Acts 15- It is Through Grace of Jesus

Circumcised or not? If a gentile becomes a believer shouldn't they have to participate in circumcision according to the custom taught by Moses?

This was a real huge question that the early church had to deal with as more and more gentiles became followers of the way. And the question still looms over us today as we work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

The issue isn't just about circumcision, it is about yoke. "Why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?" (vs. 10). What was happening was that when Gentile men professed Christ as Lord and were baptized some of the Jews were saying, 'yeah they are followers, yeah they got baptized, now what they need to do is get circumcised just like the rest of us.'

This led to a council at Jerusalem where the disciples had to make a decision. And the result; "we believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are" (vs. 11b). It is by grace that we are saved not by works so that no man may boast. In eternity no one will be boasting about how their circumcision grants them favor with God. We all will be boasting about the grace of Jesus Christ.

Sounds like a dumb Bible times problem right? Wrong! We still place yokes on ourselves and others and we offend the grace of Jesus. Let us walk through a couple examples and then you can figure out what your yoke is that you need to repent of.

Salvation by church attendance: We put a yoke on Christ-followers that to be a true christian you must attend our church and swear allegiance to our organization(the church) and if you do miss for a couple weeks then you are letting God down. That is a yoke. We are saved by grace not by presence at church. Is meeting with the assembly of God's people a good idea? Absolutely! But, it does not give us salvation.

Salvation by moral behavior. It is common in church culture that to be a christian means, 'you don't drink, smoke, cuss, or chew or date girls that do.' We can overemphasize these moral behaviors to the point that they become a yoke. We can give 'not behaving in certain way' more importance than Jesus Christ and His gospel. When someone is advocating this yoke they don't really care how you think of Jesus they just want to make sure you are behaving decently. Parents beware that you don't place this one on your kids. Christianity is so much more than behavior modification.

Salvation by small group. This says that you are saved by attending a small group. Sounds something like, "if you are not attending a small group then you are not experiencing all that God has in store for you." That is a yoke. There was no small group ministries in Jesus day. People just hung out with one another and loved one another. They didn't need a program for that to happen. Don't let a small group program become your yoke.

Salvation by service. If you want to be a real Christian then you have to serve. Be careful that you are not earning your favor with God through the different ways that you serve Him at church or in our community. We do not earn favor with God through our works. We earn favor with God at the cross of Christ.

These things are not bad in and of themselves! I am not saying that you should skip church, that you can behave however you like, that you should avoid small group opportunities, and that you should avoid serving. What I am saying is that you shouldn't elevate anything to the level where it competes with the cross of Christ. The gospel is the most important thing in our lives and in eternity. Do not crowd out the importance of the gospel with yokes that "Christians" can place on each other. "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them" (Luke 11:46). Jesus rebukes when we place burdens on one another. So let us not elevate works to the level of the cross and impose on one another heavy yokes.

"We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved" (vs. 11). Ephesians 2 teaches us that one day we will be standing in heaven singing praises about the one who graciously saved us and brought us to eternal life. And it also says that no one will have any ground to boast. No one in heaven will say, "look at how I conducted myself on the earth. Wasn't I so good? I earned this!" No! Everyone will sing the praise of the lamb that slain. Everyone will marvel at his grace for eternity. "God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:6-9).

Do not try to add to the grace of Jesus Christ. It is sufficient. There is not a yoke that needs to be added to your faith in Christ. There is nothing left undone that you need to finish up to earn your salvation. Just Jesus Christ and him crucified. He is enough. He saves. We need to accomplish nothing else. Isn't that good news?

Manipulation: Fasting

I just wanted to clarify something about fasting. It needs to be said that fasting is not manipulation. When many Christians fast their goal is off. When you fast the aim is not to manipulate God to either answer your question or give you favor. That is works friends. Read Galatians and you can see that works is not only the opposite of the gospel, it should be cursed (Galatians 1:9). Works is where you do something for God and He in turn rewards you. It is a tit for tat. You do one thing and so God is obliged to return the favor. This is the opposite of the gospel. Unfortunately, humans (even saved Christians) have a tendency to perform works righteousness.

