The Pilgrim Pastor

While it is true that extreme works of God such as the Noahic flood, the parting of the Red Sea as Moses lead the Israelites out of Egypt, or the waters of the Jordan ceasing to flow as the Israelites entered the Land of Canaan are not widespread in our day, they were not terribly common in ancient times either.  Consider that the Bible records a period of history which is in excess of two thousand years.  During that period of time, the Bible does record the occurrence of many extreme works of God but it is surely not the case that they were daily, routine occurrences.

They were extraordinary events and very similarly to the manner in which modern news media most often reports on events that are out of the ordinary, so too the biblical writers recorded extraordinary events of God’s dealings with Israel and mankind.  That aside, it is true that God does not operate in the same way with mankind as He once did; at least not ordinarily.

Those of us who are alive today are living in a different dispensation or era or epoch in human history that Old Testament people.  God does work differently in our time than He did in theirs.  In the Old Testament era God spoke through the prophets of His judgment, holiness, mercy, and truth.  We have received the fullness of that message from God in the coming of the savior that those prophets foretold.  “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.” (Hebrews 1:1-2 NIV)  God works differently with humanity now because the nature of our understanding of God has changed.  Where God formerly instructed humanity of His nature, purpose, and plans in the world and in each of our lives through the Law of Moses and the voice of the prophets, now we have direct access to God. 

We are no longer limited to knowledge about God.  We can have direct knowledge of God.  “Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:24-26 NASB)  God once spoke to people through the prophets as the Holy Spirit instructed them to speak. He now communicates directly to believers through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in each one of us.  As result we can personally experience the most profound of extreme workings of God; a total internal transformation within each of our hearts.  “Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (John 3:3 NIV)  God gave the record of His miraculous and marvelous signs and works in the Old Testament largely as instructive devices for that generation and all future generations of God’s people.

Though the truth is that even with such marvelous signs and wonders as those recorded in the Old Testament and in the life of Jesus, many people still rejected God and mocked Jesus. In Matthew 12:38-40 the Bible says that “…Some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (NIV) 

You and I look to God ask for a sign of His presence and care, yet He sent Jesus for that very purpose and so many people in His day and in ours reject Him.  Even the testimony of His death and resurrection – which we have addressed below – isn’t enough for many to lay aside their pride, their reservation, or their honest questions and embrace the plan of salvation that God has offered to them.

God is still performing miracles; there are reports of miraculous healings and marvelous events from around the Body of Christ all over the world.  However, these are no longer the majority working of God. His work is in the hearts of men and women. 

His greatest miracles are changed lives.

Pilgrim Pastor... marveling that God would perform a miracle in me...  

Do you feel worse when you go to church?  I know I do sometimes!  In fact, sometimes my day actually gets worse from going to church.  That’s sounds crazy for a Pastor to say doesn’t it? But it’s true!  There are times when I am in prayer before a church service and the weight of what I am about to preach hits me like a ton of bricks and I remember how completely unworthy I am to preach these words.

And were it not for the blood of Jesus Christ and the worth that He gives to me, I would just pack up my Bible and go home. 

Though probably in a different way, has going to church ever made you feel worse?  In a discussion that I was having recently, someone told me that sometimes they feel worse after going to church because they realize that what was read in the Bible and subsequently what I preached from the Bible, has everything to do with them.

That is called the conviction of the Holy Spirit.  That is the feeling we get when we know that God is calling us out of darkness and into the light.  That is the feeling which resonates in the deepest part of soul when God – who is absolutely holy – comes into direct contact,most often through the preaching of the Bible, with the darkness of our soul.  The light switch goes on and we are able to see all of the cobwebs, rotten things, selfish motives, dust, and all of the stuff that we would rather keep hidden in the darkness.

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” (John3:19-21 NIV)

That is a passage many of us have never heard or read.  It means that when we come to God the light of His Word (Bible) shines the truth on our lies.  It reveals our need to change.  But friend, it does a lot more than that.  This is a sometimes obscure section of Scripture only because the preceding passage is so much better known.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.” (John 3:16-18 NIV)

The conviction that the Holy Spirit brings, in light of our sin, is not to tell us to shape up, become better people, or do a better job, it is to make us so disgusted with the ugliness that is now obvious that we run and not walk to the only place where we can be forgiven and where healing is available to our broken souls – the Cross! 

The Gospel is not the message of “shape-up or ship-out,” it is the message of fall-down and worship the one whose blood can cover your sin;whose light can burn away your darkness.  Ya, Church makes me feel worse sometimes too, but repentance and forgiveness are worth the pain. 

There was a time when I thought that to love meant it was wrong to confront something that was wrong. More specifically, I used to be convinced, though suspiciously, that it was possible to stand for truth without ever confronting lies.  I have become completely unconvinced of that idea.

In Matthew 7:15 Jesus tells us to “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” (NIV)  Today, false prophets abound. What is more troubling to this shepherd is that there are droves of people who gladly follow after them, buying their latest cliché ridden self centered books, tapes, DVD’s, and whatever else they are selling for just one easy payment of $19.95.

Listen to what megastar celebrity prosperity preacher Joel Osteen says on a recent installment of “Moments of Encouragement” which is broadcast on YouTube and made available on his ministry website.  Joel says that, “Praise precedes the victory,as you were giving God praise today; you know what, your praise is just sending out your faith.  That’s allowing God to just arrange things in your favor… You are supposed to reign in life, as the Scripture says, like a king.” (link at bottom of post)

Here’s the trouble with what Osteen says here.  Well, here’s one of the many troubling things...  Where in the Bible does it say that we are supposed to reign on this earth now like a king?  Since Osteen seldom quotes Scripture directly, I am forced to guess what passage he is presently taking out of context, and my best guess is that he is alluding to II Timothy 2:12: “if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us.” (NIV)  Here’s where Joel’s sloppy exegetical work is so obvious that I would expect even the simplest of Bible reader to catch it, but sadly, they don’t.

Perhaps it is not that we are unable, but unwilling.  Like so many spiritual children, cotton candy is greatly preferred to a healthy meal.

The passage says that we shall reign with Him.  Not that we are reining.  In this life Christ endured suffering and pain and shall one day return to earth to reign.  Presently the world groans under the weight of sin, pain, sorrow, and the Devil’s attacks on believers.  The preceding passage says “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him.” (II Timothy 2:11 NIV)

Friend, while in this world, Jesus suffered and died.  He put the mercy of God on display.  Jesus didn’t have His “Best Life Now.” (One of Osteen’s book titles)  Our calling is to look like Jesus and we are not necessarily going to have our best life now either!  In fact, I don’t want my best life now!  Even the best life in this broken and fallen world pales in comparison to the life that is coming through faith in the one who suffered and died for sin.

Praise is not a means to an end.  We don’t worship God because of what we will get out of it. We worship Him because He is worthy. That’s it.  We don’t allow God to do anything.  He does what He does according to His sovereign and supreme will.  God is arranging things according to His will in a way that celebrates His glory and when we get lost in His worth we find our ultimate peace and joy. We are His servants, His people, His children, His Church!  God is not our genie in a bottle. 

This is just more of the common-sell coming from American pulpits… I I I ... You You You… Me Me Me… but more on that in another post… 

  1. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6eK-W32IME0#at=186)