Tag: worship

The Needed Privilege of the Public Ministry

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(Luke 10:1-12, 16-20)

You never seem to have enough. Of what? While the answers may differ, none of us would have too much trouble identifying something in our lives that seems to be lacking; some area where we don’t have enough. We don’t have enough hours in the day to get it all done. We don’t have enough time together. We don’t get enough sleep. We don’t have enough money. We don’t get scheduled for enough hours at work. We don’t have enough gas, enough time off, enough rain, enough… the list goes on. We know the feeling, whether our feeling that we don’t have enough is backed by data or merely based on our perception. As ironic as it is for us who live in the country with the world’s largest economy, we’re not strangers to the feeling of not having enough,

But maybe that shouldn’t surprise us. After all, doesn’t it seem like the Lord delights in dealing with perceived deficiencies, in our not having enough? We have two very clear commands in Scripture: to trust God to provide and to be content. Each of these is put to the test when under perceived deficiencies, when it seems there isn’t enough of something. In other words, it isn’t as difficult to trust that God will provide when I have more money than I know what to do with, right? And doesn’t contentment seem to be much easier to achieve when I have plenty and am more than satisfied in every area of life? 

Therefore, when it appears that we don’t have enough of something, does God allow that to happen so frequently in our lives because, well… we’re half right? Maybe there is something we need more of?

Yes… but it isn’t what we think; instead, what we need more of is trust and turning to God. So he allows us to go without so that we look less within and more to him. Then, when we do just that, he shows himself to be the trustworthy God he has always claimed to be, delivering on his promise to provide whatever we need.

Jesus pointed to something that was lacking during his ministry, something there wasn’t enough of. What is that “something,” or better “someone”? Workers. People dedicating their lives to the work of the church, which we refer to today as the public ministry. Jesus was saying that there weren’t enough church workers in his day.

Not much has changed in over 2,000 years, has it? It appears we’re still short of workers for the harvest. We currently have around 120 pastoral vacancies and about the same number of teacher vacancies in our church body (WELS). Now, not all of those represent a single congregation without a pastor or school without a teacher; some have multiple pastors and are functioning with fewer than are ideal, as are schools short on teachers. But regardless, they are not at the full capacity they feel they need to carry out their ministry.

More important than the actual number of how short our churches and schools are is the solution to the shortfall. How would Jesus have us address this shortfall? He gives two pretty clear directives: “Ask” and “Go!”  

When you ask someone for something, it demonstrates two things. First, it shows you have been giving thought to whatever the topic of your request is. When we ask the Lord to send out workers, it demonstrates our concern for the important work of his church, the need to flood the earth with the good news of the gospel. To ask for workers shows the Lord that he and his church are on our hearts and minds. Second, it shows that we know he is the One who can do something about it. We don’t have to come up with clever gimmicks or try to make ministry appeal to others with attraction marketing. The Lord sends the workers. He just wants us to ask him.

Then immediately after the invitation to ask for workers, what does Jesus do? He sends out the seventy-two, telling them, “Go!” So when we ask, as the Lord directs us to, we also have to be open to being an answer, as the seventy-two were. If all of God’s people only ask the Lord of the harvest for workers, while at the same time avoiding any consideration of the call into ministry, there would be no workers! There would be no answers to the asking. So be open to both the asking and the answering, the praying for the workers and potentially playing the part of a worker.

Recall in the last post in this series, we had the opportunity to see what it looks like when one answers the call to go. While we focused on how undivided attention means complete commitment, we saw what that looked like in the example of Elisha. I want to return back to that incident to highlight two aspects of Elisha’s behavior that reflected that his heart was in the right place for public ministry. 

First, he cared about people. Yes, he went back to say goodbye to his parents. But he didn’t stop there. He threw a big party with a steak dinner for everyone! He cared about others and serving them – sacrificing his own plowing equipment and oxen in the process – which leads to his second ideal attribute for ministry: he trusted the Lord to provide.

I don’t know about you, but if I was asked out of the blue to make a big life change like that, facing all kinds of uncertainties, one thing I would want to make sure of is that I had enough in my piggy bank to ride out the rough times. Couldn’t Elisha have sold the plowing equipment and oxen and at least had a little financial cushion in his pockets as he went on his way into the unknown? Instead, Elisha made a clean break from that chapter of his life and followed God’s call, completely trusting that God would provide for him. He cared for people and he trusted in God’s providence. 

