad (what you experience defines who and what you are)

3. It means whatever I want it to mean.

4. It all depends on your relationship to Jesus Christ.

If we are in Christ then no person or power can prevent God from loving us nor is any negative circumstance evidence that He is not loving us but the exposure of how He is loving us!

The cross is the demonstration of His love for us right now and our circumstances are the disguise of His love whether it is a smiling or frowning providence.

6. Expect to be loved and to suffer in this life for God’s glory. (Romans 8:35-36)

This quote is from Psalm 44:22 which is a Psalm about the suffering of those who have not forsaken God or His covenant or turned to worship other gods and yet still suffer in great ways. (Psalm 44:17-22)

The reason for the suffering is stated to be, not sin, but “for God’s sake” – for His glory and purposes.

Think about Paul’s call. (Acts 9:15-16)

Think about Paul’s list of suffering. (John 9:1-3)

George Matheson was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1842. As a child he had only partial vision and his sight became progressively worse until it resulted in blindness by the time he was eighteen. Despite his handicap, he was a brilliant student and graduated from the University of Glasgow and later from seminary. He became pastor of several churches in Scotland including a large church in Edinburgh where he was greatly respected and loved. After he had been engaged to a young woman for a short while, she broke the engagement, having decided she could not be content married to a blind man. Some believe that this painful disappointment in romantic love led Matheson to write [this] beautiful hymn. (MacArthur’s commentary on Romans)

1. O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

2. O light that foll’west all my way,
I yield my flick’ring torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

3. O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

4. O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

Godliness is being willing to endure hardship in this life so that God is seen and exalted and people are saved.

7. Expect to be loved and to suffer in this life for God’s glory through Christ’s power. (Romans 8:37)

To overwhelmingly conquer is to not have your faith in Christ destroyed by your negative circumstances.

Think about Paul’s reasoning for his conversion. (1 Timothy 1:15-16)

Think about Paul’s thorn in the flesh. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

The obvious point: If Jesus is sufficient for Paul’s suffering, then He will be sufficient for ours.

John Paton’s loss and strength:

8. Expect to be loved and to suffer in this life for God’s glory through Christ’s power without any regrets. (Romans 8:37)

To overwhelmingly conquer is to gain infinite riches through temporary loss and “light affliction.”

(Romans 8:28; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Hebrews 11:32-12:3; Philippians 3:8-11)

Being entirely at the mercy of such doubtful and vacillating friends, I, though perplexed, felt it best to obey. I climbed into the tree and was left there alone in the bush. The hours I spent there live all before me as if it were but of yesterday. I heard the frequent discharging of muskets, and the yells of the Savages. Yet I sat there among the branches, as safe as in the arms of Jesus. Never, in all my sorrows, did my Lord draw nearer to me, and speak more soothingly in my soul, than when the moonlight flickered among those chestnut leaves, and the night air played on my throbbing brow, as I told all my heart to Jesus. Alone, yet not alone! If it be to glorify my God, I will not grudge to spend many nights alone in such a tree, to feel again my Savior's spiritual presence, to enjoy His consoling fellowship. If thus thrown back upon your own soul, alone, all alone, in the midnight, in the bush, in the very embrace of death itself, have you a Friend that will not fail you then? (p. 200) (John Paton biography by John Piper)

Rest, Pray, Purpose and Practice

9. We need to believe that God does not punish those who are trusting in the righteousness of His Son, Jesus, no matter what their circumstances. (Romans 5:8-9; Romans 8:1)

One day as I was passing into the field . . . this sentence fell upon my soul. Thy righteousness is in heaven. And methought, withal, I saw with the eyes of my soul Jesus Christ at God's right hand; there, I say, was my righteousness; so that wherever I was, or whatever I was doing, God could not say of me, he wants [=lacks] my righteousness, for that was just before him. I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my righteousness worse, for my righteousness was Jesus Christ himself, "The same yesterday, today, and forever." Heb. 13:8. Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed. I was loosed from my afflictions and irons; my temptations also fled away; so that from that time those dreadful scriptures of God [about the unforgivable sin] left off to trouble me; now went I also home rejoicing for the grace and love of God." (John Bunyan)

10. We need to embrace suffering, die to our will and purpose to suffer to the glory of God. (1 Peter 4:1-2; 1 Peter 4:12-13; 1 Peter 4:18-19; 2 Corinthians 1:8-9)

By this scripture I was made to see that if ever I would suffer rightly, I must first pass a sentence of death upon every thing that can be properly called a thing of this life, even to reckon myself, my wife, my children, my health, my enjoyment, and all, as dead to me, and myself as dead to them. The second was, to live upon God that is invisible, as Paul said in another place; the way not to faint, is to "look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (John Bunyan)

11. We need to pray for grace sufficient for our suffering, praise and thank God for our sufferings, forgive those who cause our suffering and love others in the midst of our suffering in obedience to God’s Word. (James 5:13; Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:15-21)

Are You Convinced?

