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November 2000
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This is our November cover.
Many of these articles are taken from our Internet website. Our usual news format will return next issue.
By Charles Fleming
Caribbean regional director
How does God feel about the unsaved?
Isaiah gives us a clear view of God's feelings for those ensnared in sin. In 30:18 he describes God as longing to be gracious to sinners. Isaiah says God actually rises to show compassion. Imagine that!
We rise to greet people we respect. We spring to our feet in anticipation at a football game when a wide receiver crosses the 10-yard line on his way to the end zone. We leap to our feet in celebration when our favorite pitcher strikes out a batter.
God's reaction to sinners
Through Isaiah God shows us his reaction to all sinners. He rises because he respects us. He rises in anticipation of meeting our most pressing needs--the need to be forgiven and blessed by him. He rises in celebration in the face of the victory he is going to give us through Christ Jesus.
How do you feel about the unsaved people you meet each day?
Does your reaction resemble that of the prodigal son's father? In that parable Jesus dramatically shows us what the heart of the Father in heaven is like. "But while he [the prodigal son] was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him" (Luke 15:20).
Look for the lost
Jesus expects us to have that kind of love for the unsaved. In fact, we are not to wait for the lost to come to us, but rather he tells us we are to go looking for them! "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15).
According to Jesus, your self-image and my self-image should be that we are his witnesses.
"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
Jesus knows that on our own we are incapable of such self-sacrificing compassion. That is one reason why he gives us the Holy Spirit.
Paul further spells it out. He tells us that we must not be timid or ashamed to testify about Jesus our Savior, because we have received the Spirit of power, of love and of sound mindedness (2 Timothy 1:6-8).
As reported in the August WN, the number of U.S. administrative districts has been reduced from 18 to 13.
The district superintendent serves as an on-the-scenes extension of Church Administration in Pasadena. He provides support and supervision of pastors and congregations in his district. With this decentralization, Church Administration can give more immediate and relevant assistance to the diverse needs of pastors and congregations in various regions.
Church Administration in collaboration with district superintendents and pastors selected new names for each of the 13 U.S. districts (see map). With redistricting, district superintendents will no longer pastor congregations and their attention will be devoted fully to the administration of their assigned districts.
The new district names reflect a greater focus on the districts as geographic regions with distinctive needs and identities. The names are intended to express district-wide geographic distinctives and variety rather than focus on one community in the district as with the previous names.
This emphasis on district identity is accompanied by an emphasis on shared ministries within each district. The vision is that congregations within districts will cooperate in conducting ministries for the benefit of all congregations in that district. One current example is youth ministry, where congregations are developing a collective vision and pooling resources to assist each other in the development of ministries for children, teens and young adults.
Following are the districts, district superintendents and their wives:
Northwest--Guy and Penny Engelbart
Southwest--Curtis and Jannice May
Rocky Mountain--Gerald and Connie Schnarrenberger
North Central--Dave and Linda Fiedler
Southern Plains--Don and Sue Lawson
Mid-South--Randy and Debbie Bloom
South Central--Carn and Joyce Catherwood
Northern Lakes--Ted and Donna Johnston
Central--Bob and Jan Taylor
Southeast--Al and Edna Barr
Northeast--Ken and Nancy Williams
Mid-Atlantic--Keith and Marian Brittain
Florida--Bob and Kay Persky
Proposed district conference sites, which are open to church members, are Jekyll Island,
Georgia (Jan. 12-14); Beaumont, California (March 17-19); Denver, Colorado; Dallas, Texas;
Des Moines, Iowa; and Hartford, Connecticut. The dates of the other conferences are
pending.
"After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. `The time has come,' he said. `The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news' '' (Mark 1:14-15).
This good news Jesus Christ brought is known as the gospel. It is a potent, life-changing and life-transforming message. The gospel not only convicts and converts, it will eventually confound all who stand against it.
The gospel is "the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). The gospel is our invitation from God to live on an altogether different plane. It is good news of a future inheritance to be bestowed in full when Christ returns. But it is also an invitation to an invigorating spiritual reality that can be ours here and now.
Paul describes the gospel as "the gospel of Christ" (1 Corinthians 9:12), "the gospel of God" (Romans 15:16), "the gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15).
Paul took his cue from Jesus and began to redefine the Jewish view of the kingdom of God around the universal significance of Christ's first appearing.
As the New Dictionary of Theology explains, in the writings of Paul, "the preacher [Christ] becomes the preached one" (page 278). The Jesus who walked the dusty roads of Judea and Galilee, Paul taught, is now the resurrected Christ who sits at the right hand of God, and who is "the head over every power and authority" (Colossians 2:10).
In the gospel according to Paul, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ were "of first importance," the key events in God's plan (1 Corinthians 15:1-11). The gospel was good news for the poor and downtrodden. History was going somewhere. Right, not might, would ultimately triumph.
The pierced hand had triumphed over the mailed fist. The kingdom of evil was being replaced by the reign of Jesus Christ, an order of things that Christians already experienced in part.
Paul stressed this aspect of the gospel to the Colossians: "Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:12-14).
For beleaguered Christians in all ages, the gospel is both a present reality and a future hope. The resurrected Christ, who presides over time, space and everything that happens here below, is the Christian's champion. The One who ascended into the heavenly realms is the ever-present source of power (Ephesians 3:20-21).
The good news is that Jesus Christ triumphed over every obstacle during his earthly life. The way of the cross is the rough but triumphant road into the kingdom of God. That is why Paul could sum up the gospel succinctly: "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2).
When Jesus appeared in Galilee earnestly preaching the gospel, he expected a response. He expects a response today.
But Jesus' original invitation to enter the kingdom was not received in a vacuum. Jesus' proclamation of the kingdom of God, accompanied by impressive signs and wonders, electrified a nation chafing under the Roman Empire. This is one reason Jesus had to clarify what he meant by the kingdom of God.
The Jews in Jesus' day were looking for a strongman to restore their nation to the glory days of David and Solomon. But Jesus' message was "doubly revolutionary," in the words of Oxford scholar N.T. Wright.
For one thing, Jesus took the popular expectation of a Jewish superstate throwing off the Roman yoke and transformed it. He turned the widespread hope of political salvation into a message of spiritual deliverance: the gospel!
"The kingdom of God is here, he seemed to be saying, but it's not like you thought it was going to be" (Wright, Who Was Jesus?, page 98).
Jesus shocked people with what his good news implied. "Many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first," Jesus emphasized (Matthew 19:30).
"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth," he told his own people, the Jews, "when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out" (Luke 13:28). The great banquet was for everyone (Luke 14:16-24). The gentiles were invited to the kingdom, too.
And one thing more, something just as revolutionary. This prophet from Nazareth seemed to have a lot of time for the disenfranchised-- from lepers and physically disadvantaged folk to money-grabbing tax collectors--and even, at times, the hated Roman oppressors.
The good news Jesus brought upset everyone's assumptions, even those of his loyal disciples (Luke 9:51-56). Jesus insisted that the kingdom they looked for as a future event was already dynamically present in his ministry. As he said after one dramatic episode: "But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you" (Luke 11:20).
Those who saw Jesus in action, in other words, were experiencing the presence of the future. Jesus turned popular expectation on its head in at least three ways:
1. Jesus taught the good news that the kingdom comes as a pure gift--the reign of God bringing healing in its wake already. Thus, Jesus inaugurated "the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:19; Isaiah 61:1-2). But the people "in on" the kingdom were the weary and the burdened, the poor and the beggars, repentant publicans and harlots, and children and social outcasts. To social outcasts and spiritually lost sheep, Jesus proclaimed himself their shepherd.
2. Jesus' good news was also for those willing to turn to God through repentance. They would find God to be like a generous father who scans the horizon for his wandering sons and daughters and spots them "while ... still a long way off" (Luke 15:20).
The good news of the gospel meant that anyone saying the words, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner" (Luke 18:13), and really meaning them, would find God a sympathetic listener. Always.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" (Luke 11:9). To those who believed and renounced the ways of this world, this was the best news they could ever hear.
3. Jesus' gospel also meant that, despite all appearances to the contrary, nothing could stop the triumph of the kingdom Jesus Christ had inaugurated.
Though that kingdom would meet fierce and unrelenting resistance, it would ultimately triumph in supernatural power and splendor.
Christ told his disciples: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats" (Matthew 25:31-32).
Jesus' gospel message had a dynamic tension between the "already" and the "not yet." The gospel of the kingdom referred to a rule of God that was already active--"the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor" (Matthew 11:5).
But the kingdom was "not yet" in the sense that its full consummation still lay ahead. To understand the gospel is to appreciate this twofold aspect--the interval between the promised presence of the King who lives inside his people now and his dramatic reappearance.
Paul the missionary helped initiate the second great movement of the gospel--its expansion from tiny Judea into the sophisticated Greco-Roman world of the middle first century. Paul, the repentant onetime persecutor of Christians, refocused the blazing light of the gospel through the prism of day-to-day living. He tapped into the practical implications of the gospel even as he exalted the glorified Christ.
