Tommy Mitchell / The Rurban Church Blog

A Matter of Forgiveness - Part 3

Today let me deal with the heart of the difficulty of forgiveness.  When we extend forgiveness to someone it means we are willing to bear the pain of what others have done.  In the first part of  Matthew 18: 21 - 35, a desperate servant who could not pay his debt was marvelously forgiven.  Literally, his debt was canceled by the master who had come to take everything the servant had.  But moved by compassion, the master marvelously canceled the debt. 

This act on the part of the master meant that he would absorb the consequences of the unpaid debt.  He agreed in that moment to just bear the disappointment and frustration and let it go.  Be sure to understand that I don’t mean the master just agreed to be disappointed and angry or frustrated the rest of his life.  It is at the moment of forgiveness that you bear the pain of what another person has done. But then you let it go to the mercies and ministry of the Lord.  It is part of that “casting all your care upon the Lord!”  

What the master did for the servant is obviously a picture of what Christ did for us. He bore the pain of our sin. Even on the cross as others mocked Him, spit at Him, and hurled insults at Him, Christ said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do!” Luke 23:34. We tend to forget that forgiveness, while essential to a right relationship with God and with others, is also a painful thing.  There is a cost to forgiving. 

Sadly, our account of amazing forgiveness in the scripture does not end as well as it begins. Again, in Matthew 18:21 - 35 the forgiven servant, having had his debt canceled, went out and found a man who owed him a much smaller sum of money.  The servant demanded that the man pay him.  The servant attacked the man, and choked him. Though the debtor begged for mercy, and in spite of the fact that the servant had just had his own debt canceled, he went to the authorities and had the debtor thrown into prison.  What an amazing response from a man who was forgiven everything, who had his family spared, and who had his possessions restored to him.  The one who had been shown mercy and grace was now showing retribution and nastiness towards others.  

Well, you can certainly say the servant was unwilling to bear the pain of the actions of his debtor.  In the next part, we will examine the remainder of this scripture.   But notice this.  We have been forgiven EVERYTHING by the Lord. If you want to think about how much that is, try to remember for just about one minute the worse sins you have committed in your life - you know - the stuff you hope nobody ever finds out about.  Christ forgave us.  He bore the pain of our sins on the cross.  And not just the ones we hope nobody discovers - but all of them. Having been forgiven, and having Christ bear the pain of them, how could we then EVER be unforgiving, unwilling to bear the pain of the actions of another.  I think of how many times I have doubted God’s love, accused Him of not being there, and fussed at Him for His plans!  All sinful. Yet, He did not walk away. He forgave me.  He bore the pain of my faithlessness, hopelessness, and doubt. 

We cannot walk in a right relationship with the Lord if we are unwilling to pay the cost of forgiving others.  It will mean that for a little while, we will bear the pain of what another person has done, and we will release it to the Lord.  Bearing the pain and letting it go will become practically simultaneous as we walk and grow in our relationship with the Lord.  

My prayer is that I will be forgiving - that it will be my default position!  Most assuredly I have benefited greatly, not only from the Lord’s forgiveness, but from the forgiveness of others as well. 

 

 

 

Christ - The Main Attraction!

Attractional church!  This term is most often used these days to negatively describe churches that use a variety of methods to attract people to attend worship.  The alternative term (and seemingly preferred method) is missional church.  This church supposedly reaches people by being on mission out in the community.  In my personal opinion, a church should be both - attractive because of a loving, caring, worshiping congregation and missional because they are inspired to go out and make disciples. 

Yet, neither the attractional church nor the missional church get very far without Christ! When did Christ cease being the main attraction in our churches?  In Colossians Paul wrote, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”  In Corinthians he wrote, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.  In Philippians Paul wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”   

These are not proof-texts.  The New Testament is chocked full of Christ. Paul didn’t need the promise of a pizza or the most expensive lighting for the worship sets to be attracted to church.  He didn’t need a preacher who looked like someone’s local majority view of “cool!”  Rather, he was totally, hopelessly, wonderfully, and devotedly in love with Christ.  

And Paul didn’t go to church! He was the church.  As am I. As are you!  And Paul was the church proclaiming Christ.  For Paul, Christ was sufficient.  Again at Corinth, Paul spoke of his approach with them, saying, "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2   

So, I wonder when Christ ceased to be enough for us.  I wonder when the sheer wonder of His marvelous forgiveness, the wisdom of His amazing teaching, and depths of His incomparable love ceased to be enough to propel us to gather together to praise His name and inspire us to go out into the community to proclaim His name. 

