Did Jesus come to advance the kingdoms of the world or the Kingdom of Heaven? His countrymen fully expected Him (at least their idea of "Him") to come and advance the cause of their kingdom. The Jewish people longed for a deliverer who would come and release them from the bondage of the kingdom of the day. It had been a long time since the nation of Israel was on top of the world, respected by other empires, and feared by their enemies. But when Jesus showed up on the scene as the Messiah He didn't fit their deliverer model, so they rejected Him. This was all prophesied by Isaiah:
He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3)
Is it any different in the world today? Our culture rapes the birth of our Savior by slapping a nativity scene in their stores and then advertising their latest product at an overinflated price that we don't need in the first place. This is what they call the "Christmas spirit"! And don't get me started on the office parties that turn into drunken orgies. I would implore people to take the name of our Christ off their celebrations and just call it their "Late December Office Party."
The rejection of Jesus Christ the King takes a different, more subtle form in the Church. We reject the way Jesus resisted the empire of His day by accepting and bowing down to the empires of our day. No, I'm not talking about politics, although we could make a case for that because it seems to me that more and more Christians put their hope in human government instead of the future Kingdom of Heaven. As believers we fail to resist the empire of the consumer culture at Christmas. We buy into the phenomenon that bigger is better and he who dies with the most toys wins. We follow the rest of our comrades to the malls and spend more time shopping than we do with each other.
We have been called by God to be different and therefore our difference must make it into Christmas. God's gift was presence, not presents! We must model His way of giving this year and strike back against the empire of consumerism. Spend less, give more, give of ourselves, and worship more fully! (Check out www.adventconspiracy.org)
Grace & Peace,
Scott
Every week in my pastoral ministry I encounter people who are going through a "severe trial." The trial they face comes with many faces and with differing severity. Some who read this have faced seeing a loved one go to the hospital, some are waiting for death to overtake someone close to them, some have had to make a visit to the funeral home to make arrangements, some have had to deal with very difficult family issues, some have lost jobs (or are at least facing that possibility), some are struggling financially, some are wresting with emotional issues such as loneliness, depression, anger, bitterness,
etc., and the list of trials goes on.
I was planning to preach a series of messages on the names of God, but the Holy Spirit has been directing me to change course and work on a series that helps us wrestle with the trials we all face. Not a single disciple reading this is exempt from facing a severe trial of faith, and I want to encourage, challenge, and inspire all of us as we face these difficult times. For now I want us to consider just two things:
Trials attack faith. What is being attacked in the trial is our trust in God. James is very specific; he wrote that when we are tested it is a testing of our faith (James 1:3). This is encouraging because faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9) and it is the one thing with which we can please God (Hebrews 11:6).
Be thankful in trials. This is the most difficult thing to do. Being thankful, especially in a severe trial is almost impossible. Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers that they should be thankful in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). This is something which which I would encourage all of us to wrestle. It certainly will not be easy, but it is necessary. The thanksgiving we give to God in times of severe testing is a tearful thanksgiving.
Stay tuned. I hope and pray you all will have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Why don't you join us for a worship service of giving thanks on Tuesday, November 23 at 6:30 p.m.?
Grace & Peace,
Scott
And a wonderful Homecoming was had by all! Yes, it was a memorable day. A huge "Thank You" to the Church Hostess Committee and all who helped put this day together...the ones who planned, those who decorated, you who picked up the chicken, the crew who set up and tore down, those who patiently waited in the gym all morning, you know who you are and we all sincerely appreciate your labor of love. I hesitate to list names for two reasons: (1) I will probably forget someone and (2) I realize you don't do what you do to be seen or recognized.
Homecoming is one of those events that just doesn't plan itself; it takes work to put together a special day like that. Whenever we are given an opportunity to serve like this and we spend hours and days putting it all together I think the reward manifests itself in two ways: First, durning the event it is a thrill to see people enjoying themselves. This tells us it was worth the effort and expense. Second, when we put something together that honors God there is a satisfaction deep in our souls. We come to realize that God is a great God and the sacrifices to make Him known in daily living are sacrifices gladly made.
We do not have a final count on the shoeboxes that will be shipped off to the mission field, but our current total is 124! If you are still planning to fill some boxes, now is the time. We have about a week left to get all our boxes to North Spartanburg. Don't hesitate to send just one box to a child who has nothing. The box you send may be the only gift a child will get the entire year. My prayer is that the love of God will touch many who receive these shoeboxes.
Buckle up because things are about to get busy! With what?
- Sunday night, November 21: Tammy Gilbert will be sharing about her mission trip to Honduras.
- Tuesday night, November 23: Calvary Church Thanksgiving Praise Service.
- Sunday morning, November 28: Lottie Moon Post Office opens.
- Sunday night, November 28: Hanging of the Christmas Green.
- Sunday night, December 12: Choir Christmas Musical, "Glory in the Highest."
- Sunday night, December 19: An Evening of Christmas Music @ Calvary.
- Friday night, December 24: Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship Service.
I hope you will be able to make it out to all of these special nights. I am praying that God will use this time of year to draw our hearts into closer symphony with His.
Grace & Peace,
Scott
Homecoming for Calvary Baptist Church is here again! The Family Life Center floor is being scrubbed and waxed as I write this, the Homecoming Committee has put together all the plans for a wonderful day, decorations are planned, tables are being hauled out and set up, sign in pages are being printed, name tags are ready to slap on your chest, and delicious food is being cooked. What more could we ask for? The answer to that is very simple: YOU! We want you to come and be a part of this annual celebration of fellowship.
We will also have our tentative future building plans on display in the Family Life Center. We are excited about what God has accomplished in the past--the many who have come to know and follow Jesus, the weddings that have brought two into a covenant of sharing their lives, the babies who have been brought by parents to dedicate their lives to raising them for the honor and glory of God, the countless lives that have been changed through the changeless message of God's amazing grace, and so much more. We are also anticipating a future that God still has for His wonderful church. We look forward to more people being saved, more brides walking down the isle, many more babies being given their first Bible on their dedication day, and thousands of more people who will find their way back to the Father through the message of His amazing grace.
It is one of our desires at Calvary to lift high the name of our majestic God. We want to spread the fame of His name everywhere we go and in all that we do. God has been so good to us that we cannot help but praise Him. God is so great that we cannot help but stand in awe of His majesty. Our first and foremost value in life is to glorify this great and awesome God. We will never cease to praise Him and thank Him for giving us the opportunity to sing His praises.
Please come and be a part of this wonderful annual celebration of fellowship. Add your voice to those who are thanking God for a past that gives us a future to which we look forward. See what God is doing at Calvary and taste His goodness.
"My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
Let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt his name together" (Psalm 34:2-3).
Grace & Peace,
Scott
Did Jesus come to advance the kingdoms of the world or the Kingdom of Heaven? His countrymen fully expected Him (at least their idea of "Him") to come and advance the cause of their kingdom. The Jewish people longed for a deliverer who would come and release them from the bondage of the kingdom of the day. It had been a long time since the nation of Israel was on top of the world, respected by other empires, and feared by their enemies. But when Jesus showed up on the scene as the Messiah He didn't fit their deliverer model, so they rejected Him. This was all prophesied by Isaiah:
