What's Happened to the Altars?

The kids came up for praise and worship the other morning during Sunday service. What a blessing it was to us to have them all sitting in the front pew singing and praising with us, with their teachers sitting behind them. The thing that impressed me the most however was when after the singing I took prayer requests from the congregation and then called the church to prayer. At the moment I said, "Let's all go to God in prayer" the kids on the front row ALL went to the altar and knelt with their hands clasped in prayer! They have an altar in the children's church area and it was apparent that their teachers and leaders have taught them what it is for and are utilizing it.

Why is it that when I call the church up to the altar to pray there are more that will not come than do. Now don't go getting pious on me and say, "We can talk to God as good in the pews as we can at the altar." You think I don't know that? Some of the best prayer time I enjoy is in my car when on the road. However when I am in His house, even by myself many days during the week, I always kneel, or stand, or sit, at the altar and pray. Those altars that stretch across the front of our sanctuary are not just pieces of furniture. The forefathers that designed that church also designed to have these altars. We think that because Jesus has torn the veil into between us and access to God that the altar is not necessary any longer. Again, do not think that I am saying that the altar is the ONLY place you can have audience with God but understand that the altar still serves as the place in the House of God where we can come together, as a body of believers, to meet with God in His House.

Let me tell you what use to keep me from the altars in churches. First of all I was not saved so the altar held no more significance for me than the piano or the pews did. When I finally accepted Christ, it was not at the altar; in was in the pews! About two weeks later I made my way up to the altar and was met by the pastor and several other saints who prayed with me and for me. It was a very special moment for me and at that moment I wished I had went to the altar earlier. There is something about that altar. I think pride kept me from the altar that day I got saved. I did not want to appear that I had an issue by going up to the altar. After all what would others think of me? "Why is he going up there, what has he done?" Some may not come to the altar because they think they don't need to. (Hear the pride in that statement?) Which of us are not in need of Gods guidance; even when things are going well for us!

The altar is becoming more and more less important. People are becoming more and more dignified. Jesus said this; "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels." (Luke 9:26)

At the very least Christians should be honored to come to the altar. Coming to the altar is not just for sinners, or people in distress, or people who are ill. We worship at the altar! We praise at the altar!

I may be old fashioned in my thinking. Maybe I am making a too big of deal about it. Say what you will, think what you want, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord and every time I have an opportunity in our church or some other one; you will find me at the altar sooner or later.

 

The Church of Burger King

If the title of this message got your attention then that's a good thing, however I am not planting a church in a burger joint. I used the title because years ago Burger King had a slogan that said, "Have it your way." In the world of "church" today it seems that many congregations and entire denominations have adopted that slogan. I could spend hours and megabytes of room defining the differences between what Jesus established as His Church and what we have evolved into that we call church. You may get offended if you keep reading because there is not anyway to say what needs to be said without confronting ideas that many have in regards to what Jesus accepts and does not accept. It seems that many tell God what He accepts by telling others what He is okay with. Just because we think God is okay with it does not mean that He is okay with it. The doctrine of the Church of Burger King has one article of faith: God loves you and because He does He will let you have it your way. I am as firm a believer in the grace of God as anyone you can name but I also know that grace can be abused. Grace is what we get from God instead of justice, mercy is what we get from Him instead of what we deserve. The Apostle Paul said that "God forbid" if we should think grace cannot be abused (Romans 6:15). The Church of Burger King says that we can leave out what we do not like and add in what tastes better to us. God forbid.

Here is what God says in His word: ¹⁵ but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶ because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1; underline mine).

God does not give us a choice which behaviors we can keep and which ones we must do away with. All our conduct, that is not just our actions but our words as well. The holiness of God is only imparted unto us by Christ. We have not the ability to make ourselves holy. We cannot live a Christian life but we can let Christ live His life through us. When we allow Jesus into our heart He will guide us by His principles and His virtues. The behavior resulting from His indwelling is called the "Fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22, 23). Jesus is the vine, His children are the branches and He produces His fruit through us. The Church of Burger King says we can bear grapes on a watermelon vine. The Church of Burger King teaches that a fresh water spring can also supply salt water. Don't be deceived, be doers of the Word of the God and not just hearers only. One more thing; If it says it in the Bible, Jesus agrees with it; whether it is in "red print" or not. 

Over Complicating the Gospel: The Kid and the Doc

My wife is one of the children church teachers for our church. She has kids from ages 5 to 8. When they were praying for one another and taking requests, one little guy told her he needed them to pray for his leg. His leg was hurting one night and the next day his mom took him to the doctor. My wife inquired, "What did the doctor say honey?" He said, "The doctor called it a pain in the leg.'"