In my lifetime, and to this day, I have been hearing a plethora of things that the church must do to grow.  Sometimes the instruction is a method and sometimes it is an audience.  Get the right kind of worship (music) and the church will grow.  Get the right kind of management style and organizational structure and it will grow.  Or focus on the right demographic group and it will grow.  It seems that most of these things have failed since the church in America continues to decline overall.  

But Christ never fails.  And never will fail. Sometimes it seems that we get to feeling like Christ is not a sufficient message - or too rough a message - or too holy a message.  So the attempt is made to help people into the church with Christ watered down a bit. Listen to this word from Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:23 "but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.”  Paul knew that the claims of Christ about sin and salvation were tough - a stumbling block and foolishness depending on who was listening.  But the claims of Christ are backed up by the convicting, convincing power of the Holy Spirit.  

We need to return to Christ.  We need Christ in our message.  We need Christ in our worship. We need Christ in our moment by moment lives.   In this day nearly every church is struggling with participation by the membership.  I say the real problem underlying struggling attendance, anemic giving,  slack participation, and missional impotence is the lack of Christ in our lives.  

Is Christ central in our churches? Is Christ central in our lives?  Is our devotion to a church (institution) or to Christ?  Is our interest in a program or ministry or is to Christ? Are we following a person or Christ?  

I more and more often ask myself, “Is Christ sufficient for me?”  or am I looking for something else - something more?  There is nothing else and there will never be anything that is more than Christ.  

May the unchanging Christ overwhelm our lives. 

Imitating Chirst!

This past Sunday I preached on the topic of imitating Christ.  It really bugged me last week as I prepared for it.  Mainly, it made me think of all my interests and pursuits through the years.  Many of those interests and pursuits have been ministry related - some not.  The part that has bugged me is that I can not honestly say that I have always pursued Christ as vigorously as I have other things in my life - even good ministry things. 

If we are to truly be Christ's disciples, we MUST imitate Him.  That is not an abstract thing. We must imitate Him in His beliefs.  We must imitate His character.   We must imitate His ministry.  We must imitate His way in relationships.  And I could go on.   The demand on us to imitate Him is not negotiable.  Paul made the charge plain in 1 Corinthians 11:1 "Imitate me just as I also imitate Christ."

Do we pursue Him as much as fine gold?  Silver?  Ok - money?  Do we pursue Him as much as we do a great hunting spot?  Do we pursue Him as much as a fine buck?  Do we pursue Him as much as we do a great shopping expedition?  Do we pursue Him as much as fine clothes?  Do we pursue Him as much as we pursue position? Power? Possessions? 

G. K. Chesterton was the one who said, "Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried."  The charge to imitate Christ can easily rally a few amens in the congregation on Sunday, but come Monday it is so easy to go all day without conforming my thoughts to His, my character to His, my beliefs to His, and so on.  

Without doubt, much, if not all the weakness in the modern American church scene can be attributed to a few generations of Christians who have done little to imitate Him.  To imitate Him, we must know Him, be drawn to Him, and to love Him more than life itself.   Somehow, that does not quite describe the church I have been acquainted with most of my life.

So, this is serious, but not hopeless. Repentance is needed on our end and rewarded by Christ. What has not been done in the past can be done from this day forward.  Oh for a church gathering together on the Lord's Day where we all look like, think like, sing like, praise like, obey like, and worship like Christ! 

Passive Confession

We are going through a JourneyOn Discipleship process in our church.  This past Sunday, our study and application time was on the topic of confession.   In my preparation time, I was suddenly overcome by the reality of another kind of confession – passive confession!  This is not the kind mentioned in 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  That verse reveals the proper confession we should make to the Lord.

Passive Confession is another kind of confession that we may not even be aware we are making.  We cannot avoid it really.  Passive Confession is that confession we make as we live each day – sort of like a high flying jet leaves a contrail.

Passive Confession is noted when we are angry with the person who is our clerk at the store, our boss or supervisor at work, or our spouse at home.  When we are consumed with a spirit of anger, we confess it with the trail of destruction we leave in the path behind us.  We didn’t resolve anything with the confession, but we sure told on ourselves. 

Passive Confession makes known our lack of spiritual fruitfulness.  When our lives are not lives of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self –control, then we are revealing our lack of walking with and keeping step with the Holy Spirit. 

Passive Confession outs us as undevoted every time we choose ANYTHING and EVERYTHING over corporate worship with God’s people. When Sunday becomes the most negotiated day of the week with Kingdom of God issues always ranking last, our Passive Confession  is that worship (and therefore God) does not matter very much.