It has been my own personal experience that God often uses the one to deliver on the other. It shouldn’t just be on anniversaries or special occasions that a pastor gets to express his gratitude, so I am grateful for the care my congregation provides for my family and me. We have been blessed through our congregation’s generosity our whole time serving at Shepherd of the Hills. A pastor gets to take care of God’s people, and God uses his people to take care of their pastor. It really is a beautiful thing, and it’s right in line with the words Jesus spoke this morning. 

That kind of care allows the called worker to keep the main thing the main thing. Jesus made sure the seventy-two didn’t lose sight of that upon their return. “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name’” (v.17). They were like the kid in the world of superheroes who just figured out his superpower – only this wasn’t made up; this was real power they had been given to even put demons in their place!

Jesus then validated their abilities, reminding them that demons were real, in service to the very real Satan whom Jesus himself had seen “fall like lightning from heaven” (v.18). Then, Jesus raised the bar and foreshadowed more of the amazing abilities he would give them as they served in his name, along with the promise of safekeeping. “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you” (v.19). 

Yet even in light of all this power and authority they would be wielding as they went out with the Word, none of it was to be the ultimate source of their joy. That ALWAYS must find its foundation elsewhere. Jesus made it clear where. “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (v.20).

I can also relate to Jesus’ final words in these verses. Do you what I love about getting to be a pastor? My name is written in heaven. Is it written in heaven because I’m a pastor? Is God somehow especially pleased that I chose this path over any other? Of course not. He is no more pleased with this path than he is with the faithful gas station clerk. One is not better in his eyes.

But, every single day I get to spend time in the Word, and it reminds me that my name is written in heaven. And no, one doesn’t have to be a pastor to spend time in the Word every day to find that out. But it is just one of the many perks of the job that you take home a paycheck for reading the Bible, teaching the Bible, preaching the Bible, and studying the Bible with others. It’s a sweet gig!

I began this post by pointing out how often we don’t seem to have enough. But I have to conclude with the reminder that God also promises to provide more than we can even ask for. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21). Do you suppose this promise is limited to any one area of life, or could it be applied to workers for the harvest, too? Is God able to fill all of the current vacancies in our church body with pastors and teachers? Could he exceed that by providing even more than necessary?

Yes, in fact that was the case when I graduated from the Seminary. In contrast to not having enough pastors at that time, the concern was about not having enough spots for all the soon-to-be pastors. This need prompted the class ahead of me to come up with a plan for tent ministry, or bi-vocational ministry. While that class didn’t end up needing to utilize that plan, as all of the graduates were assigned to pastor congregations, my class did have an opportunity. And in fact, I was one of the two graduates assigned to a tent ministry mission field in Tucson, AZ. That is where I served for three years prior to arriving at Shepherd of the Hills.

So yes, God can provide more workers that we can imagine. Yet, rather than thinking in terms of shortages or surpluses, let’s simply be confident that the Lord will provide exactly what is needed. “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Rest assured, this applies to called workers, too.

In fact, that is exactly what Jesus promises regarding the plentiful harvest and few workers, when he invites us to pray, “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Luke 10:2). From our vantage point, it appears we’re short on workers, we don’t appear to have enough of something. So what do we do? Turn to God in prayer. Ask. And, while asking, consider the ways we can also go and be an answer to that prayer. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Worship to Spur on Ministry

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. Use your Word and worship today to equip your people to carry out the mission of your church. Let worship serve to remind believers about the unique role the church serves in both growing and going. As we carry out our calling together, we use the same gospel to grow in our faith and to go bring others to faith. While your Holy Spirit does all the heavy lifting of converting souls and nurturing spiritual growth, he does that important work through us.

Since you send pastors and teachers to help prioritize that work and equip and train believers for it, lead many more to choose the path of public ministry so that our congregations and classrooms are not lacking in manpower. Raise up around them zealous disciples who are eager to work together in ministry and give focused attention to your mission of growing and going. Spur on your people all over the world to embrace the joyful privilege of ministry, to be faithful and diligent in carrying it out, and to fully trust in you for the results. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Let Your Forgiveness Flow in Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. Worship is valuable for so many reasons, but there is nothing believers long to receive more than the assurance of forgiveness. You distribute your gracious gift of forgiveness to so many in so many different ways. May it provide peace to those who are struggling with shame. Use it to uplift those who never feel like they are enough. Let it ease consciences burdened by guilt. Wherever and by whomever your forgiveness is needed, lavish it richly. Let it ring loudly through songs and hymns of worship. Let preachers proclaim it. Let the readings of Scripture declare it. Let the Supper serve it. Pour out your forgiveness Lord, and through it, build up and equip your church. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Preparing to Worship

Lord God,
What happens – or doesn’t happen – the day before can determine how Sunday morning worship goes. This is often true of everyone involved in worship, from those planning, to those participating, and even the ones preaching. When details are left until the last-minute, the goal shifts from preparing for excellence to just scrambling to get it done. When practice or rehearsal is neglected, it is often reflected in worship. When Saturdays are jammed with activities and there is no thought or attention given to the Sunday morning ritual of getting ready for church, that seems to be when there are no clean clothes, there is nothing for breakfast, or the car needs gas. Then, when worshipers show up for church, they bring unnecessary stress and irritation with them, which can negatively impact their attitude and demeanor in worship.