The doctor gave it to him in terms he could understand even though it may not tell us exactly what the pain was from. The doctor knew that a little fellow could not understand complicated medical terms and jargon. Which brings me to my message point today; we sometimes overcomplicate the Gospel. We find it hard sometimes to accept the fact that redemption and salvation is as simple as it really is. We have grown up in a society that teaches that you get what you pay for. If it is cheaper it has to be of less quality.


If something is free there is a catch to it. There is a hidden charge somewhere, there are lines of fine print that we missed. Trying to get folk to believe in something as critical as life after death is hard in itself, much less trying to get them to believe they cannot buy it.

The teaching and preaching of the grace of God has went to both ends of the spectrum over time. On one end you have the grace only applying to devout monks while at the other end the grace covers anything we want to do with no repercussions. There is no middle ground to grace, either God is gracious or He is not. When we try to decipher what the grace of God covers and what it does not we open ourselves up to having to choose sides with the folk at one of the spectrum or the other.

Let's just take what the Bible says about it, teach and preach that, and let the Word speak for itself. The Bible teaches that God's grace is beyond our human reckoning; but so is His judgment. We do not like to put judgment and grace in the same sentence but that is where they go. Jesus said, "For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, ²⁷ and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man." (John 5:26,27). You caught that line didn't you? The Savior of mankind, the One who died for the sin of all, the One who forgives those who will come to Him; has authority to execute judgment too. Grace and judgment in the same sentence.

So, don't overcomplicate the Gospel. God is loving, He is forgiving, He is gracious, He is merciful, He is patient; but He will also judge those who reject His Son.











 

Christ and ?

Is Christ really all we need? How many times I have heard it said by well meaning individuals, "Jesus is all you need." Now being well versed in "Christianese", (the language of church goers), I know what that statement means but what about the homeless man or woman on the street who has not eat today or has no where to get in out of the cold? What about the person that has lost everything in a house fire or a tornado? What about the distraught parent's standing at the graveside as the minister reads Scripture over the coffin of their child? What about the teen girl that everyone laughs at because she is different in size, color, or culture? How would they accept that statement from us? "Well, all you need is Jesus." No, He is not all they need; they need for His servants to help them.

Yes, I know that salvation is the most important thing one has need of but we also have need of food, clothing, shelter, and someone who really cares about us. Oh, I know, "Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you," the Christian will say. Someone once said that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. We often associate that saying with teamwork. What if we applied it to the Kingdom of God? What do you think about this Scripture: And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh (Jude 1:22-23). What about that "Pulling them out of the fire" part? That kind of sounds like to me there is some work involved in having compassion. Saint James said, "If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?  Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (James 2:15-17).

My point today is this; people do need Jesus but they need us too. Jesus not only died on the Cross that we may be saved, He also healed people, fed people, and showed them compassion without just telling them He had it. Lord, help us to do the same. Christ and us; the link that connects God to the rest of the world.





 

Are We Afraid to Ask?

Have you ever wanted to know something but were afraid to ask? I have even as an adult and especially as a kid. There was an old fellow in the town I grew up in that wore a patch over his eye and I always wondered how he lost his eye but was afraid to ask him. In fact all of us kids were afraid of that guy, he looked like a pirate and talked rough. He would catch us somewhere and would threaten to pull that patch off and we would fly!

The fear of asking questions goes way back to Bible times. St. Mark tells us that Jesus told His disciples that He was going to be killed but that He would be raised from the dead three days later and they did not understand what He meant, but were afraid to ask Him (Mark 9:32). I wonder why they were afraid to ask Him what He meant. We know what He meant . . . . now. We have the New Testament that explained it to us and we have the account of His death and resurrection; but they never had that. They only had His words at that moment.

Which brings me to the point of my message today; are there things we are afraid to ask Him even now? I mean, things like why did my mom have to get cancer and die. Things like why are You allowing all those Christians to be killed in Iraq. How about this one; why did you allow my spouse to leave me because they said they do not love me anymore. Maybe even, why did You allow my precious child to die. These are very personal and heart wrenching questions. I am sure we have asked why many times and yet we are like the disciples that day; we still don't know what it all means. We can all agree that there are things which He allows that we do not understand now but we know as people of faith that He is never powerless in any of these situations.

There are other questions some do not want to ask. Questions that we know the answer to but really do not want to hear His reply. "Am I praying enough?" "Am I reading Your Word enough?" To name just a few. We know that He loves us regardless of how He replies to those and because we know He loves us anyway, we kind of just don't ask them a lot.

