Many are starting to feel the fatigue that comes with social distancing and the virtual shutdown of our society in recent weeks.  In light of this, the call to reopen society and allow churches to meet in person is growing increasingly louder.

We are tired.  We are impatient.  We are ready to move forward.

As is often the case, the government moves much slower than the desires of the people.  Sometimes this is a good thing; sometimes it is not.  In our current situation, it can become very tempting for churches to “choose their own path” and begin on-campus services sooner than local, state, and national officials recommend.

This leads to the question, “When is it okay to disobey the government?”

When the church looks to answer this question, she will undoubtedly be drawn to the book of Romans:

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.  (13:1)

Or the words of Peter

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.  (1 Peter 2:13-14)

However as we dive deeper into Scripture, we find many examples of God’s people defying their rulers.

Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego – Defied their King by refusing to worship the golden idol that he set up of himself.  (Daniel 3)

Mordecai – Esther’s uncle refused to bow and pay homage to Haman even though the King had decreed that everyone should do so.  (Esther 3:1-6)

John the Baptist – John spoke boldly against Herod’s improper relationship with his brother’s wife, despite him being the tetrarch of the region where John preached.  (Matthew 14:1-5)

So what is the Christian to do?  How do we navigate these waters in a way that above all glorifies God?

Here are a few recommendations:

1. Check Your Heart

Before you make one decision, before you say one thing, take a moment and prayfully reflect on what you are doing.

I know this may sound trite but the Christian must be sure that they are moving forward with the right intentions and in the right method.  Are you looking to defy leadership to flex your own muscles or to serve God?  Even if your intentions are good, are you doing it in a spirit of gentleness or are you simply angry & spiteful?

Prayer does a lot to calm an angry soul and put him or her back on the path of righteousness.  Remember, “the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” (James 1:20)

Next, we need to take a moment and ask what we can and cannot do.  During a pandemic like COVID-19, we are not able to meet in person like we normally do.  But what can we do?

We can still worship.  We worship in our homes and with family.  We worship through social media and television.  We can worship in our living rooms, our cars, and our neighborhoods.

We can still share the gospel.  Today more than ever we are able to invite our “Ones” to join us for worship.  Simple “Watch Parties” on Facebook, and the sharing of music, scripture, and sermons online can have a huge impact on people all over the globe who are stuck at home with only the internet as their window to the outside world.

We can still love.  No one is stopping us from picking up the phone and checking on people.  No one is stopping us from emailing people.  No one is stopping us from showing love and grace to those who are still serving us at the grocery store, drive-thru, or hospital.  Let your love shine even brighter today, so people will want to know the God you serve.

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”  (Matt 5:16)

In my high school & college days I worked at a movie theater in my hometown.  

Every showtime would introduce the feature presentation with a commercial for the theater, and every commercial would invite the guest to do the same thing:

“Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.”

Soon, the light would dim, the music would get louder, and the movie would begin.

Recently, I was reflecting with a member of our worship team and we began to discuss the tone of a worship service.  We talked about what it was, what it could be, and what it ought to be.

We both noted that there is a temptation in churches today to give the same invitation that movie theaters still give today,

“Welcome to “So & So” Church!  We are so glad you are here.  Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!”

In many cases, churches also dim the lights, turn up the sound, and start the show.

As we were talking about that, we began to wonder if that was what God wanted from his people when they gather to worship?

As I pondered this question, I found Psalm 95:

“O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord,

Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,

Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.”  (. 1-2)

And

“Come, let us worship and bow down,

Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” (v. 6)

So what does this passage say about how we worship?

The invitation we see in this psalm is an invitation to sing.  The church was not invited to listen to the professional singers, but to sing themselves.  Yes, we live in an age where we can give a few singers microphones that will allow their voices to fill a room, but God calls the whole congregation to join in the singing so that praises to Him will fill the room, the neighborhood, the city, even the entire globe.  It does not matter if an individual is a skilled musician or incapable of holding a tune; what matters is that God’s people lift up praises to God in unity!

The passage also calls the congregation to bow with thanksgiving, kneel, and even shout to “the rock of our salvation”.  These are calls to respond to God in the midst of corporate worship.  It is right and good for the people of God to shout words of praise, thanksgiving, and adoration to their Maker as the Word of God washes over them.  He is NOT calling us to be lumps on a pew anxiously waiting for the service to be over.  Instead, we ought to think, meditate, and then respond to the Word of God through affirmation, and a change in our behavior.