Paul is making a clear connection between the promise of suffering in this life and the promise of God’s love.

Christmas is coming up soon. What do you expect those you love to do? To give you presents. What do you expect those presents to be? Something good or something evil? What do you expect those good things to be wrapped in? something attractive or something repulsive? If your parents gave you a gift wrapped in slime from the sewer and told you it was a good gift that came from their heart of love for you, what would the test be? Whether you believed their word in the face of the outward circumstances!

We expect good things to come in good packages but that is our way not God’s way, many times.

So what should we expect in the Christian life?

God gives us a “heads up” so to speak in the life of Jesus Himself.

Should we expect to be treated any different than Jesus? He tells us not to.

Expect to be treated like Jesus – to be loved by God and to suffer in this world.

Just like you expect the sunrise every day!

12. The bottom line is that believers in Jesus suffer because God loves them not because He does not love them.

This is implied in Romans 8:35-39 and is also expressed in other passages more or less directly. (Hebrews 12:5-6)

Paul says that he is convinced of the love of God for him in any and all situations (v. 38). Can you say that you are convinced of this as well? What more must God do to convince you? What more must God say?

What can you do as a believer in Jesus?

Ponder … think long and hard and often about what God says is true

Pray … ask God to open your eyes to see the truth and to free you from lies and to give you grace to believe and to convince you

Practice … begin to do what the Bible says to do in the midst of suffering – pray, praise, forgive and serve others.

What should you do as an unbeliever?

Look … to God for help and happiness.

Rest … in Jesus and His death on the cross for acceptance.

Follow … Jesus as your Lord in obedience to His Word.

Pray … confess your sin, ask God for mercy and for grace to look and rest and follow Jesus today.

Those who are righteous by faith in Jesus can rejoice in the truth of this song in all their suffering:

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise (Blessings by Laura Story)

For all those who are righteous by faith in Jesus, every experience of suffering is the experience of God’s love as His “mercy in disguise.”

Just as you expect the sunrise every morning, expect God to love you and expect to suffer in one way or another and to one degree or another (and be more surprised when you don’t than when you do) and purpose to follow Christ and worship, forgive and love/obey. (1 Peter 4:1-2)

Meal Plan for this Sunday at Coast

2011-11-04T10:51:00.001-07:00

Dear Coast family,

This Sunday we will continue our journey through Romans and enter the 9th chapter with a focus on the first 5 verses. We will look at what this passage has to say about a strong belief in the sovereignty of God in the salvation of sinners and our heart toward those who are unbelieving.

The message is titled, Passion, Privilege, and Predestination (Romans 9:1-5).

God bless you all,

Earl

I'd Rather Be Man-Fishing!

2011-10-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

An Encouragement to Reach Out to Unbelievers (with Some Ideas of How to Start)

Man-fishing? What is that? Just picture an early morning sunrise with a sleepy guy standing on the edge of a lake with a breakfast burrito in one hand and a fishing pole in the other. He’s just cast his line into the lake with some tasty morsel on the hook. Now he’s waiting to see if he gets a bite. Or picture another man in another part of the world casting a large net off the side of his boat and slowly pulling it in. He too is eagerly waiting to see if he’s caught anything. Now imagine the “fish” being sought after are not fish, but men! Jesus Himself used the picture of fishing to describe seeking to save others through the proclamation of the gospel. It is important to have a biblical perspective on “man-fishing.” (Mark 1:17)

Man-fish aren’t naturally attracted to the gospel truth we are using for bait. The gospel of Jesus Christ is offensive to the natural man because it humbles him, exalts Jesus as Savior and Lord, and gives all the glory to God. (Romans 3:10-18)

Man-fishing is ultimately only something God can make successful. If God doesn’t make our fishing trip successful, no amount of skill and passion on our part will make up for it. God saves men (and women and children!) according to His sovereign mercy. (Romans 9:15-16)

But God has chosen to use His people to save people. Although we are not sufficient to save anyone, we are necessary for the salvation of others because God has designed it that way. (Romans 10:13-17)

The call to follow Christ is the call to become a fisher of men. Jesus calls us to love as He loved and to love others as we love ourselves which requires that we lay down our lives to become fishers of men. (Mark 1:14-18)

As we consider “going fishing” for men, what do we need to think about?

