The Danger of What is Commonplace

I have been thinking on this for awhile, but some things I have read yesterday and today in the news, led me to write this morning.  We live in such a unique time of transition in America where things that used to be in the shadows or still hidden in the dark, have come out and we are seeing them be more and more in the mainstream.  It can seem, that no one really cares anymore about this shift.  From the tolerance of denominations, from laws passed by Congress, or decisions from the Supreme Court, we live in a day where things "of the dark" are more and more becoming mainstream.

About 250 years ago, John Wesley made an observation about his generation that is absolutely true in ours.  Here is the quote:

 “What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace.” 

Wesley saw that each generation rises and re-establishes the practices and function of the church in an effort to discover truth, redefine truth, make it more relevant or to actually walk in Biblical truth.  The corresponding result is that toleration only leads to further decay, not life and freedom.  That is one of the huge lies associated with our age of tolerance.  Our culture believes that tolerance brings life, liberty, and freedom.  It is actually the opposite though.    Tolerance exalts the individual and leads to more pride, not humility.  It is this exaltation of self that dominates our landscape.  Narcissism in our way and it only leads to death.  If we have so much freedom, then why are we in so much bondage?  Why are we so depressed?  Why are we so medicated? Why so much disintegration of the family?  Why so much fiscal irresponsibility?  Why so much intolerance of Christians and faith?  Why has the sexual revolution and freedom brought so much confusion and heartache?  Logic would say, we are not better off.  

What does all of this mean for us today as Christ-Followers?  What are we to do?  How should we respond?  We have to go back to Ancient Words that will help us navigate the rough and rugged waters of our day.  Here is what we need to embrace again:

[14] But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it [15] and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. [16] All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.   2 Timothy 3:14-17 ESV

Here are a couple of important tools for us in our Age of Tolerance from Paul:

1.  Continue in the sacred writings, not the efforts of re-establishing truth.

2.  Wisdom in our salvation comes of the scriptures.

3.  Sacred Writings are the only training in righteousness

4.  Sacred Writings equip us for good work in every age.

The scriptures need no help, they are breathed out by God and they are our help to avoid the bondage of toleration and its destruction.

Paul also told Timothy this:

[4:1] I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: [2] preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. [3] For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, [4] and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.  2 Timothy 4:1-4 ESV

In our day of not enduring sound teaching, the Word must be preached so we will be ready in season and out of season. 

This is the only way to avoid what has become to Commonplace in our generation.

Life in the Spirit

I am a part a group of men who meet every Thursday morning at the great hour of 5am.  Currently, we are walking verse by verse through Acts.  This morning was especially interesting as it relates to walking in the Spirit from the life of Philip from Acts 6, 8, & 21.

In Acts 6 we are introduced to Philip as one of the 7 chosen to serve widows.  He is not the same person as the Philip of the 12.  According to 6:3 we know that Philip is a man of good reputation, full of the Spirit, and full of wisdom.  Of all of the men in the Jerusalem church, he stood out as a man among the top 7 in godliness.  He was marked by Christ.

We meet him again in Acts 8:4-8.  It is here that where we see that he is the first missionary of the Jerusalem church who begins to fulfill Jesus words in Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 ESV.  He is the first to take the gospel to Samaria.  What did he do when he got there: Proclaimed Christ, did signs, unclean spirits came out, and the paralyzed and lame walked again (does that sound like anyone you might know?).  All of this is said to have brought much joy to the city.  The Spirit of God will do that when he comes upon a place.  Our cities need joy again.  Our cities need men like Philip.

