Category: Theology

Between the Cradle and the Cross

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Holiday, Theology

–Winter of 2006

Between the Cradle and the Cross

Christmas gives the Church a special opportunity to gather around Bethlehem’s manger to glory in the incarnation of God’s own Son.  In like fashion, Good Friday grips the Christian world with hallowed silence as it remembers Calvary’s cruel cross, while Easter leads us triumphantly by the empty tomb on resurrection morn.   These holy days allow us to focus on specific aspects of our Lord’s redemptive work.

But the church has no special day to celebrate what happened in between those two great events.  For in between lies the perfectly lived life of Jesus – a life that we are called to celebrate, follow after, and be conformed to.  A life that is far too easily lost among the parables, the Sermon on the Mount, the miracles, and the great gospel narratives.

I hear some reader saying now, “You can celebrate an event but how do you celebrate a life?  How can you take years of activity, pages of discourse and passages of truth and package it in a single moment of celebration or reflection?”

Actually Jesus did just that in the opening statements of His prayer in John 17.  This part of His prayer is packed with the very essence of His life and work.  Verses 4-8 encapsulates his earthly life in such a concise way that it allows one to get the big picture of what His life was about.  Notice the three aspects of what Jesus says in these verses: “I have glorified thee (the heavenly Father) on the earth by fulfilling the work which thou gavest me to do,” “I have manifested Your name,” and “I have given them the words which you have given to Me and they have received them.”  These statements embrace the ultimate purpose-driven life.  A closer examination will be helpful.

“I have glorified You by fulfilling the work you gave me to do” – The only way to glorify God is to obey Him.  Jesus lived His life in submissive, loving obedience to the Father’s will.  He glorified the Father by obediently carrying out what He knew was the Father’s will for Him.

“I have manifested Your name” –   The world needs to know who God is and how He works.  Jesus lived His life in both word and deed to reveal to His disciples and the world the very character and nature of the Heavenly Father.

“I have given them the words which you have given me and they have received them.”-  

God has a message for fallen man.  That message must be passed on.  Jesus successfully transmitted it to His disciples, and they in turn passed it on to the world.

The Master Teacher prayed these words in His disciples hearing for a reason. He wanted them to know what the essence of His life was all about—1. Fulfilling the Father’s will        2. Revealing the Father’s character   3.Sharing the Father’s message.

After leaving the Upper Room, each disciple, in his own way, wrapped his life around this same trilogy of purpose.  The book of Acts shows them: “speaking with boldness His word,” “obeying God rather than man,” and “revealing the person and character of Jesus.”  After Paul’s conversion we see the same pattern surfacing in his life. He tells King Agrippa that he was “not disobedient to the Heavenly Vision.”  To the Philippians he said, “this one thing I do.”   His epistles reveal the nature and character of God in Christ, but his life was so much an example of Christ that he could tell the Corinthians to, “imitate me.”   In his final letter to Timothy, Paul tells his young successor that, “the things you have heard from me, commit to faithful men who will be able to tell others.”

You and I can only glory in the birth and death of our Lord, but we can certainly share in the life that was lived in between.  It is a life worth celebrating and certainly one worth following.

Peace on Earth

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Holiday, Theology

–December of 2005

Peace on Earth

The Advent season summons the Church away from its normal activity to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  Christian pilgrims from around the world will descend upon the ancient town of Bethlehem.  Manger square will be filled with the sounds of Christmas carols, the reverent tones of public prayers, and the glow of a thousand candles.

Most of us in America will celebrate Christmas watching our children parade timidly in front of church congregations, re-enacting the Christmas story.  We will all smile proudly, nod our affirmation vigorously, and join with these little ones as they sing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”  (Luke 2:14).

The words “peace on earth” will slip by most of us without notice.  Yet the cynic, as well as the serious saint, will recognize that the world has not found the formula for peace.  The god of war continues to stalk up and down the earth, threatening men and nations with bloodshed and destruction.  Terrorism has robbed law abiding people of any sense of security.  The Middle East is a boiling cauldron of tension, spilling over in outbreaks of violence.  Here in America broken-hearted families will stare at empty chairs this Christmas because of loved ones who lost their lives in the war in Iraq.

