Christ and Common Sense

Thoughts from a Central Valley Pastor

Month: April 2022

“Don’t Call Conspiracy What Others Call Conspiracy…”

April 29, 2022 /

The Bible is full of examples of the wickedness and deceit of humanity. The Christian is called to be wise and discerning so he will not fall into the traps of the evil one. Jesus said, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16 ESV) 

The reference to serpents harkens back to the original conspiracy that Satan introduced to Adam and Eve. Satan took the form of a serpent and tricked the first human couple into thinking they would not die if they ate from the forbidden fruit. He said, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” They bought into Satan’s lie and plunged humanity into a world of sin and sorrow that we are still enduring to this day. 

The enemies of God have been using the same strategy of deceit and half-truths ever since the Fall. When Joshua brought God’s people into Canaan, they were met by a group of people called the Gibeonites, who lived close by. They sent men dressed in old clothes and dried out supplies to trick Joshua into thinking they were from a distant land. Joshua did not seek advice from the Lord and as a result he made a peace agreement with the Gibeonites, even though God had specifically forbidden alliances with local groups. 

The strategy of deceiving God’s people continued on throughout the time of the Judges and the Kings. Instead of only being deceived by external enemies, God’s people had to deal with their own kings being deceived and propagating lies and conspiracies against the Lord. 

When Isaiah was a prophet, he called the people to place their hope in God and not the political might of the kings around them. The king of Assyria was powerful and many people in Judah, including King Ahaz, were tempted to make an alliance with Assyria. They wanted to believe in the conspiracy theory that Judah would be destroyed if they didn’t cry out to Assyria for help. 

The prophet Isaiah responded with a classic solution to the lies and deceit of the world. He said, “For the LORD spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: ‘Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.’” (Isaiah 8:11-13) 

Isaiah’s words put the conspiracies of the people in perspective. The people did not need to be afraid of invading armies. They needed to put their trust in God. The prophet Isaiah went to King Ahaz and told him to ask for a sign to prove that God would protect his people. King Ahaz refused, likely because he was already planning on making an alliance with the king of Assyria (2 Kings 16:7-9). When Ahaz refused to ask for a sign, the Lord decided to give his own sign and what a glorious sign it was! Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” 

The solution that Isaiah introduced to King Ahaz was exponentially greater than the finite solution that Ahaz had in mind. Isaiah was talking about the Messiah! He was predicting the advent of Jesus Christ, who would not only solve the problems of those living in Judah. He would solve the problems of those living in the entire world! Just a few chapters later Isaiah wrote, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7) 

Imagine if King Ahaz had trusted in the Lord! Imagine if he had given up on the conspiracies and the doubt of the world around him! Imagine if he had the eyes to see and the ears to hear the goodness of God! 

The conspiracies of this world are constant. People are constantly churning them out to try to make people live in fear. As Christians, we can’t give in to the temptation to fear man. We must follow Isaiah’s command to fear the Lord! If we have a healthy fear of God and His word, then we will be discerning people. We will know when we are being told the lies of the world. We will  be able to recognize the will of the Lord and that will give us great joy that can never be removed. 

Is Biblical Fellowship Possible Over the Internet? 

April 22, 2022 /

One of the strongest arguments for believers to fellowship together in-person is found in Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” 

The word that is translated as “meet together” is derived from the Greek word “synagogue,” which means a “place of assembly.” The author of Hebrews wanted to let believers know they need to prioritize face-to-face interaction with other believers. The early church was established in a hostile environment that would have made it easy for people to not want to gather together. Christians were kicked out of the Jewish synagogue if they aligned themselves with Christ (John 9:22). They were marginalized by the Jewish majority, and we know from the book of Acts that they were actively hunted down and persecuted (Acts 9:1-2). 

This makes Hebrews 10:24-25 all the more profound because the believers continued to physically gather together, even though some of them were risking their lives to do so. 

The reason the author of Hebrews called for believers to gather together is because fellowship with other believers is a necessary extension of the fellowship that exists between God and each believer. Christ’s death on the cross made it possible for believers to “enter the holy places” and to draw near to God (Hebrews 10:19-22). Once a believer is born again he or she will be compelled by the Holy Spirit to seek fellowship with other believers. 

