Everything Jesus said was true - everything!! Right? So someone asked me today, "What did Jesus mean when He told His disciples that they would do greater things than the things HE had done?" Those words are found in John 14:12.
Phillip had asked Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus answered, "Don't you know me, Phillip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. ... The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing HIS work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!" (John 14:9-14).
So what did Jesus mean when He said those who had faith in Him would do greater things? Where are the "greater things?" Where are the miracles? Ah, the miracles. Is THAT what Jesus was talking about? Not really. He was talking about the Father's work and He said the miracles were just evidence of the Father's work. What was the Father's work? The WORD!! Jesus wanted them to believe His Word, His message. When Phillip wanted to see the Father, Jesus said, "The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in Me, who is doing His work." HIS words were His Father's words.
God's desire is to make Himself known. This IS the "greater work" which we are called to do - to carry the message of God the Father to the entire world! That takes us right to Psalm 73, where we looked at verses 25-26 yesterday. When God is all we need and we set our minds on things above, we show that we are living in His kingdom, under His reign, right now, even as we live in this world. God in all His glory is in heaven, but through His Church, His people, the "called-out ones" (the literal translation of the word, "church" ... "ekklesia"), God continues His work on the earth - the work of making Himself known. That's what Psalm 73 is about.
The Psalmist was distraught because evil seemed to be winning. He was ready to go to his friends and to the world and say, "Believing in God doesn't help. What good does it do? Bad things still happen; in fact, those who DON'T believe in God have it easier than those who do. This doesn't make sense!" But then he entered the sanctuary of God (Psalm 73, verse 17). He set his heart and mind on things above and he shut his mouth long enough to LISTEN to God's still small voice. The result was that he gained understanding about how God works in the world and it led him to say, in verses 23-24: "Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory."
Now he was ready to testify. Before, he was, in his own words (verses 21-22), "senseless and ignorant" ... "like a brute beast." God's work is making Himself known in and through His people. Jesus told the disciples that they would do more of that work than HE did because He was going to ascend into heaven and pour out His Holy Spirit to give them wisdom, courage and boldness. Notice the result of God's teaching in Psalm 73, verses 27-28: "Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will TELL of all your deeds!"
"He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." What an honor, what a privilege, to be an instrument in the Father's hands to proclaim His name to the world. As you live to do that, ask for whatever you need, and the Father will give it to you in the name of Jesus!!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Monday, September 3, 2012
A taste of heaven for today!
Heaven ...
... the place where God lives ... and the place where God says we should set our hearts and minds. How do you do that? How do you live in THIS world and set your heart and mind on heaven? From morning 'til night it seems that hundreds of things demand our attention. Tomorrow, school begins for many children and youth. Sports activities have already begun. Other extra-curricular activities are not far behind. Between work and the economy and rising prices and family struggles there is scarcely time for any thoughts at all! Yet, God calls out to us, urging us to set our hearts and minds on heaven.
Why? Because HE is there and you NEED Him! You need to know Him; to know His thoughts and to believe His promises. You need to rest in His arms and find comfort and strength and assurance and hope and peace and JOY! Some might respond, "But God is HERE, too." That's true. By His Spirit God is present with believers. Jesus promised that He would be with those who believed until the very end of the age. But it's not like heaven! Heaven is a unique place. Heaven is total peace, total joy, total bliss such as has not been experienced by anyone who is currently alive in this world. Heaven is... well, heaven!!
Heaven is where you let go of everything having to do with this world and focus your attention on GOD! Heaven is where those who believe go immediately as they take their last breath. Heaven is where the angels - spiritual beings created by God as His servants and ministers to people on earth - worship God, their Creator, continually. Heaven is not our final destination (we'll talk more about that sometime!), but it is part of the "reward" that God has promised to those who believe, a reward that comes not from merit, but from grace.
I want to go to heaven. I want to BE in heaven, but I'll leave that up to God. There are a number of reasons why it is good for me to be here right now ... not the least of which are my wife, children and grand-children, along with the opportunity to live life for God's glory alongside other brothers and sisters in Christ. But there is heaven ... waiting ... or is it you and I who are waiting?
So what do we do while we wait? We allow God to BE heaven for us now. We set our minds on HIM, knowing that HE is THERE! In Psalm 73, the writer says this, "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (verses 25-26). I'll write more about the context of those words tomorrow, but for now, think about this: God is in heaven, and for those who believe, God lives within us. Paul writes in I Corinthians 2:16: "We have the mind of Christ."