In the face of fanatical resistance, Paul shared with his fellow Christians the breathtaking significance of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ: "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel" (Colossians 1:21-23).
Paul said, "This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant" (verse 23).
Reconciliation. Without blemish. Grace. Deliverance. Forgiveness. And not just in the future, but here and now. That was Paul's gospel. The resurrection, the climax to which the Synoptic Gospels and John pointed their readers (John 20:31), released the power within the gospel for daily Christian living.
Jesus Christ's resurrection certified the gospel. Therefore, taught Paul, those events in far-off Judea give all men and women hope: "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last" (Romans 1:16-17).
John brought still another dimension to the gospel, presenting Jesus Christ as he was remembered by "the disciple whom he loved" (John 19:26), a man with the heart of a pastor, a church leader deeply concerned about people, their cares and fears. "Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:30-31).
John's presentation of the gospel revolves around the thrilling phrase, "that by believing you may have life." "The central theme of the Synoptics is the presence of the eschatological kingdom of God," wrote George Eldon Ladd. "John has almost nothing to say about this theme.... John's central theme is eternal life as a present possession" ("Eschatology," The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, page 136).
John brilliantly enshrines another aspect of the gospel of Jesus Christ in some of his most personal, intimate and up-close moments. John's Gospel is a vivid account of the personal ministering presence of the Messiah.
A personal Gospel
In John's Gospel, we meet a Christ who was a powerful public preacher (John 7:37-46). We see Jesus as warm and hospitable. From his welcoming invitation, "Come ... and you will see" (John 1:39), to the challenge to doubting Thomas to put his finger in the nail marks in his hands (John 20:27), here is an unforgettable portrait of the One who "became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (John 1:14).
People felt so welcome and comfortable with Jesus Christ that they engaged him in lively give-and-take (John 6:5-8). They reclined next to him at a meal while eating out of the same dish with him (John 13:23-26). They loved him so dearly as to impulsively swim to shore at the sight of him to enjoy an impromptu barbecue he had prepared with his own hands (John 21:7-14).
The Gospel according to John reminds us of how much the good news revolves around Jesus Christ, the example he set and the eternal life available to us through him (John 10:10).
It reminds us that preaching the gospel isn't enough. We have to live it as well. John offers encouragement: Others may be attracted by our example to share the good news of the kingdom. That is what happened to the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well (John 4:27-30) and to Mary of Magdala (John 20:10-18).
The One who wept at Lazarus' grave, the humble servant who washed his disciples' feet, is alive today. He offers us his own presence through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit: "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him" (John 14:23).
Jesus actively leads his people today through the Holy Spirit. His invitation is as personal and as encouraging as ever: "Come ... and you will see" (John 1:39).
By James Henderson
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa--"How could I possibly evangelize? It's just not my scene. God has called me to do something else in the body of Christ."
Have you thought the sentiments above, and yet you feel a pressure about personal evangelism? Evangelism has a bad reputation, and many of us do not want to be tarnished by it.
Yet, we feel guilty--maybe we should be doing something. But what? We need to understand what is meant by the phrase "personal evangelism."
A great many helpful (and a few not so helpful) books have been written on the subject of evangelism, and on how each believer has a responsibility to spread the gospel.
Some of us can feel uncomfortable about this. We conjure up images of rude, persistent door to door callers, or of people who interrupt and hand out tracts to passersby on the street, or of extreme fanatics. We know we should not judge the motivation of people who do such things, but at the same time we remain uneasy. Do we have to be involved in these types of pursuits? Is this what personal evangelism is all about?
Before coming into our fellowship I used to go from house to house with Billy Graham books and pamphlets, and would distribute hundreds if not thousands. I remember some people being upset with me, and also remember one woman who became a Christian after she was challenged by one of the books.
Does one convert justify the others who were repulsed? Difficult, isn't it? Would I choose to do it again? I don't know. I do know that I did it because I was sincere, and I wanted others to come to Christ.
One of the best discussions I have seen on the meaning of evangelism is in the first chapter of Michael Green's book Evangelism Through the Local Church (Oliver-Nelson Books, Nashville, Tennessee, 1992).
In it the author points to the widely accepted idea that evangelism is "overflow," based on an interpretation of the Greek word plerophoria as used in 1 Thessalonians 1:5: "Our gospel came to you ... in much confident overflow."
In other words, as we let Christ live in us, the joy of our salvation, like the proverbial cup that "runs over" (Psalm 23:5), will overflow into our web of relationships, and people will be positively influenced by us, and this may open the door to their meeting Jesus. This is a beautiful concept, and well worth meditating over and praying about.
Michael Green also stresses other important issues concerning evangelism. For example, he says that evangelism should point to the Father through Jesus Christ, not leaving us with a Father who is forgotten in our Christ-centered faith.
At another stage, he reminds us that evangelism has to do with making disciples--it is not enough to get decisions for Christ, but in addition people need to learn and understand how to grow in grace and in knowledge.
It is easy to think that evangelism is for the church headquarters to organize, or for a pastor or a committee of your local church. But is it for the individual? The New Testament seems to show that it is. Let's look at of some scriptural examples.
In Acts 9:39 we find that Dorcas had died and at her deathbed were the many widows for whom she had made clothes. It is recorded that she was "full of good works and charitable deeds" (9:36, New King James).
Nowadays some would say she had a knitting ministry or that she was involved in social evangelism. Whatever we call it, she had an effect. Christ's love within her did overflow into those around her.
Did her life make others think of becoming disciples? Probably yes. The widows seemed to have had their faith strengthened through contact with her. The implication is that her kind acts prepared some of the widows and others so that when they saw the miracle of her healing and perhaps heard the preaching of Peter many of them believed.
Dorcas' evangelism was personal, relational and real.
Sometimes life is hard for wives with husbands who do not care for Christianity.
Not always, as some non-Christian men can teach Christian husbands a thing or two, but that's another subject.
I remember chatting with a woman whose husband was a non-believer. She explained that nothing seemed to go right for her, and that her husband was a constant threat to her belief systems.
I listened and sympathized with her. I then asked if she saw her situation as an opportunity for the light of Jesus to shine through. Easy for me to say, of course. But life is often how you look at things. Reactions, responses. How she responded to her problems could prolong them, delay them or bring relief.
I pointed out 1 Peter 3:1: "Be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives."
But I had said the S word--submit, and she had not heard the W word--won. The stress of this verse is not on submitting, but on winning. How to win your husbands through personal evangelism, and how to go about that evangelism. Was he worth it? Sadly, the woman did not think so.
I know of other wives who in varying degrees have followed 1 Peter 3:1, and their husbands have been won--they are Christians! This scripture is about evangelism, and it begins at home, as it should.
Note that Peter says "without word." Our life speaks the loudest. That's what he means. Sometimes we can fall into the trap of trying to argue people into believing in Christ. Or we can get pesty and impatient. Don't rush evangelism. Be patient, and let the Holy Spirit do his work through you
The story of Philip and the Ethiopian is amazing (Acts 8). We can look at the narrative in various ways. This is how I see it. The Ethiopian was returning to Ethiopia, and he was sitting in his moving chariot as he read a scroll of Isaiah.
God tells Philip to overtake the chariot. Not sure what my reaction would have been! "You want me to do what, God? Run after a moving chariot? Would it not be easier to perform a small miracle and bring the chariot to me or lift me up and fly me there? I am not as young as I used to be."
Philip had none of my misgivings, though, and he did run after the chariot and engaged the Ethiopian in conversation, without, apparently, stopping to get his breath back.
This passage is a clear example of personal evangelism. God presents an opportunity to Philip, and Philip takes the opportunity. Evangelism is often like that--reacting to opportunities for Christ.
Philip was bold in his approach, but it is interesting that he did not go up and present the gospel cold turkey, that is, without an obvious lead in. The man was reading the Scriptures, and Philip took the chance to comment on what he was doing. That is also a key to use--see the person's situation in life and seek a way to respond to it.
Often a door needs to be opened, a way into a discussion. When Paul was in Athens, he began by talking about things with which they were familiar, and then introduced Jesus as a response to where they were spiritually. Common ground is usually the starting point of personal evangelism.
The Worldwide Church of God, along with other Christian denominations, has a God-given mission to reach out to the unsaved. This is why we appreciate your faithful tithes and offerings--not only do they pay for the administration of the churches but they also go toward much-needed evangelistic efforts.
But does our responsibility stop there? Should we be doing something else along with going to church and being good financial stewards?
The answer is yes. "Go therefore and make disciples" (Matthew 28:19). This is not just a command to collective fellowships or churches such as ours, but can also be seen as having a direct application to every individual Christian.
We all meet people in one way or another. We all have a Christian influence, negative or positive. We all can help friends, relations and acquaintances to meet Jesus through us. That is how personal, or relational, evangelism works.
Go therefore and be about your Father's business.
Evangelism Through the Local Church by Michael Green, Oliver-Nelson, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers, 1992.
The Church Down Our Street by Michael Wooderson, MARC, an imprint of Monarch Publications Ltd., United Kingdom. 1989.