This is exactly what the early church did. Acts 2:42 says, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” This type of fellowship required physical interaction between believers. The Greek word used for fellowship is “koinonia” and it refers to “close association involving mutual interests and sharing” (BDAG). When believers have fellowship with each other they are sharing their lives with each other. They are not only hearing preaching and praying and singings hymns together. They are doing so as people who are connected by the supernatural fellowship of God. 

When John wrote his first epistle, he made it clear that this fellowship came from God and was extended to believers. He wrote, “that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3) If you read the context, you will see that this is a physical fellowship that is tied to the physical incarnation of Jesus Christ, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you.” (1 John 1:1-2) 

This type of fellowship is impossible to experience unless you are in the physical presence of other believers. This is why going to a church service in person is always so much better than worshipping online. Believers were created to have fellowship with God in the presence of other believers. That was the expectation of the early church and that should be the expectation for every generation of believers. 

This is important to grasp because it gives believers the justification to never settle for virtual fellowship. There may be a time or a season when someone needs to use technology to hear God’s word preached or to be encouraged over the phone by other believers, but those experiences should always create a longing in the heart of the believer for physical, biblical fellowship with other Christians. That is why the author of Hebrews gave such clarity when he called believers to “stir up one another to love and good works.” A believer can encourage someone with the use of technology, but he cannot have full, biblical, incarnation fellowship with believers unless it is done face-to-face, the way God intended. 

The Reason for the Resurrection

April 15, 2022 /

The casual observer of our American Easter traditions might think the holiday is more about Easter egg hunts and fluffy white bunnies than the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is a reason for this. The candy industry has been pushing the sale of chocolate and sugar-coated confections for decades. In 2016, the overall sale of candy during Easter beat out the sale of candy during Halloween! Over $823 million dollars was spent on 146 million pounds of candy. As one article noted, “That’s nearly half a pound of candy for every man, woman, and child in the country.” (“Easter Wins Candy Battle” by Mark Fahey) https://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/24/easter-wins-the-candy-battle.html With such an emphasis on candy, it is easy to become distracted from the main reason we celebrate Easter: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!

As Christians, we celebrate the resurrection because it proves that the power of God is greater than the power of sin! There is no more profound symbol of God’s sovereign power than the empty tomb. It proves that the creator of life is able to overcome death. “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57) Jesus Christ is the great victor over death and sin. His resurrection from the grave proved that his death on the cross was effective as a payment for our sin. Our faith in Christ has meaning because He rose from the dead.

I am always amazed that the power of Christ dying on the cross to pay for our sins can be extended to anyone who is willing to confess their sin and trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God rose him from the dead, you will be saved.” Why is it so important to believe that God rose Jesus from the grave? It is important because belief in the resurrection is necessary for salvation. 

We can get a better grasp of the significance of the resurrection by looking at how the entire Bible, particularly Old Testament prophecies, pointsto Jesus’s death and resurrection from the dead. 

Genesis 1 is the first reference given for God creating life on the earth. Genesis 3 introduces the stark reality of death as a consequence for sin. The same passage also reveals the first reference to the death and resurrection of Christ when it says, “he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”(Genesis 3:15) Τhe reference to Christ’s heel being bruised is a prophecy that points towards Christ’s death. The description of Jesus bruising the head of the serpent is partially fulfilled with the resurrection because when Christ conquers death he also showed his power over death and Satan’s temptation. 

Psalm 16 is a fascinating study in connection with the resurrection because the Psalmist writes about eternal life. “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption” (Ps 16:10) The reference to “holy one” is pointing forward to Jesus Christ who will be the fulfillment of the David covenant from 1 Samuel 16:12-13, “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

Psalm 22 is a masterful description of suffering, death, salvation, and life after death. Jesus Christ was intimately aware of this Psalm and quoted from it repeatedly during the Passover week. His faith in God the Father was firmly rooted in God’s word. Jesus suffered more than any other human ever has or will, but his faith never wavered. He knew God would allow him to die and he would raise him from the dead! 

