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1 Corinthians 14:20

Growing Up!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 13, 2011

Christmas and heaven are both for children. Jesus made it clear that the Kingdom of heaven was for kids. Several times he said that “unless you turn and become like these little ones, you will never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 18:3). The specific characteristics of children that are desirable have to do with their helplessness, humility, acceptance, and childlike faith. Unless we become like children, we can’t enter into God’s Kingdom. Yet, there are several passages that exhort us not to be like children. We read in 1 Corinthians 14:20, “Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.”

The scriptures are full of such paradoxes. We must give up our lives or die to ourselves if we are to truly live. We must give if we are to receive. We must become last if we wish to be first. We must lose it all in order to gain it all. We must become the least in order to rise to greatness. It goes on, but the point I want to make is that Jesus often taught us in paradoxes. Paradoxes are seen everywhere in Jesus’ life as well as in his teachings. He’s often proclaimed the son of Mary, yet he’s to be called the son of God. He was born in Bethlehem, the city of the kings, but lived in Nazareth, a city from which nothing good could ever come. He was born a king, yet born in a stable. He was worshipped by Israeli Shepherds and foreign Kings while the current King of Israel, Herod, sought to take His life. Angel’s announced His arrival, but there was no room for Him at the Inn.

Leonard Sweet describes this characteristic of Jesus’ life as being “surround sound.” It’s like stereo; two sounds, each coming from a different direction. We are exhorted to be like children, but not to think like children. We need to think like adults. I’ve often been impressed with how children who grow up in the church have a strong faith, participate in many church activities, profess faith, are baptized and partake of communion services, read their bibles, etc, and yet when they leave home for college, military, or a career they often lose their faith. They have been taught the Biblical truths at home and in the church, but haven’t learned how to think about the truths they have been taught as adults. A child might think Christianity has all the answers. An adult believer, on the other hand, wrestles honestly with tough questions trusting that God has the answers even if we can’t come up with them.

Chuck
“…we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ…” Ephesians 4:15

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Matthew 21:16

Uncorrupted Worship

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 12, 2011

If the Kingdom of Heaven and Christmas are for kids, what exactly is it about kids that give them this honor? When Jesus was entering into Jerusalem on what we know as Palm Sunday, the crowds were shouting and singing and praising God for they had acknowledged Jesus as the coming Messiah. But the religious leaders rebuked the crowds and called for Jesus to do the same. They said, and Jesus replied: “Do you hear what these children are saying? They asked him. Yes, replied Jesus.” Then Jesus quoted an old testament passage that prophesied that upon the arrival of the Messiah God made sure that “children and infants” would praise Him. (See Matthew 21:16). What kids do is worship! They especially worship at the coming of the Messiah which is what we celebrate at Christmas time.

Children always look up to those all around them. I once got lost in Brandies when I was 6 years old. Brandies, for those of you who do not know, was the largest department store in downtown Omaha back in the 1950s. It would be compared to Higbees in the Christmas Story movie. I was on the 8th floor where all the toys were and I got disoriented and my mother was waiting in a checkout line. The most frightening thing was that everyone around me was so huge and I was so small. I felt helpless. I didn’t know which way to turn and the big people were all too busy rushing past me to stop and help. It wasn’t until I began to cry that someone stopped and took me to a store employee who announced in the store that if anyone had lost a little boy to come to the lost and found. That was me, I was lost, but then Mom showed up and I was found. That was me, once I was lost, but now I’ve been found.

Uncorrupted Worship is worship that comes from that salvation experience. It’s what the Psalmist described in Psalm 95 when he wrote, “Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the LORD is a great God and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.”

Chuck
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” 1 John 3:1

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Proverbs 16:19, Philippians 2:3

Untutored Humility

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 9, 2011

The Kingdom of Heaven and Christmas are for children. In Luke 18:17, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” In thinking my way through the characteristics that God desired in us adults that reflect a child like faith, I think we need to consider the idea of untutored humility. What I mean by “untutored” is that children don’t need to be taught to be humble it’s a part of their characteristic of living in a grown up world. When you live in world where you have to look up at everyone around you, where you are fed by others, clothed by others, cared for when you’re hurt by others, and just about everything necessity of life is met by others, you just understand your place in the overall scheme of things. But grownups get tall, strong, self sufficient, competent, and learn how to take care of themselves in life. That leads to confusion in our overall lot in life.

There was an interesting article in the Omaha World Herald last week about saying Grace and praying in public in general. Several people interviewed argued that it wasn’t necessarily a public display of religious pride on the part of those who prayed, but rather it represented a sincere desire on their part to reflect an honest attitude of gratitude to their maker for the many daily blessings in their lives. I like to think that’s the reason I do it. We become confused by our grownup economic system. It’s easy to believe that we deserve what we have and that we’ve earned everything we have and that there’s no such thing as a free lunch and we all have to pay the price, etc. But the bottom line in it all is that we have been blessed to be part of a country in which we have the freedoms that we have, the opportunities that we have, the resources that we have, etc. A truly childlike humility looks up at those who’ve gone before them and paid the price for the great freedoms we have. It looks to the maker of heaven and earth as the supreme providers and acknowledges its helplessness to provide and sustain all these blessings by itself. None of us would enjoy this life if weren’t for others and for the God that made us and sustains us.