At any moment, at any time, from any place, I can catch a glimpse of heaven, and even enter there with my mind as I set my mind on God, my Creator, who has become my Father in heaven. The key is in knowing God and wanting Him more than anything else, and that requires letting go of the things this world and the people in it count important - laying them aside and being convinced that God is all I need. That doesn't mean I'm not engaged in this world; it just means that my first thought, my first priority, my "first LOVE," is GOD.
"My flesh and my heart may fail, but GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!"
I'm going to like heaven... when I go there some day. Until then, I like thinking about it!!
... the place where God lives ... and the place where God says we should set our hearts and minds. How do you do that? How do you live in THIS world and set your heart and mind on heaven? From morning 'til night it seems that hundreds of things demand our attention. Tomorrow, school begins for many children and youth. Sports activities have already begun. Other extra-curricular activities are not far behind. Between work and the economy and rising prices and family struggles there is scarcely time for any thoughts at all! Yet, God calls out to us, urging us to set our hearts and minds on heaven.
Why? Because HE is there and you NEED Him! You need to know Him; to know His thoughts and to believe His promises. You need to rest in His arms and find comfort and strength and assurance and hope and peace and JOY! Some might respond, "But God is HERE, too." That's true. By His Spirit God is present with believers. Jesus promised that He would be with those who believed until the very end of the age. But it's not like heaven! Heaven is a unique place. Heaven is total peace, total joy, total bliss such as has not been experienced by anyone who is currently alive in this world. Heaven is... well, heaven!!
Heaven is where you let go of everything having to do with this world and focus your attention on GOD! Heaven is where those who believe go immediately as they take their last breath. Heaven is where the angels - spiritual beings created by God as His servants and ministers to people on earth - worship God, their Creator, continually. Heaven is not our final destination (we'll talk more about that sometime!), but it is part of the "reward" that God has promised to those who believe, a reward that comes not from merit, but from grace.
I want to go to heaven. I want to BE in heaven, but I'll leave that up to God. There are a number of reasons why it is good for me to be here right now ... not the least of which are my wife, children and grand-children, along with the opportunity to live life for God's glory alongside other brothers and sisters in Christ. But there is heaven ... waiting ... or is it you and I who are waiting?
So what do we do while we wait? We allow God to BE heaven for us now. We set our minds on HIM, knowing that HE is THERE! In Psalm 73, the writer says this, "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (verses 25-26). I'll write more about the context of those words tomorrow, but for now, think about this: God is in heaven, and for those who believe, God lives within us. Paul writes in I Corinthians 2:16: "We have the mind of Christ."
At any moment, at any time, from any place, I can catch a glimpse of heaven, and even enter there with my mind as I set my mind on God, my Creator, who has become my Father in heaven. The key is in knowing God and wanting Him more than anything else, and that requires letting go of the things this world and the people in it count important - laying them aside and being convinced that God is all I need. That doesn't mean I'm not engaged in this world; it just means that my first thought, my first priority, my "first LOVE," is GOD.
"My flesh and my heart may fail, but GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!"
I'm going to like heaven... when I go there some day. Until then, I like thinking about it!!
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Setting your heart and mind on things above ...
Some people are "so heavenly-minded that they are no earthly good!" Maybe you've heard that said before. It is not meant as a compliment. Usually those who say such things are talking about people who are very open in their expressions of praise to God or who have a way of bringing God into every conversation. Such people may merely be trying to encourage others by pointing to the God who created the world and who cares about people, trying to help people to look at life from a different perspective; but such an attitude is often considered to be lacking common sense and is thought by those who don't recognize God's hand at work to be unrealistic. Most people, it would seem, think that God has better things to do than to be intimately involved in our lives. Yet, the Bible teaches exactly that!
Where is your mind throughout the day? What is your first thought when you wake up, or your last thought before you go to sleep? When experiencing God's blessings throughout the day, does your mind immediately move you to give thanks to Him from whom all blessings flow? When faced with trials, are you moved to run to the One who is able to strengthen you, to give wisdom and hope and peace in the midst of the storm? What does God mean when He tells us to set our hearts and minds on things above, where Jesus is seated at His right hand? (Colossians 3:1-4).
I think of heaven often. I remember my Dad two days before he died asking me what I thought heaven was like. I answered him the only way I could - from Scripture. One of the most beautiful descriptions of heaven is found in Revelation 4. Like Isaiah (6:1-3), John sees God on His throne being worshiped and served by living creatures beyond human description. John says that "day and night they never stop saying, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come'" (Revelation 4:6-8). John describes a scene so magnificent that it is beyond imagination, yet it is here that God tells us to set our hearts and minds.
