My 1/31/16AM sermon, Believer’s Benefits (2) from 1 John 5:18-21, is now online. The sermon wrapped up my work in 1 John which began way back in June 2015. And, in particular, this sermon focused us in on the benefits that believers in Jesus enjoy. I hope it’s encouraging to you.
In Jesus, we have a Savior who is both our reconciliation with God and our Reconciler. Today, trust in His work. If you trust in Him, your sins have been paid in full.
I’m privileged to serve as a facilitator with Leadership Reno County, a program of the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce. Today, a new leadership journey begins for a group of our program participants. Right about now, they are starting to get oriented to the big problems our community is facing, how we can think about them differently, and how we can act or behave in ways that might help us make progress in these areas. If you’d like more info on the type of curriculum we use to develop people who engage in acts of leadership, check out the many resources at the Kansas Leadership Center.
Love this post from Ray Ortlund in so many ways. Here you go:
This coming Lord’s Day (1/31/16), I hope to wrap up expositions through the book of 1 John. We’ll be honing in on 1 John 5:18-21. Notice this emphasis:
18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
I love how 1 Peter draws out our hearts and shows us what Christ was up to in sufferings. We read: “[22] He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. [23] When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. [24] He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. [25] For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”(1 Peter 2:22-25 ESV)
Today, you may be going through suffering yourself. Look to Jesus. And find comfort in your suffering Savior.
Some new projects I’ve enjoyed in recent days are:
Lauren Chandler’s Steadfast Love single.
This goes along with her new book. The great people that surround her musically make this an excellent song to engage.
Passion’s Salvation’s Tide Is Rising
Here’s a video from the title track…Passion’s music rarely disappoints.
Breakaway Ministries’ Lift Him High
From Breakaway Ministries, meeting on the campus of Texas A & M. Jeff Johnson and band have pulled together some amazing songs to help you exalt Jesus.
I am helped consistently by good friends around me both in and out of pastoral ministry. They refine and help me in many ways. There’s a groaning to pastoral ministry that is difficult for those who aren’t in it to see. Each week there are countless behind the scenes things that are happening in the lives of people and pastors are often caught up in this work (especially in the smaller to mid-size churches where a great number of pastors serve).
I was thinking last week about suffering and some situations that people I know are dealing with. It was over lunch with one of my elders and it had to do with somberly thinking about people, their situations and sufferings. I don’t wish ill or suffering upon any in the body I’m privileged to serve, but I consistently try to think and prepare myself for the suffering that may come. If tragedy would strike a family, for instance, they need a pastor who isn’t crushed by this, but one who is sorrowful, yet rejoicing. So, there’s a discipline to this.
You could say that pastors who serve well in those moments have prepared themselves for those moments. God’s grace is sufficient for all kinds of situations. What this means, practically, is working through some of these things emotionally when things don’t appear to be going “bad.” This is the heaviness or burden that some pastors feel. So, here it is principle form: pastors are to be trailblazers into suffering. We work through the emotions, hurt, and raw reality that may very well come in the hard situations. By doing this, we’ve already been there and done that (emotionally, at least).
One passage that helped me was thinking of Daniel’s three friends when confronted by the prospects of the fiery furnace. They said, God can deliver, but if we die, even then God will give deliverance. So, no matter the situation, pastors are holding on to Gospel realities throughout. God may very well deliver–that will be to His glory and for His fame. He may choose not to deliver. Situations will inevitably end in death. The cancers may not heal. But, even then, pastors hold out a deeper reality: even in this, God is delivering.
Because Jesus conquered death, pronounced, “It is finished,” and then actually defeated it by rising from the dead, we can offer real, deep, abiding and lasting hope no matter what situations we encounter. So, be a trailblazer into suffering, because there you’ll find rich Gospel realities that stand up to whatever situations we face.