Proverbs 16:19 tells us that “It is better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” Someone said, “If you are too big for a little place, you are too little for a big place.” A. W. Tozer wrote, “Humility pleases God wherever it is found, and the humble person will have God for his or her friend and helper always. Only the humble are completely sane, for they are the only ones who see clearly their own size and limitations. Egotists see things out of focus. To themselves they are large and God is correspondingly small, and that is a kind of moral insanity.”

Chuck
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3

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Ephesians 2:8

Receiving the Gift!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 8, 2011

Christmas and the Kingdom of heaven are both for children. He made it very clear in Luke 18:17 when he said, “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” The conversation in which this comment was made was with the rich young ruler. He had it all and wanted to add to his account by buying his way into heaven. He asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus went through the list of things he could sacrifice until he got to the ultimate point, that if you wanted to buy your way into heaven or earn your admittance ticket, the cost would be very high. As a matter of fact the cost was always more than anyone could pay. When the rich young ruler got this point the bible says, “When he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.”

It can’t be bought or earned, but it can be received as the great gift that it is. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.” John teaches us that whoever “receives” Him, has the power to become children. It’s not those who understand Him. (I don’t think we ever will!). It’s not those who master the doctrines of the Christian faith. It’s not for those who wealthy, educated or sophisticated. On the contrary, it’s for those who accept God’s gift – it’s for children! Paul tells us that it’s not by works (or wealth) we are saved, but by God’s grace through faith. “It is a gift of God” and the only thing that can be done with a gift is to receive it, accept it. If we attempt to earn or deserve or buy it, we’ve missed the point entirely.

Receiving the Gift of eternal life and believing in Jesus are the same things. John’s Gospel makes that clear to us. It is saving faith that brings eternal life and opens the doors to the Kingdom of Heaven and makes Christmas what Christmas is really all about. John mentions eternal life about 35 times in His Gospel. The one who believes in Jesus has received Jesus and has in their possession the gift of eternal life. John 5:24 says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life…” Only Jesus gives the gift of eternal life and to receive Him is to receive that Gift, because Jesus is God’s greatest gift of all. Christmas time is the celebration of God’s great gift to us – – His Only Son.

Chuck
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” Ephesians 2:8

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Matthew 11:25

Childlike Faith

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 7, 2011

Christmas and the Kingdom of heaven both are for children. Jesus made it clear that we all must be born again as little children and embraces as adults the faith of a child. God’s ways are filled with paradoxes. You must die if you are really going to live. You must give if you’re ever going to get. You must become last if you’re ever going to be first. You must be the least if you desire to be the greatest. God’s ways are much different from man’s ways. The world seeks people with power, influence, education, socials status and wealth. God seeks little children. God is building his kingdom on the characteristics most frequently found in children; love, innocence, lack of power, sincerity, without pretension, and most of all complete trust. God doesn’t look for power brokers he wants trusting children. Adults have to unlearn a lot of things to become like children. That’s why Jesus told the wise and seasoned Nicodemus that he had to born again.

A rebirth is necessary because grownups who put confidence in themselves can’t ever grasp the true meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven or Christmas. They have become blinded to the spiritual reality all around them. When his disciples finally grasped this truth, Jesus exploded with praise to God. He said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children…” (Matthew 11:25).

Maintaining childlike faith in the midst of hurt, pain, suffering and loss is not an easy matter. Christmas time for many can be a time of sorrow and suffering. We hear so much about perseverance and biting the bullet and staying strong and facing the giants and it almost seems like it’s all about our grit and courage. I don’t think God wants us to demonstrate our strength in the face of trial and tribulation. That makes it all about me. I think He wants us to demonstrate our faith. I sometimes hang on during suffering and trials out of devotion to duty, or deep moral resolve, or some misplaced manly ability to endure pain. God wants me, as he did all the saints of old, to stand firm in my faith during times of testing. Like an innocent child, He wants me to stand firm in the fact that God loves me and has my best interest foremost in mind, regardless of my circumstances. It’s holding on with childlike devotion to God’s promises not my strengths. Our obedience shouldn’t glorify us, but the God of Grace.

Chuck
“To those who received Him, he gave the power to become children of God.” John 1:12

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Mark 10:15

Undisputed helplessness

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 6, 2011

If Christmas is for kids, what are some of the characteristics that make kids more suited for Christmas and for heaven. Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Mark 10:15). It’s interesting to me that Jesus talks about “receiving” heaven. It’s like receiving a gift at Christmas. The Apostle John said that when the Word became flesh and lived amongst us, referring to Jesus, he added “to as many as received him” God gave the power to become children of God. The Kingdom of heaven must be received the same way children receive Christmas presents.