It is interesting to note that every verb in these passages is an active verb; not a single one of them are passive.  Nowhere did God call the people to sit back and take in anything.  Instead, they were called to “do”.  The people gathered to worship, and to worship through songs, shouts, prayers of thanksgiving, and acts of submission to the God they loved & trusted.  Worship, whether personal or corporate, should be the active response of the worshiper to God.  Anything else falls short of what God intended it to be.

If you take the time to read the rest of the psalm, you will discover that every invitation to worship God is followed with a list of reasons why.  Verse 3 reads, “For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods.”  This is what we need to understand:  the only reasonable response to knowing God is worship.

He is just so great, so wonderful, so powerful, so gracious, so merciful, and so loving.  If you know God, if you have experienced Him through His Word, then you just have to worship.  You will want to worship Him, and no substitute will do.

“There is nothing to do….”

Have any of you heard this over the past couple weeks?  Are any of you guilty of saying it yourself?

It might be very easy for us to think about all the things that we want to do, but we cannot.  

We want to see one another. 
We want to gather as the church for worship & Bible study. 
We want to go to a restaurant and share a meal with others.We want to go on trips, get back to work, and even go to school!

We want to, but we can’t… and it stinks.

However, this does not mean that we are powerless.  Often when we realize that we cannot do something; we also think that we cannot do anything.  

And in response to that, I want to take a look at the words of Paul:

At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.  (2 Timothy 4:16-18)

So let’s think about what he is writing…

Paul is in Prison.

Paul is writing about a defense he made for what he was doing as an apostle.  He is standing trial while also under house arrest for sharing the gospel. In many ways, he is under the same constraints that we are.  He cannot leave his house to do as he pleases. He cannot gather with friends or the Church. He cannot travel or maintain his usual routine.  Paul is all alone.

It would be very easy for Paul to just give up, sit at home, and await his sentencing.  However, this is not what he does!

Paul is still Proclaiming

So how about you?

Paul did not let his current circumstances keep him from fulfilling his mission.  How about you? How is God using you during this time of “social distancing”? Are there doors that God is opening to you?  Are there opportunities to connect with people in new ways that you are discovering? If you are not sure, let’s look at some opportunities that we are seeing:

Start with your family.  For many of us, we are spending way more time at home than ever before.  All the things that used to over-fill our calendars are suddenly gone. Take this time to clearly share the Gospel in your family and develop healthy spiritual habits like a family devotion & quiet time.

Look in your neighborhood.  Have you noticed an increase of walkers, joggers, and bike riders?  There are many people who are getting out of the house and exercising in their neighborhoods.  How can you reach them? Be present! Try taking a walk yourself, working in your yard, or sitting on your front porch.  You can wave, greet, and converse with neighbors as you distance yourselves. As you do so, be sure to ask how you can pray for them!

Pick up the phone.  Not everyone is savvy with computers, but just about everyone has a phone. Set aside time to call people.  You can call people in your church or people from work. Try to check on friends, classmates, and the elderly; anyone God has laid on your heart.  Again, make a point of offering to pray with them. You never know who needs to hear the Gospel!

Get online.  Finally, we are so blessed to live in a time with the internet.  Through the world wide web we are able to video chat, message, post information, and SHARE THE GOOD NEWS THAT CHRIST DIED TO SAVE US FROM SIN & ROSE FROM THE GRAVE.  There is no better time to start an online Bible study, share your testimony on social media, or invite a friend to watch a church service online. You can also reach out to neighbors, start new groups to connect with people, or just check in on people with whom you have lost contact.

Paul used his time under house arrest to see that “the proclamation [of the Gospel] might be fully accomplished…”

1. Take prayer seriously

One thing we can know through Scripture is that prayer is a powerful tool for the believer.  James 5:16 says, “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”  We should take that to heart as we go into the new year.
Pray.  Pray without ceasing. (1 Thess 5:17) Pray in your time alone with God.  Pray with the church gathered.  You cannot imagine how much God can do when we just surrender ourselves to Him.

2. Pursue your “One” (Or get one & get started!)

3. Gather with the church

 

 

 

 

. But as I pondered it more, I realized that the people that are really going to suffer in this decision are the members who will miss out on a relationship with these wonderful people and the wisdom that they offer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Children are important
   1. It may seem silly to say this, but our children matter. To a warrior, arrows represent their ability to fend off attackers and win the battle.  They are important, even crucial, to the success of a warrior.  We must never look at our children as an inconvenience or a hassle.  It is very easy for children to misunderstand our words and attitudes, so we must be clear.  They are important to us.  They are loved.  They are valued.  We have to tell them that and tell them often, and we need to show them with our time and attention.
      
