Friday, October 30, 2015

ἀκλινής (yes this is a word and yes you can find it in the Bible)

Last week I brought out the idea that we are to be culture changing not culture adopting, this week as I've been studying Hebrews 10 a single word really jumped out at me. That word is ἀκλινής.  Now if you were to open your Bible and read Hebrews 10 you are most likely not going to see this word right away, in fact unless you are reading from a Greek word study or from a good study Bible you probably wouldn't see this word at all but it is there I assure you. 

It is transliterated aklinés and is pronounced ak-lee-nace'. This is the Greek word for unbending or without waver. You find this concept in Hebrews 10:23 when the writer says “Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering…”

This is such a good description of where the church needs to be today. Too often we become like politicians who find the right word to say to each person who lends an ear. Our goal to help people to feel better about themselves, to feel like they matter in this crazy messed up world…

But is that what we are really called to do? I believe that we are called to be aklinés in our dedication to the Gospel. That we are to be unbending, unyielding, unwavering in our commitment to our Lord and Savior. If that means that some become offended by the Gospel and reject us as friends or family so be it. Are they really rejecting us or are they rejecting Jesus? (Read: John 15:18-25) 

If we capitulate and present a watered down gospel for fear of driving someone away from the cross are we really any better than the Jewish leaders who hung Jesus on the cross?

Our responsibility is to sow seed and or water that seed, it is the Holy Spirit who causes that seed to grow, produce fruit, and be harvested accordingly.

We must not bend in the winds of the culture today, we must not waver on our commitment to Christ, and we must not yield to the undercurrents trying to separate us from the love of our Savior whatever the cost may be.


Church will you stand with me aklinés before the world?

Friday, October 23, 2015

Culture Changing

In a day in which the cultural is constantly shifting and changing from week to week things never seem remain the same for too long... This is where the church needs to be culture changing rather than culture conforming. Rather than constantly reinventing itself to be softer and easier to accept to the church needs to stand on the truth of God's Word without apology. 

Does this mean that the church should avoid change? Absolutely not. Paul tells us in Romans that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds rather than conforming to the ways of this world (Romans 12:1-2). While the message should never change the means in which that message is delivered should be free to adapt and change as the opportunity presents itself. That is the beauty of God's word that it is valid for each generation without fail. 

Over the next several months we will be slowly rolling out some of these changes to align with the vision that God has given.

Changing and adapting existing ministries, launching new Bible studies and prayer groups, these are only the beginning. I fully believe that God desires our church to once again be a thriving multi-generational body and while there will be growing pains along the way we must act in faith that God will bring this to be reality. My prayer is that as we move through this process that you will continue to seek the presence of God in your prayer lives, that prayer will be your foundation not your fall back! 

Look around you on Sunday mornings and Tuesday nights you can begin seeing this happening, lives are being changed, people are coming to Christ, families are joining the church. God is making good on His word as promised! My hope is that you are as excited to see God's hand working as I am!



Friday, October 16, 2015

Old vs New

What is the best restaurant in your town? Or how about the best holiday of the year? Or the best book you've ever read? What about the best deal you've ever found? What made that such a bargain?

Now that you've been thinking about that, think about this - does new equal better? Are you the type of person who hangs on to old possessions as long as possible before replacing them? Or do you like to trade-in and trade-up on a regular basis?

In Hebrews 8 we knuckle down on the concept of the “New Covenant”. The High Priest of this “New Covenant” is Christ Jesus, who according to He 8:1 occupies a special place, seated at the right hand of God.

In short, this chapter poses and answers two questions: (1) Why should a Jew be satisfied with the old priesthood and the old sacrifices – which are only copies and shadows of forgiveness and reconciliation – when he can have real forgiveness and reconciliation in Jesus?
And (2) What “Old Covenant” priest could compare with Jesus, the incomparable High priest of the “New Covenant”?

The “Old Covenant” symbol isn’t bad, it never was. It had a beautiful, God given purpose! That purpose was to point to the Son, it represented the Son, foreshadowing His coming. But now that the Son has come, the symbol has no more purpose, it has become obsolete (He 8:13). Ultimately the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in AD 70 completed the closing of the “Old Covenant”.

So where does that leave us? Ezekiel 36:26-27 speaks of an internal heart change which is part of this “New Covenant” and 1 Timothy 2:5 confirms that Christ alone brings this change.

While the mystery of the will of God is difficult for our finite minds to comprehend; and while we may never have the mind of God, we are told to have a mind (attitude) like Christ (Philippians 2:5). As such, we must continually set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2) and let our minds be transformed by God (Romans 12:1).

Don’t let your obsession with the “Old” ways prevent you from enjoying the fruits of the “New”!


Saturday, October 10, 2015

A reminder from Paul and Pheidippides

No long post today, just a simple thought that I had and wanted to share… The term marathon is dated to 1896, stemming from story of Greek hero Pheidippides, who ran just over 26 miles to Athens from the Plains of Marathon to tell of the allied Greek victory there over Persian army, 490 B.C.E. 

We too are called to be running a race by the Apostle Paul in fact throughout the book of Hebrews we see many references to those who endure or finish to the end. Paul in 1 Timothy 4:7 says:

 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 

I am reminded of all this as the team from Bethel Baptist in Lakeland is here picking up on the next phase of a project that was started two years ago and with any luck will be done in the not too distant future but, I am reminded that we are not in a sprint to the finish but in a long distance marathon some of whom take over 100 years to run their leg of it. No matter how long we have to run how we finish is just as important as how we run the race. We need to remember that always. Keep the faith! 

Friday, October 02, 2015

It's Elementary...

While Sherlock Holmes never actually uttered the words "elementary my dear Watson"  the phrase is aptly appropriate for the start of Hebrews 6 as it starts out with the author urging his readers to move beyond the elementary teachings. Check it out... 

 1Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 

Why is this so important for us today? Looking at the end of chapter 5 we start getting a picture:
13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

So if we are stuck on the elementary principles we are stuck drinking milk, which we know isn't sufficient to nourish on its own once unless you are an infant. 


Think about this when you are building a house once the foundation is laid what happens? The walls go up… The roof goes on... The house ultimately has a purpose greater than the foundation alone... 

What about in the scholarly realm? Once you have the foundation of the alphabet do you keep relearning those letters over and over forever? Or do you learn how to use those letters to form words and phrases. 

We should always be reminded of these things just as we are reminded how to properly spell and use grammar. But rather than remaining there we use this foundational knowledge of the Gospel, the knowledge of baptism, prayer, Christ’s resurrection, and end times as the foundation by which we grow into a true disciple of Christ.

Are you growing?

See ya Sunday!