Guide all worshipers to be mindful of all these considerations so that as much as possible, humanly speaking, we remove all barriers and hindrances to the powerful Word as we come into your presence. And, even when we fall short in our preparation, Lord, let our time in your house nonetheless always edify our spirits and enrich our faith.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For a Clear Flow in Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. There are many elements of worship every time we gather in your house. The goal of each of those elements is to highlight Christ and draw our attention to him. In doing so, the Holy Spirit creates, sustains, and strengthens our faith.

However, sometimes the variety of elements in worship can seem disconnected or confusing. This can be so overwhelming that any theme or main point is unclear or lost altogether, resulting in frustration or discouragement for worshipers. Guide pastors and worship planners to be aware of the importance of establishing a clear focus and connected flow in worship. Where encouragement can be given, may it always be done with a loving spirit and a concern for the whole body of worshipers and not simply personal taste or preference. In all our worship planning and efforts, lead us to continue to keep Christ at the center of worship. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Fathers, Take Your Lead from the Son

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(John 16:12-15)

A father and his son each pull up a chair at the kitchen table. “I’ve always appreciated your wisdom and counsel, so I’m hoping you can help me work through a few things. I’ve been struggling a bit, and I’m looking for some advice and guidance. You’ve always said I can come to you with anything, no matter what, so I’m hoping that is still the case.” “Of course it is, dad,” the son responded, “I’ll always be here for you and will help you in any way I can. Tell me, dad, what’s on your mind?”

That’s not how you expected the conversation the kitchen table to continue, is it? We would assume that in a scenario like that – a father and son sitting down at the kitchen table to talk – the son would be the one seeking advice from the father, not the other way around. Dads are the ones with the knowledge and experience, so it’s natural for a son to look to his father for guidance and direction.

But God wants fathers – and really all of us – to see how important it is that we take our lead from the Son. Jesus had much more than just three years’ worth of guidance for his disciples – there was plenty of instruction and guidance they still needed. He made that clear with his words, “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear” (v.12). 

How well does Jesus know his own! Even as he was preparing his disciples for his departure, he cares enough to continue shepherding his sheep, knowing full well that they – and we – will always be in need of instruction and guidance. No follower of Jesus has or ever will come close to achieving a PhD in discipleship. No believer can possibly achieve expert status in knowing and living according God’s will through God’s Word. There will always be more that he has to say to us. Pray that we are always willing to listen!

Jesus also showed how aware he is of how and when to unfold important spiritual truths in our lives. What was going on in the disciples’ lives that they couldn’t at that moment possibly bear whatever else Jesus had to tell them? Jesus had been starting to prepare them for when he would no longer be with them in person, and had just shared some pretty heavy things with them.

For example, he warned them that the world would hate them because of him (15:19), and that the time was quickly approaching when those who put believers to death would actually think they are serving God (16:2). Jesus knew that was a lot for them to process as they counted the cost of being his disciples. So he deliberately spread out his instruction, spacing it so that he would give them a little bit now, and more later through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on and after Pentecost. 

Notice also two things in these words of Jesus. First, he speaks with authority. When Jesus provides the details regarding his sending of the Spirit, he explains, “[The Holy Spirit] will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you” (v.14). The Holy Spirit wasn’t going to be a free spirit, revealing and proclaiming whatever he wanted to on a whim; rather, he was being sent specifically to communicate the ongoing truths and teaching of Jesus.

And from where did Jesus receive that authority? From the Father. “All that belongs to the Father is mine” (v.15a). The Father had entrusted all things to the Son for the purpose of carrying out his plan of salvation, and then making that salvation known to the ends of the earth through the work of the Spirit. Jesus had been given that authority from the Father. 

Secondly, while Jesus speaks with authority, he doesn’t speak as an authoritarian. Jesus was not a dictator. He was not the power-hungry boss who relishes reminding those beneath him that he’s in charge. No, with these words, Jesus gives a glimpse into the wonders of the Trinity – a three-in-one God dedicated to working in beautiful, perfect harmony for the salvation of all.

