Life’s Biggest Moment (A Discussion of the ‘Last Things’)
Pastor Mike
A major blessing of being a pastor is that I get to be present for many big moments in people’s lives. I appreciate the trust and honor people give to me when they ask for me to officiate their daughter’s quinceañera, to baptize their child, to perform their wedding. These joyful moments in people’s lives bring ample opportunity to give thanks to God and ask for his continued blessing through special devotions and services.
Funerals are the type of “big moment” that any pastor should expect to be called upon to officiate. Funerals seem to engender a different set of emotions. This was shown in our discussion during last Sunday’s Bible study hour. When asked to describe what the word “funeral” means to them, the participants’ responses indicated a complicated mixture of feelings of grief, loss, mourning, and somberness alongside feelings of celebration, love, remembrance and even worship. Participants discussed with me the complicated nature of holding both of these categories of feelings in our hearts when we have to say goodbye to a loved one. The circumstances of the loved one’s passing will change the intensity and nature of our grief, but the same core idea is there: we don’t want to have to say “goodbye,” but when forced to do so, we look for something to bring us some joy to answer our tears.
It is popular to shy away from the subject of death, and we can certainly see why. As a consequence of sin, death is the unwelcome intruder into God’s good creation (Genesis 3:19, Romans 5:12). It burdens every relationship; every achievement; every endeavor with the looming threat of separation from this life (Ecclesiastes 12:1-7).
But if we continue the trend to avoid speaking about death, we will miss out on a lot of encouragement from Scripture. Yes, death has arrived as a consequence of sin, but by suffering the eternal, spiritual death we all deserve, Christ has removed its sting (1 Corinthians 15:55-57, Romans 6:8-10). Through faith in Christ, death has no power to stop us from experiencing the eternity of joy and bliss that await us in the life to come (John 11:25-26). When we pass away in Christ, our souls join believers throughout the ages in the unimaginable and eternal joy of being in Christ’s presence (2 Corinthians 5:8, Revelation 21:3-4).
It would seem wise, then, to hear Scripture’s witness about what happens when we die, because doing so will equip us with the greatest comfort possible when faced with grief over the death of a loved one, or fear for our own death. At his crucifixion, Jesus spoke to the criminal being crucified next to him. Upon hearing this man’s confession that Jesus has a heavenly kingdom beyond this world, Jesus responds by assuring him that he will enjoy the presence of heaven through the gift of faith in the gospel “today,” that is, immediately upon his death (Luke 23:42-43). Consider also when Jesus taught about the rich man and poor Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), an account that describes Lazarus’ entrance into heaven after death, but the rich man’s sentencing to hell (Luke 16:22-23). The Bible teaches that the moment we die, our souls separate from our bodies and are taken to their eternal places: heaven for those who die in faith, hell for those who do not. This likely produces some questions in your mind, so hang on for a moment.
It could be supposed that because our souls and bodies separate upon death, our souls are what matter and our bodies do not. But that would miss the point of Scripture, and even more comfort. In the soaring “Resurrection Chapter” of 1 Corinthians 15, Paul describes the necessity for our bodies to join us in heaven. That’s what Jesus will accomplish on Judgment Day aka “The Last Day.” According to passages like 1 Corinthians 15:53-57 and Philippians 3:20-21, the final act of Jesus’ redemption is to raise and glorify our bodies, uniting them with our souls so that we enjoy a body-and-soul life of perfection with him in heaven’s bliss.
What will that look like, feel like, sound like when it happens? What will heaven be like? These questions are posed to me regularly, and I wonder if my response of “I can’t say for certain,” is disappointing. It shouldn’t be. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 and 1 Corinthians 13:11-12 show that our sin-darkened imagination can’t comprehend what eternal, perfect happiness heaven will be like. That’s the point – it is incomparable to any joy this world has to offer. We’ll just have to see when we get there.
Imagine standing by the graveside of a dead Christian, and these Scriptures are preached to you and your fellow mourners. What comfort there is to know that you will see your loved one again! What peace to hear that they are not suffering, nor did they simply stop existing, but they live on in the presence of their Redeemer!
We would never want to command people not to feel sad at their loved one’s passing, as if they aren’t supposed to miss them, or prevent them from meditating on the ways sin and its consequences have altered our world. But we can use grief and pain to drive us back to the cross. We don’t grieve as those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), but that doesn’t mean we don’t grieve (Romans 12:15). We let Christ dry our tears with his gospel, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t allowed to cry (Psalm 6:6). Feel your feelings, brother or sister, and take them to Christ (1 Peter 5:7).
What about the time we have before our death or before Judgment Day? Far from telling us to sit around and wait for Jesus to come back, the fact that heaven awaits us after death is frequently used as a motivator for living out the lives of service that we are called to, and that demonstrate the gospel to the world (See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 for example).