Passive Confession is revealed by our lack of interest in the things of God – His purposes, His ways, His teachings, His will!  When people “lose interest” in church, they have really lost interest in the Lord, who ordained His church.

Passive Confession reveals our lack of fruit in regards to prayer.  We might not openly confess to God or others that we do not pray, but our lack of fruit and answered prayer tips our hand.

Passive Confession reveals our lack of knowledge regarding the Word of God.  Again, we might not admit to not reading or knowing the word of God, but our lack of knowledge of basic bible facts, principles, and core Christian teachings reveal our biblical ignorance.  Indeed, our rationalization of every sin and our resistance to truth that reveals the sin is a confession of how we stand in the Word.

The fact is, our Passive Confessions reveal much about us to one another.  We must go further and make our confession of sin to the Lord.  Because then our lives can make a better Passive Confession.   When we are truly walking in a righteous relationship with the Lord, our Passive Confession will be one of self-control, fruitfulness, faithfulness, knowledge, and engagement.   There will be joy in our back-trail, and people will be drawn to Christ. 

Be assured, we are all Passively Confessing something!  May our Passive Confession be Christ.

What Did you Just Say?

Over the last few years, I have heard this “words” theology thing!  It is pretty simple – be careful what you say or you will become it. Therefore, don’t say, “I’m sick – or you will definitely get sick, or be sicker!”  Another iteration of this is to say in the face of sickness, “I am well, and therefore you will be well!”  The applications of this are endless – and not grounded that much in the Word of God.  However, the Bible does speak about us, our character, and what comes out of our mouths. 

I submit to you that saying, “We are our words” gets it out of order.  We are “who we are” or “are not” based on how we are relating to Christ.  Whatever our character actually is will be revealed by our speech.  The Bible makes this kind of statement in James 3:8 – 10  ⁸ But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

It is only by submitting our lives to Christ that the tongue can be tamed by the Holy Spirit.  So what is coming out of your mouth?

1. Blessing or Cursing  - or worse, both?

2. Words of edification – or words of destruction?  (Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.)

3. Words of forgiveness – or words of strife?

4. Words of envy and jealousy – or words of praise and admiration?

5. Words of gossip – or words of blessing?

6. Words of faith – or words of faithlessness?

7. Words of encouragement – or words of dismay?

The list can go on and on!  A Christ follower will “check their tongue” before they open their mouth!  Follow Christ and be a blessing with your speech!

A New Normal?

Yesterday I was leaving my parent’s home in Columbus.  On the western edge of town, I stopped to fill up with gas and was just a little aggravated that I had to pay $2.41 a gallon for fuel. You see, where I normally buy gas in Agricola, it has been $2.33 for a couple of weeks.   So, I felt like I was paying too much.  Even though it has only been a couple of months since I was, in some places, paying $3.49 a gallon, I have quickly become accustomed to “a new normal!” 

It is amazing, really, how quickly we become adjusted to new normals.  A few weeks ago, the state highway department started a repaving project in front of our church.  For reasons I still don’t understand, they put new asphalt down on the south bound lane, and then did not return for a few weeks.  Though it was always noticeable, I got used to the “new normal.” I would pull across it and thing nothing of the uneven pavement. I was actually surprised one day when I finally realized they had finished it.  Again, we get accustomed to a “new normal” with some ease.

Unfortunately, some of the “new normal” to which we become accustomed is not good, and really, in God’s eyes, not normal.  It is not normal to become adjusted to a life devoid of prayer, the reading of the Bible, or the silence of our lips in sharing the gospel.  It is not normal in God’s eyes to live a life devoid of relational purity, wholesomeness, and honor.  It is not normal in God’s eyes for us to live as consumers in His church instead of servants to the most high God.  Yet everyday, I see people and churches becoming quickly adapted to a new normal of just about everything. 

People are becoming bold in “new normals!”   God calls much of the “new normal”, sin!  We have gone from fornication, to pre-marital sex, to fooling around, to making out, to exploring our love, to NORMAL!  We have gone from adultery, to infidelity, to cheating, to exploring our inner needs, to just being happy!  We have gone from being a slave of Christ, to a servant, to a member, to needing my felt needs met, to seeing what this church can do for me, to being a consumer!   In each case, we started with what the Bible calls it and progressed to what we call it.  We seldom call things by what they really are anymore.  Instead, they are a “new normal!”

