Traveling At the time of the writing of this blog, we are preparing to leave for the mission trip to Utah that our association has been participating in for the last few years. When you read this post we will be on the last leg of our journey home from the trip. Of course, I don’t know the future so I can’t tell you how it has gone, but I can give some insight on what we hope for the trip. When it comes to traveling there is a wide spectrum of attitudes that people have. I know some people who never travel. They are content to stay home and enjoy their familiar surroundings. I also know many people who want to go places but who usually have some complaints about the actual travel. Then there are people like me. I like to travel. I like not only the destination but the journey. It is exciting to see new places and experience something outside the daily rhythm. I must admit that I especially love the western United States. I love the weather, culture, and people. However, I think it is important to point out that this trip is not a vacation or a tourist adventure but a mission to be an aid and encouragement to our brothers and sisters from Sojourn Church in West Haven, Utah. The Purpose The plan is to conduct basketball camps in the mornings where we will also be able to give instruction about the gospel from the Scripture through Bible stories and examples of real life applications through personal testimonies. We have found that these basketball camps also give us opportunities to engage with the parents and families, helping to build connections with the church. We are also going to be doing evangelism on some college campuses. Lord willing, this will provide for us to have many gospel conversions which the Lord will use for the advancement of His kingdom and the saving of many souls. I must admit that I am excited about this part of the trip. In years past, we have also had many opportunities to share Christ that have arisen providentially with our planning. The Partnership I mentioned earlier that we are partnering with Sojourn Church. One of the important aspects necessary for the flourishing of gospel work is the enduring presence in the community. Paul writes his letter to Titus so that churches can be established and ordered rightly (Titus 1:3-4). Short term trips must and should serve for the encouragement and strengthening of churches in places for the long term advance of the gospel work. Most of the New Testament is the Apostles communicating with local churches for their betterment and gospel advancement. The heart of all biblical missions is the birth and building of healthy and vibrant local churches. The Passion As believers, the Lord places within us a passion to serve God and others. Often, believers want to know what their spiritual gift is. I think that this desire to know exactly what our gift is stems from a notion that if we are using our spiritual gift then it will be enjoyable and successful. However, that is certainly not true. Even the Apostles, while doing exactly what they were prepared and gifted to do, suffered many trials and hardships. I think that we would be better served to focus on what God has given us a desire to do (1 Timothy 3:1). What is it that we love and enjoy? That is the thing that we ought to be doing. Also what need is something that is continually on your mind and heart? That is probably where you should be focusing your energy for the kingdom of Christ. I say all of this about desire because while I have been on other missions trips and served the Lord in a variety of ways over the years, it is this work not just in Utah but with the western people and the Mormon people that I have a desire to do. It is a passion, and I am excited to do it. The Lord has also used this to encourage my passion for my local church at home. It is amazing how the Lord will fill us with joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8) when the focus becomes Christ and His kingdom and not ourselves (Matthew 5:33).