The Gear

· Our “fishing gear” must include love for Christ and wanting others to know Him. (2 Corinthians 5:10-21)

· Our “fishing gear” must include a loving life that backs up our profession. (Philippians 2:14-16)

· Our “fishing gear” must include a clear understanding of the gospel. (Ephesians 2:1-10)

· Our “fishing gear” must include prayer to God for open doors, bold-ness, graciousness, clarity, faithfulness under persecution, and fruit. (Colossians 4:2-6; Acts 4:29-31)

The Lake or Stream

Make a list of all the unbelievers in your life: immediate family, extended family, close friends, co-workers, neighbors, classmates, old high school friends, acquaintances like grocery clerks, mailmen, tax preparers, gardeners, maids, etc. Think of anyone you have had a relationship with or see on some regular basis right now. Write down their names and begin to pray for them. Then ask the Lord how you can begin to love and serve and reach out to them.

The Rod or Net

1. We can fish for men by inviting them to “hear” the truth. (John 1:46)

*Invite unbelievers to church or to a gospel-oriented event.

*Give unbelievers a book to read.

*Give unbelievers an audio to listen to or a DVD to watch.

*Hand someone a tract or put it in a bill payment.

*Invite unbelievers over for coffee/ dinner.

*Have a neighborhood fellowship time or Bible study at your home.

*Leave a thank you note, a tract, and a nice tip for the waitress or waiter.

*Use holidays to give out “goodies” with gospel materials included.

*Do things just to get to know better and to serve the unbelievers in your life.

*Look for opportunities and also seek to create opportunities to serve and share truth with unbelievers.

*Go where unbelievers are and be involved in what they are involved in.

2. We can fish for men by telling them the truth ourselves. (1 Peter 3:15)

*Be prepared to comment on news and events from a biblical perspective.

*Be prepared to share your salvation testimony or what God is doing in your life today in 2 minutes or less.

*Be prepared to present a complete presentation of the gospel in 5 or 10 min-utes.

*Write to an unbeliever and speak the truth in gentleness and love.

*Ask unbelievers how you can pray for them and tell them why you believe God answers your prayers.

*Ask unbelievers if you can pray with them, especially when they are in need.

*Ask unbelievers if you can get together for coffee and read the Bible together.

*Do good to unbelievers and tell them it is because of Jesus.

Resources: Some Suggestions to Get Started

What are some resources to help us in “man-fishing”?

Tracts: Two Ways To Live (Matthias Media); Experiencing God’s Grace (Southern Seminary); Quest for Joy (Desiring God); Simple Simon (Dominica Free Press)

Bibles: ESV Outreach NT (Crossway)

Evangelistic Bible Studies: Matthias Media

Biblical Views on Various Issues: Booklets by the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation

Apologetics: The Case for Christ (Lee Strobel); Evidence That Demands a Verdict (Josh McDowell), Answers in Genesis Ministry

DVDs, Audios: Desiring God Ministries, Ligonier Ministries, Matthias Media

Training: Six Steps to Talking About Jesus (Matthias Media – note: some material in this pamphlet is dependent on this series)

Gospel Logic Applied: Become Fishers of Men

2011-10-20T13:56:00.000-07:00

The Text (Romans 8:31-34)

Do you fish?

1. To apply the gospel is to lay down our lives to become fishers of men.

When you think about living the Christian life what kinds of pictures come to mind?

Do you ever think of yourself as a fisherman?

Do you believe that you are called to be a fisher of men?

A. The logic of the gospel says, “If God has saved me through the preaching of the gospel – the good news of what Christ has done for sinners, then love requires that I preach the gospel so that others might be saved.” (Romans 8:34; Romans 10:13-17; 2 Corinthians 4:13)

B. Jesus pictures this preaching of the gospel as fishing for men. (Matthew 4:17-20; Mark 1:14-17; Luke 5:10)

C. All believers are called to participate in the ingathering of fish into the kingdom of God. (Mark 8:34-38; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:45-49; John 20:19-23; Acts 1:6-8; Acts 8:1-5; 1 Peter 3:13-16; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Philippians 1:7, 27-30; Philippians 2:14-16)

2. All faithful fishers of men have in common the heart of the Master Fisherman, the gospel fishing gear, and a humble, prayerful preparation for fishing.

What would you think of a fisherman who didn’t care about catching fish?

What would you think of a fisherman who used a baseball and bat?

What would you think of a fisherman who went as he was at the last moment without any preparation?