We have a hard time with grace; A very very hard time with grace. The sayings, 'there is no free lunch' or, ' nothing in life is free,' teach us that grace is not real. So, even though the bible says we are saved by grace and we are perfected by grace, we still try to earn God's favor. "Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to obtain your goal by human effort?" (Galatians 3:3). Fasting, along with any other spiritual discipline, can become your method of impressing God or manipulating Him to get what you want. So please be careful when you fast. Check your heart to see if you are earning God's favor. Remember the goal is nearness to God. The goal is not to convince God to do your plan.

Always remember when you fast that God is not obligated to answer your request. David didn't see his child live when he fasted and prayed for three days (2 Sam 12) and the disciples haven't seen Jesus return when they fast (Luke 5:35). Does that mean that those fasts failed? Nope! Because the goal of fasting is nearness to God not manipulation. So when you fast, which you should, let God be your aim. Not success, or revelation, or answers, or anything else, just God. God we want You more than we want to know your will for our lives. We want you more than we want your favor on our lives and ministry. You are our desire. We fast so that we can have more of You!

What's Keeping You From Praying?

We have been talking about prayer at youth group for the past couple months. And the problem with talking about prayer is just that... it is just talking. My desire is that we would become a group that is known for our praying. Things happen when we pray. The power of God is unleashed and we literally could change our generation by our prayers. I want your prayers more than I want a successful youth group program.

So please please please pray. Which leads me to ask you, what is keeping you from praying? What is distracting you from actually getting into a posture of prayer and meeting with God? Do whatever needs to be done to meet with God today. Shut down your computer and find a quiet place, open up your prayer journal, go for a car ride, or whatever you need to to meet with your Savior.

Thoughts on Fasting

Let me just say that there are many others who can talk about this topic more authoritatively than I can. I am a newbie, a rookie, a novice when it comes to fasting. So, take my advise as only advise. That being said, there is much to gain from the discipline of fasting. If you are embarking on a fast then you are beginning a great and God centered task that will reward you greatly.

First, it should be said that fasting is both biblical and Christian. It is biblical in that the bible lays out the foundations for fasting, it actually declares that followers of Christ will fast, and it is the ultimate authority on fasting. The bible teaches that, "man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD" (Duet 8:3; cf Matthew 4:4, Luke 4:4). It is also Christian because the bible teaches that Christians have certain freedoms yet it is better to refrain from some freedoms to help others and even yourself (1 Cor 10).

So what is fasting? Technically fasting is abstaining from food in order to gain nearness to God. It needs to be said that the goal is to obtain nearness to God. Fasting is not a diet. Fasting is not saving money by not eating so you can spend your money on other things. I had a friend who told me he was going to fast on the way back from a ministry trip so he could buy fireworks. That is missing the point of fasting. The aim of Christian fasting is to obtain God, not fireworks, or a skinny beach body, or anything else. We want to know Christ and we will sacrifice to obtain more of him. That is the essence of fasting.

Now for the form: The bible lays out many types of fasts. Many individuals in the bible including Jesus fast from food and water. But, sometimes the fast is from choice foods but still includes eating (Daniel 10). Or sometimes fasting is eating a particular diet of veggies and water (Daniel 1:12). The length and content of fasting varies in the bible. So it would be wrong to say a fast is only fasting totally from food and for a particular amount of time.

The content: I think it is right that you can fast from much more than food. I have heard missionary work referred to as the fasting from earthly comforts to obtain an eternal satisfaction in Christ[1]. The content really is a choice not to partake in something that we have liberty to use so that you can obtain nearness to God.

This leads me to say that we should at times fast from, not only food, but other things that we indulge in. Sometimes I need to fast from the Internet or from reading books. I need to refrain from things that I have the right and liberty to use and enjoy so that I can get closer to God. We all should do the same, whether it is facebook, or TV, or even a significant other, sometimes your Christian discipleship calls for sacrifice to obtain a greater thing.... God.

A great question that was brought up after youth group was 'what do I do with my new time?' For instance if I read a lot and I am fasting from reading would it be ok to watch a little TV during that time? The answer is "yes, but..." Fasting should never be legalistic. You can set up plans and guidelines but to break those plans or guidelines is not the end of the world. So to give something up and use some time to do something different is ok, but it would be far better to gain what you are setting out to get. When you want to fast the goal is to obtain God. You can maybe meet God through your TV watching but how much better could you obtain nearness to Him through an undistracted time with Him?