God hasn’t revealed himself as the triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – to confuse or confound us, but to comfort us. There is a certain confidence that comes from realizing that my inability to comprehend this mystery is indicative of a God who is absolutely out of my league in terms of my simple understanding. I will never grasp the mystery of three persons, yet one God. But by faith I find supreme comfort in knowing that this out-of-my-league God is not interested in keeping me confused and in the dark, but rather in enlightening me to the certainty of salvation that he alone has secured for me. 

When I preached on these same verses from John 16 years ago, I referred to the three persons of the Trinity as the Giver, the Grunt, and the Guide. The Father, as the Giver, ultimately provides for our every need, including both physical and spiritual needs. It is together in perfect harmony with the Son and Spirit, that he delivers our spiritual needs. Without the Son carrying out the grunt work of our salvation through his perfect life and sacrificial, substitutionary death, there would be no spiritual goods for the Father to give. Finally, without the Guide, the Holy Spirit, who opens our eyes to see and believe the salvation secured for us through the Son, the Son’s work would have been in vain. So we stand in awe of the divine synergy that exists within the Holy Trinity, all for the focused purpose of soul-saving. 

Fathers, do you know what that means? It means that what God calls you to do and be in your home and family, he does not call you to do and be by yourself. “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). You have the Triune God at your disposal as you carry out this high calling! God doesn’t leave you hanging in your role as father and spiritual head of your home. Everything he calls you to, he also equips you for. And fathers, the best way you can carry out your role is by taking your lead from the Son. 

What does that look like? You can’t take your lead from the Son if you don’t first spend time with the Son yourself.

Dads, let me ask you, how well do you know your children? While answers will vary, can we agree that the solution is the same for any dad who wants to know his children better? What has to happen? You have to spend time with them. There is simply no substitute for spending time together. Sure, mom can often provide a wealth of information about a child’s. A teacher can speak to their learning abilities. A coach can share their successes and struggles.

But that mere passing along of information alone isn’t sufficient to develop a deeper relationship with your child. You have to spend time with them.

So then, if we are going to follow God’s direction, fathers, and bring up our children in the training and instruction of the Lord, then it’s absolutely necessary that we first spend time with the Lord.

Most of us know the hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” But maybe we should consider if “What a Familiarity We Have with Jesus” might be a more accurate title. We know who Jesus is. We know what the Bible tells us about him. We know what others have told us about him. But can we honestly say he’s our friend… if we don’t spend time with him? Friendship requires time together, so if we don’t spend time regularly with Jesus, can we really call him our friend?

That actually leads into the most important reason to spend time with him. Because, unlike other friends who will eventually move along to other friendships if you don’t have the time for them, Jesus never will. His friendship is founded on forgiveness. His friendship is grounded in grace. He won’t ever allow your friendship with him to sour on his end, but he’s always waiting for you to deepen it on your end.

Spend time with him. Quit boring others with your lame excuses about not having the time. Prioritize getting to know Jesus more. I always say that if it matters to us, we’ll find a way; if it doesn’t, we’ll find an excuse. Don’t complicate it. Jesus invites us to know him personally as we follow his words and wonders recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Befriend him through his Word.

When that happens, you change. He changes you. Jesus changes you – for the better. And then you’ve got something to share with your children.

Without friendship with Jesus, what training and instruction would you be qualified to pass along as a father? We’re not just talking teaching your kid who to change the oil or hammer a nail – we’re talking about the divine truths and treasures that will serve them far more effectively both for this life and for eternal life. The training and instruction you’re then able to give them involves introducing them to your best friend, Jesus, and starting to encourage them to build their own friendship with him.

But one more thing has to happen. Just as you prioritize time with the Son, so you also have to prioritize time with your children. We’re all busy, and often it is with work, working as hard as we do to provide for our family. Yet how many children have ever looked back on their childhood and said they wished their dad had worked more? None.

What if I told you that you don’t need more hours in the day? Chances are, you’re already coaching them, shuttling them to practice, or watching their games. You already take them outdoors and on fishing trips. You watch their dance recitals. Take those moments you already have together and use them to bring Jesus into the conversation. For starters, don’t worry about adding additional planned spiritual interactions into an already packed calendar; rather, utilize the time you already spend together to serve as openings for talking about Jesus.

Also, bring them to church. Especially you, dads. The statistics are overwhelmingly obvious that your presence in church has a far greater impact and influence on your children’s spiritual formation than if they come by themselves or even with just mom. Spend time with your children in your Friend’s house every Sunday. Don’t settle for anything else. In a society that has embraced and even encourages lowering the bar across all areas of life, refuse to do so in this area. Set the bar high. Make worship together a non-negotiable every week. That’s where your best Friend is every Sunday. 