Remember, Christ is the unchanging Christ.  We can’t use the term “don’t judge me” to excuse every sin we desire to live in and live out.  Christ is merciful, forgiving, and gracious.  We must always be willing and ready to repent and return to His full fellowship.  But beware, the “new normal” is so easily accepted by us.  God will certainly judge us all one day, and it will not be by whatever standard of “the new normal” is in play at the moment. We will be judged by His holiness and His revelation of holiness in His word, the Bible.  Be careful, especially in moral matters, of “the new normal!”

What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do!!!!!

Everyone has been there! It is a weird, frustrating, and often anxious time when you get to a point in your life when something is confronting you and your best thought is "I don't know what to do!"  Usually this admission comes after many other attempts "to do" something have already proven fruitless.  Concern, worry, and endless actions have left you wondering what to do.  And further thought finally brings you to the point of saying, "Hey! I don't know what to do!" 

The final part of this is that most often, something needs to happen. Which makes the circumstances all the more worrisome, troublesome, and difficult!

So, what do you do when you get to this point? What should we do when we reach this point?

Well, we could FRRRREEEEEAAAAAAKKKKKK OUT!   Been there?  I have! Probably will get to that point again some day!   But it doesn't really do much good other than to provide a temporary outlet to our emotions and frustrations.  What is a better thing to do when "we don't know what to do?"

1. Be thankful for the realization!  If you really can't do anything, then you can quit expending pointless energy!

2. Be prayerful!  Maybe the prayer is not "Lord, you have got to show me what to do!"  It may be that the prayer is "Lord, I don't know what to do - and until I hear from you - I am going to trust you to take care of it!"

3. Be Thoughtful! Perhaps the circumstance is not really on you!  Sometimes I get really distraught over things which I have zero ability to control!  Perhaps the "thing" that needs to be done is to let go of some impossible thing we have been attempting or for which we are bearing responsibility.

4. Be Available! If the Lord lays some responsibility on you or some action for you to do, then do it! If not, then move on!

5. Be Open!  In times of impossibility, the Lord may be trying to get us refocused on some opportunity or ministry that is totally different than the thing that has consumed us.  Perhaps the Lord has just let you run out of steam to reorient you to different opportunities, different thinking, and different actions.  Be open to all He may do.

Are any of these things easy? Not usually! We may FRRREEEEEAAAAAKKKKKK OUT between each one!  What say you????????

Unrealized Potential!

Unrealized potential!  That could be applied to so many things! We live our lives with quite a bit of unrealized potential. 

Teachers come to mind. They certainly live in the reality of students who have unrealized potential! Everyday they see students that could be and do so much more if only they would give a bit more effort and if someone could pour a bit more of themselves into those students.   These teachers must be frustrated to see this treasure of potential marching around in front of them goofing off, getting in trouble, and acting out.  

Teachers also see two groups in the unrealized potential crowd.  There are those students that have such poor support structures in the home and so many bad choices already in their history that the teacher realizes only an act of God will unlock the potential.  This is a nice way of saying that there are some kids who are just never likely to break out and break free.  And that is a sad reality.  

Then there is another group - they also have unrealized potential but they haven't gone "around the bend!"  There are still support structures at home! There are still moments that they dial in!  Maybe just one more try and they will start to get a bit more serious and give a bit more effort and discover there is more to life than just being self-absorbed. 

You pray for a miracle for that "lost" group!  And you work even harder for that second group that might still turn the corner!

Ministers feel the same way! We all serve churches that are "unrealized potential" on a supernatural scale. This is because God can do all things and desires to do His work among us.  And yet, even ministers understand that there are some who are locked into "unrealized potential!"  Who knows why? Many who are perpetually missing what God is doing are there by their own choices and don't even see a problem. 

Then there are others, also missing their potential in Christ, who show promise for coming around. And like the teacher, the minister works hard for them - praying, hoping, longing to see the potential in Christ unleashed in their lives.

Teachers have one more frustration! Because of those locked into unrealized potential - they have to teach differently - and much of their time is spent trying to do something with placeholders while trying to reach those who still show some promise while trying not to ignore those who are doing great and are living in REALIZED potential!

Ministers deal with the same thing!  We can get locked into trying to coddle and feed the barely even milk drinkers while also trying to change the menu for those who are showing promise while also trying to provide steak to those who are walking deep and wide in the Lord!  

Unrealized potential! We all live in this state to some degree spiritually, because we are all a work in progress.  But may we all be making progress!  And say a prayer today for a teacher - and a preacher!

The Ten Minute Talk!