When you are thinking of heaven and what lies beyond the veil of human limitations the Spirit of God does something amazing - He lifts the burdens of this life from your shoulders, He removes the fear and anxiety produced in your mind by earthly things and gives you the "peace that passes understanding," which Paul talks about in Philippians 4:7. Once again the mind and heart are mentioned: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Thinking about heaven, you see, is not only a good thing to do, but is the answer to the stress and anxiety of life in this world. Heaven is a reality that exceeds what people call "real life." As you and I live life, Jesus is on the throne and the angels are singing - 24/7! They never stop! And you can join them, no matter what is going on in your life ... IF you set your heart and mind on things above.
Tomorrow we'll look at Psalm 73 ... more about a reality too many people know nothing about ... the God who is worth seeking, knowing, loving and serving.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
A blog is only as good as its "blogger" ...
It's September 1st, 2012. Summer is not officially over, but it's close. Tomorrow is September 2nd and Monday is Labor Day, September 3rd. Then school starts and really, in spite of what the calendar says, summer is over! So why the lament over summer ending? It's not really a lament, more an observation of the passing of the seasons. Next Sunday, September 9th, is my 62nd birthday. It doesn't seem possible that I will be 62, but I counted and that's the reality of it. At 62 you can look back over a lot of things. I just looked at some pictures on Facebook of my grand-daughters visiting their grandma and grandpa and cousins in Volga, South Dakota. I served First Reformed Church there for seven years and have many fond memories of the years there. Yes, at 62 you have a lot of memories.
But at 62 you also have to make a decision whether to focus on what is past or on what is present and what is future. While I cherish the memories and thank God for all that is past, the future beckons with promises of fruitful ministry and opportunities to share the hope of the Gospel with those who have not yet heard and those who need to hear it again. I think of the words of the old hymn, "I Love to Tell the Story." "I love to tell the story, for those who know it best seem hungering and thirsting, to hear it like the rest." The Gospel of Jesus Christ truly is the greatest story ever told, for it is true and has the power to give hope and peace and joy like no other message on the face of the earth.
So, this "blogger" is committing to something I've tried since starting this blog: writing an entry every day! It seems like a big task, and what do I have to say that is so important? Actually, it is GOD who has something to say and I sense His call to share His Word daily to encourage those who read, to answer questions, to proclaim His truth. In the past I have written on certain topics and my blogs have gotten ... well, LONG! So I'm going to try to keep them shorter, at least most of the time, so you don't have to set aside an hour to read them!
As I begin a new sermon series tomorrow, "Thy Kingdom Come," there is no more important topic than God's kingdom. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is in your midst." One day - heaven ... until then, God says, "Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory" (Colossians 3:1-4).
With God's help, this is how I want to live the rest of my life; and as He enables, I hope to be an instrument in His hands to help you to do the same. After all, "a blog is only as good as its blogger." I hope to be better, more faithful to the task of using this medium to glorify God and to encourage His children. It's part of my calling; part of who I am in Him.
May God fill you with His grace and love in Christ Jesus, Pastor Steve
But at 62 you also have to make a decision whether to focus on what is past or on what is present and what is future. While I cherish the memories and thank God for all that is past, the future beckons with promises of fruitful ministry and opportunities to share the hope of the Gospel with those who have not yet heard and those who need to hear it again. I think of the words of the old hymn, "I Love to Tell the Story." "I love to tell the story, for those who know it best seem hungering and thirsting, to hear it like the rest." The Gospel of Jesus Christ truly is the greatest story ever told, for it is true and has the power to give hope and peace and joy like no other message on the face of the earth.
So, this "blogger" is committing to something I've tried since starting this blog: writing an entry every day! It seems like a big task, and what do I have to say that is so important? Actually, it is GOD who has something to say and I sense His call to share His Word daily to encourage those who read, to answer questions, to proclaim His truth. In the past I have written on certain topics and my blogs have gotten ... well, LONG! So I'm going to try to keep them shorter, at least most of the time, so you don't have to set aside an hour to read them!
As I begin a new sermon series tomorrow, "Thy Kingdom Come," there is no more important topic than God's kingdom. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is in your midst." One day - heaven ... until then, God says, "Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory" (Colossians 3:1-4).
With God's help, this is how I want to live the rest of my life; and as He enables, I hope to be an instrument in His hands to help you to do the same. After all, "a blog is only as good as its blogger." I hope to be better, more faithful to the task of using this medium to glorify God and to encourage His children. It's part of my calling; part of who I am in Him.
May God fill you with His grace and love in Christ Jesus, Pastor Steve
Sunday, July 29, 2012
The Simple Truth ... and Moving - AGAIN!