And that best Friend, the Savior Jesus, promises that together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, he will equip fathers with everything they need to bring up their children in the training and instruction of the Lord. Fathers, keep looking to the Son to be the father you want to be, and the father God calls you to be.

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Bless First-Time Visitors in Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. However, there are many throughout the world setting foot inside your house for the first time ever who don’t know that. Thank you for their willingness to take this courageous step, and for whatever took place in their lives to prompt them to seek something in worship. Regardless of what it is they’re looking for, show them Jesus and the salvation that comes through faith in his name.

Remove any roadblocks or hindrances that could sour their experience, and see that they are warmly welcomed and looked after. Bless their worship and grant them such a favorable experience that they are eager to return. As you did on the first Pentecost, send your Holy Spirit and work on their hearts to open their eyes to the joy of forgiveness and the certainty of their salvation.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Remain Close to You Over the Summer

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. Summer doesn’t change that. But, knowing that vacations and breaks from school can sometimes negatively affect worship attendance, I pray for you to counter the temptation to allow church attendance to slide. Rather than seeing the summer months as a break from steady worship, let them serve instead as a season to refocus and recommit to time in your house. Let worshippers pay special attention to the details of worship that can easily be lost in the busyness of the school year and other seasonal obligations.

Refresh souls with strong preaching and thoughtful sermons that spur on Christian growth and draw your people closer to their Savior. When travel plans and vacations take us away from our home congregations, lead us to seek out other churches to attend. When this happens, let us be a source of encouragement to our fellow Christians as we gather together with them. In all these ways, lead us to celebrate the unity we have, and the opportunity we have to remain connected to the Vine. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

We Don’t Need to Drag Out Doubt

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(John 21:1-14)

There are certain doubts that are rather easily put to rest with a simple proof. Someone tries to convince you that a certain dessert is spectacular, but when they describe it to you, your face wrinkles up in disgust. Your doubt can be either confirmed or corrected simply by taking a bite of the dessert. You are at lunch with a friend and she is convinced she’s spotted a certain celebrity eating a few tables away. You doubt that it’s actually him. Your doubt can be put to rest by simply asking the individual. Your cousin says he makes a shocking amount of money on some side gig, but he’s always stretched the truth a bit, so you doubt him. He can prove it by showing you the direct deposits or his pay stubs. Some doubts can be rather easily be put to rest. 

Others demand more attention. We often want to see the same magic trick repeated a few times because we don’t believe that what we just saw happen, actually just happened. Someone familiar with a child’s history of bad behavior is likely to doubt that the behavior has suddenly changed overnight; they’d need to see the improved behavior consistently to believe it. If a rookie athlete about whom analysts are skeptical will succeed at the professional level has an outstanding game, a similar effort will need to be repeated with some frequency before analysts are won over. Some doubts require more extensive proof to be put to rest. 

I probably don’t have to ask under which of those two categories a resurrection from the dead would belong. People don’t normally rise from the dead, so when such a claim arises, it’s natural for people to expect to see multiple proofs. And the Jesus who knows us so well is aware that our doubt doesn’t always disappear so easily.

That’s why John’s introductory and closing words in the verses from chapter 21 carry so much weight. Don’t miss them: “Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples…” (v.1). “This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead” (v.15). What does John want us to take away from this account? This Resurrection stuff is not made up! Jesus had risen and appeared – and more than just once, you doubters! It’s the real deal, and Jesus went out of his way to make sure that was known by appearing on multiple occasions.

The Sunday after Easter always has the account of doubting Thomas as the reading for the Gospel (cf. John 20). Jesus appeared to the disciples in the locked upper room, but since Thomas wasn’t there to experience it the first time, he doubted Jesus had actually risen. So Jesus showed up a week later to the disciples again and who is there that time, but Thomas. Then – after seeing with his own eyes – the doubts erode and his confidence is boosted. Jesus didn’t show up to shame Thomas; he showed up because he wants to be found so that doubts can be put to rest.

Isn’t how Jesus still operates? He wants to be found. Do you hear that? Jesus wants to be found! How could we draw any other conclusion today? He hasn’t left it up to chance, basing Christianity on some spiritual experience that a person needs to seek out in hopes of finding him. He gives us his Word, where we can read, study, and learn about him for a lifetime. He has given us the visible sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion, where the power of that Word can be seen at work.