A. All believers are to be fishers of men with the same characteristics.

B. God calls us to fish for men with the heart of God and Christ for sinners. (Galatians 5:13-14; 2 Corinthians 5:10-21; 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13; John 20:30-31; Revelation 22:17; Acts 2:36-41; Acts 17:22-31; Acts 26:24-29; Mark 10:21-22; Luke 19:41-44; Ezekiel 18:23; Ezekiel 33:11)

C. God calls us to use the truths of the gospel to catch men. (Romans 10:13-17; Ephesians 2:1-10)

D. God calls us to pray so that our fishing will be successful. (Titus 3:3-8; Luke 5:1-11; 1 Corinthians 3:5-9; Acts 4:8-31; Colossians 4:2-4; 2 Timothy 2:24-26)

3. But faithful fishers of men differ in giftings, opportunities, fruitfulness and fish attacks.

Do all fishermen look alike?

Do all fishermen have the same skill?

Do all fishermen fish in the same pond?

Do all fishermen catch the same number of fish or the same kind?

Do all fishermen get attacked by sharks?

A. All believers are called to fish for men but each believer’s fishing will look somewhat different.

B. Not every believer is equally gifted to fish or gifted in the same way to fish for men.

(Ephesians 4:11-16)

C. Not every believer lives in the same world of lost men. (3 John 1:5-8; Romans 15:20-25; Titus 2:3-5; 1 Thessalonians 4:9-11)

D. Not every believer will catch as many lost men as others. (Acts 2:40-41)

E. Not every believer will experience the same kind of hostile responses from men but we all must fight fear in witnessing. (Matthew 10:16-42; 2 Corinthians 11:23-29; 2 Timothy 1:7-12)

4. All faithful fishers of men can begin by identifying the fish in their pond and casting a line with invitations, commentary, testimony, explanation of basic truths of the gospel in the context of ongoing relationships of love and service.

What would you think of a fisherman who fished at a ice skating rink?

What would you think of a fisherman who put an old shoe on his line?

A. Fishers of men need to consider who in their world needs a Savior. (John 4:31-38; 1 Corinthians 9:15-27; 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1; Philippians 2:1-11)

B. Fishers of men need to invite unbelievers to come, read, listen and watch. (John 1:29-46; Luke 14:16-24; Matthew 22:1-14)

C. Fishers of men need to comment on world events and life experiences from God’s perspective. (Luke 13:1-5; Colossians 4:2-6; Ephesians 6:18-20)

D. Fishers of men need to share their testimonies of God’s grace in their lives in clear and brief ways. (Acts 22:1-16; Acts 26:9-18)

E. Fishers of men need to be prepared to explain the gospel in a clear and complete and concise way. (1 Peter 3:15; Philippians 2:14-16)

F. Fishers of men need to serve and have relationships with unbelievers on an ongoing basis even when the gospel is resisted. (Luke 15:1-2; Matthew 9:10-13; Matthew 11:19; Mark 2:15-17; Luke 5:29-32)

G. Fishers of men need to look for opportunities to speak the truth in love to unbelievers and create opportunities to do so. (Colossians 4:2-6)

Are you a fisherman or a fish?

You are one or the other! If you are a fisherman, go fishing! If you are a fish, receive the offer of salvation!

A fisherman is someone who has received Jesus as Lord and Savior and is called to follow Him as a fisher of men.

A fish is someone who needs a Savior from sin and who has never responded to the call to follow Jesus.

Alone, But Not Alone

2011-10-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

An Encouragement and Guide to Spending Time Alone with God

Time alone with God? That’s a tough one, isn’t it? If there’s anything that is opposed by the “tyranny of the urgent” (world) and the fatigue of our bodies (flesh) and the spiritual forces that hate us (devil), it is a life given to spending time alone with God. In order for this to become a habit in our lives, it requires 1) strong conviction, 2) vision for what to do, and 3) perseverance in the face of obstacles. In short, it requires the grace of God!

1. The Scripture calls us to spend time alone with God on a daily basis. This is the strong conviction we need to have. The only way we can become convinced of this is to think about what the Bible says: It was the habit of Jesus, the Perfect Man, whom we are to fol-low, to spend time alone with God (Matthew 14:23; 26:36; Mark 1:35; 6:46-47; Luke 5:16; 6:12; 9:18; 11:1). Jesus also taught us to spend time alone with God (Matthew 6:5-6; Luke 10:38-42). We are taught to ask for what we need daily (Matthew 6:11) and to meditate on God’s Word daily (Psalm 1:1-3). The spirit of all this is to say that we should spend time alone with God according to our desire to fellowship with Him and our need for Him, both of which encourages daily fellowship.

2. This time alone with God is to be shaped and filled with the Word of God and prayer, which can also be supported by other means. This is the vision we need to have. God speaks to us in the Bible. We speak to God in prayer. This is the nature of fellowship with God now, although one day it will be face to face! It helps to have a plan for Bible reading. It helps to have a plan for prayer. A plan gives us a starting point each day and prevents wasting time while providing us with the opportunity to be flexible as needed. So feel free to change what you do on any given day but have a plan in place.