Some truly exciting things are happening at Lighthouse these days! God continues to move among us and we give Him praise and our hearts overflow with thanksgiving. Believing that God had called us to become a non-denominational congregation and desiring to stand on the truth of God's Word, we left our former denomination, at the cost of our church building. We began meeting for worship at Evergreen Elementary School here in Allendale on June 10th, just seven short weeks ago. We decided to have our two services merge into one for the summer months so we could get to know each other better and build the oneness which Christ came to give us as members of one body - the body of Christ. With many people camping and vacationing during the summer months, we didn't expect what God was going to do. He is bringing many new faces and attendance in worship has been steady throughout the past seven weeks. A decision had to be made as we look towards September: Do we stay at one service or go back to two? If we wanted to stay at one, we would need more space!!
We committed to prayer and seeking the Lord once again and once again God seemed to make it clear: we needed to move - AGAIN!! So on August 12th we will begin meeting at the Oakwood Intermediate School, just a small distance from where we have been meeting. It reminded me of God telling Abraham, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you" (Genesis 12:1). Of course, God was leading Abraham to the promised land of Canaan and was entering into covenant with him and his descendants. But God is also in covenant with US! And as He promised to be with Abraham, so He has promised to be with us.
Our confidence for the future lies in our faithful God. "No matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ" (II Corinthians 1:10). God has called us to proclaim a simple truth: that in Jesus Christ God is at work to offer forgiveness and eternal life to those who repent and believe. In a world that seems to like a "show," we offer those whom God brings to Lighthouse the same message that Peter preached on the day of Pentecost and that Paul preached to the Gentiles: Christ, and Him crucified. This is the Gospel, the good news that has the power to save, to transform, and to empower those who place their faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord. While Lighthouse is blessed to have a committed team of leaders, musicians, teachers and servants in various areas of ministry, it is this simple message that is central to the ministry God has entrusted to us. You won't find anything "fancy" at Lighthouse. We're not trying to impress, but to be faithful to our God.
As God leads us into the future, we stand on the truth of His Word that will never change. Some may wonder what it means to be non-denominational. In fact, some have asked how we can be sure that we will remain true to "the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints" (Jude 3). Being "non-denominational" may mean different things to different people, but to us it means simply that we are part of the one true Church, the one body of Christ. We want to take down unnecessary walls that divide, and stand firm on the simple truth of the Gospel which is the foundation for Christ's Church. We believe that God worked in an amazing way during the Reformation, especially during the 1500's and 1600's, drawing His Church back to the truth of His Word. We stand on the historic confessions that were written during that time period. We aren't looking for some new message to proclaim. The message we proclaim is the Gospel of Jesus Christ: Christ and Him crucified, risen and exalted to the right hand of the Father.
The future is in God's hands. Amazingly, we are already looking at some potential property for a new location for a future church building. While we are thankful for God's provision thus far, we know that in order to carry out the ministries which God has called us to be engaged in to reach our community and area and to work with others, we will need a place to call "home." Watch for more news on that in the near future. Meanwhile, it is our heart's desire to glorify God as we seek earnestly to minister to all who need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ and to experience His love in word and deed. It is our joy and pleasure to be used of God as His servants. We invite you to join us in this real adventure of a lifetime!!
We committed to prayer and seeking the Lord once again and once again God seemed to make it clear: we needed to move - AGAIN!! So on August 12th we will begin meeting at the Oakwood Intermediate School, just a small distance from where we have been meeting. It reminded me of God telling Abraham, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you" (Genesis 12:1). Of course, God was leading Abraham to the promised land of Canaan and was entering into covenant with him and his descendants. But God is also in covenant with US! And as He promised to be with Abraham, so He has promised to be with us.
Our confidence for the future lies in our faithful God. "No matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ" (II Corinthians 1:10). God has called us to proclaim a simple truth: that in Jesus Christ God is at work to offer forgiveness and eternal life to those who repent and believe. In a world that seems to like a "show," we offer those whom God brings to Lighthouse the same message that Peter preached on the day of Pentecost and that Paul preached to the Gentiles: Christ, and Him crucified. This is the Gospel, the good news that has the power to save, to transform, and to empower those who place their faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord. While Lighthouse is blessed to have a committed team of leaders, musicians, teachers and servants in various areas of ministry, it is this simple message that is central to the ministry God has entrusted to us. You won't find anything "fancy" at Lighthouse. We're not trying to impress, but to be faithful to our God.