What about those who don’t believe? Often this question is posed to me as a request for information, which is completely appropriate. We should talk about the need for saving faith. But isn’t this question also a “marching order”? It’s true that amazing things await those who are in the Lord when we die or when Jesus comes back. Isn’t it terrible to think that there are others who won’t experience that? While we can’t cause the gospel to take root in the hearts of others (1 Corinthians 3:5-7), God will use our witness to bring others to this saving faith. I realize that some churches have used the fear of hell to motivate their members to evangelize their friends and neighbors, but instead of going that route, simply think of this: after meditating on the beauty of the message of Christ’s victory over our sin and death, the promise of greater things after this life and of purpose and meaning in this one, after receiving the gift of being able to grieve as one who has hope, don’t we want that for others? If there are others who have not tasted of that joy found in God’s eternal goodness, don’t we want them to? As you share the goodness of this eternal hope, who knows?, maybe you will get to be present for one of life’s biggest moments in someone’s life: the moment they realize that God loves them and that they’re going to heaven.
There are so many parts of Scripture that use what we’ve discussed today for comfort and encouragement. I’ve only referred to a handful of them. Please consider joining us for the larger discussion of these things throughout our Sunday Morning Bible Classes at 9am and worship at 10:15am!
God bless you!
- Pastor Mike Cherney
What does basketball have in common with relationships? In both, boundaries are crucial. Try to imagine what a game would look like without the players’ knowing what’s in-bounds or out-of-bounds. That same level of chaos and disarray that came to your mind is what happens when someone doesn’t respect the boundaries of the workplace environment, or those of the person with whom they’re out on a first date, or those of someone who just walked into church. I know I’m not the first to point out the necessity of boundaries. It seems that we have recently entered a new level of collective consciousness of the need for boundary-setting and boundary-respecting. This can only be a good thing, especially when everyone understands what boundaries are for. I asked the participants in our Sunday morning Bible study to describe healthy boundary setting as they understood it. What unfolded was a masterclass in social skills and social awareness. They told of the loving intentions behind healthy boundaries – that one shows love for another person by respecting their privacy or personal space. They told of the need to pay attention to body language and social cues that indicate that you may be crossing a line in conversation, or about to. Above all, what rose to the top of the feedback I received was the idea of protection. Boundaries are set to protect something good, whether for the one setting them or the ones called to respect them. The most important thing that boundaries protect is the relationship between the boundary-setter and the boundary-respecter. We want to keep that relationship as good, healthy, and reciprocal as possible, and that’s why we set boundaries. Boundaries are not always interpreted that way, though. Sometimes drawing a line that you wish not to be crossed is seen as an affront. Someone might even say, “You mean I can’t do X? Are you saying that you don’t want to do Y? I thought we were friends!” And no matter how you strain yourself explaining, “We ARE friends! That’s why I’m telling you this!” the hurt feelings don’t seem to go away. Sometimes, “You can’t talk to me that way,” sounds like aggression when it’s really protection: of the relationship, and of yourself. If this is a risk we’re willing to run in our various relationships, from our deepest friendships to our freshest acquaintances, then how about at church? What kind of boundary-setting and boundary-respecting is appropriate within the family of God? What about between those within the church and outside of the church? First, let’s talk about the goal. What are we trying to protect with social and biblical boundary setting? For this I’d like to share a little Greek. The word “Koinōnia” is the Greek word that encapsulates the blessing that comes with gathering with people of common faith. In 1 Corinthians 1:9, Paul uses this word to describe what we have with Jesus our Lord – translated “Fellowship.”* In 1 Corinthians 1:16-17, Paul says that when a church family eats the bread and drinks the wine in communion, we are conducting a Koinōnia in the body and blood of Christ – translated “participation.” In Philippians 2:1-2, Paul says that Christians who join together in the love of Christ have a “common sharing” (Koinōnia) of the Spirit. In Philippians 1:3-5, Paul thanks God for the “partnership” (Koinōnia) fellow believers share in gospel ministry. After examining these passages, participants were asked to share what other words came to mind when they consider the concept of Koinōnia. Responses included: “Joyful shared participation,” “common sharing,” “family,” “united participation,” “being in common faith,” “a congregation,” “intimate,” “the Body of Christ.” Three words stood out above the rest: “Community,” “Unity,” “Togetherness.” To summarize, Koinōnia is the word used in the Greek of the New Testament to describe that beautiful joint-partaking in the truth of the gospel enjoyed by brothers and sisters united by faith. Koinōnia is observed in the mutual joy the flows in response to the truth content of the gospel. Koinōnia is expressed in partnership in gospel ministry efforts. Koinōnia is expressed at the communion railing when brothers and sisters of the same faith kneel to receive the sacrament together. I then asked the participants to tell me when they feel Koinōnia at its best. Each person had a different moment to call out. One participant said that they feel it most strongly when we jointly confess our faith in worship using the Apostles’ or Nicene Creeds. Another said it was when we confess our sins in the service and hear the announcement of our forgiveness in Jesus’ name. Another said receiving the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper together when it feels more pertinent. Another referred to those efforts we undertake together to serve our community, as in our upcoming Easter