      
2. Children need preparation
   1. Okay, think about this for a second… what has to happen to an arrow before it is shot? It has to be drawn back!!!  Our children need to be prepared!!!  No, I am not talking just about school, nor am I talking about sports practice.  Our children need to be prepared to live for Jesus in a world that it is still hostile towards God.  When they are young, we teach them right and wrong, we teach them to be generous, and we teach them to be kind to others.  As they grow older, we teach them how to navigate peer pressure, we teach them how to apply the Bible to any situation, and we teach them how to share their faith with others.  These are things they will not learn magically on their own.  Arrows must be drawn back to be effective and our kids must be trained by us!
      
      
3. Children must be launched
   1. The hardest thing for any parent is to let their kid go. But arrows are not weapons unless they are launched!  Parents, we have to keep the end in mind.  Ultimately, our end is to see our kids grow up, and live for the glory of God!!!  We have to remember that our kids will not and cannot stay with us forever.  We must let them go, launch them, into the world to make a difference for Jesus.  They may do that by serving faithfully in the church.  They may do it by answering the call to missions; foreign or domestic.  They may do it by having a career; working as unto the Lord.  They may even do it by faithfully raising their children (your grandchildren) to fear the Lord.  Every job is important and we send them on their way!

There was a service organization in a small town that wanted to honor their greatest member.

 

They set out to host one of the nicest banquets they could put together.  They chose the most beautiful place settings.  They spent days choosing the perfect menu.  Every decoration was hung meticulously and with great care.  The whole day was planned and ready to go!

 

The night had arrived and the people began to fill the room.  Soon the food was served and the presentation was about to begin.  Suddenly, one of the planners of the event noticed something:  the guest of honor was not there!!!

 

The planner slipped from the room and called the man’s cell phone.

 

“Hello.”

 

“Hey, the banquet has already started.  Where are you?  Are you on your way?”

 

“What Banquet?”

 

“The banquet that we are hosting in your honor!!!  The food has already been served and the speakers are ready to start!!!  Hurry down to the Hall so we can get started!!!!”

 

“No one ever told me about a banquet.”

 

“What?”

 

“You all have planned this whole affair, and you did not think to even include me?  You did not talk to the organizations that I am passionate about.  You did not allow me to be part of the process in any way.”

 

“Um….”

 

“What about my bride?  Did you even talk to my wife once?  Did you invite her to the event?  Did you allow her to be a part of all your preparation or your planning?”

 

“No.”

 

“We will not be attending your banquet tonight.  You set out to honor somebody, but it certainly wasn’t me.”

 

This Sunday is Easter Sunday.  We all have our traditions.  Some of us visit family, others make this special day all about our kids.  We will put in countless hours preparing meals, decorating eggs or our homes, and putting together Easter baskets.  I would challenge you today to not forget the guest of honor.

 

We celebrate Easter because of Jesus.  It is his resurrection that we are celebrating and therefore He should remain the center of all that we do on this day.  When we do this, let us not forget his bride as well.  She is the church.

 

I hope that you will make the church part of whatever you do this Sunday.  Let your kids learn the true meaning of Easter and be reminded yourself of the great love and freedom that Christ gave you through the cross and resurrection.  If we do not, we may find the very person we gather to celebrate will be absent from all that we do.

 

God bless and have a happy Easter!!!  HE IS RISEN!!!!

1. KNOW YOUR ENEMY

While we can point to lots of enemies, I want to focus on one and that is busyness.  Busyness tries to convince you that you have to do everything.  Busyness tries to tell you that if you don’t say, “yes” then you are missing out.  Busyness tries to tell you that this is a “once in a lifetime” opportunity.

But guess what?  Busyness is lying. You don’t have to do everything.  Most of what you are doing now will not matter in 5 years.  There will be plenty of opportunities for your family in the future, but they will only be kids once.  Please don’t rob them of your time, love, and companionship as you usher them off to the next event.

Colossians 3:21 says, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they do not lose heart.”  Paul knew that parents are tempted to push their kids too hard, so fight back!   Let them live and learn what really matters!

 

2. KNOW YOUR MISSION

Jesus said it very plainly, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

If these commandments are the two most important things that we can do as human beings, then does it not follow that these are the two most important things that we can teach our kids?  I think so.

We have to remember this in light of all that the world is telling us to do.  If an activity, or a club, or a show, or a piece of technology leads us down a path were we love that thing more than God or people created in the image of God; then it has become a dangerous and it needs to be put in check.

While many things may not be inherently bad, everything can become an idol if we let our hearts go unchecked.

3. START SMALL