As God leads us into the future, we stand on the truth of His Word that will never change. Some may wonder what it means to be non-denominational. In fact, some have asked how we can be sure that we will remain true to "the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints" (Jude 3). Being "non-denominational" may mean different things to different people, but to us it means simply that we are part of the one true Church, the one body of Christ. We want to take down unnecessary walls that divide, and stand firm on the simple truth of the Gospel which is the foundation for Christ's Church. We believe that God worked in an amazing way during the Reformation, especially during the 1500's and 1600's, drawing His Church back to the truth of His Word. We stand on the historic confessions that were written during that time period. We aren't looking for some new message to proclaim. The message we proclaim is the Gospel of Jesus Christ: Christ and Him crucified, risen and exalted to the right hand of the Father.
The future is in God's hands. Amazingly, we are already looking at some potential property for a new location for a future church building. While we are thankful for God's provision thus far, we know that in order to carry out the ministries which God has called us to be engaged in to reach our community and area and to work with others, we will need a place to call "home." Watch for more news on that in the near future. Meanwhile, it is our heart's desire to glorify God as we seek earnestly to minister to all who need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ and to experience His love in word and deed. It is our joy and pleasure to be used of God as His servants. We invite you to join us in this real adventure of a lifetime!!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Moving Forward!!
When I began this blog I decided to call it "Truth and Grace," because God values both of these. John writes in the first chapter of his gospel, "The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). Of course, John was not implying that there was no grace or truth in God's law; to the contrary, the law pointed to Jesus by pointing out the reality of sin and of God's judgment against it. That was both gracious and truthful, for in so doing the law points us to our need for a Savior and to Jesus as the only Mediator between God and man. Apart from the truth of God's Word, beginning to end, we would not know the truth about our sin or God's wrath against it, nor of His gracious offer to forgive those who trust in the cross of Christ as the payment for their sins.
Grace and truth go together; each pointing to the other. In our day, however, "grace" has become defined as God's willingness to overlook sin and His unlimited love in forgiving people whether or not they believe in Jesus. Such "grace," is no grace at all, for it is based on lies rather than the truth. Paul spoke about this to the men of Athens in Acts 17:30-31: "In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising Him from the dead." There is one way to escape God's just judgment and that is through faith in Jesus Christ.
In recent months the leadership and confessing members at Lighthouse have been confronted with what appeared to some to be a choice between grace and truth. We have even been called names by some who believe that we are not being loving by calling all sexual activity outside of the marriage of a man and a woman to be sin, including homosexual behavior. But the Bible tells us that we must expose sin and seek to lead people to Jesus Christ for forgiveness. That is both loving and gracious. We have all sinned and continue to struggle with our sinful natures, but the Spirit of God brings freedom to those who draw near to God through faith in Jesus Christ. It is this good news, this truth, that God calls us to proclaim.
Meanwhile, we are in the process of leaving the church building which Lighthouse erected in 2004. In an article in the Advance concerning the most recent events, Rev. Steve Smallegan was quoted as saying that the leadership of Lighthouse "broke the law" by re-filing our Articles of Incorporation without the permission of the Zeeland Classis. The members of Lighthouse and others who read this blog post should know that this is untrue. We withdrew from the RCA on December 31st, 2011. We then re-filed our Articles of Incorporation as a non-denominational congregation. We requested once again that the Zeeland Classis allow us to retain our property, property which the members of Lighthouse had paid for and hold the mortgage to. Rumors that the Zeeland Classis contributed to the building in any way are also untrue. The Zeeland Classis could have chosen to release our property. There is no state law requiring them to claim a congregation's property as theirs. Those who have said, "That's the way it is," do so based on the Articles of Incorporation of the Reformed Churches of America and the RCA's Book of Church Order, not based upon the Word of God or the laws of the State of Michigan. We have chosen not to dispute their claim, but rather to move forward, trusting God to continue to provide for our needs, as He has done and is doing. When Seventh Reformed Church in Grand Rapids was removed from the North Grand Rapids Classis in 1995 after not paying their full assessments, they were allowed to leave with their property and the Classis stated that this was a gracious act on their part. The Zeeland Classis could have chosen to do the same. In this whole process, which began in 2010, we have sought in every way to be both gracious and truthful. Ultimately, God is the Judge of all those involved. It is our desire to serve Christ alongside all those who trust in Him and who stand upon the truth of His Word, proclaiming His grace at every opportunity.
