Christianity and Science
Here’s a link to audio and resources from my talk last night on Christianity, science, what happens when science gets married illegitimately with atheism—and how we as believers need to remember God is in charge of the world, not the other way around.
If Christianity Were My Religion, I Wouldn’t Thank God for the Cross
If Christianity were my religion, I wouldn’t thank God for the Cross. But it’s not my religion, and on Thanksgiving Day tomorrow, I will be giving God all the thanks I can give him for the Cross of Jesus Christ.
I know I need to explain that, and I will. I wasn’t just trying to get your attention with that provocative opening; there’s a crucial truth in it, too. I think you’ll see what I mean after I clarify the idea of “my religion.”
Choosing Our Religions
We live in a world of religious pluralism. A recent Gallup poll says that 70% of North Americans believe that many religious could lead you to God. The Pew Forum surveyed Americans who belong to various religions in 2008. They found that 57% of Americans who attend Bible-believing churches (evangelical or black churches, in their study) believe that many religions can lead to God.
If Seaford Baptist Church is typical, then more than half of us believe there are plenty of good ways to get to God. Although that group has decided that “Christian” or “Baptist” is their religion, they believe they could have chosen something else instead.
Those 57% of evangelical Americans generally believe their choice of Christianity is an expression of their personal preference. Maybe it has to do with their culture, upbringing, friends in church, or what they’re comfortable with. As far as spiritual life goes, though, they think they have a choice, and the choice they’ve made is evangelical Christianity. They picked it out, and it’s their religion.
For my part, I follow Jesus Christ and his teachings, to the best of my capacity in Christ. I am a Christian. I do not, however, consider Christianity my chosen religion. I didn’t choose it off some religious clothes rack; I didn’t say, “I don’t really feel like a Buddhist or a Muslim for this life; I’m a traditional American, so the Christian thing just seems to fit me better.”
No, I didn’t buy it and I’m not trying to make it my own. Christianity is too big, too grand, too filled with God for that. I am a Christian because the one God has called me to relate to him in that unique way.
So as you see, my opening statement hinges on what i mean by “my religion.” If Christianity were my choice from a list of options, if it were my religion in that sense, I wouldn’t thank God for the cross.
History’s Most Despicable Act of Injustice?
How could I? Remember how at Gethsemane Jesus prayed that this cup could pass from him? He was asking the Father (though he knew the answer already), “Couldn’t there be some other way?!” He was arrested in humiliation and betrayal. Couldn’t that have been avoided? He was humiliated in trials before the Jewish court, Pilate, and Herod. Did he really have to go through that? He was mocked, beaten, tortured. Was that really necessary? He was hung on the Cross until he screamed the agony of forsakenness; and he died. Why, God? WHY?
Why? Because he loved us and wanted to bring us to God, and because there was no other way.
What if there had been another way? What if these 57% believe correctly that Christianity is one of many true ways to God? Then it should never have happened. The cup should have passed from the hand of the Son of God. There would have been no need for his brutal passion experience. Far from being something to thank God for, the Cross would have to been the worst of all needless atrocities in history.
Do not, I repeat, do not say, “All religions lead to God, but since I’ve grown up a Christian, I’ll follow that path for myself.” Do not make Christianity your religion that way. If you do, it is as if you are glorifying history’s most despicable act of cosmic cruelty. If you think there are multiple paths to God, then for Christ’s sake (I mean that reverently and literally), don’t choose Christianity! Don’t choose the religion that includes his torture and execution!
Or History’s Most Astonishing Declaration of Love and Justice
The question hinges on whether Jesus really did die on the cross for our sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. If he did, then we can be sure he did it because it was the only way to God. He said so himself in John 14:6. I am convinced that he did; that the God who created us entered human history in the form of a child who grew to be a man; who taught, healed, and demonstrated a life given wholly to God; and who died on the Cross, was raised from the dead, and was glorified into heaven.
I am convinced he did it because it was the only way we could come to God. He did it for love; for the joy set before him, knowing the life it bring to us whom he loves. He was willing to endure it because it was necessary in order to reconcile humans to God. The Cross was good, but it was only good because it was the only good way to bring us to God.