Have I Got News for You! (How to Talk About Jesus Without Dying of Embarrassment) by Duffy Robbins, Zondervan Publishing House, 1993.
* Live the Christian life like Dorcas, and let Jesus shine through you.
* Evangelism is the overflow of the joy that is within you.
* The overflow of Christianity begins at home.
* Take the opportunities that the Holy Spirit presents to you.
* Don't be afraid to be bold for Christ, as Philip was bold.
* Let patience be an ingredient in your evangelism.
* Your good example can speak loudly.
* Find common ground that can lead into introducing Jesus Christ, as Philip and Paul did.
* Do your part in financially supporting national evangelism.
* We all have a direct part in going and making disciples.
By Michael Morrison
In several nations, Christianity is a crime. But people become Christians anyway--despite penalties and even threats of death. Thousands of believers are killed each year, yet more people become Christians.
Christianity can spread even when it is persecuted. That is actually the way Christianity started--Jesus was killed as a political criminal.
In the first 200 years after his death, many thousands of Christians were killed as the Roman Empire tried to exterminate this new faith.
Millions of people become Christians each year. Scientists, farmers, historians and clerks--people from all walks of life--become Christians.
Why? This article gives several reasons. You can see whether any of them make sense to you.
Christianity wouldn't make any sense without Jesus at its center. Jesus began his ministry as a teacher. He emphasized love, mercy, faith, forgiveness and honesty. He taught gentleness rather than violence, generosity rather than selfishness, doing good rather than evil.
Jesus had respect for all people, even people others looked down on. Jesus touched lepers, welcomed children and treated women and foreigners with respect.
But Jesus said some harsh things about religious leaders. He hated hypocrisy and the attitude of looking down on others.
Jesus spent time with the "sinners" that the leaders despised. He was tolerant. He spent time with the tax collectors that many people hated. Prostitutes found forgiveness, not condemnation.
And Jesus kept on teaching even when he knew the religious leaders were trying to kill him. He was sincere, and it cost him his life.
People worldwide respect Jesus for his teachings. Many have tried to apply these teachings in their own lives. They have become disciples--followers of Jesus.
But sometimes the people who like Jesus' teachings are surprised to learn what he really taught. He said that he had a unique relationship with God and that no one could get to God except through him. "No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him" (Matthew 11:27). Some people accept this; others do not.
Roman soldiers crucified thousands of people. But only one of them has a following today. Why is that? Perhaps because only Jesus was resurrected.
The resurrection of Jesus was the main message of the early church, according to the book of Acts. This is what the early disciples testified about and preached about. "God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact" (Acts 2:32).
With this simple message, Christianity grew rapidly. Paul said hundreds of people had seen Jesus alive (1 Corinthians 15:6). Thousands were convinced as the early apostles risked their lives to tell what they believed.
No other explanation makes sense. If Jesus' body had remained in the tomb, the religious leaders would have used it to stop the message.
Nor would it make any sense for the disciples to steal the body, then risk their lives for the next 30 years preaching that he was alive, without any of them ever betraying the secret. Ordinary fishermen do not risk their lives to preach something they know to be false.
Nor does it make sense that the disciples had hallucinations. Dozens of people do not have identical dreams, all substantiated by an empty tomb. The disciples were not deceived, nor were they deceivers. They preached that Jesus had been raised from the dead and had now gone into heaven to be at the right hand of God.
On this testimony, preached by ordinary people with an extraordinary boldness, thousands more believed. Even by first-century standards, it was a strange story, but they accepted it.
And if God had raised this man from the dead, then God must have approved of what he taught, even his claims to be the only route to salvation.
If Jesus was such a good man, if God really approved his teachings, why did God allow him to die? What was the purpose of his hideous death?
Early Christians were not long in trying to explain the death of Jesus, and more people found reason to believe the story. It started with Jesus himself, who taught that he "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). Jesus said he was giving his life for a reason.
His death had a purpose--it was to serve other people, to pay a price to rescue them.
The disciples said that Jesus "died for our sins"--he died so that our sins, the things we have done wrong, could be forgiven.
First-century Jews and Greeks were used to thinking about religion in terms of sacrifices. Jesus was a sacrifice, a payment of some kind, dying on behalf of other people to rescue them. Scholars debate the reasons why Jesus had to die so others could be forgiven.
But the bottom line is that he did it. He willingly gave his life to save us. It shows his great love for us--"God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
For some people, this makes tremendous sense. Evil is serious, and it cannot be waived aside as if it did not matter. It matters a great deal, and the death of Jesus shows that it does. A huge cost was involved in paying for the consequences of sin. Jesus' death shows not only the seriousness of sin, but also the depth of God's love for us. Because of Jesus' death, people believe that God loves them.
One reason that Christianity spread so quickly in the first century is the believers. They set an example of sincerity, faith, love and mercy. They were letting Christ live in them. They, like their Master, were willing to give their lives to serve others.
They changed their ways from selfishness to helpfulness, from violence to peace, from greed to generosity. It was an astonishing transformation, and their friends wondered why they no longer lived in debauchery, lust and drunkenness (1 Peter 4:3-4).
These Christians had a change of life that spoke well of Jesus Christ. Some people were convinced of the truth of Christianity simply by seeing the results in their lives (1 Peter 3:1).
And yet, the example set by Christians today is a reason some people do not believe! The church is supposedly full of hypocrites.
There is some truth in this objection. The church does indeed have people who are less than Christlike in their attitudes and behavior. And yet, this is exactly where such people need to be!
The church is not a museum of perfect people--it is a hospital for sinners. People with flaws are invited in, so it should be no surprise that problems are inside it. The church is exactly where sinners need to be, to hear the message of forgiveness, to hear the teachings of Jesus, to be exhorted to be more like Jesus.
True, there are hypocrites in the church. Some people like the social advantages of the church, but have not really submitted their lives to Jesus Christ.
But there are also people remarkably changed by Christ. Former prostitutes, former alcoholics, former white-collar criminals, and even former hypocrites give their testimony that Jesus is living in them. Because of this, some people believe that Christianity is true. This evidence convinces them.
This life, with all its pains and problems, is not all there is. There will come a time when injustices will be set right, when goodness will be rewarded.
Paul, preaching to philosophers in Athens, ended his sermon with this claim: "God 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" (Acts 17:30-31).
There will come a day of judgment, a day on which everyone will be called into account in front of Jesus, the Judge who died for us. How can we stand before him? Not through our own wisdom, strength or goodness. We can stand only through the mercy of Jesus Christ, the only way of salvation.
Christianity teaches the good news that eternal life is possible through faith in Christ. We can live forever with God in great joy and peace! There is tremendous purpose in our lives, purpose in our experiences, even in our pains and sorrows. Just as Jesus was raised from the dead, we will be, too, if we believe in him.
If this life is all there is, it has no real value. But if eternity is possible, it is worth everything in the world. In Christianity, there is everything to gain, and nothing to lose. Some people choose to believe.
Christians believe for many different reasons. Do any of these reasons make sense to you? We'd love to talk about it. Jesus means a lot to us.
Michael Green. Who Is This Jesus? Nelson, 1994.
C.S. Lewis. Mere Christianity. Touchstone, 1996.
Paul Little. Know Why You Believe. InterVarsity Press, 1988.
John Stott. Basic Christianity. InterVarsity Press, 1986.
The
Gospel--Everyone has some concept of right and wrong, and everyone has done something wrong even by his or her own definition. "To err is human," says a common proverb. Everyone has betrayed a friend, broken a promise or hurt someone's feelings. Everyone has experienced the feeling of guilt.
People therefore want God to stay away from them. They do not want a day of judgment, because they know they cannot stand before God with a clear conscience. They know they should obey him, but they also know that they have not. They are ashamed and guilty.
How can their guilt be erased? How can the conscience be cleared? "To forgive is divine," the proverb concludes. God himself will forgive.
Many people know the proverb, but somehow do not believe that God is divine enough to forgive their sins. They still feel guilty. They still fear the appearance of God and the day of judgment.
However, God has already appeared--in the person of Jesus Christ. He did not come to condemn, but to save. He brought a message of forgiveness, and he died on a cross to guarantee that we may be forgiven.
The message of Jesus, the message of the cross, is good news for all who feel their guilt. Jesus, the divine human, has paid the penalty for us. Forgiveness is given freely to all who are humble enough to believe the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We need this message of good news! Christ's gospel brings peace of mind, happiness and personal victory.
The true gospel, the real good news, is the gospel Jesus preached. It's the gospel the apostles preached: Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2), Jesus Christ in Christians, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27), the resurrection from the dead, the message of hope and salvation for humanity--this is the gospel of the kingdom of God!
God has given his church the commission to proclaim this message, and the zeal of his Spirit to accomplish the task.
In 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Paul described the gospel Jesus gave his church. Notice carefully his words: "Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
"After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born."
What Paul calls "of first importance" is the fact that Jesus is the Messiah or Christ, that he died for our sins, was buried and was raised, all according to the Scriptures. Further, he highlights the fact that there were plenty of witnesses to Christ's resurrection, lest any should doubt that Jesus was really raised from the dead.