So when you fast make it your ambition to get to God. Use the time that you have gained to go to God. That is the true essence of fasting. That is why fasting from food is so beneficial. Your tummy tells you that you need food, then you have the opportunity to tell your tummy that you need God more than you need food. It is a constant reminder. It always points you back to the essence of fasting. You need and want food but you have the opportunity to say "I need and want God more than food."

Which leads me to say try fasting from food! It will reward you greatly. It will show you how much trust you put in food and how often you do not even think twice that God has given you life and breath and food. On mission trips I noticed that those in poverty were so close to God and that is partly due to the imposed fast on them. They are without food so they constantly pray that God would be their portion. We on the other hand have so much food crammed down our throats that we never pray that God would sustain us or be our portion. We are at a huge disadvantage unless we fast.

Christians, please please fast! It will help you to realign your priorities and to let God be your portion. How much greater the reward of having Christ than a full belly!?

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[1] Missions as Fasting by Michael Oh

More On Assurance

My desire as a youth pastor is not to undermine assurance. I know that I have often questioned authenticity because it is easy in our overchurched culture to believe we are saved and to actually end up in a predicament on the day of judgement. But, I do not enjoy seeing people squirm as they try to understand why they are not saved and feel like there is no way to become saved... That is simply cruel... I have done this before. But I am working to be a better lover of souls.

If you were my kids what would I want you to know? I would want you to know that Christ is sufficient. That he is for you!

It is the great Enemy of our soul's desire to destroy your faith. That is his one aim. He wants you to spend an eternity of torment in regret with him. I do not want to team up with him in his aims by causing you to doubt your faith to the point where you throw up your hands and accept defeat. I want you to know that you are saved! That Christ is for you! Paul does a brilliant job of arguing that Christ is for us in Romans 8. I encourage you to read it in its entirety but let me point out part of the brilliant argument: "Who is he that condemns?" (vs. 34) Paul is asking a question to remind us that Jesus is the judge. The One who will take account on the last day is the One who died in your place. "Who is he that condemns?" The answer: "Christ Jesus, who died- more than that, who was raised to life- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us" (vs. 34). The One who you have to give account for is the very One who was willing to lay down His perfect life for you. Furthermore, He is at the right hand of God right now interceding on your behalf. Not only did He give His life 2000 years ago, but he is also still engaged in your salvation as He intercedes for you. Let Paul make your heart leap for joy as the Words of God encourage you:

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

"For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35-39).

Are You Real?

Here is a brilliant question that was asked by a brilliant student I know; "how do I know if I am the real deal? How do I know if I am truly saved?"

That is not a dumb question... in fact Jesus teaches the opposite in a couple places. Jesus teaches that 'not everyone who says, "lord, lord will enter the kingdom'" (Matthew 7:21). He teaches that some will say to him, "'we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evil doers'" (Luke 13:26-27). Or he says, "many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evil doers!'"(Matthew 7:22-23). So, Jesus is informing us that there will be people that assume, and wrongly, that they 'know him' and it will come as an utterly crushing blow that they not only are not known by the Christ but also that they are 'evil doers!'

So, asking if we are real is a good question that we should put to ourselves because the bible puts it to us as well; "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you- unless, of course, you fail the test?" (2 Cor 13:5) This is a good question to ask and I think it is a much better idea to question now then to find out on the day of judgement. If you haven't asked then maybe it would be a good idea... 'Am I real? Am I really saved?'

I think it is incredibly mature to ask that question as a high school student... I know I didn't personally ask that question until I was much older... Having grown up in churches I just assumed that I knew about grace. When in fact the exact opposite was true. I knew of cheap grace, not the costly grace that the bible speaks of. The problem of most false converts is cheap grace. Dietrich Bonhoeffer says it this way: "Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church [and individuals]. We are fighting today for costly grace" (The Cost of Discipleship, pg. 43). Cheap grace teaches that forgiveness is cheap and easy. Which is the exact opposite from the cross. The cross was costly. Grace is far from cheap. That is why it is so magnificent for the saved sinner! We dwell at the foot of the cross in wonder and awe. We revel at what was accomplished for us! We are astonished at the grace and mercy that God extends to us. That the Son of God would die for me?! Who could possibly think that the King of the universe would die for a rebel like me? We are humbled as we contemplate the glory of cross, It is the power of God and the wisdom of GOD!!!! It is our hope and our salvation! It is beautiful! But now I am getting ahead of myself...