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End Stage Most diseases that are usually classified as a cause of death have what can be referred to as an end stage. This is the final and fatal form of the disease, that leaves the individual with no real expectation of survival. I’m sure that we have all experienced someone close to us going through this process of decline and death. It is hard to watch and often hard to admit that the end is truly near. However, this sequence of decline and destruction is not only true of our physical health. We also see something of this kind of change and transformation taking place in societies as well. Great kingdoms and empires do not simply disappear overnight. In most cases there is a slow decline that weakens the foundation of the society to the point that it then rapidly collapses. I am not a prophet nor the son of a prophet (Amos 7:14), neither am I a doomsday prepper, but I do believe that we should recognize the symptoms of decay and decline happening in our society and understand that we could be very near the end stage. I am not predicting a full scale societal collapse such as what may be portrayed in a dystopian movie or novel, but I am saying that the current state of cultural division is unsustainable and must give way to something new at some point. Sin I know this is not a profound revelation, but all the problems in the world are the result of the curse of sin. Without sin there would be no contention, no war, no poverty, no selfishness, no death, you get the point. It is also true that sin is a constant present reality ever since the fall of humanity in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3). Sin is destructive to human friendship, human flourishing, and human fulfillment. First, sin destroys our relationships with other people. Not only our friends but even family relationships will be harmed when sin is not dealt with appropriately and forgiveness is not extended graciously. The strength and sweetness of our relationships are greatly blessed when through Christ’s work on the cross and the Holy Spirit’s work in our hearts, we become people who can deal with sin patiently and passionately. Sin is also destructive to human flourishing because it not only destroys our needed relationships but also the environment of trust and consistency necessary for growth at every level of human connection. Just as there is a necessary level of health in the soil, water, air, and sunshine for plants to thrive, it is also necessary to have that kind of health emotionally and spiritually for humans to flourish and sin desmates that health when not dealt with Biblically. Finally, mankind has been created in the very image of God (Genesis 1:26-28). This means that we were designed with our purpose in mind. That purpose was to display to the physical world the glory and beauty of the invisible God. The reality is that we still exist as a whole creation because God is proclaiming His own glory and greatness in this universe. So we can only truly find fulfillment when we are glorifying God by reflecting His greatness. But sin mars this reflection and seeks to rob His glory. So when sin is not dealt with rightly we are left with even worse feelings of defeat and depression because our purpose has not been met. Sin Progression All along the way in this post I have spoken in terms of how we are dealing with sin. The point is that till the return of Christ sin will be in the world. So, the question is not how to build a sinless existence or a sinless community, but rather how to deal with sin when it happens. I would argue that as bad off as we are as a culture here in America, the issue is as much because of how we have wrongly dealt with sin as much as it is the presence of sin itself. Isaiah pronounced a warning from the Lord against those who call good evil and evil good (Isaiah 5:20). What we see happening now is that we have not dealt with our sin in a biblical manner by turning to Christ in faith and calling on God for merciful forgiveness. Without that kind of humble confession and repentance the sin just continues to grow till it brings about death (James 1:13-15). This is true in an individual life but it is also true when this is reflected in the majority of a population that has turned against the Lord. My point is simply this: all of the laws, rules, instructions, and even deterrents given to try to stop sin from happening will never be effective till we as individuals and as a people learn to deal with sin God’s way by humbly repenting and relying on Christ for His righteousness given to us (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). Independence The term “independence” has a literal definition. The dictionary defines it as, “freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.” As we have so recently celebrated our own festival of independence as a country I would like for us to consider the ramifications of individual independence from a Biblical point of view. Considering our current modern understanding and usage of the term as applied to our individual lives. Control The definition begins with stating that independence is “freedom from the control of others.” Of course, the Bible would support that we should not be coerced or manipulated into certain behaviors against our will by those who simply possess more power or prestige than we have (2 Samuel 12:1-12). So, if we understand freedom as restraint on the governing authority to allow for freedom to self govern under a common moral framework, like we talked about last week, then that would be fine. But if our understanding of freedom from control means that even God through the Holy Spirit should not seek to control us through revelation (scripture), regeneration, and true conversion then we have not understood what the scripture means when it says for us to obey the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:5-8). As believers in Christ, it should be our goal to grow in the fruit of self control, but that is the fruit of the Spirit, so it really is the product of bringing our will into conformity with God’s will. The self control communicated in scripture is the humble submission to the will and ways of our glorious God. Influence Independence is then defined as “freedom from the influence of others.” But no one is truly free from the influence of others. We are made to be social and communal creatures. Remember that the Lord said that it was not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18). This was not only for the point of having a mate, but for the building of culture and society (Genesis 1:26-28). My point is that we were made to have relationships with both God and other people. We were made to have fellowship with God and other people. So it simply is not possible, or wise, to seek to avoid all other influences or to seek to avoid being an influence on others. If we seek to avoid all other influences, all that we will probably accomplish is to deceive ourselves about how we have been influenced. If we attempt to avoid influencing anyone else all that we will probably do is influence them in a negative way (Romans 14:6-8). Support Independence is also defined as “freedom from the support of others.” In all honesty if people really believe that they are fully self made in any area of life one must assume they have a greatly inflated ego. No one truly grows or succeeds without some support from someone along the way. Usually true and lasting success in any area includes the support of a team of people working and investing for a common goal and under a common set of values. This brings us back to the need for a common moral framework which will require a common source of authority and accountability. Without a shared confession and commitment to the Lord this kind of consensus around values and morals will simply not be possible. Help The final point of the definition is that independence is “freedom from the aid or help of others.” Like the previous point about support, all of us find ourselves at some point needing help. It is actually a flaw and not a featured advantage to never be willing to ask for or receive help. If independence means that we can never be helped then it must also mean that we should not help others. If this becomes that underlying principle of a society then the collapse of that society is a sure conclusion. No one can even turn to the Lord if he cannot acknowledge his own need for the help of Christ (Hebrews 2:17-18). So let us take the way of Christ and turn from the arrogant way of the world and in humility look to Jesus who is our only hope in life and in death. The Fourth of July Yesterday, we celebrated the fourth of July holiday otherwise known as “Independence Day.” As we all know well, this is to celebrate the signing of the declaration of independence which announced to the world and the King of England that the thirteen American colonies would from then on be independent of the rule of the British crown. This is the marker for the birth of our nation and the founding of our earthly citizenship. But, we must not forget that the importance and impact of this goes far beyond the American citizenry. The impact of the presence and power of the United States of America over the last two and a half centuries cannot be overstated. Nothing today would be the same if those thirteen colonies had not declared that independence. We cannot speculate about what would have happened in the realm of counterfactuals if the revolution had been different, but we can know what did happen and how it has influenced the whole wide world. The sheer reality of this immense application is also a part of the American mindset. It may seem to belong to the generations before us, but it lingers even now in the American experience. What I am referring to is the sense of individual independence that most Americans feel. In its best and truest form it is defined by our concept of personal freedom, but in its more popular and deformed expression it could be called individual autonomy. The distinction in my mind is that in thinking about personal freedom the person is given the responsibility and accountability to govern and regulate themselves under a common moral framework for their own well being without infringing on the well being of other persons. The problem today is that our vast and diverse culture does not have a common moral framework, which strips away the self governing aspects of mutual accountability and responsibility. When these things have been stripped away, all that is left is a wild individual autonomy with no transcendent moral principles. I am not saying that no one has principles any more or even that people who do not share my Biblical worldview do not have principles. What I am saying is that we do not have shared and common principles founded in the same source. This kind of commitment to cultural pluralism is road to confusion and anarchy, and that is ungodly territory (1 Corinthians 14:33). Our Declaration of Dependence Instead of insisting on always grasping at our individual independence, which we will consider in more detail next week, we would instead, both as a society and as individuals and families, do well to recognize and acknowledge our dependence on our community, our Christian fellowship, and most for all on the Lord! Your community means more than just the people that live within the local area where you live. It means those with whom you engage in day to day interactions. Those people you see at work or the gas station or local gatherings such as sporting events, etc. These are the people who constitute your community and they will influence and impact you. As Christians it ought to be our hope and prayer that we could thoughtfully and intentionally impact them as well, especially with the message of the gospel and our Christian testimony. By referring to your Christian fellowship, I am meaning your church but, let's begin by asking, would you refer to your local church as a fellowship with close and meaningful ties that bind you together in a special way? If this is not the case, how could you begin to change your engagement and involvement to build stronger bonds of affection and friendship with your brothers and sisters in Christ? But also remember that we were made for the fellowship and communion of the local church and we must be dependent on it. Without it in some way we will certainly be handicapped by the absence of this kind of fellowship. However, not only will we be affected but the body of the church will also be missing a meaningful and essential function that we were meant to contribute. Finally, we need the Lord. Of course, we need the saving grace of Christ applied to us as believers (Ephesians 2:1-10). But, we also need the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit at work in us throughout our lives (2 Thessalonians 2:13). All of this is most necessary so that we may glorify our God and Father forever (Romans 15:5-7). So let us declare today our dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ and seek to serve and honor with our lives now and forever! |
AuthorEddie Ragsdale Archives
August 2024
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