I do not follow Christ because Christianity is my religion of choice. I have chosen to follow Christ, yes; but that doesn’t make Christianity my religion. It’s God’s. It’s his initiative, it’s his action, it’s his grace, it’s his revelation, it’s his plan; and I’m thankful he has given me grace to enter into the relationship he has called me to.
For that reason, tomorrow on Thanksgiving, as an every other day, I will humbly and heartily thank God for the Cross of Christ, where I was rescued from death. I thank God, too, that the story did not end in death, but in resurrection, glory, and a mission for us to pursue until Christ returns.
Finally: If like me you are thanking God for the Cross, but at the same time you’re trying to hold on to the impossible belief that other religions can lead to God, it’s time to make your choice.
Also at Thinking Christian
Fusion Sermon for November 16th
Last night at Fusion, we continued to look at 1 Corinthians 1:18-21 for the second straight week. While we focus on verse 18 last week, we focused on verses 19-21 last night. The theme of last week was that the Cross divides. On one side you have those who see the Gospel as folly and on the other side you have people who see the Gospel as the power of God to save the lost. This week we talked about how the Cross conquers and saves.
Paul quotes Isaiah 29:14 in 1 Corinthians 1:19. Throughout all of Scripture, we see God destroying the wisdom of the world with His wisdom. In 2 Kings 5, God takes a powerful Syrian named Naaman and makes him bob up and down in a river seven times in order to be healed from his skin disease. In Acts 9, He takes the very Paul that is writing to Corinth and blinds him with a vision. In the midst of all of Naaman’s rank and all of Paul’s religiosity, they were left in a position where they needed good, biblical child-like faith. In quoting this verse from Isaiah, Paul is simply highlighting a theme of the Bible. God shames the wise with what is base, God shames the strong with what is weak.
This leads into Paul calling out three figures from his own society that still exist in ours today.
Where is the wise man?
The wise men of Paul’s society were the Sophists, Platonists, Stoics, and Hedonists. Our students many not encounter a Stoic when they are walking their halls at school each day, but I know who they do encounter. They encounter the friend or teacher that says science has won the day and faith is no longer needed. They know the evolutionist who has evolved right out of their relationship with the Church. They know the person who is educated to the point of being a bit offended by a God of holiness who judges with righteousness.
Many in our society today believe that they don’t have to worry about the grave because their education has taught them that the grave is just a hole in the ground. However, they have a sin problem that books, degrees, and knowledge cannot fix. Knowledge is good when it is rooted in Jesus and His Word, but knowledge in itself will not save a faithless man.
Where is the scribe?
Scribes were the teachers of the law. They were the religious elite of Paul’s day. Where is the religious man? Paul is obviously writing with a Jewish scribe in mind, but we have plenty of religion men today as well. Whether it is Buddhism, Mormonism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Atheism, Agnosticism, or Jehovah’s Witnesses–there are a lot of people trying to work their way to some sort of spiritual freedom. You can work and work and work, but in the end, when the grave calls, how has your work dealt with the debt you have in righteousness court with a holy God? It won’t.
For example, let’s say there is a man who is caught speeding. He was going 90 in a school zone. He is facing heavy fines and maybe even a little jail time because this isn’t his first rodeo. He can stand in front of the judge and list off all of the good things he does outside of speeding, but any judge who has been sworn to uphold the law will punish the transgression. God is no different. If you break the eternal law of an eternal God, there must be eternal punishment.
Where is the debater of this age?
In the ancient world, debaters were movie stars. Everyone wanted to hear these guys talk and see them debate. They lived their lives based on these celebrities and their words. Little has changed. There are more students in our schools living in light of the messages of Eminem, Kim Kardashian, Brad Pitt, the Jersey Shore crew, and MTV as a whole than the message of the Bible. If that wasn’t true, our schools would look a whole lot different. Here is a line that hurts: If that wasn’t the case in our own student ministry, our student ministry would look a whole lot different. Ouch.