And where is all of this done? We have churches, physical buildings all over the earth, built to facilitate the proclamation and teaching of Word and Sacrament in order to make him known and visible. We have believers, who make him known through the way we radically love others and allow his compassionate grace and forgiveness to be experienced through us. Jesus wants to be found. Why? To put doubts to rest. 

Perhaps in the past the church went too far on this matter of doubt. It seems to me that there have been too many stories from childhoods and upbringings in church where anyone who doubted was chastised for not having a stronger faith or being a more confident Christian. Sure, in some cases, that may have been more a matter of perception on the receiving end of some tender, guilty, conscience, than it was the message that was actually communicated. But I am also sure that there have been any number of times when any doubt was too firmly denounced as being incompatible with saving faith. That may have been overstating the case and going too far.

If we’re willing to look back and acknowledge that fault on the part of the church, then let’s also be willing to acknowledge the possibility that in the present day, we have may gone too far the other way. Have we given the impression that some measure of doubt is a good sign?

While I believe the intent behind that message is good (for example, when a believer reassures a fellow doubting believer that doubts are actually good, because they are evidence of faith, since no unbeliever would be concerned about any doubts), it may be contributing to an attitude that not only welcomes some measure of doubt, but actually embraces it as being a desirable thing. After all, in our culture, we are now skeptical of everything: science, politics, weather, government, medicine, technology – we have plenty of doubts about all of it, and the general sense is that we’d be silly not to, since none of it can be trusted outright.

What ends up happening then, is that those spiritual doubts lead us to pull back, and when we pull back we also hold back. We aren’t all in. We end up straddling the fence and kind of like the view from there. It’s one thing to have doubts and questions about the Christian faith, but we don’t want them to transition from being temporary guests into permanent residents in our hearts. That’s what happens when we don’t deal with those doubts or address them by seeking the necessary truth and certainty to dispel them. 

This can happen at times because we’re spiritually lazy or apathetic. Or, it can happen because we want to play both sides; we want to dabble a bit in the Christian culture, but also remain “relatable” and “in-touch” with unbelieving friends and acquaintances. But then we speak out of both sides of our mouths. We profess the faith and praise and thank God while around our Christian friends, but then nod in agreement and even freely offer up our own doubts and disbelief about certain teachings when around our unbelieving friends. That’s not being all things to all people as Paul encourages us to do; rather, it is deceiving yourself with a divided heart.

Do not let that attitude creep into your faith, as if a healthy amount of doubt is desirable or to be celebrated when it comes to Christ. Jesus Christ does not want you to doubt; he wants to be found so that your doubts can be laid to rest! Jesus Christ did not come to create doubt, but to crush it.

We want to have the same confidence the disciples did as Jesus appeared this third time to them. “None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord” (v.12). We don’t want to be wrestling with the question of who Jesus is, but rather knowing that he is the Savior.

What happens when we deal with doubt and by addressing it, refuse to let it linger? We’re all in! What does that look like? Remember the apostles being thrown in the slammer and threatened, only to be released to point others to Jesus with as much zeal as ever?!? That kind of passion, that “all-in” attitude doesn’t exist while doubts are hanging around!

What does that look like? It looks like Peter, when the lightbulb went on and he realized who it was on the shore. “Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water” (v.7). Peter was literally all-in. Refusing to wait for the slow fish-towing boat to make it to shore, he dove into the water to swim and scramble his way to the shore and sprint to his Savior.

What would it look like today if we were deliberate about dealing with doubt? We’d have a lot more men engaged and active in the mission of the church, leading their marriages, their families, and their homes, instead of deferring that responsibility – the biggest one we have as men, mind you – to their wives.

If you disagree, just wait until Mother’s Day and then about a month after that and you’ll see. Why is Mother’s Day one of the most well-attended Sundays of the year? Because moms want their husbands and kids to come to church with them. In stark contrast, why is Father’s Day often one of the lowest-attended Sundays of the year? Because dads want to skip church to do something either by themselves or fun with the family. What’s wrong with that picture? 

More importantly, how do we fix it? We don’t. Jesus does. The same Jesus who appeared to his disciples again and again to put their doubts to rest. He had truly risen. He didn’t want half-hearted disciples, constantly questioning their cause. They needed to be sure. They needed to be all-in. So he showed up for them again and again.

In the activity of the early Christian church, we see the direct result of Jesus’ multiple resurrection appearances reflected in the preaching and teaching recorded in Acts. Again and again they point to the Resurrection. They don’t, perhaps as we too often do, stop with “Jesus was crucified and died to pay for your sin,” but rather allow his sacrificial death to serve as the foundation on which the mighty truth of the Resurrection is built. The Christian faith depends on it and also has something to deliver because of it! Jesus rose! Jesus lives! Jesus rules!