God is making a list, and he’s checking it twice, but it has nothing to do with who’s naughtier and who’s nice. We’ve all been naughty and we know it. I remember wondering every Christmas if the fact that I had done some pretty naughty things this year would negatively impact my gift getting at Christmas. It never did! It seems that I’d sometimes be threatened by it. Grown-ups would sometimes say “Santa Claus is watching you.” But by the time I was 10 I knew that there would be lots of gifts under the tree for me. I also knew by that time that there wasn’t any such thing as Santa Claus. I also knew I could never dispute my level of “goodness” to argue my case. I was indeed helpless with regard to the attitude of my parents toward me at Christmas time. It had nothing to do with my naughtiness or my niceness. It had to do with their love. And I would receive their love gifts with great enthusiasm. By the time we were done there would be toys and paper scattered everywhere. That’s the way it was for my sons as well. They were my children!

That’s the way the Kingdom of God is. It has nothing to do with our goodness, we all have our own share of naughtiness and that makes us helpless. That’s a good place to be. That’s where David was when he wrote Psalm 34. He says, “I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the LORD’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.” Our helplessness and God’s greatness makes for a great Christmas celebration! I really like the way the New American Standard Bible Translates Romans 5:6-7. It says, “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” If we want to enjoy God’s greatest gift of salvation along with the promise of Eternal Life we must simply receive Jesus as children receive Christmas presents.

Chuck
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11

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Mark 18:15

Childlike faith

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 5, 2011

Christmas and the Kingdom of Heaven are for children. I think this is why Jesus told Nicodemus that he “must be born again.” As the old wise teacher, rabbi, Pharisee that he was, he needed to back off all the adult learning and philosophy of the day and just have faith. It’s often true that when children grow up and leave home they lose their faith. The secular world resists and often rejects anything beyond what can be scientifically demonstrated or proven. But most of the important things in life are not a matter of science or math. They are a matter of faith. There are some things science cannot reproduce; origins, historical data, or matters of the heart. Many of these truths must be taken as a matter of faith. This is why the Kingdom of heaven is also a matter of faith. Paul makes it clear that we are saved “by grace through faith, not of works.” I believe this may have been Jesus’ focus when he said in Matthew 18:3, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

The disciples repelled the children who were brought to Jesus, but Jesus insisted that they be brought to him because the kingdom of heaven consisted of such as these. In Luke 18:15 we read; “Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them…” At a time when the infant mortality rate was so high and that childhood diseases often meant death, many children and infants were brought to Jesus for healing. In his commentary on Luke, Butler writes, “This marks off God’s ways from men’s ways. God deals always with the little ones, the unknown ones, the powerless ones. The world seeks people of power, influence, and wealth. God seeks the children. God builds his kingdom on childlike characteristics: trust, love, innocence, lack of power, lack of pretension, lack of credentials. God wants children whom he can make into disciples, not power brokers whom he has to steer away from political and military expectations.”

But you will notice that Jesus took this teaching further. He did not suggest that childlikeness was one possible way; rather, he said it was the only way! Butler goes on to say, “Being like a child is the only way to kingdom living. If you cannot do away with your pretensions, your greed, your claims to fame, your need to dominate and control, your grasp for identity and power, you cannot be part of Christ’s kingdom. Christ constantly seeks those who have no hope of power and position: the poor, Samaritans, women, children, blind, crippled, lame, tax collectors. These lack the vanity and self-assurance that keep a person from entering the kingdom.”

Chuck
“Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” Mark 10:15

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Matthew 18:3, John 3:3

Christmas is for Kids!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 2, 2011

Our Christmas theme this year is a Nostalgic, or a Vintage Christmas. The sermon series is entitled, “Christmas is for Kids.” I came up with that title myself, believe it or not, and then I did an internet search and found that there’s an entire foundation with that name that was established to make sure that all kids have a very merry Christmas. Their website explains it this way: We are an all-volunteer run, gift-giving program that assists children who would otherwise go without a gift on Christmas Day. We have supported the “Angel Tree” program for many years at CBC, which is Chuck Colson’s initiative to make sure that the kids whose parents are in prison receive gifts at Christmas time also.

In my web search for the phrase “Christmas is for Kids” I had over 1 and a half million hits. There are many organizations which have been using that phrase for a long time. There were also many songs with that same title. One was by Marty Robbins, one of my favorite western singers from the 60’s, and another one was by George Jones. The lyrics of Jones’s song were really cute:

Uncle Joe threw snowballs till his fingers froze
And how the snowflakes tickled melting on your nose
There goes daddy down the hill riding on my sled
Well, I guess nobody told him that Christmas is for kids

Momma’s popping popcorn that we’ll put on a string
To wrap around the Christmas tree while everybody sings
Grandma’s telling stories about the things that Jesus did
And grandpa’s telling everyone that Christmas is for kids

Christmas is for kids from one to ninety-nine
And the kid comes out in everyone each year about this time
So as we gather ’round the tree let’s all bow our heads
And thank the Lord for all we have but most of all for kids.

Christmas is for kids, and so is heaven. When his disciples tried to prevent children from coming to him, Jesus said to knock it off because heaven was populated by children. He later went on to emphatically say in Matthew 18:3 “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Chuck
“Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3

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