for Kids event. Do you notice what all these examples have in common? They are a group participation in the gospel, fueled by gospel joy, and informed by gospel truth. And they are all joyous, blessed events. The blessings of Koinōnia are so great that it is worth Paul commanding us to do everything we can to be united in teaching and belief (1 Corinthians 1:10, Philippians 2:1-5). The blessings of Koinōnia can only come in their fullest form when a church family is first and foremost rooted in the truth of the Bible (Ephesians 4:11-16). While some church bodies might de-emphasize teaching and doctrine and increase emphasis on community outreach programs and services, the Bible’s perspective is that the two are inseparable. There is no partnership in gospel work without first partnership in the gospel teaching. Or, if you’ll allow me to stick to my Greek vocabulary here, there is no Koinōnia expressed in action without the Koinōnia that comes from observing and believing the same doctrine. The same goes for receiving the sacrament of Communion together, as this is an expression of the Koinōnia we have in the gospel. When you read the New Testament, it can be easy to become lost in the warnings against those who teach or believe false doctrines (see Romans 16:17, Titus 1:5-11, 1 Timothy 1:3-5, and 2 Timothy 4:1-5). If those passages were taken in isolation, one could start to think that we’re supposed to hate people who believe differently than we do. One could even suppose that we’re called upon to judge hearts! – that if we deny someone the chance to commune with us, we’re denying them their dignity, or if we deny the chance to participate in joint study or prayer with people of other denominations or faiths, that we’re being mean, stand-offish, stuck-up, and judgmental. Does that sound at all similar to when someone offers you a beer two or three times, but you politely decline each time? Does it perhaps sound similar to how someone responds when you tell them you don’t want to talk about politics? Or when you deny your date a kiss because you’d rather get to know them better before showing physical affection? As we’ve discussed, some respect such boundaries. Others take them personally. If they do, that doesn’t mean you weren’t loving in your boundary-setting. It's the same with Koinōnia. What we have in the gospel is so good (Psalm 133). When there is no unity of doctrine, Koinōnia cannot thrive (Romans 16:17). We must maintain that while we cannot judge hearts (1 Samuel 16:7), while faith is an inner, invisible phenomenon (John 3:8), and therefore we are not to condemn those who profess faith in Christ but may still cling to false doctrines. However, faith always expresses itself in some way, through words or action (Romans 10:10, Matthew 12:34-35). Anyone who believes in Jesus as their Savior is going to heaven (Romans 10:12-13). God knows those that are his (2 Timothy 2:19). But we are called upon to react to the confessions of faith we hear from others (2 Thessalonians 3:6), and to avoid giving even the appearance of unity in doctrine where there isn’t any (Romans 16:17). If we can help correct false doctrine and belief, of course we want to do that (2 Timothy 4:2, James 5:20). We want to participate in the gospel and in reacting to its content with acts of service and love, as much as possible, and with as many as possible! But the first step to Koinōnia in practice is always Koinōnia in doctrine. This is by no means an exhaustive treatment of the topic of fellowship, nor of the concrete practices that result from these thoughts. It is our church’s mission to establish Koinōnia by digging into the Law and Gospel message of the Bible together as a family, and seek to put it into practice. But doing so is not always clear-cut! We would love it if Trinity could be your safe place to explore what God says about you and how God would guide you to live in response to that beautiful news. In other words, we would love to have Koinōnia with you! For more about this, join us any Sunday for Bible class at 9am or worship at 10:15am! Pastor Mike Cherney *The translations referenced above are taken from the NIV(2011).
I am so thankful that there are people in the world who know how an internal combustion engine works. I am grateful to God that the secret knowledge of how to repair such an engine has been passed down through the generations ever since this technology was invented. When my own vehicle is having issues, there is someone out there who is capable of helping me fix it. There is no doubt that aspects of my life would improve if I understood more about how a car works and how to fix it. Sad to say, I just don’t. And yet, I survive. Because when my son needs to go to the hospital, knowing how the car works is not nearly as important as knowing how to drive it. When the ball rolls into the street, and the basketball player chases after it, understanding how hard one needs to press on the brakes to stop the car is more important than understanding how the brake mechanism works. When surprised with a crisis or emergency, knowing how to use the technology or information is much more important than knowing how to explain the information. That’s why the goal for this discussion will not be to explain the doctrine of the Trinity in a as satisfying a way as your mechanic (or you!) can explain how an engine works. Everyone who has tried, throughout the history of Christianity, has failed. Unlike an internal combustion engine, God is not an invention of mankind. His thoughts and ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9); his knowledge, his being surpasses ours (Isaiah 40:13-14). Every time we confess God to be almighty, divine, the “LORD,” we recognize how superior he is to us (Isaia 40:28). So, why bother? If God’s essence cannot be fully comprehended nor explained, why even try? Why “invent words,” as we are often accused of doing with the words “Trinity” or “Triune,” which don’t appear in Scripture (which is true, they don’t)? Why did the early church fight tooth and nail to against trinity-deniers, to protect a doctrine that is by nature incomprehensible? First and foremost, because God reveals it to us. The words Trinity (noun) and Triune (adjective) do not occur in Scripture, that’s true. But the concept is all over Scripture’s pages. We get little glimpses of it in the Old Testament. In Genesis 1:1-3, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all present in the creation of the world (compare with John 