Go Make Disciples of Jesus

Can you imagine adults sitting in a large classroom listening to the same tired old talks about adding 2 + 2 and how to spell c-a-t? Yet we do that in many church assemblies. No wonder so many Christian people stop attending services. They are bored to distraction by elementary teachers repeating elementary teachings to adults.

As an educator I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that for several years of church work I failed to realize that some adult believers are babes in Christ who need milk but others are grown-up adults who can chew meat. I suppose I came by that point of view because I always attended churches that gathered adults together in one big room to be "fed" by the "Pastor/ Shepherd of the sheep." (We were the sheep.) Everybody ate the same food and we all sat with mouths open in anticipation whether we had just come to the Lord or were veterans of fifty spiritual years.

Hebrews 6 gives us a completely different point of view. When I read it I can clearly see that the Spirit who inspired the Bible understood developmental stages of growth and change. God is an educator who develops some teachings for Babes and others for Disciples and still more for us in Ministry. Would we present the same things to my four-year-old grand daughter as we would to her mother?

1 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

3 And God permitting, we will do so. (NIV)

Any Pastor who wants to really feed his/her people will develop ways to discern where they are spiritually and offer them food that is specifically designed for that stage of spiritual growth. Most people covet large numbers with lots of money and bottoms in the pews. They love fat churches not big, strong, healthy churches. No wonder there is so little long term change happening. Only by making strong disciples will we become effective in our ministries.

Prayer for Healing

While I was walking down the hall to see my mother in law, I heard a voice say, "Hello Gary. How are you today?"

I stopped and turned toward the voice and saw a lady who was in our church many years ago. She looked sad and down. I responded, "Hello, Eve, How are you doing?'

She started to cry and said, "Oh, I am not doing well. In fact, I am doing really badly. Did you know that Joe died last month? I just miss him so much."

I listened to her as I placed my arm around her shoulders and said "Hello" to her youngest daughter. She talked for a minute or so and asked if I had a Counselor to recommend to her for depression. We chatted on for a few minutes and I asked if I could pray for her. She quickly agreed that she wanted me to pray for her and I lifted up my voice to God right there in the hallway.

Through tears of grief mixed with relief Eve said, "You prayed for me to be healed many years ago and I was healed. Do you remember that?'

I tried to remember that event but we prayed for hundreds of people every month so I was a blank. I said "goodbye" to her and her daughter and walked on down the hallway feeling so blessed that we can go to the Lord in prayer any time and any place. And, I rejoiced in the fact that my friend had faith to believe because God had touched her life once before.

You can call on the Lord for any issue or any concern with or without a Clergyman or Priest to speak for you. God is present 24 hours each day 7 days each week. Although God may not answer your request exactly like you want, He will answer it. God had touched Eve and healed her knee as she had asked and I am sure He gave her some relief last week when we prayed again.

Whey is there so little prayer for people in need? How often do you read a blog that says, "I prayed for a person in pain"? It is rare because prayer for people is rare. In fact, some churches and clergy teach that God no longer answers our prayers so don't even try it. Others say that only clergy are allowed to pray and then in a "holy place". These are excuses and pretty pitiful ones at that.

I often carry my anointing oil with me in a brief case. Since I was visiting my mother in law that day I failed to carry the oil. However, I did not allow that to keep me from taking her care to God in prayer. Nor did I allow the fact that we were in the public hallway keep me from praying.

Be bold. Be fervent in the spirit and take the initiative. Pray for people.
Minister in the Holy Spirit.

Show God's love in practical ways and see if He won't show up.

Go to Sweeten Life web page for more on these ideas.

The Trinity

The classic creeds of Christianity have all emphasized the fact that we believe in the Trinity; three Persons and one God. We do not believe in three gods nor do we believe that there is only one name for God and that name is Jesus or The Father.

With the world becoming a global village we in Christian America have seemed to get sloppy about our theology. We seem to place friendship and harmony above clarity and principle. Thus, when we read about or get to know folks from other religions or persuasions who have a very different theology we tend to reduce everything to what we call "love" but is really "like".

I have some good friends who are Muslims. In fact I worked among Muslims in Asia and I "liked" them quite a lot. I "liked" some of them better than I "liked" some of the Christians I knew. But, I did not agree with these Muslims theologically. I agreed to disagree with them and I did disagree in an agreeable manner.

One of our friends confided in my wife Karen that we were different from most Christians. "You will listen to my story and my beliefs but most Christians will not listen to me. They will only talk with me if they can preach about their beliefs." Karen and I listened respectfully to this lady and her colleagues. We continue to have faith in the saving grace of God through Jesus Christ. We do not agree with the Muslim's hyper-works approach to salvation.

My Muslim friends treated us with warmth, care, concern and respect. I laughed with them, ate with them and shared counseling ideas with them. But I disagree with them on theology, salvation and healing.

The last lines of my post about "Hiding the Resurrection" was a quote from Matthew 28 that told the story about the Jewish High Priests who tried to cover up the resurrection. They paid some soldiers to say that the Disciples of Jesus came and rolled the stone away and stole His lifeless body. Here is the kicker: "that story is still circulating today" says the Gospel. And, it is told by Muslim scholars and laity all over the world. This is why we must base our faith on truth not whether we like a person or not.

I read a news story recently about a Muslim student who was offended that his diploma from Trinity University had "Year of our Lord" printed on it. He wants it removed. I hope they do not remove that statement. Here is my question: "What does he think the term "TRINITY" means?

Hide the Resurrection

Matthew 28

The Resurrection

1After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

8So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Everyone has a different point of view about the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. You will remember that not everyone was happy that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. Mary and Martha were happy. Many of their neighbors were happy but Judas was not happy. He wanted money.

The Chief Priests were not happy. They wanted power and glory. Not everyone is happy to hear good news.

We have the same kind of thing happening in this story. The followers of Jesus were happy and excited but confused. The women were the first to hear that good news. They told everyone but were not believed. The same is true today. I know the resurrection occurred for it affected me and I can still sing the old hymn: "I serve a risen Savior; He is in the world today. I know that He is living; no matter what men say!"

Read the following passage and see that many of the same characters who wanted to kill Jesus and Lazarus in the first place now wanted to cover up the truth.

The Guards' Report
11While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.' 14If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." 15So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed.

And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

This last line reminds me of the resistance of many people today, 2000 years after the resurrection. Some people still do not want to hear good news. They are still trying to hide the fact that Jesus is alive. He is not dead. They may try to hide Jesus but He keeps coming back.

But don't give up. The Holy Spirit is still moving among the people of the world bringing them to Jesus.

He is risen! He is risen, indeed!