"By this gospel you are saved," Paul asserts. Our goal, like Paul's, should be to pass on that which we have received, that which is "of first importance." What we must pass on is exactly what Paul and the other apostles received--that which is of first importance--"that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."
All other biblical teaching hinges on these primary facts. Only the Son of God could die for our sins, and it is only because he died and was raised again from the dead that we can live in steadfast assurance of his return and of our inheritance of eternal life.
Therefore John could write: "We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son.
"Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.
"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:9-12).
Some people can get quite excited about Bible prophecy, it seems, but have a hard time getting excited about the central message of the Bible--salvation through Jesus Christ. God has given Christians the most precious gift possible and the responsibility to tell others how they, too, can receive that gift.
In describing to the centurion Cornelius the apostles' commission, Peter said: "He [Jesus] commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name" (Acts 10:42-43).
This is the supreme message, the good news, which the apostles came to see was the central message of all the prophets--that Jesus Christ is the One appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead, and that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name!
Luke wrote that Jesus reminded his disciples of the central truth of his message just before he ascended: "He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, `This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things' " (Luke 24:45-48).
When Jesus opened the apostles' minds so they could understand the Scriptures, what was it that he caused them to understand the Scriptures to contain?
In other words, what is, according to Jesus, the central, most important truth to understand from the Old Testament Scriptures? That the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be preached in his name to all nations!
"Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved," Peter preached (Acts 4:12).
But what about the gospel of the kingdom of God? Didn't Jesus preach the good news of the kingdom of God? Of course he did! Is the gospel of the kingdom of God different from the gospel Paul, Peter and John preached about salvation in Jesus Christ? Not at all!
Entrance into the kingdom of God is salvation. Being saved and entering the kingdom of God are the same thing! Receiving eternal life is the same thing as receiving salvation, because salvation is being saved from sin, which brings death.
In Jesus there is life--eternal life. Eternal life requires forgiveness of sin. Forgiveness of sin, or justification, comes only by faith in Jesus Christ.
Jesus is both Judge and Redeemer. And he is also King of that kingdom. The gospel of the kingdom of God is the gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. Jesus and his apostles preached the same message--Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the one and only way to receive salvation, deliverance, eternal life and entrance into the kingdom of God.
And when one's mind is opened to understand the Old Testament prophecies, as Jesus opened the apostles' minds (Luke 24:45), it becomes plain that the central message of the prophets, too, was Jesus Christ (Acts 10:43).
Let's go further. John wrote, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him" (John 3:36). That's plain language!
Jesus said: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). If there is anything we must understand from the Word of God, it is that a person cannot come to the Father, cannot know God, cannot inherit eternal life and cannot enter the kingdom of God, apart from Jesus Christ.
In his letter to the Colossians, Paul wrote: "Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:12-14).
Notice how the inheritance of the saints, the kingdom of light, the kingdom of the Son, redemption and forgiveness of sins all coalesce together as one seamless garment of the word of truth that is the gospel.
In verse 4, Paul speaks of the Colossians' "faith in Christ Jesus" and the "love you have for all the saints." He describes that faith and love as springing "from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you" (verses 5-6). Again, the gospel is centered in the magnificent hope of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, by whom we have received redemption.
In verses 21-23, Paul continues: "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant."
In verses 25-29, Paul continues to underscore the gospel to which he was commissioned and his goal in proclaiming it. He wrote: "I have become its [the church's] servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness--the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.
"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me."
Jesus Christ is what the gospel is all about. It is about his identity and activity as the Son of God (John 3:18), as judge of the living and the dead (2 Timothy 4:1), as the Christ (Acts 17:3), as Savior (2 Timothy 1:10), as High Priest (Hebrews 4:14), as advocate (1 John 2:1), as King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14), as the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29), as friend (John 15:14-15).
It is about him as Shepherd and Overseer of our souls (1 Peter 2:25), as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), as our Passover sacrificed for us (1 Corinthians 5:7), as the image of the invisible God and the firstborn over all creation (Colossians 1:15), as the head of the church and the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead (verse 18), as the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being (Hebrews 1:3), as the revealer of the Father (Matthew 11:27), as the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6), as the door (John 10:7).
The gospel is about Christ as the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), as the ruler of the creation of God (Revelation 3:14), the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 22:13), as the Branch (Jeremiah 23:5), as the chief cornerstone (1 Peter 2:6), as the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24), as the desired of all nations (Haggai 2:7).
It is about Christ the faithful and true witness (Revelation 3:14), the heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2), the light of the world (John 8:12), the living bread (John 6:51), the Root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:10), our salvation (Luke 2:30), the sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2), the Word of life (1 John 1:1), declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:4).
Paul wrote, "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11). Jesus Christ is the heart and core, the central theme, the foundation of the gospel.
One cannot preach anything else and be consistent with the Bible. Jesus told the leaders of the Jews: "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life" (John 5:39-40).
The message Christians are called to proclaim is about salvation, which is eternal life in the kingdom of God. To receive that eternal salvation, to enter the kingdom of God, one must come through the only true Door, the only true Way-- Jesus Christ. He is the King of the kingdom.
John wrote, "No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also" (1 John 2:23). Paul wrote to Timothy, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men--the testimony given in its proper time" (1 Timothy 2:5-6).
We are warned in Hebrews 2:3: "How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him."
The message of salvation was first announced by Jesus himself -- it was Jesus' own message from the Father.
John wrote of God's own testimony about his Son: "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:11-12).
John again showed the emphasis on the Son in John 5:22-23: "Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him."
That is why the church is to preach about Jesus Christ! Isaiah prophesied, "So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: `See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed' " (Isaiah 28:16).
Walking in the new life to which we as Christians are called in Jesus Christ, trusting in him as our sure foundation and praying daily for his second coming, we can rejoice in the hope and assurance of our eternal inheritance.
Jesus Christ's resurrection from a rock sepulcher galvanized the faith of early Christians. The empty tomb and the post-resurrection appearances of the risen Lord were the crowning proof that the Master they loved and served was not just another moral teacher. He was, as he claimed to be, God in the flesh.
This conviction energized the early church. "We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard," the apostle Peter testified to the Jewish religious authorities, who could not quench the faith of those early believers (Acts 4:20).
We who read the accounts almost 2,000 years later need to remember that the resurrection of Jesus Christ was not, as Paul boldly declared before the elite of his nation, "done in a corner" (Acts 26:26). Just the opposite was true. The disciples testified in the laboratory of public scrutiny and debate. People in their audiences could refute them at every point, if they were not telling the truth.
To first-century Christians, the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the pivotal event in history. Their dramatic encounters with Jesus after his escape from the rock tomb were vivid and unforgettable: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
"The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us" (1 John 1:1-2).
John, an apostle and disciple of Jesus Christ, wrote as an eyewitness to Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead (John 20:30-31; 21:24-25).
Luke, an educated man who wrote a detailed study of the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth, authenticated the report that went from tiny Judea into the world beyond: "Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account ... so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught" (Luke 1:3-4).
Paul distilled the essence of the new faith he helped spread across the Roman Empire: "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
The apostles faced the test of informed public opinion, a jury of their contemporaries. Some in their audiences already had Jesus' blood on their hands. The execution of one or two more fishermen from Galilee wouldn't make much difference.
Yet the disciples radiated unconquerable confidence. Their words still pulsate with moral fervor and authority. The good news of the resurrection was big news on the streets of Jerusalem. It was hard-hitting. It was effective. It changed lives.
"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you ourselves know," Peter trumpeted (Acts 2:22). "God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ" (verse 36).
This bold preaching threw the Jerusalem religious hierarchy completely on the defensive. "You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood," they lamely protested (Acts 5:28).
If the disciples had been perpetrating fraud or deceit, their testimony could have been easily overthrown. It wasn't. The willingness to risk all for the truth of the resurrection was convincing testimony from fallible human beings, men who had earlier deserted Christ and fled (Matthew 26:56). That willingness, and the powerful miracles being done in Christ's name, made the gospel compelling. It rocked Jerusalem.
No wonder Christ's newly regenerated disciples were "highly regarded by the people" (Acts 5:13). And remember something else: Other popular movements had come and gone in first-century Judea. Sensational leaders had arisen before Jesus of Nazareth, people the world at large has forgotten (verses 35-39).
One of them, Judas, was also a Galilean, who lived not far from where Jesus was reared. Around A.D. 6, Judas gathered a following and set himself against the Roman power. His movement failed and he was killed. But no one in the first century claimed that this Judas of Galilee was raised from the dead or that he and his followers had many prolonged talks after a resurrection. Still less did anyone risk life and limb for the Judas movement years afterward. Yet ordinary human beings risked their all for Jesus of Nazareth.
The late F.F. Bruce, evangelical author, noted: "The Christian gospel is not primarily a code of ethics or a metaphysical system; it is first and foremost good news, and as such it was proclaimed by its earliest preachers....
"This good news is intimately bound up with the historical order, for it tells how for the world's redemption God entered into history, the eternal came into time, the kingdom of heaven invaded the realm of earth, in the great events of the incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus the Christ" (The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?, pages 7-8).
