AUG. 28: LOVE GETS INVOLVED

AUGUST 22, 2016

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: Luke 10:25-37

Jesus encounters an expert in the law. This expert knew the first five books of the Bible backwards and forward. Jesus uses this occasion to teach a very important truth. That truth is that a person cannot separate their relationship with God from their relationship with their fellowman. Jesus told the Parable of the Good Samaritan to illustrate what loving compassion looks like. He coupled that with describing and illustrating how believers should go the extra mile to demonstrate acts of kindness.

When a person loves God, they will love others (Luke 10:25-28). This expert in the law asks the most important question anyone can ask; “How can a person inherit eternal life?” However this expert assumed some human responsibility was attached to this concept of attaining eternal life. His question implied that he had to do something in order to receive eternal life. Jesus answered his question by asking him a question, “What does God’s Word say?” Surely an expert in the Mosaic law would know the answer. He quoted “to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, with all your mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself.” Seen clearly is the fact that loving God and loving our neighbor are the two greatest commandments. All of the Ten Commandments can be summarized in those two commandments. Yet a person cannot love anyone else until he loves God. And a person cannot love God without having a faith relationship with Jesus first.

When a person loves God, their love for God will be demonstrated through their actions (vv. 29-32).  Now this expert wanted to know how far Jesus would go in demanding love for one’s neighbor. This expert’s attitude is wrong to begin with. It seems he wants to limit “neighbor” to as few people as possible. The neighbor is the one “nearby,” but how near? Does “nearby” include the one a mile away? Two miles? Jesus tells the story of a man on a journey from Jerusalem to Jericho who was beat up and robbed and was left half-dead. The priest and Levite (religious people) passed by on the other side and refused to help the man.  Their failure to help was a failure to love, and failure to love is a sin (James 4:17). Two people who professed to love God failed to help a needy person when they had the opportunity to do so. Neither man was a neighbor to the needy man. God calls every believer to demonstrate His love to others, even to those who are enemies or are undeserving.

When a person loves God, their love for God and for others knows no limit (vv. 33-37).  The crowd stood in disbelief when the hero of the story was a Samaritan. To a Jew in the first century, there was no such thing as a “good Samaritan.” This Samaritan took action (he had compassion) as he saw the wounded man lying in the road. He washed the man’s wounds with oil and wine. He put the man on his own animal and brought him to an inn. Then he paid the inn keeper to take care of the man and his needs.

Jesus told this story to teach that love for God is often demonstrated by loving others. Jesus tells all to “Go and do likewise.” It is easy to say we love people. The real challenge comes when love must be shown through actions. Many times a person wants to limit their love to certain people or situations, but Christ-like love knows no limits. To show love toward other people is always costly. This story is a model of what ministry should look like in our lives. Herschel Hobbs said, “Ministry is seeing an opportunity and, being moved by love, going into action to bring relief to someone in distress and need.”

LESSON FOR AUGUST 21, 2016

GIVE MONEY MORE GENEROUSLY

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: Proverbs 11:23-29

Proverbs offers practical instructions on the use of money. Money is essential for living; however, believers are to recognize that God requires accountability. No matter how hard a person has toiled, in reality God is the source of all blessings. God’s blessings are not given to be hoarded but to be shared (II Kings 4:1-7). The blessing of God is promised to those who give generously to God’s work and God’s people.

A believer is to be generous with what God has given (Proverbs 11:23-26).  In v. 23 the desires of the righteous and the desires of the wicked are seen. The righteous desire what is good and beneficial. In contrast, the desires of the wicked lead to wrath. Verse 24 presents a paradox. A person who freely gives will always have plenty, but a person who is miserly and fails to help those in need will himself always be in need. If a person freely shares their resources with others, God will bless them with even more. Generosity is like a seed. In the spring the seed seems lost as it is planted in the ground. Yet, it springs up in time bringing even more seed with it. Jesus said, “give and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38). God supernaturally blesses generosity.  If a person refuses to be charitable, they often find themselves working against God. Poverty usually will be the result. What seems prudent to the miserly person can have the opposite effect. When he opens his clenched fist, he may find that his increase has disappeared.

This Scripture presents two symbols of generosity: water and grain. Water was a precious commodity and something desired by those who were thirsty. In Matthew 10:38, Jesus said a person who gave a cold cup of water in His name would be blessed. In other words, God blesses those who are a blessing to others. The blessing is that the one who gives the cup of water is refreshed himself as well as the one who receives the cup of water. The second symbol is a person who has a supply of grain yet refuses to sell it until it is in short supply.  That short supply causes such exorbitant prices that the needy are unable to purchase the needed commodity.  Yet the righteous will do what will benefit everyone. People curse the greedy who put gain above the needs of others, but bless the man who values people more than profit.