I want to close this post with a personal note, particularly to those who may not know me. I grew up on a farm in Iowa and at an early age felt God's call to preach His Word. I tried to avoid God's call, knowing that I was incapable of doing what God was calling me to do. In 1973, with much fear and trembling, I gave in to God's leading and entered seminary. This Sunday marks 35 years in pastoral ministry. In all humility, I confess my own sin and acknowledge that anything good I may have accomplished has only been done by the grace of God and by the power of His Spirit working within me. I am a weak vessel. Having said that, my confidence rests in my God, who through His Son Jesus Christ has saved me from His judgment and has cleansed me by His blood shed on the cross. My boldness comes from the awareness of His power at work within me and I must be faithful to His call to proclaim the truth. During this whole process, no one has claimed that either I or the leadership of Lighthouse have done anything but stand on the Word of God. My ordination vows were first to Christ, second to His one Church, thirdly to His Word and finally to the Reformed Church in America, in submission to Christ and in accord with His Word. I have kept those vows. Those who say otherwise are speaking untruth. Jesus said, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12). Those who accuse me or us of wrongdoing will stand before the same One who will judge the living and the dead.
It is the task of the Church of Jesus Christ to proclaim the whole truth of God's Word. May the Lord of the harvest find us faithful to offer His grace to all, speaking the truth in love and trusting Him to accomplish His eternal purposes in us and through us, for HIS glory!!
In the truth and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Pastor Steve
Grace and truth go together; each pointing to the other. In our day, however, "grace" has become defined as God's willingness to overlook sin and His unlimited love in forgiving people whether or not they believe in Jesus. Such "grace," is no grace at all, for it is based on lies rather than the truth. Paul spoke about this to the men of Athens in Acts 17:30-31: "In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising Him from the dead." There is one way to escape God's just judgment and that is through faith in Jesus Christ.
In recent months the leadership and confessing members at Lighthouse have been confronted with what appeared to some to be a choice between grace and truth. We have even been called names by some who believe that we are not being loving by calling all sexual activity outside of the marriage of a man and a woman to be sin, including homosexual behavior. But the Bible tells us that we must expose sin and seek to lead people to Jesus Christ for forgiveness. That is both loving and gracious. We have all sinned and continue to struggle with our sinful natures, but the Spirit of God brings freedom to those who draw near to God through faith in Jesus Christ. It is this good news, this truth, that God calls us to proclaim.
Meanwhile, we are in the process of leaving the church building which Lighthouse erected in 2004. In an article in the Advance concerning the most recent events, Rev. Steve Smallegan was quoted as saying that the leadership of Lighthouse "broke the law" by re-filing our Articles of Incorporation without the permission of the Zeeland Classis. The members of Lighthouse and others who read this blog post should know that this is untrue. We withdrew from the RCA on December 31st, 2011. We then re-filed our Articles of Incorporation as a non-denominational congregation. We requested once again that the Zeeland Classis allow us to retain our property, property which the members of Lighthouse had paid for and hold the mortgage to. Rumors that the Zeeland Classis contributed to the building in any way are also untrue. The Zeeland Classis could have chosen to release our property. There is no state law requiring them to claim a congregation's property as theirs. Those who have said, "That's the way it is," do so based on the Articles of Incorporation of the Reformed Churches of America and the RCA's Book of Church Order, not based upon the Word of God or the laws of the State of Michigan. We have chosen not to dispute their claim, but rather to move forward, trusting God to continue to provide for our needs, as He has done and is doing. When Seventh Reformed Church in Grand Rapids was removed from the North Grand Rapids Classis in 1995 after not paying their full assessments, they were allowed to leave with their property and the Classis stated that this was a gracious act on their part. The Zeeland Classis could have chosen to do the same. In this whole process, which began in 2010, we have sought in every way to be both gracious and truthful. Ultimately, God is the Judge of all those involved. It is our desire to serve Christ alongside all those who trust in Him and who stand upon the truth of His Word, proclaiming His grace at every opportunity.
I want to close this post with a personal note, particularly to those who may not know me. I grew up on a farm in Iowa and at an early age felt God's call to preach His Word. I tried to avoid God's call, knowing that I was incapable of doing what God was calling me to do. In 1973, with much fear and trembling, I gave in to God's leading and entered seminary. This Sunday marks 35 years in pastoral ministry. In all humility, I confess my own sin and acknowledge that anything good I may have accomplished has only been done by the grace of God and by the power of His Spirit working within me. I am a weak vessel. Having said that, my confidence rests in my God, who through His Son Jesus Christ has saved me from His judgment and has cleansed me by His blood shed on the cross. My boldness comes from the awareness of His power at work within me and I must be faithful to His call to proclaim the truth. During this whole process, no one has claimed that either I or the leadership of Lighthouse have done anything but stand on the Word of God. My ordination vows were first to Christ, second to His one Church, thirdly to His Word and finally to the Reformed Church in America, in submission to Christ and in accord with His Word. I have kept those vows. Those who say otherwise are speaking untruth. Jesus said, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12). Those who accuse me or us of wrongdoing will stand before the same One who will judge the living and the dead.