1:1-4). God commanded the priests of Israel to pronounce a three-fod blessing over the congregation, and Isaiah has a vision of God’s glory where he hears the three-fold praises of the angels, “Holy! Holy! Holy!” understood by many to be hints at the trinity (Isaiah 6:3). (There is more we could say about the Trinity in the Old Testament, but we’ll stop there for now.) The New Testament reveals the Trinity a bit more explicitly. At Christ’s baptism, God the Son was being baptized while God the Father spoke, and God the Holy Spirit appeared as a dove (Mark 1:9-12). The three-fold blessing that hinted at God’s three-in-oneness in Numbers becomes more explicitly trinitarian in Paul’s closing blessing when he says, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14). Peter summarizes the contributions of each person of the trinity in his gospel preaching (Acts 5:30-32). The Bible never attempts to explain how it is possible that God can be only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4) and yet also exist as three, distinct persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). However, God’s Word does reveal this truth to us, despite the difficulty in comprehending it. See 1 Corinthians 2:7-10, where Paul describes the truth of Scripture to be “a mystery” and “the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.” So, if God is so far above us that we can’t understand him, and if he picks what to reveal about his incomprehensible will and nature to us, and if he chose to reveal the fact that he is triune to us, doesn’t it make sense to conclude there must be a good reason? Return to the example above. If I know how to explain an internal combustion engine, that’s great. It’s more important that I know how to use it, especially when in crisis.God reveals the truth of his triune nature to us, because this is a truth we need to know. This is information that we can and should use, because we’re in crisis! To a humanity that is in crisis of identity, God reveals, “I have formed you, created you, and love you, you are mine” (see Isaiah 43:1). He says, “I will always protect, preserve, and provide for you,” (see Psalm 145:15-16). These are activities ascribed to the person of God the Father. To a human race that is in crisis of belonging, of acceptance, knowing we need love but not knowing where to find it, God reveals, “I am a God of grace, of unconditional love. I don’t hate you, but love you everlastingly,” (see John 1:14,18). To a human race plagued by gnawing guilt and agonizing shame, God creates a relationship of safety, of forgiveness, of everlasting and eternal life (see 1 Timothy 2:5-6). This is what we ascribe to the person of God the Son (Jesus). To a human race in a crisis of direction, of ignorance, in need of guidance and hope and comfort, God reveals, “I am with you. You are mine. I will yoke myself to you and always be with you. I will lead you,” (see Galatians 5:22-26, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Romans 8:4 and 8:9). This is what we ascribe to the person of God the Holy Spirit. Simply observe how Paul uses the work of God the Father to reach the hearts of the people of Athens in Acts 17:22-34. See how the forgiveness and love of Christ is used to spur us on to similar acts of service and love to one another in Ephesians 4:32-5:10. Go to Romans 8:14-17, 8:26-27, 15:14-16 and 1 Corinthians 2:9-16 to be comforted by the truth of the Holy Spirit’s work. The trinity is a doctrine to be studied, certainly, but it is a beautiful doctrine that begs to be used! That’s why leaders in the early Christian church fought tooth and nail to protect it. The stakes were high! To abandon or misrepresent the doctrine of the trinity meant depriving anxious souls of the comfort they need, wayward wanderers of the direction they sought, and depressed and lonely hearts of the belonging and love that is so clearly there. That’s why it was worth their time to come up with three Creeds (the Apostles, the Nicene, and the Athanasian) that succinctly and directly express what Scripture teaches about each member of the Trinity. This is that important. Next time you worship with us (and I so hope and pray that this is soon!) count for yourself how many references to the trinity there are in the service. More than that, observe how the doctrine of the trinity is used throughout! See for yourself how beautiful this doctrine is. Put it to good use. After all, that’s why it’s there! This was a very quick discussion of a complex topic. If you have more questions and thoughts, we’d love to keep the discussion going! Join us any Sunday for Bible class at 9am, and service at 10:15am, and/or reach out to us directly via the Contact page. God bless you! Pastor Mike Cherney
Before you continue, we recommend reading the previous post: “I Hope So” (A discussion of the Fall into Sin and God’s Promises of the Savior) if you haven’t already! The disciples were a band of misfits. Each of the Jewish men Jesus called into his close fellowship came from a wildly different background, different levels of education, even different political persuasions. It would be superficial to conclude that they, being Jewish men residing in the Mediterranean area during the first century, were all exactly the same. What they did have in common, though, was Jesus. They were entranced by the authority, the teaching, the power, and the love of this man. Jesus is on his teaching and healing tour. He’s aware that the day of his crucifixion draws near. While traveling, Jesus asks this band of misfits, his students, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” In our Sunday morning Bible class, we asked each other the same question. Who do people say the Son of Man (one of Jesus’ favored titles for himself) is? The answers covered it all. We observed that, of course, many maintain that Jesus never existed, despite the extra-Biblical (“outside of the Bible”) historical evidence that supports that he did. Others accept that Jesus was a real person, and that he was an influential figure. However, there’s a lot of confusion about the extent of that influence and the type of influence he had. People will talk about Jesus the same way they talk about Martin Luther King Jr., an important man who stood by his beliefs even when it cost him everything, and through whose legacy the world greatly improved. People will equate Jesus with prophets and important figures from other religions, as if he’s just Christianity’s “guy” as much as Mohammed