Isaiah 53 has to be mentioned in relation to the resurrection because it refers to both the death of the “Suffering servant” and his resurrection. Verse 9 says, “And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.” The next verse says, “he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.” As Herald Gandi wrote in his excellent article on the subject, “How can he “see” his offspring if he is executed unless he is resurrected?” (“The Resurrection: According to the Scriptures?” https://blog.tms.edu/resurrection-according-to-scriptures

Just spending a few minutes in these passages brings a deep sense of sobriety to the Passover week leading up to Easter. It is a joyful time, but there must be a time of grieving in order to celebrate what God has accomplished through Christ on the cross. The resurrection has no meaning or significance if we do not first take time to grieve the death and burial of Christ. That is why the Easter bunny is such a sad distraction from the reality of Christ. Praise God we have freedom in Christ to celebrate Easter in many different ways. My request is that however long you spend encouraging your children to hunt for candy, give at least the same amount of time explaining to them the glorious reality of what Jesus Christ did when he died on the cross and rose from the grave. He is risen! He is risen indeed! 

Youth Sports: Five Questions Christian Parents Need to Ask

April 8, 2022 /

In the last two months, youth sports have surged back to life. Parents have started their yearly tradition of driving kids to and from practices, games, and meetings. They are constantly asking questions, “When is the next practice?” “Why isn’t my son getting more playing time?” “What field is my daughter’s game at?” These questions come fast and hard at parents and many have not taken the time to slow down and consider another group of questions that all Christian parents should ask before signing their children up for sports. 

Question #1) How will youth sports affect your family? It has become common for families to have multiple children in different sports, which means they are constantly on the go. If you find yourself driving frantically from practice to practice, eating junk food in the car, microwaving pop-tarts to save time, as Brian Reagan says, “You might need to loosen up your schedule.” Our family loves youth sports. We have put our kids in indoor soccer, baseball, basketball, gymnastics, football, and softball, but we have learned that our family can only handle one sport at a time for the entire family if we want to maintain a healthy balance for quality time with each child, regular devotions, and family meal-times. 

Ephesians 6:4 says, “Fathers do not provoke your children to anger.” It is very likely that your children will become tired, irritable, and be tempted to be disobedient if they are not getting time to sleep well, do their homework, and have one-on-one time with their parents. Parents can make the mistake of thinking their kids will be angry if they don’t do constant sports, but the reality is they are kids! They are happy to be with mom and dad playing ball in the back yard! 

Question #2) Will this sport have any games or practices on Sundays? My wife and I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that the spiritual growth of our children is always more important than their athletic development. The Bible makes it clear that the purpose of parenting is to raise their children in the “discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4 ESV) This means Sunday mornings are reserved for spiritual training with our church family. 

Over the years, we have had coaches ask us if our son could go to a special training on Sunday morning or afternoon. We have made it very simple. Sundays are reserved for family, both our church family and our extended family and so we do not sign up for any sports that would conflict with our priorities. There have been times when a stand-alone sports event could have worked around our schedule, but we have never regretted saying “No” to youth sports on Sundays. If you want to get inspired by this commitment go watch “Chariots of Fire” and be amazed at Eric Lidell’s resolve to give up running in the Olympics because his event had been scheduled on a Sunday morning. 

Question #3) Will this sport become an idol for me, my wife, or my children? The apostle John’s closing words in his first letter are surprisingly simple, “My little children, keep yourself from idols.” An idol is anything that takes the place of worshipping God. Jesus told us the greatest commandment is to “Love the lord your God with all your heart, with all your might, and with all your strength and a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:38-39) This means that everything in life needs to be considered through the grid of whether it is adding to our love for God or distracting from it. This grid is incredibly helpful with youth sports. Is your child overly concerned with how he or she is playing on the field? That might mean it is a good time to remind him or her to view the sport from God’s perspective. Is your child consistently struggling to enjoy the game? Then take a break. You are the one who signed your child up, you can talk to the coach and do what is best for your child. 