But these celebrities can’t even save themselves from their own sin. When I stand in the check-out line at the grocery store I am surrounded by stories in tabloids about how these people’s lives are absolutely falling apart. How can we expect them to save anyone else from their sin? Even Oprah. Especially Oprah.
In all of these questions Paul is saying, where is your power? All of these things that people rely on for hope and salvation are empty. The Cross, the thing that the world calls folly, conquers that which the world calls wisdom. My prayer is that last night our students heard that and stopped putting faith in some of the things that they had knowingly or unknowingly been relying upon for hope and salvation.
Finally, in verse 21, Paul tells us about how God is pleased to save people through this s0-called foolish message. Why is that? Why does God want to save through a message the world sees as foolish. I think the answer is found in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29. It is how God works. He knows that no human can boast in His presence in anything but Jesus because when we look at the Gospel, who else would get credit for our salvation? We were dead in sin, no chance of salvation, no ability to respond to God and He called us our of darkness to have faith in the Son He sent when we were still His enemies. God has designed His plan of salvation for His glory. The Cross conquers and the Cross saves for the glory of God and the good of His people.
Fusion Sermon for November 9th
I will try and post all of our lessons for Wednesday nights, whether it be for Fusion or Crash, on this blog. Time escaped me last week, but hopefully I can keep up from here. For the next two weeks, our Fusion text will be 1 Corinthians 1:18-21. This week we will look at how “The Cross Divides.” Next week we will focus on how “The Cross Conquers” and “The Cross Saves.” This week we will target verse 18.
“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (ESV)”
In Paul’s day, the message of the cross was non-sense. The God of the Universe chose to send Himself in the form of His Son to die a criminal’s death? Crucifixion was reserved for the worst of the worst and it wasn’t even something people talked about in polite company. It was the electric chair. It was a noose.
Though our modern culture associates the cross with Jesus and faith, the message is still folly to a perishing world. The instrument Christ died on may not be as abnormal, but the idea that we would need a Savior in the first place is still a joke to many ears. We live in a world where people believe, with every bit of their Oprah-listening hearts, that they are good enough for God. The cross-centered message of repentance and faith is offensive to their moral adequacy.
On the other hand, the cross is the power of God displayed to a believer. We see God flexing His muscles and showing Himself to be strong enough to rescue His children through His death and resurrection. It is not a joke, it is hope.
I believe that all things important in life can be explained through professional wrestling. I grew up loving the sport…that is right–sport…when it was more pure and undefiled. In recent years it has become much more Jerry Springer than Jerry Lawler (some of you just got that). With that said, I will never forget the first time I watched the main event from Wrestlemania III. Hulk Hogan versus Andre the Giant. Hogan challenged the big Frenchman to a test of strength in the middle of the ring at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, MI. Andre got the better of the Hulkster at first, but then Hogan hulked up and displayed his superhuman strength. He ended up overpowering the Giant and dropping him to his knees. Eventually he picked him up and threw him down for the “Body Slam Heard Round the World” and retained his WWF World Championship. The four year old Pastor Michael was estatic. I will never forget Hulk flexing his muscles after the match. He had defeated evil.
When I look at the cross, I see evil defeated. I see the devil body slammed. I see victory for Christ and all who are on His side through repentance and faith. Again, the cross is not a joke. It is our only hope.
Tomorrow night I will challenge our students to realize that though they may say the cross is the power of God displayed to them–their lives may say the cross is a joke to them. If the cross is power to you, that power should be working itself out in your life. Is God’s power seen in your relationships, your respect for your parents, the things you treasure, the way you use your tongue, the way you read the Bible, the way you give, and the way you pray.
Maybe we are getting closer to the spiritual stance of some of our students if we say they “respect the cross.” Unfortunately, Jesus didn’t die for your respect. A Lord doesn’t want respect, He wants everything. I am looking for the student who will drop everything in order to surrender at the cross where the power of God was displayed in the saving work of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Michael
Feeding a Hunger for Spiritual Progress: Part 1
This post first appeared in shortened form at Gene’s personal blog
There are basics to spiritual formation that anyone who wants to make spiritual progress in Christ must learn and practice. Some spiritual disciplines are spiritual exercises to help you grow spiritually.