or Buddha are the “guys” of Islam and Buddhism, respectively. Thus is the basic gist of what you hear about Jesus “out there.” During the same Bible class, we asked each other, “Who is Jesus to you?” and the answers were very different. Far from, “A teacher,” or “An influential figure,” or even, “A man who may or may not have existed,” participants finished the sentence “Jesus is…” with: “My friend,” “My shield,” “Protector,” “The Light,” “Patient,” “Nurturing,” “Selfless.” Now, before you say to yourself, “There’s nothing uniquely Christian about those perspectives. Many people believe Jesus was a positive character,” let me ask you this: How crazy would it sound if you said that Martin Luther King Jr. was not just an important historical figure, but that he is your personal friend, your protector, your teacher? For one thing, he was killed in 1968, decades before I was born, and maybe you too. It would be ludicrous to believe that you have a personal relationship with someone so removed from you in terms of life, time, and geography. The answers the participants gave to the essential question, “Who is Jesus?” showed that they feel a personal relationship with him still, even though he was crucified close to 2,000 years ago. I don’t think that sounds any less ridiculous than the way the disciples answered the same question when Jesus himself asked it. After collecting their responses to his poll of who the people say he is (Matthew 16:13-14), he turns the question on the disciples, “But what about you? … Who do you say I am?” and Peter, often the spokesperson for the disciples, declares, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God,” (Matthew 16:15). By confessing this about Jesus, Peter was declaring all the prophesies of the Messiah and Savior to be fulfilled in Christ (we talked about this in the previous post titled “I Hope So”). He declares that Jesus is not just the mascot of a new religion getting off the ground, but that he comes from – is the “Son of” – God himself. Which means that Peter believes God almighty to have given his Son into the world, which means that God has initiated his plan of salvation in the world through Jesus Christ. Clearly, Jesus is so much more than just the “guy” of Christianity. The writer to the Hebrews records, that Jesus was “made lower than the angels for a little while,” that is, that he came from heaven and submitted himself to life as fully human (Hebrews 2:9). He became a mortal man so that he could live under the weight of the expectations of God’s holy law (Galatians 4:4) perfectly in our place, and so that he could die the death we sinners deserve (Hebrews 2:9). The writer to the Hebrews concludes, based on this, “In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. 11 Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 2:9-11). Because Jesus was truly human, he is the Savior that sits beside me. As the participants in our bible class pointed out, he is our nurturing and gentle friend. Peter declared his faith that Jesus, a true, flesh-and-blood human being, is also the Son of God. That this man standing before him, whom he had seen eat and drink, go to sleep, and maybe even excuse himself to take bathroom breaks, is not just a man. Compare this to what John, another disciple, later wrote about Jesus, “John writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:1-2), and “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14), and “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known” (John 1:18). While Jesus became 100% human, he also remained 100% God. As Paul wrote, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). This is crucial. If Jesus were just human and not God, his righteous life and innocent death would have no significance in my life. He would just be an important guy, another tragic martyr lost to human cruelty. However, if Jesus were just God and not human, then he would just be another “angel of the Lord” appearance as we see in the Old Testament. He would have just been a vision. He wouldn’t be the empathetic Savior who suffers for me and with me that he claims to be. Jesus is more than just the mascot of the Christian religion. He is God himself. That’s why participants in the Bible class were able to say that he is, “omnipresent” (a fancy word meaning “everywhere”), “all-powerful / omnipotent,” “truth itself,” “eternal,” “all-knowing / omniscient,” because he truly is God himself. Don’t get lost in the theological jargon. Jesus isn’t just God. He is your God, and my God (John 20:28). He isn’t just a deity figure of this particular religion, he is your brother (Hebrews 2:11), who came to bring you into God’s grace (John 1:17-18). If you’re having trouble wrapping your head around that, then take a break. Don’t try too hard to solve it logically, but think about this: How does it make you feel about the rough week you’re going to have at work, to know that Jesus, though God, suffered through many rough weeks of his own? How does it make you feel, when you are burdened with temptation, to know that Jesus felt the constant nagging of temptation as well (Luke 4:2)? How does it make you feel to know that even though your sin separated you from God, God himself bridged the separation by becoming a human just like you (Ephesians 2:14-18)? Remember this the next time you feel far from God. No matter how ashamed of yourself you feel, God is not ashamed of you (Hebrews 2:11). No matter how distant you feel from God, his grace is not distant from you. No matter how weak you feel in your own flesh and blood, Jesus is powerful for you. That’s the difference that recognizing the two natures (1. human nature, 2. divine nature) of Christ can make. Permit one final observation: This band of misfits, of wildly different people, called “the disciples,” were united by one thing: the importance and specialness of this Jesus character. Not all of them hung onto that truth. In fact, one of them betrayed that same Jesus, handing him over to death. It still is worth observing the tremendous power Jesus has to bring different people together. If you are looking, you will see the same phenomenon in any church that teaches “Jesus” rightly. You will find people from wildly different backgrounds, having different tastes, maybe even different political persuasions. My prayer is that, when you enter such a church, you’re able to see what unites them: that each worshipper is enamored and captivated by this person called Jesus Christ. And I pray that you become as enamored and captivated by the grace of the God-Man, too. Let’s talk more about this. Visit us any Sunday for Bible Class at 9am (your input and participation just might get featured in a future blog post!) and worship of our Savior at 10:15am. God bless you with the peace that comes from knowing Jesus! Pastor Mike Cherney