The god of this world also goes about seeking whom he may devour.  He has wrought havoc in a world now haunted by demons, disease, and death.  Sin has ruined men by violence and squalor, misery and hatred. Stress and tension fill our homes and destroy our health.  The piercing words of the prophet, “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked,” are painfully accurate.

Is there any hope for meaningful peace in our world?  Can men find calm in the midst of such chaos?  Oh yes!  The Prince of Peace has offered it and millions of souls have found it. But it can be realized only in obedience to the divine formula for peace.  The divine formula is expressed in the form of a cross.  Paul said, “He has made peace through the blood of His cross.”  The cross of Christ has made inner peace possible now.  It can bring about an end to the inner warfare and outward misery of any man’s life.

The prospects of world peace look dim to those who gaze with a temporal eye.  But the Savior who came as a babe in Bethlehem’s manger will one day return as a conquering King.  He will put all enemies under His feet and bring to pass a reign of “peace on earth, good will toward men.”

You Can Know You Are Saved

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Christian Living, Theology

–April of 2005

You Can Know You Are Saved

The Reformers contended that a man can know that he is justified by grace through faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ.  Samuel Wesley’s dying words to his sons John and Charles were “the witness, son, the witness; that is the proof of Christianity.”  Wesley’s own heartwarming experience at Aldersgate convinced him that a man can have a clear knowledge of the salvation experience.  In his sermon, “The Witness of the Spirit,” Wesley defines the testimony of the Spirit as “An inward impression on the soul, whereby the Spirit of God directly witnesses to my spirit that I am a child of God, that Jesus Christ hath loved me and given himself for me, and that all my sins are blotted out and I, even I, am reconciled to God.  “Wesley later in life, after many years of developing thought on the subject, made it clear that the objective witness of the Spirit may dim or fade in relation to a person’s mood, emotions or physical condition.  However, he contended to the very end that a many can know that he is saved, and that justifying faith will bring a sweet calm to the heart, enabling the believer to rest in the arms of Jesus.  Hence, historic Methodism still has at its heart the truth that “all men can know they are saved.”

On one occasion, when Wesley was visiting Bristol, the bishop of Bristol, Joseph Butler, endeavored to stop Wesley from preaching.  Their dispute centered around the doctrine of assurance.  The bishop contended such a doctrine was not true to the Scripture of the teachings of the church.  This happened sometime in the late 1730s.  Thirteen years later, as the bishop lay dying, he approached his death without the assurance of salvation.  He called for his chaplain and told him that he was afraid to die.  The chaplain encouraged him with the thought that Christ is our Savior, but the bishop plaintively asked, “How can I know that Christ is my Savior?”  Some forty years later as Wesley lay dying, the words that fell from his lips were these, “The best of all is, God is with us.”

Bishop Kern notes the startling contrast between these two dying men.  There is the “sun-lit certainty of Wesley’s experience and the shadowed insecurity of a bishop’s soul.”  The bishop “could prove the existence of God by analogies from nature but did not know Him in the peace of an inward mystical and redeeming fellowship.”

I’m so grateful that I can sing with Wesley, “My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear, He owns me for His child, I can no longer fear; With confidence I now draw nigh, and ‘Father, Abba Father’ cry.”  Can you sing that verse with me?

The Light Still Shines

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Christian Living, Holiday, Theology

–December of 2004

The Light Still Shines

“The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness could not extinguish it.” (John 1:5)

In a great piece of music, the composer often begins by stating the themes which he is going to elaborate in the course of the work.  That is what John does in the opening of his gospel.  Light is one of the great words upon which John builds his testimony of Jesus.  John describes Jesus as a light that has come into the world to light the life of every man.  Another one of John’s key words is darkness.  John saw a darkness in the world that was very real and very hostile to the light.  This darkness represents evil.  Sinning man loves the darkness and hates the light, because the light exposes their wickedness.   John takes these two themes and shows their natural opposition.  He portrays a universal battleground where the forces of dark and light are arrayed in an eternal conflict.   The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot extinguish it.  The darkness seeks to eliminate the light of Christ—to banish it from life, but the light will not go out!