He’s still here, showing up again and again. He shows up in churches every Sunday with his Word. He shows up in churches to serve us himself in the Supper. He shows up in churches with an open invitation to become a part of his family through baptism. He shows up in weekly small groups that gather to build deeper connections within the body of Christ through the Word of Christ. He shows up through our hands and feet as we carry out works of service to each other and our community. He is still here, showing up again and again. He wants to be found, for wherever he is found, doubt departs. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Don’t Miss the Mission

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(Acts 5:12, 17-32)

Unless you’re an employee showing up for your shift, when you make a stop at In and Out or Chick-Fil-A, you aren’t there to roll up your sleeves and get to work; you’re there expecting to be served whatever you ordered to eat. When you walk into Home Depot, you aren’t there to seek out customers who look lost and offer to help them find what they’re looking for, or to stock shelves with products; you’re there to grab what you need to start or finish that DIY project at home. The same is true of Target, Aldi, Best Buy, etc. – when we pull into the parking lots of these places, it’s because we’re there to get something that we want or need. We aren’t there to check in and see if they’re short-staffed or need a hand with anything. We’re there as customers, consumers who intend to pay for a product or service, expecting to get what we want. 

And there’s nothing wrong with that at all, as all of these places exist to provide you with a service or product. They want your business – in fact they need your business; they rely on it to stay in business themselves. They know that if they don’t provide the good service or good product you expect, then you’re likely to take your business somewhere else. They know there are plenty of other options you could choose, so they will do what they think they need to in order to keep you as a customer. 

Is it possible that our consumer culture could – or perhaps already has begun to – rub off on churches? More to the point, is it possible for similar expectations to drive the “bottom line” in our own congregations? It could if churches (including yours?) aren’t careful and lose sight of why they exist in the first place.

What we’re talking about could easily be caused by one or both of two things: 1) It could be driven by a consumer mentality of congregation members demanding to be served in the way that a customer expects, and/or 2) it could be driven by a the church leadership holding to a business mindset that is only interested in the bottom line and hitting the numbers to generate as many happy customers as possible. 

So how do we avoid either of these traps? How do we avoid being driven by a consumer mentality that views church as just another place that should be concerned with the customer’s happiness and meeting the customer’s needs as they determine them? How do we avoid becoming a business consumed with the bottom line and doing whatever it takes to get more people in the pew and get bigger and bigger with the goal of… getting bigger and bigger, as if that’s why churches exist?

We remember that as the church, the gathering of believers, we have a very special and specific mission. After the Holy Spirit had been poured out on believers at Pentecost, allowing them to perform miracles, signs, and wonders, “the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail” (v.17-18). The followers of Jesus were getting more attention than the self-righteous religious elite of the day, and they wanted it to stop, so they put them behind bars. But when the church is on mission, God isn’t going to hesitate to intervene and open doors – on this occasion, quite literally! “But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life” (v.19-20). 

The believers were carrying out their mission, and when arrested for it, what did the Lord’s messenger tell them to do as he freed them? There was no pivoting or plan B. His message was, “keep it up! Go right back where you were and tell everyone about the new life you now have in the crucified and resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ!” They were arrested for carrying out their mission, and then were not only directed to keep it up, but to keep it up in precisely the same place that would have put them most at risk – right back on the home turf of the religious leaders! 

But the most shocking part was not what the angel told them to do; it was that they did it! “At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people” (v.21). The apostles did exactly as they had been told! This would be the part of the movie where we cringe when we see something bad happen to the overmatched hero, and rather than taking his lumps and moving on, he gets right back up and after it again! It goes against common sense and wise judgment! There’s a fine line between being fearless and foolish, and it might appear initially that the apostles’ actions are closer to the side of foolish.

To provide context to their actions, let’s contrast the behavior of the apostles in Acts with the actions of the disciples from John’s Gospel. The difference? John records for us that the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked “for fear of the Jewish leaders” (John 20:19). Fear! They had locked themselves in out of fear.

In Acts, though, the very Jewish leaders they feared had indeed carried out exactly what the disciples were afraid of and put them in jail. But there was no fear! No hesitation. No trepidation. Why? What had changed?

Yes, some time had passed between that first night on the day of Jesus’ Resurrection and the early church after Pentecost, at least a couple of months. Nevertheless, self-imposed hiding behind locked doors versus breaking out of the very jail you once feared, to engage in the same behavior that put you there in the first place – that’s a pretty drastic change! What accounts for it?