Plan to read through the whole Bible. Every word of God to us is important and profitable. (Matthew 4:4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17) You can pick up a reading plan or plan your own. A 1 year plan (about 13 months) to read through the whole Bible requires about 3 chapters in the OT and 1 chapter in the NT each day; a 2 year plan about 1 chapter in both the OT and NT each day; a 3 year plan (about 39 months) about 1 chapter a day. Take your pick!

Plan to pray the Lord’s Prayer for yourself and others. This is the instruction of our Lord and we should take it seriously. (Matthew 6:9-13) But praying the Lord’s prayer is not a matter of rote but of submitting our hearts and lives to God’s prayer list! What is on God’s prayer list?

1. A heart for God and His glory

2. A heart for obedience and His kingdom

3. A request for daily, practical needs

4. A request for forgiveness and reconciliation

5. A request for grace in the fight for holiness in trial and temptation.

One of the best things to do is to pray in response to what you read in the Scripture by confessing the sin it exposes, by rejoicing in the comfort and encouragement it gives, and by requesting that God would enable us to believe His Word and to obey what He calls us to be and do, for His glory and the love of others.

But there are also other elements that are rooted in and spring from and apply the principal means of the Word of God and prayer that we can use in our fellowship with God.

1. We can write down our thoughts and questions and insights and plans and prayer re-quests in a journal.

2. We can sing to the Lord (by memory or using a hymnal or song book).

3. We can review our sermon notes and pray for application.

4. We can use devotional materials.

5. We can pray through the Coast prayer request sheet.

6. We can memorize verses that stand out in our reading and meditate on them in more depth.

7. We can read Christian biographies and pray in light of what we learn through it.

8. We can read Bible handbooks and study Bible notes to help us understand what we read.

9. We can simply pray Scripture verses for ourselves and others.

10. We can make action plans for how we will put into practice what we’ve read or how we will seek to help and encourage someone else.

The important thread in all this is to seek to hear God’s Word to us and to respond in appropriate ways: in worship (praise and thanksgiving) and confession (of sin and righteousness in Christ) and petition /intercession (prayer for ourselves and others) and obedience (applying what we see in the Word and seeking to help others).

3. There is no specific amount of time required by Scripture for this kind of personal fellowship with God, although the principle that “he who sows much, will reap much” certainly applies. (Galatians 6:6-10; 2 Corinthians 9:6) Time is not the issue, but rather, fellowship with God and the grace we need to trust and obey Him more in our lives. (1 Corinthians 1:9; Hebrews 4:12) The more needy we sense ourselves to be, the more hopeful that God will meet us during this time, and the more we get into the habit of setting aside time for this, the less of an issue that time will be. But it is good to choose the time you will spend (especially as you are cultivating a habit) and how you will spend it, whether 5 minutes a day, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, etc. Here is one plan that you can use (let’s use 30 minutes as an illustration):

1. Spend time thanking and praising God (2 minutes)

2. Read a passage of Scripture (10 minutes)

3. Pray in light of what you read (2 minutes)

4. Read a devotional passage (5 minutes)

5. Pray in light of what you read (2 minutes)

Ask God for what you and others need and close with praise and thanksgiving (9 minutes).

4. You can expect to have to fight and persevere and guard your time alone with God. So don’t be surprised or discouraged. In due time, you will reap if you don‘t give up! Having a plan is helpful and cultivating a habit is important, but the only thing that will drive us to spend time with God on a regular basis is an acute sense of need and a trust in the promises of God in Christ and the understanding that this time alone with God in the Word and prayer is a necessary means for enjoying all that God has promised to be for us in Jesus. Remember, God is your Father and He wants to fellowship with you and Jesus died so that we could! (1 Corinthians 1:9; Romans 5:1, 10)

Meal Plan for this Sunday at Coast

2011-10-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

This Sunday we will continue through Romans and consider God's unfailing love to us in the midst of a fallen world filled with suffering.

The message for this week will be Unconquerable Love from Romans 8:35-39.

We will celebrate the Lord's Supper together and also enjoy our "Coast Love Feast Potluck."

God's grace be with you.

See you soon.