This conflict is played out in the pages of sacred history.  The Old Testament lets us witness everything from individual struggles with evil to heavenly warfare for the soul of a Nation.  In the New Testament this conflict emerges with intensity around the cradle of the incarnate Christ as the forces of darkness unleash Herod’s sword in a futile attempt to eliminate the light.  The ultimate battle, however, was staged on the Cross of Christ.  The rulers of this age and the powers of darkness thought if they could only nail Christ to the cross that darkness would win once and for all.  They thought the crucifixion of Christ would be the ultimate defeat and their final triumph.  In fact, it proved to be just the reverse.  Out of the darkness of his death came the blinding light of His resurrection victory.  The light of this good news exploded out of the confines of Palestine and across the known world like a quickly spreading flame until, in a few decades, the gospel had impacted every major population center of the Roman world.

The powers of darkness responded with persecution and torture.  But wild beasts and boiling oil couldn’t put out the light and the blood of the martyrs only fueled the flame.  When persecution from without did not succeed, the forces of darkness turned inward and awful darkness settled down over the church.  But out of the heart of that darkness, reformation fires began to burn and the light prevailed.  Every counter move by the forces of darkness to extinguish the light only brought revival fires that would break out and save lives, transform nations, and change the course of history.

The darkness has used all sorts of political ideologies, human philosophies, and false religions to advance its cause.  But the light always breaks through to enlighten the mind and hearts of men.  Alumnus Rick Hutchison told recently of standing in the front yard of Nikita Khrushchev’s summer home and holding Easter morning services.  As the sound of Christian hymns lifted toward heaven, Rick couldn’t help but think of the irony of the situation.  He was preaching the gospel in the front yard of the atheist dictator who declared he would bury Christian America without a shot.  Another alumnus, Rodney Jackson, e-mailed me the story of how he was able to give a Bible to an Iraqi woman while he was serving in Iraq.  He watched the tears of joy run down her cheeks as she expressed appreciation to her American liberators, but he knew that what he had given her would bring a greater liberation and drive the darkness and despair from her empty eyes.

As you gather with friends this Christmas season, light a candle and lift your voice in praise for light has come into the world and the darkness has not and will not overcome it!

Fences

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Christian Living, Theology

–November of 2004

Fences

Americans have long had a love affair with fences.  A leisurely drive through almost any neighborhood will reveal miles of fencing.  Fences give us protection and security.  They keep small children from straying out and trespassers from coming in.  They give us a sense of ownership and control over small parcels of real estate we call our own.

The Church too has had an appreciation for fences.  Early religious leaders had a practice they called, “fencing the Law.”  These fences were erected to keep people from transgressing God’s commands.  In more recent times we have called these fences by a variety of names, such as prudential regulations, lifestyle standards, general rules, and personal convictions.  Whatever we call them, their purpose is to standardize religious behavior, simplify obedience, and encourage habits that reinforce godly lifestyles. Their ultimate goal is to prevent violations of God’s Word. These fences are such a natural part of our religious landscape that we hardly notice them.

Fences Can Serve a Valuable Purpose

The teachings of the Bible require interpretation and application.  We must take the truth of scriptural commands and biblical principles and make them applicable to daily life.  The biblical command to, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” must leave the pages of scripture and work its way into our life.  Denominations take this command and formulate general rules about the Sabbath for their members.  Churches create manuals with membership rules that provide guidelines for honoring the Sabbath.  Individuals develop personal convictions as to how they will respect the Sabbath day.  These fences are erected around the commandment to instruct us in honoring it as well as to prevent us from transgressing it.

Another example is found in the biblical principle of modesty.  The Bible doesn’t tell us what to wear, but it does teach us to dress modestly.  Spiritual leaders develop guidelines to define and demonstrate this principle.  As people follow these guidelines, they have an assurance that they are honoring the principle and not transgressing God’s Word.  This is important for young Christians, as they often need things spelled out in concrete terms so they can understand and comply with the Word of God.