The disciples were convicted by the empty tomb. They believed in the power of the resurrection. Their testimony was believable because they believed. How about us? Do we believe?
We should. The same Jesus Christ who walked the dusty trails of Galilee is alive today, alive and glorified. He intervenes for those of us who turn to him in faith and belief, just as he did for Peter, Andrew, James and John. The empty tomb could not hold him, and the evil powers of this world--natural and supernatural--could not stamp out the truth of his resurrection.
To experience this transforming power for ourselves, to "know Christ and the power of his resurrection" (Philippians 3:10), we will also have to believe in the empty tomb and in the power of the resurrection. Belief and the work of the Holy Spirit will lead us to repent. Repentance is toward God, an inner act of contrition for being sinful, broken human beings.
We are all sinners; we have all broken God's great moral and spiritual law. God provides for our need for forgiveness and helps us deal with our guilt through the atoning death of Jesus Christ. Following repentance, believers demonstrate their faith in God through the ceremony of baptism. The New Testament teaches that water baptism is an outward symbol of faith (Acts 10:45-48).
Believers who come to Christ in faith receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives in us, renewing our minds and sanctifying us until we are completed as new creations in Jesus Christ at the resurrection of the dead (Ephesians 4:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
We are not asked to make a commitment to Christ without evidence. The empty tomb stands as stark evidence that our Lord and Savior is risen from the dead.
Peter, preeminent preacher of the empty tomb, said it best: "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you" (Acts 3:19-20).
The decision is yours. Will you believe?
"If Christ has not been raised," the apostle Paul taught his converts, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins" (1 Corinthians 15:17). The resurrection of Jesus Christ is of momentous importance for every Christian, indeed for everyone on this planet.
Because Jesus Christ conquered death, we, too, have a chance to live again--and so do our friends and relatives who have already succumbed to the most certain thing in every life --death.
That is why the most exhilarating message human ears have yet heard was the one announced to some devoted but astonished women outside a rock tomb in first-century Jerusalem: "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!" (Luke 24:5-6).
The resurrection of Christ has always been seen as the central teaching of Christianity. "If the resurrection is not historic fact, then the power of death remains unbroken, and with it the effect of sin" (James Hastings, A Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, Vol. 2, page 514).
Michael Green in Man Alive is emphatic: "Without faith in the resurrection there would be no Christianity at all." W. Robertson Nicolls, quoting another writer, puts it plainly: "The empty tomb of Christ has been the cradle of the church" (The Church's One Foundation, page 150).
To mention Jesus Christ and his life, death and resurrection is to get to the root of the Christian faith, for Christianity claims a basis in historical fact.
"There are ancient myths in pagan literature about dying gods who attained some form of resurrection," writes Philip Rosenbaum, "but no other sacred writing intersects human history the way the Bible does.
"For it is the historical fact of Christ's life, death, and resurrection that separate God's Word from all others" (How to Enjoy the Boring Parts of the Bible, page 116).
But the New Testament accounts have come under intense scrutiny and attack. Scottish philosopher David Hume argued in the 1700s that miracles--including Christ's resurrection--violated all known workings of natural law.
In our century, theologian Rudolph Bultmann concluded, "An historical fact which involves a resurrection from the dead is utterly inconceivable."
In light of such arguments from rationalists and critics, it is no wonder that theories have been devised for the events of crucifixion week:
1) The Swoon Theory: This is the idea that Jesus didn't really die but faked a death on the cross, then conned his disciples that he had conquered death only to live out his life elsewhere.
2) The Theft Theory: This is the idea that the disciples, other sympathizers, perhaps robbers or even Christ's enemies, stole the corpse. This is the oldest and most widespread argument against Christ's resurrection.
These are bold contentions, almost as bold as the resurrection claim itself. They are rhetorical daggers aimed at the very vitals of the Christian faith. Peter wrote, "We did not follow cleverly invented stories ... but we were eyewitnesses" (2 Peter 1:16).
What about the Swoon Theory? This theory insinuates that Jesus Christ plotted--for whatever reasons--the biggest hoax in history. Did Jesus, by some amazingly cunning strategy, fake a death on the cross?
Let's keep in mind that the four Gospels are the primary documented evidence for Christ's death, burial and resurrection. We have good internal evidence for believing. These writings are emphatic that Jesus Christ's execution was a public and state-certified spectacle (Mark 15:29).
"This thing was not done in a corner," Paul argued before King Agrippa, the most influential Jewish official of his day (Acts 26:26, New King James Version).
How right he was. Jesus Christ's mortal enemies--the leadership elite of his nation--were on the scene. They were watchfully determined to stamp out the Jesus movement (John 11:46-53). That is why they schemed behind closed doors to carry out their plot at risk to their own standing among the people (John 7:25-52). It had to be the perfect crime.
Pontius Pilate, the chief Roman official on the scene, double-checked to verify if Christ had died (Mark 15:44-45). The testimony of John 19:23 and Mark 15:39 indicates that at least four Roman soldiers, including a centurion, carried out the execution. And you can have faith in the fact that Roman occupation troops of the first century knew what death was.
Consider this: Would Christ's implacable foes--opponents eager to crush out the infant Christian movement--have allowed Christ, once in their clutches, to fake a death? This hardly seems logical or consistent with their motives and with the biblical narrative.
John Stott demolished the Swoon Theory with common sense. He asks if we can really believe "that after the rigours and pains of trial, mockery, flogging and crucifixion he could survive ... in a stone sepulchre with neither warmth nor food nor medical care?
"That he could then rally sufficiently to perform the superhuman feat of shifting the boulder which secured the mouth of the tomb ... without disturbing the Roman guard? That he could appear to the disciples in such a way as to give them the impression that he had vanquished death? ... Such credulity is more incredible than Thomas' unbelief" (Basic Christianity, page 49).
The oldest argument advanced against Christ's resurrection is the intriguing theory that Christ's body was stolen away. This is a significant claim.
The one crowning blow to disprove Christ's resurrection would have been a public display of his body. A sensational display of the corpse would quickly end any "myth" that was allegedly developing about the resurrection of Jesus.
Public exhumings have happened more than once in history; why didn't the rulers of first-century Judea do that? There was a good reason: Christ had been bodily resurrected. The Gospel account makes the most sense.
Don't forget that the rulers of Jerusalem "gave the soldiers a large sum of money" to circulate the story that Jesus' disciples stole his body (Matthew 28:11-15).
Yet the Theft Theory, too, is indefensible, no matter who some think the robbers were. In the first place, if the guards were sleeping, how did they know who had stolen the body?
Second, the Jerusalem hierarchy had outsmarted themselves--they had posted a guard to prevent this very sort of thing from happening.
As Paul Little asks in Know Why You Believe: "What judge would listen to you if you said that while you were asleep, your neighbor came into your house and stole your television set?
"Who knows what goes on while he's asleep? Testimony like this would be laughed out of any court."
In his book The Resurrection and the Life, George Hanson made this point: "The simple faith of the Christian who believes in the Resurrection is nothing compared to the credulity of the skeptic who will accept the wildest and most improbable romances rather than admit the plain witness of historical certainties."
Any explanation, to be credible, must fit all the facts. The Theft Theory doesn't. The case against it is devastating. Even the existence of the New Testament church is evidence that something happened in Jerusalem, something no adversary could explain.
There is no doubt that these defenses of the resurrection ring true. Sincere and learned scholars have labored hard to nullify the claims advanced against Jesus Christ's death and resurrection.
Yet Christianity is more than a series of clever arguments. It is more than a list of intellectual debating points that can be argued back and forth.
This is why the validity of the Gospel testimony does not remain at the mercy of the latest debunking best-seller or archaeological find in the Middle East. In the end, Christianity rests on faith, faith based on a living and ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ, a living Savior!
Thomas wanted the strongest form of proof: "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were ... I will not believe it" (John 20:25). Thomas saw, he tested, and then he believed (verses 26-28). Yet Jesus Christ followed this dramatic encounter with the words: "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (verse 29).
As Oliver Barclay wrote: "The historical Jesus Christ was an amazing power in the lives of men years after his death. It is not so much the fact that a miracle happened.... The chief reason that the disciples spoke so often about it was that Jesus was alive and with them again" (Reasons for Faith, page 115).
This is why the disciples came storming out of Jerusalem and so influenced the world with their message (Acts 17:6). The living Christ had changed their lives. He can do the same for you.
By Denice M. Orr
Can women's ministry be used for evangelism?
If you think like Dorcas, displaying Christ's love means sewing clothes for someone in need. If you serve like Martha, preparing food for your hungry neighbors brings joy. If gifted like Priscilla, teaching produces fruit. The book Becoming a Contagious Christian describes Christians accomplishing evangelism most naturally through their areas of giftedness.
Women's ministry is a perfect vehicle for evangelism. Service and using our gifts provide the opportunities. The creativity and interest of the women are the only real limitations.