This semester in our Student Ministry, I sponsor a Student Breakfast one Wednesday a month.  Each month I am enlisting people whom I know to be Christians and who have a biblical worldview to come and share a 10 minute talk with the students.  I challenge them to prepare in the following way.  The kids know they are supposed to serve and follow Christ.  We want the 10 minute talk to be the one or two primary things you would tell these students from your vocational / world experience as a Christian that you think they most need to hear.  I tell them to look at it as the only time they will ever have to address these students - what would you say if you knew you would never see them again?

For example, our first speaker was a Chancery Court Judge who essentially told them that with all she dealt with each day she had learned how important it was to find at least one thing every day for which to praise God.  

The 10 minute talk is real! They only have 10 minutes! I have not had to cut anyone off - but I let them know that I will!  Each person who has come has had their imagination captured by it.  10 minutes is not a lot of time - but if we are not able to state what is our driving passion in 10 minutes - we need some refocusing and repurposing in our lives. 

Could I challenge you to some 10 minute talks?  If you would never see your spouse again after today and you had 10 minutes to say something to them, what would you say?  The emphasis is not on being freaked out about separation - but focusing on what is really important to share with someone. 

Could you spend some time and think about what you would say to each one of your children if you just had 10 minutes to talk with them?

What would you say to your best friend?  What would you say to your parents?  Brothers? Sisters?

Let me challenge you to actually do it - about once a year.  Sit down for some 10 minutes talks with friends, family and maybe even strangers!  

I can assure you that thinking through the process will clarify some needs in your own life that need to be addressed - some priorities that need to be reordered - some baggage that needs to be cast off!

It would even be a great time of sharing for Bible Study groups or classes to take a few weeks and give every member the opportunity to prepare to share the most important lessons learned in life for 10 minutes with the class from their vocational / Christian experience. 

The possibilities are endless.  The discipline required to think it through is productive. And Christ is glorified! 

Difficult Days Demand.......................

WOW!  The events of the last few days continue to trouble and distress many Americans.  They distress most Christians.   And there are many things about which we should be concerned.  The economy and economic policies have everyone on edge.  The path of healthcare in the future is quite cloudy - some would even say "muddy!"  The political give and take being played out in the media is happening 24/7 and after a while becomes mind numbing.  Moralilty is more than "in decline!" Morality is in a death spiral in the nation!  Then we have the international events of the Middle East and the very real dangers that are involved and it is enough to give you a good case of discouragement. 

So, in these difficult days - for those of you who have a Christian /Biblical worldview, may I remind you of some things that these days demand.....of us?!?!

1. To Remember Our security is in God Almighty! Our security is not and has never been in government or political figures.  There are legitimate concerns about economic and international health, but ultimately we must rest our souls in the mighty right hand of God's rigtheousness.  God sets the rise and fall of nations for the accomplishment of His purposes.  Our future is secured by Him and in Him!

Remember the TRUTH - Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.  Psalm 20:7    AND

 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty."  Zechariah 4:6

2. To Remember That We Have Hope in Jesus Christ!  These verses are a helpful reminder.

1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.    Romans 5:1-5

This hope is a hope we can proclaim to the hopeless.  Though circumstances may be bleak, Christ is unchanging in His power, His interest in us, His love for us, and His purpose and plan for the ages.  We can join Him in His work and rest in His plan!  His will and purposes will be done.  That is reason for hope! He is hope!

3. To Remember that Difficult Times are Fantastic Times to Share the Gospel!  Conversations are abounding regarding the future of the country, the insecurity people feel about their jobs, and the worries people feel about their ability to make it from week to week!   We serve a Saviour who has secured our futures, has provided for our greatest need, and has given us the victory over sin and death!  This is a time to share the Gospel with folks!  We can spend a lot of time giving everyone our political opinion, or sharing our best economic theories or our thoughts on international affairs.   OR, we can run straight for the cross of Christ - and proclaim Christ, crucified for our sins, buried in the tomb, and raised up again in victory over sin and death - all to the glory of the Father.   "Why waste a crisis?" may be a political question.  But we need to ask ourselves why we followers of Christ are wasting a time of upheaval on man-made answers instead of sharing Christ?  We have the answer - repent and believe!

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—even Jesus.    Acts 3:19-20  

If you are walking around totally bummed out over the circumstances that surround us, then to use a Biblical phrase, "BE OF GOOD CHEER!"   We have amazing opportunities to show the love, the power, the grace, and the glory of God to people whose lives are in such need of divine transformation.   May our speech and our actions demonstrate that we really believe what our Bibles teach.