Tag Archives: salt and light

A Word For You Today from Acts 4:8

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Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said… Acts 4:8

Courage and boldness come by and through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Our passage for consideration today is one example.

The context of the early chapters in the book of Acts is the giving of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus promised the Father would send (John 14:26). When the Holy Spirit arrived and filled the disciples in the upper room where they were gathered, the Jews from all over Jerusalem were drawn to them because of the manifestation of miracles most especially that of speaking in languages which those that gathered to observe what was happening could understand.

Peter took control of the situation (Acts 2:14) and announced to all those gathered that what they were witnessing was the fulfillment of prophecy and he referred to a passage in the book of the prophet Joel.

Peter’s boldness hit a high point in Acts 2:36 when he testified that the very man the religious leaders insisted the Romans crucify was none other than God’s promised Messiah, Jesus the Christ! Let this example be one that we remember when given the opportunity to speak the truth that salvation is found only in Jesus Christ.

Pastor Mike

 

Matthew 5:13-16 – How Are You Using Your Influence?

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sermon on the mount

By now most of you know that I appreciate the cartoon strip “Peanuts” created by the late Charles Shultz.

I remember one strip that featured Peppermint Patty and Charlie Brown having a conversation.  You may recall that Peppermint Patty was one of the characters in the Peanuts family who always seemed to treat Charlie Brown (or Chuck as she called him) well.

This particular strip showed the two walking home from school.  PP says to Charlie Brown, “Guess what Chuck?  The 1st day of school, and I got sent to the principal’s office.  And it was your fault Chuck.”

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When Your Church Becomes A Fortress

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The reformer Martin Luther was known for many things, not the least of which is being a hymn writer.  One of his most noteworthy efforts is the classic “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”  The first stanza says:

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our helper he amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.  For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe; his craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal.

I thought of this hymn when contemplating the statistics about the number of churches that have closed their doors or are in danger of closing due to dwindling attendance.

In a spiritual climate awash with spiritual seekers how can this happen?  I am convinced that the primary reason so many once thriving Christian churches have closed is because they confused their faith as a fortress with their church as a fortress.  What do I mean by this?

Simply this – our faith is a fortress that enables us to withstand the most difficult of circumstances without being defeated.  However, our faith is in our great God and not in our own abilities. When Christians believe that their church must be a fortress that stands against a culture in decline then they have made the fatal misstep of substituting the biblical mandate to be salt and light with a theology of self-preservation.

Churches that cease to look at their communities as opportunities to demonstrate the love of God in practical, meaningful ways have sentenced themselves to first irrelevance for the Kingdom, and secondly to slow, painful deaths.

Remember friends, our strength is in God and He has willed that His people will triumph in His Kingdom affairs.  That is a transforming truth!

Are You Heavenly Minded?

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For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven.  2 Corinthians 5:1-2

There is a saying that has been around in the church for many years. It goes something like this – “Don’t be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good.”

I think the point of this adage is that as believers in Jesus Christ we are called to be a part of the rhythm of life, living and ministering in our communities for the benefit of all people.  Leading a cloistered life is antithetical to the biblical mandate to be salt and light.

As with many other things this principle can be carried too far though.  The apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthian believers reminded them that life on earth would be followed by life with God in eternity.  The bodies we now have, what Paul refers to as our earthly tents, will one day pass away and we will receive new bodies, “a building” perfected by God for all eternity.

A larger point is missed however, when we think that being salt and light and being heavenly minded are mutually exclusive. Consider for example the Apostle Paul’s great exhortation to the believers in Rome in chapter 8 of his letter to that congregation.  There we find Paul exhorting the believers to live a spirit-filled life in the here and now always keeping eternity in view.

This truth is exemplified in statements such as “If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” What are these “all things” Paul describes? They include most importantly the truth that we will all receive redeemed, glorified bodies for all eternity. The Bible says that believers are to wait “eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”

When we view life from this perspective it makes sense to be constantly heavenly-minded as a reminder that this life does not define who we are or who we will become.  God has already declared us righteous, holy, and redeemed.

Brothers and sisters – that is a transforming truth.