Here is a way that you can have some confidence in God's saving of you specifically. You probably already know that Christ literally died, that he absorbed the wrath of God due to sinners, that he took on himself the curse of sin and death, that he was buried, and that he resurrected to authenticate his ability to conquer death, the grave, and sin. And, he extends the offer to any that would believe on him for salvation. What the question really is, "did he do that for me?" Let me ask you this; "how do you feel about the cross?" The answer will help you to know whether or not you are saved. "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God... [the message of] Christ crucified is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor 1:18, 23-24). When you think about what the cross means to you do you see salvation? Do you see glory? Do you see forgiveness? Are the scars on Christ balm for your soul? Do you see that your punishment was satisfied in the torture, abandonment, ridicule, and destitute of the Son of God when he walked the brutal road to Calvary and hung on the cross?

When you see the magnificence of The Author of Love dying on a cursed tree you know that you are saved! There is a miracle that happens when you are saved. The technical term is regeneration, or you may have heard the phrase, 'born again.' What that means is that God does a miracle in your heart and life. The bible tells us that we are dead in our sin and we are opposed to the ways of God. We think the Cross is dumb and obedience is legalistic. Then in His great love and mercy He makes us ALIVE! He gives us the ability to see the beauty of Christ and what He achieved. We get to see 'the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Cor 4:4). That, my friends, is a beautiful miracle. When Christ who is the image of God is revealed to you and you feel your heart skip a beat. When you feel adoration for the risen Christ rising up in you then you know that you have been brought from death to life. You can say, "I once was blind but now I see!"

Unfortunately, those that are perishing think of the cross as foolishness and some even think of Christ as their little dispenser of cheap grace that 'justifies the sin and not the sinner' (Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, pg. 43). I suppose that if you feel that way then you have much to be concerned about. However, God appeals to you to fly to the cross; to trust his Son for salvation; to accept forgiveness of sins; to be brought from death to life. The offer is made today for those that are far off. And I personally beg you to do the same; trust Christ, believe on Him for salvation, He is extending His grace to you today! Do not stiff arm His grace again! Please please please allow Him access to your heart and life!

And for those of us that need to be reminded of his love for us and his saving power:

"God demonstrates his own love for us in this; While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" (Romans 5:8-11).

As those that are saved by grace we still make mistakes and in a weird way, although I hate the mistakes, I am thankful for them. They keep me near his cross. Christians that don't need a savior are the ones you have to be worried for. Their ability to perform their Christian duties repel them from Christ and from his cross. They will make it to the bitter end on their own strength and hear those treacherous words, 'I never knew you, you might have done all sorts of things in my Name but you did not know me.' Christ's offer is for those of us that sit at the foot of his cross daily and receive salvation daily. We are utterly reliant on him for forgiveness and sanctification and life. When you find yourself at Calvary you say with Peter, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God" (John 6: 68). Salvation is from the Lord and he grants assurance to those that sit at the feet of Jesus for eternal life.

But I know sometimes there is only a little flicker in your heart. You barely feel anything towards Christ. You are feeling weighed down and, truthfully, disinterested in Christ or His Cross

And at the end of the day maybe the best advise I can give to someone asking these questions is... go to God. Confess that your appreciation of the Christ is not what it should be. Ask Him if the offer He made is for you. I think it is fair to ask Him if He loves you. I believe that God is more than able and willing to demonstrate His love for you. He will wrap you up in His arms of grace and show you, "you are my son," or "you are my daughter." And there is nothing more precious than that feeling. And the more you feel and experience that love the more your love for Him grows. And the more that exchange of love goes back and forth between you and your Maker the more you can be assured that you are His, and He is yours.

Spurgeon on Ministers' Necessity of Prayer

Here is a quote that just laid me low as I prepare for speaking on prayer tonight:

"If you as ministers are not very prayerful, you are much to be pitied... if you become lax in secret devotion, not only will you need to be pitied, but your people also; and, in addition to that, you shall be blamed, and the day cometh in which you shall be ashamed and confounded" (Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students pg 43).

I am repenting for the neglect of prayer and I apologize to the students for not being more prayerful. One day I will stand before the King on behalf of the students and I will feel ashamed.

God help me to be more prayerful. There is no duty under heaven more important than fellowship with you and intercession for others. Please make me a man of prayer. Amen