A Discussion of Prayer & Confession
Two women are out to dinner. These lifelong friends are celebrating the fact that one of them just turned 60. The birthday girl places a small, neatly-decorated box on the table. She pushes it across the table toward her friend. The other woman’s mind is abuzz with questions. “Aren’t I supposed to get you something?” “Why are you giving me this?” “What is it?” “Isn’t this a bit unnecessary?” “What is the meaning of this?” The questions in the brain aren’t able to exit the mouth. She is simply speechless. Her friend says, “Open it.” As the questions finally tumble forth, the birthday girl isn’t interested in answering them. She simply says, “Just open it.” By giving us Communion, Jesus slides the gift across the table. During a meal that commemorated God’s salvation and redemption (Exodus 12:1-28), Jesus gave us a new gift in quite the same vein (Mark 14:13-16, John 1:29). Jesus, the true Passover Lamb (John 1:29, Revelation 5:6), was celebrating the meal that pre-figured the redemption he would soon accomplish, when he took bread and said, “this is my body,” and took wine, saying “this is my blood” (Matthew 26:26-27, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20). At this, the disciples’ heads are all abuzz with questions, like: “What did he just say? What does this mean? This isn’t part of the ‘Passover script,’ is it?” Jesus has just slid the gift across the table. We, along with the disciples, are wondering, “What in the world is going on?” What is this thing, or these things, Christ has just placed before us? One way in which many have made sense out of this gift is to assume that when Jesus said this, he was is establishing a symbolic memorial meal; to establish a recurring tradition to meditate on the significance of Jesus’ flesh-and-blood death. As satisfying as this may seem, it assumes that Jesus is speaking in metaphor when he called bread and wine his body and blood. Don’t get us wrong, Jesus is not a stranger to figurative language, but he usually gives us good reason to take his language figuratively, couching his language in context that says, “I’m talking in metaphors now.” Here, however, he doesn’t do that. He just says, “it is.” So, what is it? Fast forward with us a few decades. Jesus died on the cross (John 19:30), rose from the grave, appeared to the disciples in his resurrected body (John 20:16-31), gave them the commission to go and preach about what they had seen (Matthew 28:19-20), and bam! The Christian church is off and running. Christians did not forget about this meal, this gift, Jesus had bestowed upon his church. They kept breaking bread and passing around wine, calling it Jesus’ body and blood, taking great care over the very Word spoken over these things (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Some 20-30 years after that Last Supper with the disciples, the Apostle Paul gives instruction to the Christians in Corinth about how to keep on celebrating the meal Jesus gave us. Paul teaches that the meal (what we call “Communion”) is not only a remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice, but a proclamation of it (1 Corinthians 11;26). There is a right way and a wrong way to celebrate it (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). And as such, it isn’t right to force the unprepared to partake of it (1 Corinthians 11:28), or those who don’t understand its meaning (1 Corinthians 11:29), or those who don’t have “communion” with the church family with whom they partake of it (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). Taking all these things together with Jesus’ own words at the Last Supper, it’s clear that the Christians that gathered to celebrate this meal never thought of the bread and wine as anything less than the actual body and blood of Christ. Is your head abuzz with questions? Probably, just one: “How? How can bread and wine be Christ’s body and blood?” But the gift is in front of us. If we get stuck on the “How?” we may miss the “Why?” which Jesus gave us right away. If you read the passages from the Gospels, you caught it. Jesus gave us Communion “for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28). Through Communion, Jesus gives you the gift of a tangible expression of forgiveness. God is so good that he doesn’t just express his love for you with words, but with actions (which we call “sacraments”). He gives you a way to taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8). We call it “Communion” first and foremost because the relationship of communion with God is strengthened through it. The second reason it’s called “Communion” is the next big blessing behind the sacrament. It is given to strengthen our bond with the family of believers (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). That’s why the imagery seen in many churches is so powerful - a semi-circle of communicants gathered as if at a table together as repentant sinners seeking God’s goodness in what he promises to give. Taking this fact together with Scripture’s warnings against taking Communion without proper preparation (see passages from 1 Corinthians 11 above), celebrating Communion is to be done only with fellow Christians who have made their unity public by becoming members of the same church or church body. Q: Isn’t it unloving to withhold Communion from someone who wants it? A: It may seem that way at first, but given that Jesus gave us this gift, we want to use it the way he says to. If the birthday girl in the example above gave her friend a thin silver necklace, she wouldn’t be happy to see her friend use it to try to floss her teeth. At the same time, if someone desires to take Communion with us, we are so glad for that! And we will want to begin establishing unity as soon as possible. There is no other way to do this than to examine Scripture’s teachings together through meetings that we call “Bible Basics.” Q: You haven’t explained how bread and wine can be Jesus’ body and blood, though! A: You’re absolutely right! The “how can this be?” aspect of Communion is not spelled out for us. We simply trust that this is what we receive in, with, and under the bread and the wine. Without