If I were to go out right now and say I’m going to go run a marathon, I can’t do it. why? I haven’t disciplined myself to prepare to do that. But if I chose to, in about 6-9 months, I could do it, if I were willing to put in the work.
In the same way, there are things you or I want to do or want to be spiritually that we simply can’t turn on by direct effort. If you struggle with anger, losing your temper, you can’t just say, “I’m not going to do that anymore.” That doesn’t generally help. If you are constantly worried and anxious you can’t just say, “I’m not going to feel that way any more.”
Rather, you have to put some disciplines in practice that will provoke you to spiritual growth. There are lots of spiritual exercises: service, silence, fasting, simplicity, study, prayer, bible reading, meditation, and memorization, to name a few. John Ortberg made one up that he called slowing. It involved deliberately seeking to cause things to take longer. For instance, if you are always in a hurry, deliberately put yourself in the longest line at grocery store or drive in the slow lane.
All the disciplines don’t need to be practiced by everyone, but the two core disciplines, which all other spiritual disciplines use and enhance, are prayer and bible reading. For a few weeks I want to address practically how to get at the bible.
I like the hand illustration by the Navigators regarding the bible. The five fingers of the hand represent five ways to get a grip on the bible: hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating. All of these are important. They don’t need to be practiced in any particular order. I have found that the third step of Bible study is critically important for my own development. But hearing the word is fundamental to all the others. Numerous methods provide opportunity to “hear” the word. Faithful participation in corporate worship and then listening intently to the word being preached is primary. Participating in small group bible studies is another. It is relatively easy, and in many cases free, to listen to scripture being read. Free options include the online ESV bible and Bible Gateway. I own the ESV audio bible which I have uploaded into Itunes and onto my itouch.
Stunning resources are available for hearing the word through listening to free podcasts. My favorite are Tim Keller, John Ortberg and John Piper but there are many others.
Why is this particular step of hearing the word important? If I understand Romans 10:17 it is how faith it is developed. Romans 10:17 (ESV) 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Here is how that works. Hearing the word of Christ directs our attention to God’s faithfulness instead of on the circumstances that trouble you or frighten you.
The question remain is then will you, will I, be intentional about hearing the word of Christ? There’s no way to make spiritual progress without it. As I heard John Piper say in a message some time ago. “I can’t promise you that if you will get faithful to hearing God’s word that you will grow. But I can promise you that if you don’t, you won’t grow spiritually.”
What is revival?
As we start to look forward to what we commonly refer to as revival, I admit to curiosity of what others think of when we use the word ‘revival’. I mean, what image or word or two would capture all that is wrapped into the word revival?
Is it taking an old item and restoring it (like American Restoration)? Is it taking something lifeless (or dead) and bringing it back to life? Is it moving up, sort of like moving from a typewriter to a computer keyboard? Is it recapturing some past point in time?
What captures the intent of revival – visually? I have only asked one person so far, and the response I got was ‘tent meeting’. If you start to look at revival on some of the stock photography sites you get images showing a revival of a fashion, a fad, a look, and sometimes a religious connotation. One that seems popular is the image of a flame (or flames), which is curious to me since it is rarely colored as a flame (more blue and other tones, perhaps folks put the image of red flames closer to hell than ‘fanning the flames of revival’ as depicted in those blue heavenly tones).
I think it would be a neat experiment to see what others thought of when you mention the word ‘revival’ – and that is the purpose of this post. What do you think of? Keep it short – an image or a few words that best describe what you associate with revival. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Dealing with Stress
Most of us deal with more stress than is good for us. Most of could also learn to handle the stress we face in a better way. My family tells me that I’m a stress carrier. Ouch. When I’m stressed I seem to act in ways that ensures that the blood pressure of those close to me goes up as well. I will argue tomorrow from Hebrews 10 that the solution is not so much less stress, but to have the right kind of stress. Stress may be a good thing and in some ways we need more of it. We tend to worry and be anxious about things that in the end won’t matter so much. by contrast, where we need to sense some tension, some stress is in the character of our faith and our relationship with God. We need to be willing to allow a book like Hebrews to deeply probe our lives and create some discomfort within us so that we are most concerned about the things that will move us in the right direction for now and for eternity, for ourselves and for those closetst to us. I hope you can join us for the discussion.