Gospel Logic Applied: Fellowship with God

2011-10-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, there was a father and a son. Early on they had a great relationship but one day the son offended the father terribly and ran off never to be seen again. After many years, the father went looking for the son and found him and reconciled with him, at great cost to himself. After the father went back home, he expected to hear from the son but there was nothing. The father wrote letters to the son but they were never answered. He made phone calls to the son and left messages but they were never returned. Finally the father went looking for the son again and found him. The son looked surprised. “Dad, what are you doing here?” “I came to see how you are and to find out why you haven’t contacted me. I’ve sent you letters and tried to reach you by phone and I haven’t heard anything from you.” The son was mystified and said, “I didn’t think it was important.” The father replied, “Not important. Why do you think I went to all the trouble to find you and reconcile with you?” The son thought and said, “I don’t know Dad. I’m glad we reconciled. I just didn’t think that meant that we going to start communicating again on a regular basis. I have my own life to live you know and I’ve lived without you in my life for a long time so I’m not sure I could find the time to work you in. Can’t we just be happy that we’re no longer enemies and we’ve worked everything out?”

If a father reconciled with an estranged son, would you expect fellowship to naturally and logically follow?

This son could not see the logic of fellowship following reconciliation. We need to see this very logic in the logic of the gospel.

If we have been justified and reconciled to God through faith in Jesus alone, then we should pursue fellowship with God daily in our personal lives.

The Text (Romans 8:31-34)

Why are we talking about fellowship with God in light of Romans 8:31-34?

We are at a good place as a church and at a good place in Romans to step back and consider the big picture of the Christian life.

We are thinking through how Paul is using gospel logic to encourage us.

This gospel logic argues that what Christ has done for us frees us from legal demands.

But it does not free us from suffering. And our suffering does not imply that we are still under the legal demands of God’s Law.

And the fact that we have been set free from the legal demands of God’s Law does not mean that we have been freed from the logical demands of the gospel or the demands of love.

The overarching logical and loving demand of the gospel is to lay down our lays for Jesus.

The gospel logic goes, “If Jesus laid down His life for us, then we should lay down our lives for Him.” We are not to do this to try to save Him or save ourselves or repay Him, but to follow Him, and build His kingdom and pursue holiness.

This raises the question, “In what ways are we to lay down our lives for Jesus?”

We want to talk about major practical “pillar” ways in which we are to lay down our lives for Jesus. And the first of these is the call to lay down our lives to fellowship with God.

The Gospel Logic of Fellowship with God

Fellowship with God. How is this a logical and loving response to the gospel?

The gospel logic goes, “If we have been justified and reconciled to God through faith in Jesus alone, then it only makes sense that we should lay down our lives to fellowship with the God we’ve been reconciled to.”

This flows out of the truth of the gospel in Romans 8:33.

What does it mean to justify? It means to declare righteous in God’s sight. What is the result of being declared righteous in God’s sight. We are reconciled to God and have peace with Him.

Look at these verses: (Romans 5:10) (Romans 5:1) (1 Corinthians 1:9)

The God who reconciled us to Himself through His own Son wants to fellowship with us!

(Philippians 3:8-11) (Genesis 3:8-9)

God has restored the fellowship that was lost in Eden.

(Ephesians 5:31-32)

What husband wouldn’t want to see his wife every day and have fellowship with her?

Daily Fellowship Alone with God

Now fellowship with God in this life has different dimensions. It takes place in the congregation as we worship and study together. It takes place throughout our daily lives as we go through various circumstances and trials. But it also is a private activity of seeking God alone in the Word and prayer on a daily basis.

We see this through the example of Jesus whom we are to follow. (Matthew 14:23) (Matthew 26:36) (Mark 1:35) (Mark 6:46-47) (Luke 5:16) (Luke 6:12) (Luke 9:18) (Luke 11:1)

We see this in the teaching of Jesus. (Matthew 6:5-6) (Matthew 6:11)

Asking for daily bread implies daily fellowship with God.

(Luke 10:38-42)

We must not be too busy to sit at Jesus’ feet ourselves.

(Luke 15:1-3, 11-13, 20-24)

Wouldn’t be odd if this father and son rarely got together for fellowship after all of this?

Wouldn’t a father whose loving heart for his son caused him to run to meet him also long to see him and fellowship with him on a daily basis?

We see this in the NT call to devote ourselves to the Word and prayer for fellowship with God here and now is through the Word and prayer (one day it will be face to face!). (Matthew 26:41)

(Luke 18:1) (Luke 21:36) (Acts 2:42) (Romans 12:12) (Ephesians 6:18) (Philippians 4:6)

(Colossians 4:2) (1 Thessalonians 5:17) (John 8:31) (Acts 17:11) (Romans 10:17) (Ephesians 6:17) (Colossians 3:16) (1 Timothy 4:6)

How often do we need be nourished physically? Do we need it any less spiritually?

(1 Peter 2:2)

How often do babies eat?

(Hebrews 4:16)

How often do we need mercy and grace to help?

We see this in the OT Psalmists and Wisdom literature. (Psalm 1:1-3) (Psalm 5:3) (Psalm 14:1-3)

(Psalm 27:4) (Psalm 37:4) (Psalm 43:4-5)

We run daily to our hope.