It is the task of the Church of Jesus Christ to proclaim the whole truth of God's Word. May the Lord of the harvest find us faithful to offer His grace to all, speaking the truth in love and trusting Him to accomplish His eternal purposes in us and through us, for HIS glory!!
In the truth and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Pastor Steve
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Obeying God rather than men ...
Most people know the quote from the book of Esther where Mordecai is trying to convince Esther to intercede on behalf of the Jews because the wicked official in the king's court, Haman, is trying to have all the Jews exterminated. Mordecai tells Esther that God may have put her in the position she is in as queen "for such a time as this." Certainly, our God is wise enough and powerful enough to do such a thing; to orchestrate events in such a way that His will is accomplished through the lives of ordinary people - people just like you and me.
Throughout human history, indeed, since the Garden of Eden, there have been significant moments when God has raised up men and women to take a stand for Him, for His kingdom, for His truth, that has been unpopular and that has resulted in persecution of various kinds. Since the days of the Reformation in the 1500's and 1600's, the battle against God's truth has raged on and many have lost their foothold, turning away from God's Word to follow cleverly devised alternatives that sound good to the human ear, but that have no power to transform the human heart or save the human soul from the just judgment of a holy God.
The same is true in our day. We have witnessed attacks on the Bible and the truths contained therein before. Those from other religions have sought relentlessly to disprove the claims of those who declare that Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and man, that He is God in the flesh, that He paid the penalty for sin on the cross, that He died and rose again and ascended into heaven where He rules over all things until He comes again as Judge. Yet, today there is another wave of attacks on the authority and truthfulness of God's Word and it is coming from within the visible church, from those who claim to be part of the true body of Christ.
This should not surprise us, but many are being caught off guard and are giving in to the pressure to conform to the spirit of the day: tolerance. Differing views on Scripture and what the Bible really says are said to be equally true and valid. After all, we are told, who are we to decide what God intended to say through the writers? Everyone is entitled to their own interpretation. This attack on truth comes from the very pit of hell, from the enemy of our souls, from Satan, the father of lies. "Oh, but these are brothers in Christ," we are assured. We would do well to heed the warning of the apostle, Paul, as he wrote to the Corinthians in II Corinthians 11. In chapter 10 Paul goes into a rather lengthy defense of his ministry. He was being criticized for his boldness in his writings and for being timid when face-to-face. Paul's answer was that it was his goal to preach the Gospel, nothing more. It was not about him, but about Jesus Christ.
In this context Paul speaks a firm word about those who criticized him for standing on the truth of the Gospel and declaring that anyone who was preaching anything else was wrong! "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve" (II Corinthians 11:13-15). These men talked about all the "right" things and they tolerated other teachings. In fact, they tolerated any other teaching BUT the true Gospel that called people to repentance and to faith in Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness. Such teaching was too "narrow," too confining, too rigid, too un-loving. But Paul knew from experience that the Gospel, while it convicts people of sin, is the only message that is able to set people free from the guilt and judgment that our sin deserves, through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.
Brothers and sisters, we are in a battle for truth today. The steady slide away from the authority of the Word of God on the part of so many within the visible church makes this a crucial time in the history of the world and of God's plan of salvation. The time has come that we read about in II Timothy 4, when people IN the church are turning their ears away from the truth and are turning aside to different "interpretations" of God's Word. We are being told that we must understand and accept these alternate interpretations and promote a unity based on some generic love that is powerless to save, for it allows people to remain in bondage to sin and self-centered thinking and living. It pleases man rather than God.
That's why the following words from the Puritans, written somewhere around 1629, seemed to me to speak so clearly to our present-day situation. I trust they will speak to you as well.
Throughout human history, indeed, since the Garden of Eden, there have been significant moments when God has raised up men and women to take a stand for Him, for His kingdom, for His truth, that has been unpopular and that has resulted in persecution of various kinds. Since the days of the Reformation in the 1500's and 1600's, the battle against God's truth has raged on and many have lost their foothold, turning away from God's Word to follow cleverly devised alternatives that sound good to the human ear, but that have no power to transform the human heart or save the human soul from the just judgment of a holy God.
The same is true in our day. We have witnessed attacks on the Bible and the truths contained therein before. Those from other religions have sought relentlessly to disprove the claims of those who declare that Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and man, that He is God in the flesh, that He paid the penalty for sin on the cross, that He died and rose again and ascended into heaven where He rules over all things until He comes again as Judge. Yet, today there is another wave of attacks on the authority and truthfulness of God's Word and it is coming from within the visible church, from those who claim to be part of the true body of Christ.