A believer is to honor God by doing good with their money (vv. 27-29). Wealth gives a false security and can tempt a person to turn away from God. The person who trusts in wealth is like a branch broken off from a tree. That branch may be rich with fruit and green leaves, but only for a short period of time. The righteous will flourish because of the connection to the true source of life, God Himself. Wealth is not in and of itself bad.  However it was never intended to sustain life. Wealth is intended only to enrich life.  Often the ungodly will lose wealth through mismanagement which brings trouble to a household. In the end the ungodly is left with a handful of nothing.

Years ago a dear lady left her church a large sum of money. Shortly after her death, the church fell on hard financial times. That church would have closed its doors if not for the resources she had given the church through her estate.  Because of her generosity, the church is a thriving congregation today.

LESSON FOR AUG. 14: INVEST MONEY WISELY

LESSON FOR AUG. 14: INVEST MONEY WISELY

By Gene Price

Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason, TN

Focal Passage: Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

God desires for His children to be good stewards both in their life and finances. Herschel Hobbs said, “Throughout the book of Ecclesiastes the writer identified two key concerns connected to wealth: (1) Don’t be consumed with the quest for wealth; and (2) Don’t fall into poverty through laziness or misfortune.” There has to be a balance between those two statements. A godly person is to plan well, and make investments wisely; and then leave it in God’s hands.

Ecclesiastes 11: 1-2

A wise person will diversify investments (ch. 11:1-2). Solomon was involved in international trade with many different merchants. Obviously, when you send grain out across the sea you are taking a risk (pirates, shipwrecks, and unethical traders). You may never see it or any return on your investment again. Solomon would send (cast) many different ships out to sea loaded with grain (bread). He did not put all of his grain onto one ship. He sent out numerous ships.  If one ship sank, he did not lose all of his investment.  He did not “put all of his eggs into one basket.” A farmer should not grow just one crop, but he should grow various kinds such as cotton, wheat, and corn. An investor should not invest in just one stock but in many different types of stocks.  Do not commit all of your possessions to a single venture. Divide up your investments because the future is not known — the stock market could drop, the value of your house could plummet, Social Security could run out. A wise person will prepare to the best of his abilities.

Ecclesiastes 11: 3-4

A wise person also keeps working and prepares for the unexpected (vv. 3-4). There are certain things that cannot be predicted or controlled. A wise person distinguishes between those things which he can do nothing about and those things which he can. A person cannot control when it rains or where a tree falls. Oftentimes a person becomes so consumed about predicting what might happen that they miss the present. It is true that the wind and the rain might come and destroy the crop. However seeds in the barn will never bring a harvest.  Duane Garrett put it this way: “Just face the fact that things may go wrong, but get out there and do your work anyway.”

Ecclesiastes 11: 5-6

Finally, a wise person will trust God to bless his hard work (vv. 5-6).  God does not want a person to be idle. Work hard, sow the seed, and leave the harvest to God. In order to achieve set goals, a person must keep at it. Those who work trusting in God will receive the blessing of God. Life is unpredictable and mysterious; Solomon compares life to the wind. Wind is unseen and unknowable. A person knows the presence of the wind by its effects. Likewise, a person cannot understand how God forms bones in the womb. Therefore the activities of God cannot be known by mankind. So when lacking understanding or information, a wise person always has his trust in God.

In the financial area of life, many believe (including me) that Jesus is coming soon! Neither the day nor the hour is known. However, many well-meaning believers use that as an excuse not to save and invest for the future. A person should live as though this is the last day on earth. At the same time, a person should invest as though they were going to live on the earth for another century. Both attitudes are worthy ambitions when lived in complete trust the One who provides for our every need.

A Note of Interest*************************

I came across this on Wednesday of this week. I hope you enjoy it.

3 Steps Toward a Distinctively Christian Approach to Sports

August 10, 2016 By Eric Geiger 

I am honored to lead the Resources Division at LifeWay and serve with a team of leaders who are passionate to serve the Church in Her mission of making disciples. Each Wednesday, I share the heart behind one of the resources our team has developed. This week’s piece is from In The Arena, a new book by David Prince, Pastor of Preaching and Vision at Ashland Avenue Baptist Church in Lexington, KY, as well as Assistant Professor of Christian Preaching at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY.

Because I am about to coach my youngest daughter’s six-year-old soccer team, I find David’s work helpful, challenging, and encouraging.