We see the next unique thing with Philip in Acts 8:26-40.  Here is the synopsis:

• Angel Speaks to him and tells him to go walk on a road (8:26)
• Philip walks obediently on the road (8:27)
• Sees an Ethiopian (8:27-28)
• Spirit speaks this time to Philip (8:29)
• Philip runs in obedience (8:30)
• Philip listens first before speaking (8:30)
• Philip asks an appropriate questions (8:30)
• Philip opens his mouth and explains the scripture (8:31-35)
• Philip baptizes the Ethiopian (8:36-38)
• Philip is carried away by the Spirit (8:39-40)
• Philip goes up the coastline preaching the gospel in the towns before settling in Caesarea. (8:40)

We last meet him in Acts 21:7-9.  Philip has settled in Caesarea, we know he is married and has 4 daughters who prophesied.  He and his family show hospitality to Paul's missionary crew by letting them stay in his home.  Can you just imagine the depth of spiritual conversations in that house?  He is called Philip the evangelist.  What a great name to be called.  You don't get a name like that by remaining silent about Christ.

Then the Bible is silent on him after that.  What an example though.  It is clear that he walked with God.  He walked in the Spirit's leadership.  That is so what I need today.

Results of a High View of Christ

I had one of those transforming moments last week with the scripture, one where all of my thoughts were wrapped up in, one where the sermon I was going to write got put off for a week.  As a church, we memorized Hebrews 4:12 together and I think it was through the memorization of the verse, that made other scripture come alive for me last week.  As I thought about Christ being Great and High, I began to think about who illustrates a High View of Christ as the very essence of their life.  For me, one person stands alone at the top - Paul from Tarsus.  His Great High view of Jesus, resulted in 4 realities in Paul's life.  Here they are and the scripture as the foundation of this truth.

1.  Depth
Depth comes from knowing Christ and knowing Christ comes from the Word of God, scripture.  How much did the Holy Spirit speak to Paul?  For one, 13 Epistles were "breathed" into him, written, recorded, kept, and come to us.  I don't know of anyone in the history of the church who was "breathed" into more than Paul.  Peter confirms this in his 2nd Epistle 3:15-16 - "And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
Peter says, there is such depth to Paul, that in some things in Paul's letters were deep and difficult for even Peter to understand.  Peter, 3 years of Life with Christ, leader of the early church, and writer of 2 Epistles - Peter says Paul has great depth.

2.  Width
For width means influence in our context.  He had extensive influence throughout the known world.  Paul did not come into a city and the city not know that he was around.  He proclaimed Jesus everywhere he went.  One such instance of this influence is found in Acts 16:22-33 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.  About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 
From the city streets to the inner sanctum of a prison, influencing others for Christ seemed so natural to him.

3.  Height
Paul made himself low.  He did not make a big did about who he was.  Here is a man of great depth, influence and he would refer to himself

I Corinthians 15:9  For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

 I Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Being deep in Christ led him to not need to make a big deal about himself in front of man.  He just needed to bow low before Jesus.  He stood tall in the eyes of God because of humility.

4.  Length

When he decided to walk with Christ and pursue Jesus, it was not going to be for a short while, it was going to be for the whole length of his life.  From Acts 9 to 2 Timothy 4 and everything in between, everything we see in Acts and his Epistles, clearly shows that nothing would deter him from his pursuit of Christ.  Here are some of his statements and writings on his pursuit of Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-14 - Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Nothing from the past was going to get in the way of this pursuit, whether they are were good or bad.

Acts 20:22-24 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

The Holy Spirit spoke and said to Paul in every city that he went in that imprisonment and afflictions would be awaiting Paul.  The treasure of Christ was far greater than any of those things he would be facing.  He just wanted to finish the course no matter what.

2 Corinthians 11: 23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.²⁴ Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; ²⁶ on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; ²⁷ in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. ²⁸ And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.

Another example of his not letting anything get in the way to going the full length with Christ.

5.  Longing

Not only did he passionately desire to see Christ's glory, but he longed for everyone else to see it as well.  He indicates this in Ephesians 1.

^{Ephesians 1 15} For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, ¹⁶ I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, ¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,¹⁸ having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe,according to the working of his great might ²⁰ that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

He wanted the Ephesian church to see the fullness of Jesus and what Jesus has done for us.

He spent his life pursuing the glory of Christ,

He spent his life proclaiming the glory of Christ.

He spent his life praying for others to see the glory of Christ.