(Psalm 51:10)

How often do we need to confess and be renewed?

(Psalm 55:22) (Psalm 68:19)

How often do we need to cast our burdens on the Lord?

(Psalm 62:8)

How often do we need to run to God as our refuge?

(Psalm 88:18) (Psalm 90:14) (Psalm 143:8) (Proverbs 8:34) (Proverbs 16:20)

The Fight to Be Alone with God

If this daily, private fellowship with God is a major application of the truth of the gospel to our lives, why don’t we do it?

For some, there is no fellowship because there is no relationship. For some, trials have made them distracted and even bitter. For some, the busyness of life, filled with good things, can keep them from the best thing and make them both too tired and lacking a real sense of need. (Revelation 3:15-22) for some, it is hard – it’s a fight. For some, they don’t know what to do. So we might say that one huge overarching reason is that we often lack conviction, vision and perseverance.

Hope, Conviction, Vision and Perseverance

What do we need to grow in our daily, personal fellowship with God alone?

You can catch a glimpse of his [Charles Simeon’s] zeal from this anecdote about his early rising for Bible study and prayer. “Early rising did not appeal to his natural tendency to self-indulgence, however, especially on dark winter mornings. . . . On several occasions he overslept, to his considerable chagrin. So he determined that if ever he did it again, he would pay a fine of half a crown to his "bedmaker" (college servant). A few days later, as he lay comfortably in his warm bed, he found himself reflecting that the good woman was poor and could probably do with half a crown. So, to overcome such rationalizations, he vowed that next time he would throw a guinea into the river. This (the story goes) he duly did, but only once, for guineas were scarce; he could not afford to use them to pave the river bed with gold.” (Moule, 66) (John Piper, Charles Simeon biography)

We could penalize ourselves like Simeon but this is not the best way to motivate ourselves.

We need hope (of help and happiness in God), conviction (concerning the importance of time alone with God), vision (for what to do) and persever-ance (even when life is hard and “devotions” are dry).

Hope

We need a sensitivity to our great need and desire and see fellowship with God as the answer for help and happiness. Our time alone with God is a practical way of expressing our hope in God.

But where now did this remarkable power and fruit come from? This is not an ordinary way of seeing things. This is not an ordinary way of life. What was the root of all this fruit. We get a step closer to it when we notice that . . . Simeon strengthened himself with massive doses of meditation and prayer. A friend of Simeon's named Housman lived with him for a few months and tells us about this discipline. "Simeon invariably arose every morning, though it was the winter season, at four o'clock; and, after lighting his fire, he devoted the first four hours of the day to private prayer and the devotional study of the Scriptures . . . . Here was the secret of his great grace and spiritual strength. Deriving instruction from such a source, and seeking it with such diligence, he was comforted in all his trials and prepared for every duty" (Moule, p. 66). Yes it was the secret of his strength. But it was not the deepest secret. What Simeon experienced in the word was remarkable. (John Piper, Charles Simeon biography)

Conviction

In order to cultivate a daily time alone with the Lord we need hope but also a strong Scriptural conviction.

Cultivate a spiritual conviction from the Word (see Scriptures above).

But prove yourselves doers of the Word and not merely hearers who delude themselves. (James 1:22)

Vision

In order to cultivate a daily time alone with the Lord we also need a clear vision of what to do.

Get a vision or plan for what to do daily that is simple, repeatable, sustainable and flexible.
Plan the elements in your time alone with God and the time you will give to each.
Plan to read through the whole Bible and listen to all that God has to say and to be equipped with the whole Word of God for life and ministry. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Plan to pray according to God’s prayer list as described in the Lord’s Prayer and make your requests and pour out your heart to God in the context of cultivating His heart for you and others. (Matthew 6:9-13)
Think of fellowship with God as listening to God speak to you (as your read His Word) and speaking to God (as you pray in response to what you read and what you and others need).

Time is not the issue, but rather, fellowship with God and the grace we need to trust and obey Him more in our lives. (1 Corinthians 1:9; Hebrews 4:12) The more needy we sense ourselves to be, the more hopeful that God will meet us during this time, and the more we get into the habit of setting aside time for this, the less of an issue that time will be. But it is good to choose the time you will spend (especially as you are cultivating a habit) and how you will spend it, whether 5 min-utes a day, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, etc. Start slow and aim low at first so you don’t get discouraged from the start, then increase the time as you can. Here is one plan that you can use and determine how much time you will give to each element (let’s use 30 minutes as an illustration):

Spend time thanking and praising God (2 minutes)
Read a passage of Scripture (10 minutes)
Pray in light of what you read (2 minutes)
Read a devotional passage (5 minutes)
Pray in light of what you read (2 minutes)
Ask God for what you and others need for the day and close with more praise and thanksgiving (9 minutes)

The Bible never tells us how much time to spend alone with God but the request for “daily bread” (Matthew 6:11) and the principle of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:6-9; 2 Corinthians 9:6) should encourage us to give it increasingly significant time in our daily lives while we navigate between the extremes of “serving in place of sitting at the feet of Jesus” Martha (Luke 10:38-42) and “go, be warm and be filled” (James 2:15-17) while I spend my life alone in the desert contemplating my navel, so to speak.