(Jim Arrington’s note: David Prince is a graduate and former baseball player of Robert E. Lee High School and Huntingdon College, Montgomery, AL)

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If, as G.K. Chesterton asserts, we can say grace over our enjoyment of sports, then we must think about our enjoyment of sports in light of the priority of our faith and the supremacy of Jesus Christ. What would a distinctively Christian approach to sports look like? In the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5—7), Jesus teaches about the characteristics of the kingdom of Christ. His message turns the wisdom of the world upside down and is a call for his disciples to live distinctive lives. The distinctiveness of Christ’s followers will bring verbal and even violent persecution at times (Matt. 5:11–12) because the disciples of Jesus constitute an alternative kingdom community who are in the world but not of the world (John 17:14–15). In other words, Christians are to constitute a unique gospel culture within a culture. Let us consider what Jesus’ call for his followers to be salt and light means for how we think about our interaction with sports as Christians.

1. A distinctively Christian approach to sports must actively seek to preserve the good in God’s cultural gift of sports.

Jesus told a tiny band of Palestinian peasants with no cultural power or authority, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13). Before refrigeration, salt was used to preserve meat from inevitable decay and to season food. Animals are a part of the good creation of God and are used as food to nourish and sustain his image bearers. Meat, not preserved, will rot and be harmful, but meat properly preserved and seasoned can become, not just good, but very good. Jesus then provided two warnings. The first is that salt contaminated and diluted is worthless, and the second is that its saltiness, once lost, cannot be restored (Matt. 5:13). The implication for Christians in relation to sports is clear. If Christians uncritically absorb sports culture, they will have no preserving influence. But, they will also be ineffective if they withdraw from sports culture.

2. A distinctively Christian approach to sports will seek to illumine the world.

The preserving work of Christians as “the salt of the earth” and their illuminating work as “the light of the world” is to be a communal blessing—a public good. Therefore, the light of the Christian gospel should permeate all public places, including the athletic fields and stands. The people of God have not been given the light of Jesus simply so that they can personally enjoy it. Neither have they been given the light so that they can share it with each other or compare to see whose lamp shines the brightest. Nor have they been given the light so that they can shake their heads and talk about those sad and pitiful people of the world who grope around in darkness. No, they are to be “the light of the world.” The pervasive cultural interest in sports provides a particular, specific, and strategic place for Christians to be the light of the world. 

3. A distinctively Christian approach to sports will be God-centered and God-directed.

In other words, it will be for the glory of God. Jesus says, in the same way a lamp shines, and a city on a hill cannot be hidden, Christians are to let their distinctive gospel light shine for the benefit of others, “so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). The Christian is not given distinctiveness in order to parade their virtue and righteousness before the world. Doing that is simply a manifestation of pride—not salt and light. When Christians do so, they are adding to the decay and darkness. The goal is not that others would see them and follow their morality but that they would glorify God in Christ.

The Blessings of Brokenness

Dr. Jay Wolf

Psalm 51:8: "Let the bones which Thou hast broken cause me to rejoice."
 
   

  I recently met a new friend who is blind. While this man lacks physical vision, he overflows with spiritual insight. He explained that his retinas began a process of irreversible degeneration about 20 years ago. He sought every medical option, but nothing could stop the descending mist of darkness.

     My new friend told me that he grew up in a strong Christian family and embraced the grace of Jesus when he was nine years old. However, his lofty educational pursuits included detours from his walk with God. He explained, "I drank at many muddy watering holes along my crooked way." When his physical vision began to lose focus, his spiritual vision refocused. One day his Pastor explained to him the great truth of Psalm 51:8. The wise friend shared an instructive insight about how a shepherd treats his beloved sheep. If the shepherd lived in a dangerous territory where there were many predators and he had a prized lamb that was prone to wander away to become lunch for a lion; the shepherd would occasionally break the foreleg of his lamb. Then, for a season, he would carry the wounded lamb on his shoulders and tenderly nurse him back to strength. The process of moving from brokenness to healing would create a bond between the lamb and the shepherd that would preclude any further wandering away from the shepherd's protective care.

     My new friend declared, "My blindness is my broken leg. God has used this fleshly thorn to gain my full attention and make me completely dependent upon Him."

     We are all broken. Let your brokenness break your rebellion and independence. Let your brokenness create a deep dependence upon Jesus, your Good Shepherd.

     Paul called his brokenness "my thorn in the flesh." Although he asked the Lord on three occasions to remove the painful problem, God's great servant concluded that the Lord revealed, "'My grace is sufficient for you for My power is perfected in your weakness.' Therefore, I will gladly boast about my weakness so that the power of Christ may dwell in me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

     May God use our brokenness and thorns to develop a deep dependence upon Jesus, our gracious Good Shepherd!