Never be afraid to ask Him anything; yes, anything. He knows what we would like to know anyway but it sure does give Him joy when one of His kids ask!

 

Head, Heart, and Hands

"I just don't feel Him like I used to." Is that something you could say? Is it something you have said? I have a lot of people tell me that. I do my best to answer them and sometimes I think they accept it and other times I think they are still left unsatisfied with the answer. Our relationship with God and Christ can only be real if we have done what Jesus told the first disciples to do and continue to follow the instructions God has given us in His word.

The Apostle John wrote, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." To behold the glory of Christ, (The Word), was a marvelous thing for those first disciples. Jesus was with them in the flesh, day and night, morning and evening, in good times and in bad times. If He was not defending them against the Pharisees He was stopping a typhoon type wind that was splashing waves into their boat to keep them from drowning. They watched in awe as demons would come out of people at His command and blind eyes would be opened with just a word from Him. They must have questioned His sanity when He told them they would have to "Eat His flesh and drink His blood" if they were going to believe in Him fully. Then believing Him to be the Christ, the Messiah, they had to doubt their belief as they saw Him hanging helpless on a Roman Cross and still promising a man that he would be with Him in paradise that very day as the religious leaders paraded back and forth in front of Him shaking their heads and pointing their fingers as they ordered Him to come down from the Cross and prove He was who He said He was. They touched Him, they smelled Him, they hugged Him, they ate with Him, they watched Him, they listened to Him, they abandoned Him, and then they finally believed in Him with all their heart when the tomb was empty and He showed up in the private chambers and told them to "Touch His hands and put their hand in His side."

Here is my point; if it took His Bodily resurrection to prove to the first disciples that He was really alive and that He really was who He said He was; why should we expect to be any less skeptical than they were? That is why He told Thomas, "Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." I am glad He said that. I am REALLY glad He said that! If being saved by Him is determined only by seeing Him, or feeling Him for that matter, then our faith is futile and we are still in our sins. It could be that we don't feel like we used to about Him and mistake our lack of feeling toward Him as His lack of feeling toward us. Huh? You think that may be it? If I lose my love toward my wife how should I expect to feel her love toward me? We are the Bride of Christ you know (the Born Again Church). If we fail to love Him as much as we used to and then wait for Him to prove He loves us before we will love Him that way again; it is very possible that we "Won't feel Him like we used to." If He is just in our heads we will never "feel" Him in our hearts. If we try to touch Him with our "hands" (good works) and never allow Him into our hearts (Born Again of His Spirit) we will not "feel" Him either. There you go; take inventory and then maybe you can answer the question: "Why don't I feel Him like I used to?"




 

Mental Overload: Is there a fix?

Another one of those days. You know the kind I am talking about. From the moment you wake up things begin to go wrong. You are still carrying the baggage from yesterday that had unresolved issues. As the day wears on more stuff gets added. Trying to keep everything in perspective and under control is getting harder and harder to do. You are not sleeping well and your eating habits are changing. Even your body feels the impact from all this mental stress as the immune system goes into overtime trying to resist the current virus circulating around. You have trouble relating to those you love and become irritable and short on patience which adds more issues to your already overloaded mind. If not resolved you can expect the red flags to start popping up; headaches or maybe chest pains. What is a body to do?!

About now you are expecting me to tell you just to turn it all over to the Lord. That is what most preachers do, right? That is easy for me to tell you to do but I know from experience that it takes more than that. Because I have turned a lot of stuff over to Him but it never left me for some reason! I have tried to leave things at the altar but somehow they are still with me when I get home. Then some would say, "Well, you really didn't turn it all over to Him." I have tried. I have tried to walk away from it and promised myself to let Jesus worry about it. Guess what? Yeah, still had it. I have prayed and handed it all over to Him as much as was possible on my part; but it never left. Therefore I knew there had to be fix, a fix that I had not found.

Philippians, Chapter 4

Then one day during a devotional reading in my study I came across this verse written by Paul the Apostle: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Paul went through a lot. Risking his life daily to tell people about Jesus. For him to say this must have had a great impact on his life. Then I read this verse a little farther down in the text: I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Ah, there it is! There is the fix Paul found. It was not giving his troubles to the Lord. It was learning, yes learning, to live with them. I realized that even though all these things were upon me, they had not killed me! Christ had kept them from crushing me! I then began praying different. Instead of praying and asking the Lord to take all the things I asked Him to keep me strong as I worked through them. Today, I still have unresolved things going on that I would like to have complete fixes for but I have learned, as Paul did, to keep my focus on serving Christ and not fixing the problems. When I do that, the problems do not go away, but they sure look a lot more solvable!