Gene
Men’s Meeting
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Hebrews 10:32–39 (ESV) 32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For,
“Yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not delay;
38 but my righteous one shall live by faith,
and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him.”
39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
Questions for Discussion
- What creates the most stress in your life?
- How can this text help you to see that hope more practically?
- To what extent can you imagine joyfully accepting the plundering of your property?
- How often do you honestly evaluate where you confidence lies?
How can we practically live by faith now?
Anger According to Jesus
I’ve spent two weeks discussing the subject of anger in our men’s breakfast. It didn’t seem right to leave the subject without grappling with Jesus’ words in Matthew 5: 21-26.
There’s a tremendous section in Dallas Willard’s book, The Divine Conspiracy, p. 147-154, that discusses Jesus famous words mentioned above. It is possible to read most of that section online without purchasing the book, though it does require an Amazon account. (Is there someone that doesn’t have an Amazon account?) Here is how:
- Go to www.amazon.com
- Log in or sign up for a new account
- Navigate to http://www.amazon.com/Divine-Conspiracy-Rediscovering-Hidden-Life/dp/0060693339/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307390318&sr=8-1
- On the left hand side, click on the image of the book cover which has the words above it, “Click to look inside”
- Find the search box down the left hand side that says “search inside the book” and search on the word “anger”
- Choose the reference that comes up on p. 147.
- Read for free!
You can do this with almost any book, but hang on to your wallet.
Below is the scripture and discussion questions for tomorrow’s meeting.
Men’s Meeting
Tuesday, June 8, 2011
Matthew 5:21–26 (ESV)
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Questions for Discussion
- Do you agree that anger in and of itself creates harm?
- Why is it that we do withhold anger in some settings but then are more likely to unleash it on those who are closest to us?
- Anger first arises spontaneously, but we choose to indulge it. In what ways do we indulge or nurture anger? How does this result in our “carrying a supply of anger around” with us, which is quick to ignite? Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy, p. 149.
- Nurtured anger always involves self-righteousness and vanity. What sorts of things do we say to ourselves and others that reveal this self-importance? (For example, How could he say that to me?)
Built to Last: The Challenge of Endurance
Tonight the pastors are beginning a message series on the book of Hebrews called Built to Last: The Challenge of Endurance. Pastor Gene’s outline for tonight is below.
Building a Foundation: Part 1
Hebrews 1
Embrace a fully biblical view of who Jesus is
Hebrews 1:1–4 (ESV) Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
Identify Jesus as uniquely great in your own soul
Hebrews 1:5–14 (ESV)
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”?
Or again,
“I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son”?
6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”
7 Of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels winds,
and his ministers a flame of fire.”
8 But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
10 And,
“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
11 they will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment,
12 like a robe you will roll them up,
like a garment they will be changed.
But you are the same,
and your years will have no end.”
13 And to which of the angels has he ever said,
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
Leadership and the Fruit of the Spirit
In this week’s men’s meeting I’m taking one week off from addressing the issues raised at the men’s retreat to share some reflections from my weekend away at Gordon Conwell. Ironically, it will end up having a great deal to do with the subject of anger, which I will return to next week. Here are the scripture and the discussion questions.
Men’s Meeting
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Galatians 5:19–24 (ESV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Questions for Discussion
- Who are or have been the leaders who have made the greatest positive difference in your life? What characteristics drew you to them?
- Do you agree that the development of the fruit of the Holy Spirit within us is a path to becoming a more effective leader? Why or why not?
- How would you go about seeking to develop the fruit of the Spirit?
- How would the greater development of the fruit of the Holy Spirit address a problem with anger?