They had been giving a mission, and a special one at that – a mission given to them by a guy who died and then came alive again! This was not your garden-variety mission by any means!

Neither is ours, for it is the same. We have been given a mission by a guy who died and came alive again! Is that any less impressive simply because more time has passed since the day it originally took place? It’s so easy to forget, isn’t it, even with Easter having taken place so recently – we worship someone who died and then came back to life!

If you heard a similar story today of someone being put to death and then buried – all with plenty of eyewitnesses – only to hear that he came back to life, the story would be everywhere! Every major news outlet would be running related stories 24/7 and social media would be blowing up over it. We wouldn’t be able to stop talking about it!

So why is it so easy to stop talking about the most prominent dead guy to ever come alive again? Because we assume people won’t believe us? That wouldn’t shut us up if something similar happened today, so why should it shut us up just because it happened over 2,000 years ago?

Some would say it’s because the church has neglected its focus on evangelism. Such a conclusion is the opinion of many who study church culture and metrics. They would say that one of the biggest struggles the church faces today is in the area of evangelism. Churches don’t prioritize it like they should. Members either aren’t equipped to evangelize or aren’t empowered or impassioned to do so. Might that be the case here? That’s probably a question for you to answer. 

Why are your church? Is it just the religious version of In and Out or Chik-Fil-A  – you’re there because it appeals to your personal preferences and does church the way you like it? Are you there as a customer to be served, or because you’re on a mission, looking to be serving others? Speaking of mission, do you know what your church’s mission or tag line is?

Ours is Seeking the Lost, Serving the Found. Notice what isn’t included there: Show up sometimes on Sundays when it’s not inconvenient and you’re good to go.

Obviously, Sunday morning worship is the heartbeat of what the church does – it is hugely important! But, just as a body has so many other essential and necessary functions than just the heart beating, so the church also has so much more going on than Sunday morning worship. Sunday morning worship isn’t the finish line to cross each week; it’s the starting blocks, where we position ourselves to get the best possible start to carrying out our mission each week!

To imagine it any other way is to not only redefine what church membership means and what the church’s mission is, but to blatantly disobey what God has commanded us to do as believers. It really is that simple. When the apostles were set free from jail, they were told what to do and they obeyed. Later on, as they found themselves in trouble once again for carrying out their mission, what was their response? “Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!” (v.29). They were obeying what God had told them to do. 

When we entirely disregard or are indifferent to what we have been commanded to do as believers, we are disobeying God’s direct orders and failing to carry out the mission he’s given us. And where does that leave us? It drags us back to Calvary yet again, prior to the empty tomb, right back to where we are forced to face the painful reality of our rebellious disregard of Jesus’ mission for his church. There, plain as day, as I scan the endless list of all my other sins for which my Savior was crucified, it is listed: disinterested, disobedient disregard for the very mission for which Jesus gave up his life.

And I am then instantly reminded of why I need to return here to this place – to church – as often as possible. Here I see the cross front and center, yes – but also to witness the white of Easter, the embrace the confidence of the empty tomb, to remember that the Resurrection means I am redeemed and restored from my rebellion. The very mission of Christ’s church that I so often think so little of is his mission to me, too, for I need to hear of my forgiveness. I need his grace. I need to be assured yet another week that no, God has not and will not forsake me, even in my most stubborn moments. So I need to hear his mission to me to renew the zeal of his mission for me. 

Starbucks used to want to be the “third place.” After home and work, they set out to be the third place people would gather at to spend time. A number of factors, like the convenience of mobile orders, led them to change their business model. Once they realized how quickly they could churn out more drinks and serve more customers, they were less interested in a cozy, welcoming lobby, and more interested in volume and speed: more drinks, faster drinks, would mean increased profit margins.

Meanwhile, as local coffee shops continued to pop up nearby, providing the comfortable make-yourself-at-home vibe that Starbucks used to be known for, and having baristas that got to know their customers, Starbucks had some serious competition. Suddenly, the short-term boom in business sort of popped like a pin-pricked balloon. For that reason, you may have noticed recent efforts to restore that “third place” culture that they first became known for. The tables and chairs that were removed from the lobbies, leaving them eerily vacant and open, have been returning. Free refills are being offered to encourage customers to hang around and linger for a bit while sipping their beverage.

So what happened? Some would say that they became more concerned about satisfying shareholders than caring for their customers. They lost sight of their mission.

May we never lose sight of ours. May we never lose sight of the mission Jesus gave us to carry out together. May we never miss out on our mission together, so that others don’t miss out on meeting the same loving Savior we know and love, Jesus Christ. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!