Let's start with a small women's ministry group. They form a small group with a novice facilitator. They all find prayer, support and growth from this little community. They want others to share in their growing strength and excitement. They put a flyer through the door handles of their neighbors' homes and a few new women come to women's ministry--maybe to hear a guest speaker.
As they grow, others in the group learn to be facilitators by observation and training. As they talk about their gifts and mix in their dreams and passions, they find ways to work together to make a difference together and individually.
Yet even as a small group, they reach out to their communities and neighbors. Whenever they perform a loving service, the gospel is modeled and opportunities to talk arise.
My small group has mothers of young children who cannot dedicate much time away from them. Still, they sent care packages to a shelter for battered women, signing their own names and the name of the church to their gifts. They also conducted a garage sale to help pay medical bills. These things are service evangelism. And the people they meet are their openings.
If a women's ministry group has a prayer chain and mentions it to those in trials, answered prayer becomes evangelistic prayer. If they donate bears to the pediatric ward of a hospital, non-Christians at the hospital notice people whose behavior is based on love.
Modeling Christ leads to openings to explain our faith. If a women's ministry group takes meals on wheels so seriously they become friends with the elderly they bring food to, they deliver the gospel with a plate.
Larger women's ministry groups may tackle more ambitious projects. They may organize a retreat or conference for women and invite their friends, neighbors and community. They may open their own food bank. In the early part of this century, American Christian women in poor neighborhoods began teaching children to read. The Bible was their text.
It is possible to apply for grant money to open a community service such as these. (Check an area college for a class on how to apply for grants.) Mother Teresa began her mission in India by offering soap and water on the street.
The Los Angeles Times frequently contains articles about women serving the community--a source of great ideas. One woman started an internet ministry writing prayers for teenage girls. Some women used their interest and skills in gardening to help kids get excited about learning. Some created libraries in girls' prisons. Women revitalized run-down neighborhoods and chased gangs out by partnering with law enforcement officials.
Two grandmothers visit juvenile detention centers weekly, teaching needlepoint while they sit and talk to male teens. They just have an amazing ability to connect to them with a combination of love and values.
There is the magician evangelist. The juggler. The potter. The painter. Activities are ways of making human connections. With a little creativity and resourcefulness, any talent a man or woman possesses can be used to serve people. Contact with people provides opportunities to demonstrate Christ's way of life and explain why you live it. This is evangelism.
The answer to the question, Can you do evangelism through women's ministry, is how can it be stopped? It's a natural outgrowth of women joining to develop their talents, gifts and leadership abilities. They seek to serve their communities as ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Denice Orr is managing editor of Connections, a journal for WCG clergy support. She is working on a degree in Communication at Azusa Pacific University. She's been an elder's wife for 26 years.
By James R. Henderson
It had been a hard day in the unforgiving heat of the Ugandan sun.
The drive to the Ugandan congregation was long, and the border crossing from Kenya hectic and a hassle as usual.
No respite. No cool water. Just a pounding headache. I had not stopped for six hours--smiling and laughing on arrival, worship leading, a sermon, fellowship, counseling, praying, then more hand-shaking and more fellowship. Continuous interaction just like the two previous days. They do not get many visiting preachers, and were determined to get the most out of this trip.
But I felt tired and somehow on display. Everyone expecting the best I could give. No one seemed to understand how I felt.
Four of the leaders gathered around me, asking questions, hoping I would sort out some local dispute. I didn't want to listen, but faked a smile, furrowed eyebrows masking the throbbing pain around the temples. Suddenly from behind someone touched my left leg.
"Who touched me?" I asked.
Jesus had days when he was weary, sometimes from travel as in the incident at the well with the woman of Samaria, and at other times after the relentless attention of the crowds and the speaking and the teaching.
Once, having weathered several days of constant activity, Jesus was in the midst of a teeming crowd, all wanting to see him and to hear what he had to say. The Bible notes "as he went, the multitudes thronged him" (Luke 8:42). I wonder what he was thinking. Crowds can be exhilarating, but they can also be exhausting.
Out of the blue a woman, who had a problem with hemorrhaging, pushed her way through the bustling sea of humanity, and from behind reached out and touched the hem of Christ's garment. She was healed instantly, and Jesus felt the power go out of him.
"Who touched me?" he asked the disciples. No one would own up, and the disciples told him not to ask such a question--he was surrounded and pressed on every side and he asks who touched him?
All of us in ministry feel drained from time to time. The energy drains out of us. Just one question too many, one person needing our help when we feel there is nothing left to give. And we don't want to be touched by them or their problems.
I know I felt that way in Uganda when someone touched me--it seemed like the last straw, the breaking point.
The woman, frightened and insecure, admitted she had touched Jesus. He didn't snap at her. He didn't make her feel more uncomfortable. He didn't ignore her and just walk on by. Instead our Savior said: "Daughter, be of good cheer: your faith has made you well. Go in peace." Personal, uplifting words even when she had added to his weariness.
When we can't face one more moment, one more anticipated Christian response, we can turn to Jesus Christ for his help. He knows just how we feel.
I turned around and looked down. A little girl was pawing at my left leg as she looked up at me. She was dirty, and obviously had a streaming cold. I wanted her to go away; in fact, I wanted everyone to go away.
Despite myself, my face broke into a smile. "Hello," I said. "How are you? What is your name?" And I bent down and shook her outstretched hand.
Did I do this, or was it Jesus within me? I believe Jesus did it. In my moment of weariness, my Savior, who in his grace touches me with his unconditional constant love, saved the day, and helped me to be gracious when I just wanted to quit.
Thank God. The same weary Jesus who gave the encouraging answer 2,000 years ago to a woman in need of help was with me that day in Uganda. I was finished--exhausted. But Jesus Christ is always gracious, always able to give to one more person.
In March or April, Christians throughout the world celebrate Easter in remembrance of Jesus' resurrection. The Easter season continues until Pentecost, which commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and Jesus' other followers.
These two religious days, venerated by the Christian world, picture miracles important to Christianity. More than that, the Bible shows that the resurrection and Pentecost are central to our salvation.
Jesus' resurrection inspires us to profess faith in Christ. That's why Paul could write, "If you confess with your mouth, `Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
Paul, of course, wasn't prescribing an empty confessional statement about belief in Jesus. Paul was interested in the faith behind the confession. It's a living faith the Holy Spirit expresses through God's people. As Paul pointed out elsewhere, "No one can say, `Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:3).
The apostles were moved by the Holy Spirit to understand what Jesus' resurrection meant. They were convinced that Jesus is the way of salvation (Acts 4:8-12).
Peter wrote that God "has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter 1:3). Paul staked his life and future on the resurrection. He wrote, "We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus" (2 Corinthians 4:14).
But what about us who live almost 2,000 years later? We didn't see Jesus walking the earth as a man--performing miracles, healing thousands and raising the dead. We didn't see him die, be buried and then see him and touch him after his resurrection.
In some ways, many of us are like the disciple Thomas. He had not yet seen the resurrected Jesus and remained unconvinced. Said the doubting Thomas, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it" (John 20:25).
A week later, Jesus appeared to Thomas. He insisted that Thomas feel his wounds, saying: "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side" (verse 27). Christ told him to "stop doubting and believe."
To be honest, it may be difficult for us living almost 2,000 years after the fact to "stop doubting and believe" as well. Can we have faith in Jesus' resurrection?
Thanks be to God, the answer is, absolutely yes. We have, in the Bible, the testimony of those who saw the resurrected Christ. Because of their testimony and the Holy Spirit, we, too, can believe.
When Jesus dispelled Thomas' distrust, he said to him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed." But Jesus went on to speak of us, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (verse 29). It is we who are blessed, because although we have not seen, we can still believe!
We can stake our lives on the sure promise of Jesus. "I am the resurrection and the life," he said. "He who believes in me will live, even though he dies" (John 11:25).
The death of Jesus Christ, his resurrection and his living in us by the Holy Spirit constitute God's act of reconciliation.
Jesus' death paid the penalty of sin and reconciled us to God our Father. By his resurrection, Jesus proved he was God in the flesh and that he would resurrect his people to immortal life.
In the gift he sent on the Day of Pentecost, Jesus demonstrated that he is intimately involved with his people through the Holy Spirit. The faith of God can now operate in us through the Holy Spirit.
Paul expressed this reality in memorable terms. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live," he wrote, "but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
This mystery of Christ in us is demonstrated by the miracle of Pentecost, which occurred about seven weeks after Jesus was resurrected.
That day is documented in Acts 2. Suddenly, about 9 o'clock in the morning on Pentecost, an incredible series of miracles began. A sound like the blowing of a violent wind filled the house where the disciples were staying.
Next, what seemed to be tongues of fire appeared and rested on each person present. The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, which empowered them to speak to the people in various languages. During this time, devout Jews from many nations were in Jerusalem to observe the Festival of Pentecost. The people in the neighborhood heard the noise and came to see what was happening.
Peter and the inner circle of the 12 disciples stood up and began to address the growing and curious crowd. The people who came to listen were amazed to hear the disciples speaking in the listeners' very own native languages.