the real presence of Jesus’ body and blood, this sacrament would not carry with it the promise to forgive our sins. Since the Almighty God who can do all things declares to me that this is what I receive in Communion, I’m going to take what he says for granted even when it contradicts my reason. Q: How do we know that what we’re receiving Communion the right way? A: Scripture urges that we celebrate with those with whom we’re in fellowship with (1 Corinthians 10:16-17), that we examine our own hearts with honest repentance before approaching (1 Corinthians 11:28), and that we recognize what we’re receiving (1 Corinthians 11:29). Lets say you’re a member of our church, waiting in the pew to be invited up by the ushers for Communion, and you want to make sure you’re well prepared. Simply ask yourself, “Do I know that I’m a sinner in need of forgiveness?” if the answer is “yes,” then follow up by asking, “Do I believe that in Communion I receive forgiveness?” If the answer is “yes,” then you’re ready! Also, remember how Baptism is effective because the Word is there (“in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”). You know that you are receiving Christ’s true body and true blood in, with, and under the bread and wine when the Word is present, commonly called “the Words of Institution” (when Jesus said, “take and eat,” “take and drink”). The Word of God is what makes Communion powerful to forgive sins, not the person giving it nor the people receiving it. Q: Aren’t you teaching that there is another way to be saved and forgiven other than Jesus’ death on the cross? A: Refer back to our discussion of Baptism (the devotion called, “Prove It!”). It is always and only faith in the gospel that saves. This faith is created and strengthened by reading and interacting with Scripture, through Baptism, and as we discussed today, through Communion. These are not three ways to be saved, but three means that God uses to connect us to his gracious salvation! There are likely many more questions about this wonderful gift Jesus has given us, and we would love to continue the conversation with you. We hope you join us for Bible class any Sunday at 9am and worship at 10:15am. For now, come back with us to our example of a birthday dinner. Jesus has slid the gift across the table. Our head is abuzz with questions, “What is this? How can this be?” but the most important question has been answered: “What is it for?” Jesus says, “This is for you. This is for your forgiveness of sins.” Before we ask another question, simply hear his voice. Like the birthday girl finally cut off her friend with, “Just open it.” Jesus cuts off our doubts and our apprehension to receive such a tangible expression of his love with simply and lovingly saying, “Do this.” Pastor Mike Cherney
By the time you read this, Valentine’s Day will likely have passed. How did it go for you? Which outcome do you most resonate with? A) You knocked it out of the park. You went the full nine yards for your beloved B) You did your best, but because of financial or time constraints, you’re worried about whether your efforts were effective. C) You are glad it’s over, because you can’t stand the commercialization and greed of those who profit off of your romantic love D) To you, Valentine’s is a sick and unwelcome reminder of love lost, or loneliness. Allow me to suggest that all Valentine’s Day activities and attitudes center on the need for proof. If you are in the A category, you feel that you satisfactorily proved your love to your beloved. If you’re B, you did your best, hoping it was enough to prove your love genuine. If you’re C, you likely said, “I shouldn’t have to prove that I love my significant other to anyone!” If you’re D, Valentine’s Day instead is proof that there’s something missing from your life, because you have love to give, but nobody to give it – to prove it - to. What is proof if not the point at which our questions cease, our doubts are calmed, and our curiosities satisfied? You can tell me that the moon is made of cheese, but only when you present some moon cheese for me to taste are you lending me proof. Today we’re discussing how baptism is proof that God’s love and salvation are ours. Assuming you’ve read our devotion series up to this point (if not, pause here and circle back to previous posts with “A discussion of…” in the title), you’ve walked with us on a great biblical journey. You went to the Garden of Eden with us, where all mankind’s problems first began (Genesis 2-3). You heard with us God’s plan of salvation (Genesis 3:15). You have seen with us that only through the person and work of Christ do we have any hope of salvation, but that Jesus came into the world to bring exactly that salvation we’re so desperate for (John 3:16-17). You heard with us that “faith” is that trust-relationship with God that connects you to Christ and saves your life by changing it entirely (Galatians 2:20). And all this is done for you as a free gift of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8). God, in his infinite grace and wisdom, has not stopped there. He has given us proof of this new reality in the gift of baptism . We get the word “baptize” directly from the Greek βαπτιζω, which means “to wash.”* Jesus’ relative John prepared the masses to understand the significance of his distant cousin’s arrival by baptizing them (Mark 1:4-5), pouring water over the baptized, or immersing them completely (we’re not told whether John and later baptizers always did either or both, just that water was always used), connecting this action with “repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4). Jesus himself began his ministry of teaching and healing by being baptized by John (Matthew 3:13-15). Why? Because this was a new era for God’s people, and God was showing believers to look to baptism for blessing, which Jesus (having set aside full use of his divine power in what theological bigwigs call his “state of humiliation”) benefitted from. Sure, Jesus did not need repentance for the forgiveness of his sins (Matthew 3:14), but by being baptized in his humble state, he showed that baptism is for blessing. Jesus accomplished our salvation by living out the righteousness that God’s Law requires (Leviticus 11:44). He suffered death to remove our guilt (Isaiah 53:5). He rose from the dead, affirming that we are at peace with God (John 20:19). After all this, some of his last words to his disciples before ascending into heaven gave the answer to the “so