This should not surprise us, but many are being caught off guard and are giving in to the pressure to conform to the spirit of the day: tolerance. Differing views on Scripture and what the Bible really says are said to be equally true and valid. After all, we are told, who are we to decide what God intended to say through the writers? Everyone is entitled to their own interpretation. This attack on truth comes from the very pit of hell, from the enemy of our souls, from Satan, the father of lies. "Oh, but these are brothers in Christ," we are assured. We would do well to heed the warning of the apostle, Paul, as he wrote to the Corinthians in II Corinthians 11. In chapter 10 Paul goes into a rather lengthy defense of his ministry. He was being criticized for his boldness in his writings and for being timid when face-to-face. Paul's answer was that it was his goal to preach the Gospel, nothing more. It was not about him, but about Jesus Christ.
In this context Paul speaks a firm word about those who criticized him for standing on the truth of the Gospel and declaring that anyone who was preaching anything else was wrong! "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve" (II Corinthians 11:13-15). These men talked about all the "right" things and they tolerated other teachings. In fact, they tolerated any other teaching BUT the true Gospel that called people to repentance and to faith in Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness. Such teaching was too "narrow," too confining, too rigid, too un-loving. But Paul knew from experience that the Gospel, while it convicts people of sin, is the only message that is able to set people free from the guilt and judgment that our sin deserves, through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.
Brothers and sisters, we are in a battle for truth today. The steady slide away from the authority of the Word of God on the part of so many within the visible church makes this a crucial time in the history of the world and of God's plan of salvation. The time has come that we read about in II Timothy 4, when people IN the church are turning their ears away from the truth and are turning aside to different "interpretations" of God's Word. We are being told that we must understand and accept these alternate interpretations and promote a unity based on some generic love that is powerless to save, for it allows people to remain in bondage to sin and self-centered thinking and living. It pleases man rather than God.
That's why the following words from the Puritans, written somewhere around 1629, seemed to me to speak so clearly to our present-day situation. I trust they will speak to you as well.
"There comes a time in every man’s life when
he must make a decision. I’m not talking
about the kind of decision that determines the outcome of his day, or his year,
or even his life. I’m talking about the
kind of decision that goes far beyond his personal interest, far beyond his own
life - a decision that will set in motion the destiny of the world for
generations to come.
The time has come for us to make such a
decision.
The choice that confronts us is not
complicated. Simply put, it is this: Will we observe the laws of God, or will we conform to the desires of men? Shall we obey the Bible, or shall we obey the
dictates of a London bishop?
The question before us is simple; so must our
answer be simple.
Borrowing Peter’s words our response should
be: “We ought rather to obey God than men,” Acts chapter 5, verse 29.
As Christians of conscience, how can we
decide otherwise without denying our faith?
The Bible alone is God’s perfect statement of how we are to live. The Lord God, determining to set before our
eyes a perfect plan, is both able to do it and hath done it.
It is natural that God should be so explicit
in the instructions regarding His people, since it is the virtue of a good law
to leave as little undetermined as possible.
The explicitness of God’s moral and judicial law is a clear indication
of God’s mind. And His law is
permanent. It cannot be repealed by any
earthly king, any earthly council, or any earthly bishop.
Either the Bible is God’s perfect Word, or it
is not. Either we will choose to obey
Him, or we will not. The choice before
us is a simple one. Making our decision
is not difficult; living according to our decision will require great courage
and faith. These are perilous times. Who knows the full measure of the price we
will yet pay? However, the choices we
make, we make not only for ourselves, but for our children and our children’s
children. Whatever the price, it will be
worth it.
This is not the time for the weak of
heart. Nor is it the time to turn the
other cheek, for we have not been insulted.
We have been deceived. It is time
for godly men and women of England to choose their future.
I, for one, choose God. I would rather fail attempting to obey God,
that to succeed in any attempt to please men."
In the past two weeks nearly all those who are active confessing members of Lighthouse Community Church Non-Denominational have signed your names and declared your commitment to standing on God's Word, being willing to leave the building we have been using to do ministry in order to follow God's call to be faithful to Him and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the authority of His Word. God knows what He has planned for us and what He desires to accomplish in us and through us. It is a joy and a privilege to walk alongside you on this journey. May God help us to stand firm, giving thanks to Him for His grace to us in Christ Jesus, and declaring with all the strength He supplies the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ ... "until the whole world hears!"
In the service of the King!
Pastor Steve
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