Peter surprised the people by the direction of his sermon. He said, no punches pulled, that they were as responsible for Jesus Christ's death as those who had directly engineered it were (verse 23). It was his way of saying that all of us--all our sins--are responsible for nailing Jesus to the cross.
But Peter told the crowd there was a happy outcome to Jesus' death: He had been resurrected and glorified. "God raised him from the dead," said Peter (verse 24). He "has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ" (verse 36).
Through the Holy Spirit, the shocked listeners were convicted of their need to be spiritually converted. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" (verse 37).
Peter outlined the steps they needed to take. "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins," he said. "And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (verse 38).
About 3,000 people accepted the challenge and were baptized that same day (verse 41). Acts 2 tells us that this greatest miracle of all can occur in us as well. The Holy Spirit can enter our hearts and minds to enable us to believe and be changed (Titus 3:5-6).
The Holy Spirit also guarantees our future inheritance through the resurrection to life everlasting (Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:11). That is our hope and promise.
We must believe and repent, undergoing spiritual rebirth through the Holy Spirit, and be baptized (Acts 2:38; Titus 3:5-6). It is we who must look into the promises of God, and then act to claim them.
By Frank Lewandowski
DALLAS, Texas--I feel a compulsion to proclaim Jesus. I feel compelled to tell other people about him and his saving work in our lives, in my life.
One of the major revelations God has given to our denomination in the past few years is that preaching Jesus--sharing him with others--is not only the job of the elders. It is part of our job description as well. After all, Jesus' birth as a human baby, his death and resurrection have made it possible for him to live in us and for us to have eternal life.
Once we know about Jesus, our best friend who loves us more than we can understand, God wants us to do something with that knowledge. He wants us to believe in Jesus and to accept him as our personal Savior. When that happens, God forgives our sins because of Jesus' shed blood. This reconciles us to God, removing the barrier that sin had placed between us and God. Then God gives us the help we need to live in a way that pleases him.
God wants us to tell others what we have learned about him. This can be done in different ways, and each person will approach it differently.
We have a drama ministry in the Dallas congregation. I write scripts, and the director is John Gehman, who acted when he was a student at Ambassador University. Our drama has allowed us to preach Jesus in various ways. We've talked about his birth, which occurred under the humblest of circumstances. We have depicted his death and resurrection. We've shown how he works in people's lives.
Has God worked in your life in a special way? Perhaps you would like to share it with your congregation. We also share Jesus at church when we sing praises to him and talk with other Christians about his ways and values.
Another way we can share Jesus is by our example. The way we live our lives can allow people to see at least a little of Jesus in us. Talking about Jesus with our friends is another way to share him. Not everyone will feel comfortable doing this, but a good way to start might be to share this with a close friend with whom you can talk easily.
Jesus loves us. We love him. And he wants us to share that love with others.
By Michael Morrison
God created us for a wonderful purpose: that we might live forever with him in joy, love, perfect holiness and justice. But the problem is that humans do not know how to live in perfect love and justice--and even worse, we don't even live as well as we know we should. And humans ever since the beginning have disobeyed God and rejected his guidance and friendship.
Even if we wanted to live with God, we are unable to bridge the gap that is between us. We are not perfect and we are not holy. We do not deserve to live with God forever.
More than that, justice says that disobedience should be punished. When we rebel against the Author of life, the natural penalty is cessation of life. We do not deserve to live forever with God.
But God's plan cannot be thwarted. His love means that he wants to rescue us from the death penalty we deserve. His justice requires that the penalty be paid. God's justice requires death; his love seeks mercy and rescue. How can both be done?
The good news is that Jesus Christ has paid the penalty for us. The penalty has been paid, so love and mercy can triumph. It is God's gift to us. We can be saved, if we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.
What must we do to be saved? We accept the fact that we need to be rescued. We admit that we have done wrong and that we do not deserve to live forever with God. We accept the fact that Jesus paid the penalty for us.
We do not want to live the way of disobedience. We turn away from our old self-centered approach to life and turn toward God, so that we seek a Christ-centered life. We ask him to live in us by means of the Holy Spirit, to lead us in our thoughts and actions. We surrender to his leadership and try to obey what he says, since we know that he has such wisdom and love that all his commands are for our long-term good.
If anyone believes in Christ, the Bible tells us, he or she is a new creation--a new child of God. The Holy Spirit gives us new life. It's not just us trying to live a good life on our own strength--it is God living in us, as we allow him. It is a dramatic change, as a new nature begins to be developed within us--a divine nature. We do not live for ourselves, but for Christ.
To symbolize the beginning of our new life, believers are baptized--dipped under water to picture the death of the old self and the rising of a new life, our sins washed away. We are following Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Christians want to obey God, but because of our weakness, sometimes we disobey. The good news is that God continues to love us, for Jesus' death has paid the penalty of all disobedience.
We are forgiven, not condemned, with the wonderful hope of living with God forever and ever in incredible joy and love.
Just as Jesus had pain and sorrow in his earthly life, Christians also have trials and problems in this life. We sometimes struggle with poverty, disappointment, pain, hurt feelings and persecution. But in all our trials, we rejoice in the salvation we have been given in Jesus Christ. We rejoice in the love God has already shown us. We live the give way of life, willing to serve others, just as our Savior served us.
By Michael
Morrison
Jesus often preached about the kingdom of God--but what did he say about it? Did he describe peace and prosperity, health and wealth, law and order? Did he get into details of governmental organization?
No, we do not need to know those things. The most important thing we need to know about the kingdom is how we get there in the first place--and when Jesus described the kingdom, that is what he talked about.
To illustrate that, let's look at Matthew 13, the largest collection of kingdom parables. Several times Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is like..." and then he would tell a story. We know many of these parables, but they contain a few surprises for us.
"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop--a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown" (Matt. 13:3-9).
The story is easy to understand. We can picture a man scattering wheat, and we understand about birds, thistles and sunshine. But Jesus had a spiritual purpose in this story, and the disciples found it puzzling. So they asked Jesus, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" (v. 10).
Jesus told them that it was not yet time for people to understand the "secrets of the kingdom of heaven" (v. 11). They were not spiritually responsive (vs. 13-15), and so Jesus was not giving them more than they could handle. But Jesus taught his disciples the spiritual significance of the story--and they have published it for us.
"When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path" (v. 19).
When we preach the gospel, Jesus says, some people do not understand it. That's just the way it is in this world. Don't get upset if people think you are talking nonsense.
"The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away" (vs. 20-21).
Some people like the gospel as a novelty. But then they get bored with it, and when it doesn't solve their problems, they quit. So when we share the gospel, some of the people who respond will eventually fall away. Don't be surprised; that's just the way some people are.
"The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful" (v. 22). People do not have to be rich to be deceived by riches. All sorts of people can be distracted by the worries of this world, and some drop out for that reason. They are more worried about this world than they are about eternity.
"But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown" (v. 23).
Jesus wants us to be this kind of person. Seeds don't have a choice as to what kind of soil they fall on, but we have a choice as to what kind of soil we will be for the seed. We can choose to respond to the gospel. When trials come, we can choose to stick with the gospel, or to fall away. When life gets boring or worrisome, we can choose whether to bear fruit for the kingdom. That's the kind of message Jesus gives us.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner's servants came to him and said, `Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'
" `An enemy did this,' he replied. The servants asked him, `Do you want us to go and pull them up?' `No,' he answered, `because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' "
Jesus explains the parable for us in verses 37-43. The good seeds are the disciples, spread by Jesus throughout the world. The weeds are bad people, spread by the devil. The bad people are mixed in with the good, and this is what the kingdom of God is like. God allows this; it is part of his plan.
Jesus is describing a world in which Satan is active--the age we live in today. The kingdom of God is growing now, and God is waiting to see which plants will bear fruit. Don't be too hasty, he tells his servants. Wait and see.
In farming, weeds don't produce grain. But when it comes to the gospel, fruitless folks can be changed. What looks like a weed one day may begin bearing fruit another day. It depends on each person's choice, and the kingdom of God gives people time to choose.
But this will not go on forever. There will come a judgment, when the weeds will be removed from the kingdom (v. 41). God lets good and bad grow together, but he doesn't want the bad to stay bad. He wants them to change, and he will keep only the good. (How we become good is covered in other places.)
The next two stories are about growth: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches" (vs. 31-32).
Jesus is not describing a kingdom that arrives in a blaze of glory--he is describing a kingdom that begins very small. This is not what the Jews expected, but this is the kingdom that Jesus said was near. The kingdom is a story about gradual growth. (See Mark 4:26-29.)
"He told them still another parable: `The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough' " (Matt. 13:33).
When yeast is first put into dough, it can't be seen. But it will grow, and that is what the kingdom of God is like. God is patient, willing to wait. With a little more time, the person may produce fruit.
We can scatter the message of the kingdom, we can urge people to accept it and stick with it, but we have to wait until the end to see who bears fruit. Of course, watching other people is not our job. Our main responsibility is to make sure that we endure to the end and continue in the faith. That's the kind of fruit God wants us to have.
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it" (vs. 44-46).