now what?” that was lingering on their minds: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) Jesus’ parting command to his disciples was to make more disciples. He commanded that they carry forward the ministry of baptism, of washing people with water in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for the forgiveness of their sins, and to accompany that baptism with teaching and growing in the faith. What is the meaning of this baptism? Is it just what you do when someone is ready to become a Christian, to show that they are really serious about their walk with Christ? Consider what Jesus says in John 3:5-6, “Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” We are born in sin (Psalm 51:5), and sin’s cycle will continue into future generations unless someone intervenes. Jesus says that baptism (water and the Spirit) is how that cycle is disrupted. It makes a child of “the flesh” (a common metaphor for sin in the New Testament) into a child of “the Spirit” (a common metaphor for that trust relationship with God, faith – See Romans 8:14-17). Jesus is teaching that baptism itself bestows the faith relationship with God we so desperately need. Not convinced? Read Titus 3:4-7, where Paul calls baptism, “the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Spirit,” and declares that baptism “saved us,” by pouring the benefits of Christ on us generously. Baptism bestows the blessings of what Christ has done onto the person being baptized. Still unsure? 1 Peter 3:21 teaches that baptism “saves you” by connecting you to the work Jesus has accomplished for you, and thereby becomes your “pledge of a clear conscience.” Therefore, your baptism becomes your PROOF that God loves you, that you are his child, and that you are saved. Wait a second! I thought we said that we are saved by God’s grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8), that faith only comes from hearing the gospel (Romans 10:17), and that the gospel alone is the power to save people (Romans 1:16-17). Can we really be so bold as to suggest there is another way to be saved other than hearing the gospel?! Pardon my facetiousness, but we’re not saying that there are multiple ways to be saved. There is only one way to be saved, and that is through faith – a trust-relationship with God that connects you to God’s love. But the emphatic statements of baptism’s blessings show that this washing of water and the Word is a method God uses for giving the gospel! Many come to faith by hearing and believing the gospel. Many more come to faith because they were brought to be baptized. The faith is the same. The delivery method may have been different. Now, for some rapid-fire questions! Q: If you come to faith by hearing the gospel, do you still need to get baptized? A: Not only does Jesus want us to be baptized (Matthew 28:19), but look again at the passages cited above, and notice the blessings that it gives. The better question is, if I trust in God’s Word to provide me with these great blessings, why wouldn’t I want to receive them? Q: If someone passes away without a chance to baptized, are they condemned for the simple reason that they were never baptized? A: Remember this: God saves a soul by giving that life-giving faith in the gospel. God is able to accomplish this in someone’s heart through hearing the message (Romans 10:17). Although we would want such a person to be baptized in order to receive its blessings, we would not assume that they would go to hell if they passed away before having that chance to be baptized. Q: If someone is baptized by a church leader who later is found out to be a false teacher, or they are baptized in one denomination but now desire to become a Lutheran, do they need to be re-baptized? A: After looking at all the passages about baptism above, where did you notice that the power to forgive and save comes from? It never comes from the person doing it. It always comes from the Word that accompanies it. If a person is baptized in a church that does it “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,” then that baptism was effective. After all, what church leader can boast of such great character and perfection in teaching that they themselves give baptism its power? Answer: none. Q: If someone gets baptized and trusts in this for their salvation, doesn’t that eliminate any need or encouragement for godly living, since they can say, “I’m going to heaven because I was baptized”? A: Far from it! Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Romans 6:1-4, and Galatians 3:26-27. In every case, the fact that you are baptized is used as proof that you should fight against sin, you should reject temptation, you should live for God! These passages essentially say, “Sin is not who you are anymore! Live who you are, as a baptized child of God.” God saved you by his grace first and foremost. We never earned it or deserved it, so why would we need to earn or deserve God’s salvation after it’s given? Rather, God has changed our lives and hearts. We want to live out that newness of life by listening to God’s Word and following what he desires (Galatians 2:19-21). There are many other questions and topics surrounding baptism that we could talk about, and should. I hope you are able to join us for these discussions on Sunday mornings at 9am, and worship at 10:15am. For now, let me close with this thought: Baptism is about proof. Many people falsely teach that it is your moment to prove that you’re ready to follow God, that you’re really serious about your relationship with him and are ready to fully commit. That’s not the Bible’s perspective on baptism at all. Baptism is about God proving his love to you. Whether you’re a full-grown adult or a newborn baby, God washes you and purifies you through baptism, totally forgiving your sins. He makes your heart a home for His Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), and declares you his own dear child (1 John 3:1). Baptism is not your gift to God, but his gift to you. Therefore, your baptism becomes your moment to look back on for comfort and assurance that God’s grace, salvation, and love are all yours in Christ. Pastor Mike Cherney P.S. Are you interested in baptism, for you or a loved one, and want to talk more? Please get in touch with us! Email pastormike@trinityelpaso.org, or pay us a visit and speak with Pastor Mike or a church leader! We would be honored and overjoyed to help! *William Arndt et al., in A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 164.