Use various means to help in listening to God through the Word and speaking to God through prayer.

We can write down our thoughts and questions and insights and plans and prayer requests in a journal.
We can sing to the Lord (by memory or using a hymnal or song book).
We can review our sermon notes and pray for application. 4. We can use devotional materials.
We can pray through the Coast prayer re-quest sheet.
We can memorize verses that stand out in our reading and meditate on them in more depth.
We can read Christian biographies and pray in light of what we learn through it.
We can read Bible handbooks and study Bible notes to help us understand what we read.
We can simply pray Scripture verses for ourselves and others.
We can make action plans for how we will put into practice what we’ve read or how we will seek to help and encourage someone else.
We can ask God to bring to mind verses and principles in Scripture to apply to specific situations for decision making.
We can fast from food, media, and other activities in order to give more attention to God’s Word. (Matthew 6:16-18)

Perseverance

Persevere even when you fail and it’s hard (and don’t be surprised how hard it is), refusing to give in to condemnation or complacency, because of the joy set before you.

Don’t give in to condemnation. Keep the gospel in view and work on this from a position of rest in Jesus.
You are saved by receiving and resting in the perfect righteousness of Christ, not your own “quiet time” righteousness.
Failure to spend time with God on a regular basis is not the unpardonable sin.
God does not want us to be motivated to pursue time alone with Him because of guilt or peer pressure or self-righteousness, but because of faith in the promises of God in Christ.
To fellowship with God is a major practical “pillar application” of the gospel that calls us to lay down our lives for Jesus and it cannot be overlooked neither should it be underestimated.
You were reconciled to God in order to enjoy fellowship with Him – now by the Spirit through the Word and prayer, one day face to face.
Fellowship with God is both a continuous 24/7 reality and practice, a group activity and a private pursuit but what we give our undivided attention to when we are alone shows what we value and to have the public without the private is to flirt with hypocrisy at best.
Don’t be surprised. Embrace the spiritual battle and fight the enemy. (Matthew 13; John 15)
Don’t be surprised if you continually find spending time alone with God a struggle in light of the spiritual battle we are in.
Don’t give up the pursuit of a regular time alone with God just because it’s hard and you often fail – the greater the prize the greater the price.
Don’t be complacent. Refuse both condemnation and complacency and do something.
Recognize the enemy of the “tyranny of the urgent” in a busy, stressed-out lifestyle and make better choices and free up your schedule.
Recognize the enemy of the “tired and lazy” body in an overeating, undersleeping, non-exercising world and get in shape to pursue God.
Recognize the enemy of the “unbelieving heart” in all that God has promised through the Word and prayer and fight with His promises to slay the “dragons” that stand in your way.

Let’s revisit the story we began with. What might the father have said to the son who said: “I don’t know Dad. I’m glad we reconciled. I just didn’t think that meant that we going to start communicating again on a regular basis. I have my own life to live you know and I’ve lived without you in my life for a long time so I’m not sure I could find the time to work you in. Can’t we just be happy that we’re no longer enemies and we’ve worked everything out?”

“Son, you don’t want to fellowship with me because your life is so full and there seems to be no real need. But there are two things you don’t see very well: (1) who I am and why you desperately need me and how your happiness is dependent upon me; (2) the great price I paid so we could be in fellowship on a regular basis. I urge you to consider your ways for the sake of your own joy and the price I paid.”

Do you need to do the same?

We don’t want to be like the church at Laodicea: (Revelation 3:15-22)

Instead, let’s lay down our lives to fellowship with God through His Word and prayer daily for the joy set before us. (Proverbs 8:17) (Jeremiah 29:13) (John 15:5-11)

Remember God is your Father and He wants to fellowship with you!

And Jesus died so that you could!

Meal Plan for this Sunday at Coast

2011-10-07T16:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Coast family,

This week we will talk about another major logical consequence of the gospel in our lives.

If a father reconciled with an estranged son, would you expect fellowship to naturally and logically follow?

So come join us at 10:30 AM for a message rooted in Romans 8:31-34 titled, Gospel Logic Applied: Fellowship with God.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.