When we hear the message, are we so full of joy that we are willing to give up everything else? Other people may not see it, but when we do, our eyes should light up and we should seize the kingdom with all our strength. The choice is ours. The kingdom of God gives us a choice.
Our concern is not what the kingdom will be like when Christ returns--it is latching on to the kingdom right now, even when it is small, even when most people don't yet see it.
"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.
"This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (vs. 47-50).
The kingdom of God captures both good and bad people. The message is given to both. They live together and are given a chance to change and grow. Eventually the time comes when judgment is made, and God keeps the good. He loves the bad, he seeks the bad, he wants the bad, but he does not want them to stay bad. But some people choose to stay bad. God gives each person time (2 Pet. 3:9), but for each person, time eventually runs out. That is what the kingdom of God is like.
These parables end with the day of judgment. When Jesus described the kingdom, he did not describe the world after his return. No, he described the world in this age, the age in which we hear the gospel, choose to respond, and choose to be faithful.
When we hear the gospel, we should respond with joy. Though trials come our way, we need to keep our eyes on the goal. Though this life has its worries, we should not let them distract us. Through faith, we enter the kingdom of God, and through faithfulness, we stay in the kingdom of God, and through faith, we bear fruit for the kingdom.
By Deena Murray
CORONA, California--About the time the church was going through its changes, my husband, Robert, and I were going through personal changes.
We had decided to become foster parents. With no children of our own, we wanted an opportunity to share God's blessings with someone else.
Our first set of three siblings, ages 12 months, 4 and 5, came to live with us. God was good and started us out gently with children who had no behavior problems. Their mom was a substance abuser who quickly turned her life around and within a year her children were reunited with her.
That was five years ago and we still keep in touch with the family, who moved to Texas. They are Christian and attend church regularly.
Then the second set of four siblings, ages 18 months, 2, 4 and 9, arrived. Their mom too was a substance abuser and young. This group presented some serious challenges. The 4-year-old boy was angry. Once he trusted us, he took all of his rage out on us. He rarely spoke and seemed depressed, and we were told that because of possible brain damage he might never learn to read or progress.
Daily we dealt with him spitting on us, hitting, kicking, breaking things, screaming profanity, pulling his hair out, and hating us. God reminded us "that a soft word turns away wrath" and we continually told this little boy we loved him each time he would lose control. We prayed for him and over him, and asked for God's healing mercy on this child.
With time and love he progressed. He began talking. He loved to get new shoes and would bubble with excitement. I will never forget the day I heard him in the shower singing "Awesome God." It was the beginning of his responding with a changed heart. He did go on and learn to read and develop normally.
Through the two and a half years these four lived with us, we had regular contact with their mother and were able to help her through some difficult times. She eventually went through rehabilitation and her children were reunited with her on Thanksgiving Day. She has turned her life around and is working full time, raising her children, and has a personal relationship with Jesus. We see them regularly and they all continue to be a part of our family.
We have had six siblings living with us for the last two and a half years. Their ages are 10 (twins), 9, 8, 7 and 5. They come from an abusive situation. One of the first lessons we had to teach them was how to hug. One came crying to me and I sat and comforted him by putting my arms around him. I then literally had to show him how to respond by placing his arms around me.
One of the boys told me that an older teen sister had taught him to pray. She had learned how from some girlfriends at her junior high school. The only problem was they didn't know who God was. He even remembered being told by someone "Jesus loves you" and feeling uncomfortable because he didn't know who Jesus was.
About six months after he had been living with us, the light bulb came on and I remember driving home from church one day and having him exclaim from the backseat, "Now I know who Jesus is!"
We have seen the power of relationships in our evangelizing. Each child and each parent has responded because of God's love flowing through us to them. We knew we would affect the children who lived in our home, but we never realized the effect we would make on their parents and their extended family, by encouraging and being kind and decent to them when everyone else had labeled them losers.
We have also seen the impact of our church on all the children. Each one has said that going to church is one of their favorite things.
If you have the heart for this type of evangelism, please contact a foster agency. Please feel free to contact Bob or Deena Murray at 1-909-473-0143 or send e-mail to us at BDMurray@peoplepc.com
By Ronald
Kelly
Income for September remained on an even course just as we have experienced the previous few months. Regular member donations totaled about $1.5 million, almost exactly what we received in September 1999.
Total mail income for the year is $15.2 million. If all goes well, we should receive our projected $20 million from what we call regular mail income. As of the end of September we have received $2.3 million in festival and special offerings. Overall we hope that by the end of the year our special offerings will top $4 million.
That would mean member income could top $24 million. We normally receive an additional $1 million from estate donations, as members include the WCG in their wills. All this should add up to $25 million in income for 2000.
However, as I have pointed out, we will have expenses of $31 million. Simple math shows we will go in the hole $6 million. The sale of the Big Sandy campus helped offset that deficit and put back a little bit into our depleting reserves. And that's why we have been able to maintain our budget including all 150 of our salaried pastors. It has been a blessing to not have many personnel reductions this year.
This leads into a discussion of income and expenses for 2001. God willing, we will close escrow on the Pasadena property early in the first quarter of next year. This sale will make it possible to fund a long-needed employee retirement fund as well as relocate our offices to a much smaller and more efficient facility.
Thus two areas of financial concern to the church will be discharged--the discretionary assistance program for our 220 retired employees and the maintenance of the headquarters facility. The church will no longer have to fund such programs from donation income or reserves.
The 2001 allocation to local congregations should begin some time after the Pasadena sale. Many pastors expect local church donations to increase once members realize the potential to do local outreach or perhaps begin planning for a church building.
However, the operation expenses for our 442 congregations, our contribution to international missions and the expenses of even a much smaller denominational headquarters will require substantial funding, although funds for certain local evangelism will be available if regular income and donations meet current levels.
In other words, we seem to have reached an adequate base of income and expenses. But if income declines in the future, this will result in fewer funds being available for local programs. I think I've said it before, but it bears repeating, the more we give, the more we get. A local church can evaluate its giving pattern and then understand what it takes to have greater funds for evangelism. I hope you, your pastor and your leadership teams are discussing future financial projections.
The potential of the WCG is enormous. We have a worldwide denominational structure--something even large denominations don't have in the way we do. We have a core of talented employees at headquarters.
We have a group of caring pastors who serve the congregations. We have thousands of dedicated members who have embraced the awesome grace of Jesus Christ. We have a rich history that has helped prepare us for an exciting future. We have teens and youths who are eager to be part of the work of the church.
We trust you will all look forward to greater opportunities to spread the good news of the grace and love of Jesus Christ to this whole world. We are but a tiny part of the body of Christ, but what an opportunity we have ahead of us. Even the smaller parts can have a powerful impact.
For the Month For the Year to Date
Income
Donation Income $ 1,575,749 $ 17,531,341
Other income 613,709 4,896,289
Total income 2,189,458 22,427,630
Expenses 2,779,914 25,466,823
Net loss to bank reserves $ (590,456) $ (3,039,193)
OMAHA, Nebraska--Members from Grand Island, Nebraska; Sioux City and Des Moines, Iowa; and Omaha enjoyed a praise and worship service with Ross Jutsum of State of the Heart Ministries Sept. 9 at Trinity Presbyterian Church.
After a potluck meal, Dr. Jutsum conducted a seminar for many of the members. In one session, he helped worship leaders from the four congregations improve their style.
Live music is a treat here, and Dr. Jutsum reminded the members that they have percussion instruments, their hands, and it is OK to worship in any way that brings them in communion with the Lord--whether they lift their arms on high, clap their hands or hold them at their side.
Dr. Jutsum encouraged members to practice their Christianity daily in feeding the hungry and helping the homeless and strangers. He has visited 154 congregations educating them about worship. Mary Thompson.
MISSOULA, Montana--Tim Love, a deacon in the Missoula church, and a United States Forest Service forest ranger in charge of fighting the Monture fire, was injured in a collision with a semi-trailer Aug. 30.
According to the Missoulian, the accident happened when a semi-tractor trailer swerved to avoid hitting a slower moving car that was turning. As the semi swerved around the car, it crashed into the driver's side of Mr. Love's Jeep Cherokee. He received a broken arm and internal injuries. He is expected to recover but may lose some use of his left arm.
Mr. Love was featured in a front-page Missoulian story two days before the accident about fires in the Ovando, Montana, area, and about his experiences during fires in the area in 1988.
PASADENA--Jan Weiner, events manager, earned recognition from the Convention Liaison Council by obtaining the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation.
Mrs. Weiner was among 352 meeting managers who passed the certification examination Jan. 29. According to the Convention Liaison Council, only those meeting managers who have demonstrated high standards of proficiency through substantial professional experience and superior examination performance achieve the CMP credential.
CANTON, Ohio--Members of Grace Community Fellowship (the Akron-Canton congregation of the WCG) were involved in an evangelistic crusade Sept. 16 to 21 in Canton, OH.
Called Encounter 2000, the crusade was a joint effort of 140 congregations in the greater Canton area and Wingfield Ministries, crusade evangelists from Virginia.
Evangelist Steve Wingfield was keynote speaker with a nightly audience that averaged 1,500 people. The