Question #4) What is motivating you as a parent to place your child in sports? Is it because all his friends are in sports? Is it because you want him to get a college scholarship? Is it because you want bragging rights with your friends? God’s word tells us, “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) This is a good time to do some soul searching. Take a step back and realize that the rat race of the business world has taken over youth sports as well. There is money to be made in the world of sports and you would have to be naive to not realize that people pushing youth sports have less than pure motives. The Christian parent’s motivation for youth sports should be to glorify God and train their child. There are many good lessons that can be learned from playing sports, but there are many more bad lessons that can seep in and twist the motives of the athlete. Work hard to talk to your budding athlete and make sure they are thinking these things through for themselves. 

Question #5) Where does the incessant push for youth sports come from? It reminds me of the reasons Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden fruit. Genesis 3 says, “She saw that it was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise.” It is very easy to justify things that seem innocent and positive on the outside. The Christian parent looks deeper. He asks good questions. 

David King and Margot Starbuck have written a book titled Overplayed: A Parent’s Guide to Sanity in World of Youth Sports. They bring a Christian perspective to this topic by addressing seven common myths about youth sports. Myth number seven is this, “The Money We Are Investing into Youth Sports Will Pay Off.” It is true that college tuition is growing more expensive, but should you really invest in more than a decade of youth sports in the hope that your daughter will win a scholarship? Maybe she won’t want to go to college. Maybe she will go to a community college first? These questions need to be asked soon or else you will find yourself “red-shirting” your kindergarten child because of financial dreams that may never materialize. 

Each family has to decide how to use the precious time given by God to raise their children. There is freedom to invest in different ways in youth sports, but each parent is responsible to ask Godly questions in order to raise their children in the “discipline and instruction of the Lord.” 

Train Up A Child

April 1, 2022 /

One of the most quoted verses about parenting is found in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it” (English Standard Version). The reason it is so well known is because the proverb is often misunderstood as a promise that guarantees a good outcome for children who are raised in the church. 

That is how I understood the verse for most of my life. I grew up thinking there was a special blessing guaranteed to families who were faithful to read the Bible and go to church. It wasn’t until I took a class taught by Dr. John Street at the Master’s Seminary that I realized I had misunderstood the passage. 

The original language of the verse is Hebrew and it contains an idiom that is difficult to translate into English. The verse literally says, “Dedicate a child in the way of his mouth and when he is old he will not turn aside from it.” Hebrew speakers liked to use human illustrations to describe action and emotion. We have all heard how God brought the Hebrew people out of Egypt “with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.” (Deuteronomy 4:34) Job cried out against his oppressors by saying, “My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.” (19:20) That last saying was brought directly into our English translations of the Bible and since it is such a vivid illustration we still use it today! 

The same cannot be said about Proverbs 22:6. We do not talk about raising up a child “in the way of his mouth.” That is a foreign idea to us, but if we take the time to understand what it means we can gain a better grasp of Scripture and have clearer expectations about raising children according to God’s word. 

The phrase “way of his mouth” is used throughout the Old Testament. It usually refers to what someone has said, but in Leviticus 24:12 it is translated as “the will of the Lord.” This is helpful for understanding Proverbs 22:6 because the emphasis is on the will of the child. The author is saying “Train up a child according to his own will and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Understanding Proverbs 22:6 in its original context reveals that it is a warning, not a promise. It is a warning to parents that if they allow their children to have their own way, they will not depart from that foolishness when they are older. As professor Edward Wilde has written, “When we look at the surrounding proverbs (which may give a hint) we have warnings of what NOT to do:  V. 5: keep away or suffer the consequence. V. 7: Don’t borrow, or suffer the consequence. V. 8, don’t be unjust, or suffer the consequence.” Professor Wilde offers his own translation, “Dedicate your child to his desire and he’ll be happy to go there – and stay there.” 

Proverbs 22:6 should not be understood as a promise that Christian children will make good decisions their entire life. No, it should be understood as a warning. If parents don’t discipline their children in a wise way, then their kids are going to make foolish choices and continue to do so when they grow up. The discerning parent is aware of this and carefully considers how to guide the child to become self-aware and self-controlled so that he will learn to make wise decisions in his youth and continue to do so the rest of his life. 

taking the road less traveled

I've been to 30 out of 217 countries

© 2024 Christ and Common Sense

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