Furthermore, fences can be helpful in minimizing ambiguity.  People do not work well in a state of flux; they like to know what to do and what not to do.  This knowledge gives them a sense of security.  Fences can also guard us in areas of personal weakness by highlighting potential danger that for others might be a harmless activity.

The Danger of Fences

  In our zeal to build fences that serve to keep souls in the straight and narrow way, we can fall prey to the dangers that abound in humanly devised fences.  One of the first dangers is an inconsistent application of scripture.  Sometimes this is caused by relying on proof-texts that do not square with the whole counsel of God.  For example, some people are extremely focused on the biblical passages regarding the tithe, and somehow miss the host of others that deal with the overarching principles of stewardship.  They take a false security in giving their ten percent and sense no guilt at all for failing to follow the biblical teaching that God owns it all and we are but stewards.  In other cases, they build on a solid biblical truth but fail to apply it to the totality of life.  For instance, there are those that apply the biblical prohibitions against worldliness to what they wear or do not wear, and then proceed to be as greedy, grasping, and materialistic as the man who does not even know God.  What about those who speak out against defiling the body with tobacco, alcohol, and drugs and never mention the sin of over-indulging in food until obesity harms the body, shortens the life, and blights the testimony?

 Another danger is erecting fences based on preference and taste rather than principle and truth.  This is a slippery slope indeed.  I’ve listened to spiritual leaders deride young people over the praise and worship music they listen to.  They tell them it is shallow, repetitious, and has more entertainment value than worship value.  While these criticisms have some validity, these same leaders attend Southern Gospel concerts put on by shallow, worldly performers, highly talented in vocalizing light weight lyrics, gifted in dispensing one-liners that poke fun at the Church and the “Man up stairs,” who have mastered the art of taking their hand clapping foot stomping congregation on an entertaining, emotionally thrilling journey from laughter to tears.  It seems to me that both young and old need to put principle back into their music choices.

Fences become extremely dangerous when they are endowed with Divine authority and made equal to the Word of God.  This can lead to division in the Church, create disdain for others who do not see it as we do, and breed judgmental thinkers.  For example, there seems to be a renewed concern in the conservative holiness movement over facial hair on men.  When the conservative holiness movement emerged over a hundred years ago, the leaders were amazed to see God blessing clean-shaved men in their meetings.  This shift highlights the importance of not giving changing cultural fads the authority of scripture.  Generally, fences have to do with the application of sound Christian disciplines and should not become issues that divide the church or condemn a brother.  Fences may differ from one culture to the next, from one section of the country to the next, and from one century to the next.  Fences may change, but the biblical principle they reflect never changes.

Fences are wrong when they become a higher priority than people.  Jesus had a major confrontation with the Pharisees over this issue.  They had laid down such strict fences for Sabbath observance that they prohibited acts of necessity and deeds of mercy.  When Jesus healed the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath day they were so infuriated they began to plot his destruction.  Jesus made the priority of people clear when he said, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.”

Finally, one of the most subtle dangers of fences is that they can become a substitute for a living vital relationship with God.  If all there is to the Christian life is just making sure we stay within the fences, then all we have found is a dead way.  The true Christian life is a living way that can only be lived through the power of God’s Spirit in a journey marked by faith.  Fences may direct us to God, but they cannot make us holy.  They may aid us in living a Spirit–filled life, but they are not the source of that life.  In fact, the deeper we grow in Christ, the more we assimilate biblical truth into our lives, and the more sensitive we become to the voice of the Holy Spirit, the less need we should have for fences to keep our feet in the narrow path toward heaven.  Sadly, some people measure the depth of their spiritual experience by the number of fences still needed in their life.

I am thankful for the fences that have helped me grow in grace.  They have protected me from unnecessary temptation and harm.  These fences have been my friends, but they have never been my focus.  I have endeavored to join with the Hebrew writer in, “Fixing my eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of my faith.”