The Missing Peace: Q & A, Part 1
Thanks to the many who submitted questions throughout the series. We really appreciate it. We’ve combined some of the similar questions are posting our answers here in hopes that they are helpful and encouraging as you have peace, make peace and bring peace in Christ.
Many of the questions in this post were answered in a live session in the third week of the series. You can watch or listen here. Look for some additional Q & A posts, coming soon!
Why did you choose to speak on the topic of peace?
Jason Goetz – When Pastor Mike asked us to do a series, I told Jason (VanDorsten) that I had an idea for the topic. But his response really surprised me. He said, “If you don’t agree to talk about peace, I’m gonna punch you in the face.” I found that kinda ironic, but I don’t argue with guys that big.
Jason VanDorsten – Peace is something we thought would be a very relevant topic. I think we all to some degree deal with that tension of wanting peace, not having peace, wondering if Jesus is supposed to give us peace, then why don’t we have any peace, etc. I shared during week two that the topic of peace is also close to home for me in my season of life with my family – when relational peace is missing or ‘off’ between my wife and I, our whole household is affected. We can literally watch that spread to our kids – and I know I’m not alone in that. So peace has been somewhat of a recent focus the Lord has brought before my wife and I. We felt it would be both relevant and helpful to the body here at RBC.
…And for the record, I never threatened to punch Goetz in the face. Although, to be fair, I may have mentioned the word “dropkick.”
When we are told to be peacemakers, are we to be seeking peace between others and us, or between others and God, or is it a mix of both? And if it is a mix, is one more important than the other?
JVD – The “other” Jason covered that pretty well in week one, and I elaborated some in week two. Briefly, a peacemaker is to pursue peace with God, peace with the people of God and peace with all people – so in that sense, it is a mix. However, we would certainly reiterate that personal peace with God is the keystone foundation of any other peace or peacemaking – the “shalom” sense, not just the situational aspects. Simply put, we cannot bring to others what we do not possess ourselves.
Last week, after going through the beatitudes text in Matthew 5, you closed by asking the question “Should peacemakers expect persecution?” Probably to most of us reading the text, it seems to indicate the answer is yes. Is it? Can you elaborate?
JVD – Right. In week two, we looked at the sequence that unfolds in the Beatitude text – spiritual poverty, humility, mercy, hungering for righteousness, purity, making peace. We said it all sounds pretty good up to that point… but the thing that follows peacemaking in this sequence is persecution.
Matthew 5:10 – Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Apparently, that’s such a major idea that Jesus repeats it in verses 11-12- Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
So does peace divide? Should peacemakers expect persecution? Yes. And I don’t mean the general persecution that comes from living in a broken world. This is referring to specifically being persecuted because of the righteousness of God that is ours in Christ. Jesus says “persecuted for righteousness’ sake” and “on my account”.
The theme of RIGHTEOUSNESS that you see mentioned a couple times in the Beatitudes text is a big deal. Righteousness has to do with God’s perfect and just standards – righteousness, His standard of right-ness, holiness in regards to how we think, feel and act.
So if you are fulfilling your role as a peacemaker – as a son or daughter of God, carrying with you and in you the righteousness of Christ – yes, you will be persecuted, you will be opposed, it will be painful to some degree. Jesus makes it pretty clear here in Matthew 5 that this will happen. I also think of 2 Timothy 3:12 – “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Persecution of the godly – of those who have righteousness in Christ – is a given, it’s not optional.
Peacemaking implies that we are not sitting on our faith, but going out with the Gospel is wise and good and relational ways. Remember, peacemaking is active, not apathy; it is pursuit, not passivity. As we go out, it will chafe against those who don’t want to hear or respond to God’s terms for peace, which we talked about last week.
As a word nerd, I found this interesting: when Jesus says “persecuted” here in Matt. 5:10, he uses the same Greek word (dioko) Paul uses in Romans 14:16. In week two, we talked about Paul saying there that we are to “pursue” or “make every effort” to do what leads to peace. That’s the same phrase you would use with a gladiator entering the arena to fight for his life – “make every effort” to stay alive. We are to pursue peace with that kind of zeal. So Jesus is using that same word, indicating that just as we are to “make every effort” in pursuing peace, the world will likewise “make every effort” against those who bring God-glorifying, Christ-focused, cross-centered peace. This is a broken world’s reception to a biblical peacemaker.
How are we persecuted. We tend to think of the extremes – people being killed in the jungle, or the persecuted church in China, etc. But at times, persecution may be much more subtle. I think that’s probably what most of us face here in Northern Virginia – subtle persecution. We’re not likely being physically martyred or put in physical prisons up here – but I think where in other parts of the world, persecution looks like physical prisons, ours here tends to look like relational prisons. Persecution here looks different, but let me be clear that there is no less at stake. Most of the persecution I feel like I experience tends to be in the form of distraction, numbness, apathy. Our society and culture here is set up to keep us quiet, keep us entertained, keep our views to ourselves – just hush and play nicely with others. We are constantly being soaked in spiritual Novocaine. So our persecution is typically more subtle than in other parts of the world. Certainly at times, it may be more blatant and raw. But either way, we will experience persecution, and regardless of the form, there is much at stake.
Why would peacemakers be persecuted? Isn’t making peace a good thing, even by the world’s standards?
JVD – Well, I would bring up the point again that peacemaking is directly related to our identity in Christ. We don’t make peace in order to become peacemakers. We are peacemakers as sons and daughters of the living God. Making peace is inseparable from being co-heirs with Christ and living by His righteousness. There are two responses to godly righteousness being inserted into a broken world, and we can find these in John 3:19-21:
“And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
The two responses to righteousness – and thus to peacemaking – are that people will come to the light or hate the light. Remember, we are not bringing peace to neutral zones, but to war zones. As peacemakers, we come as light, and those who are not already of the light, or moving toward the light, HATE the light – that’s active resistance. They will “make every effort” against the light.
I think also of 2 Corinthians 2:15-16. We are the aroma of Christ. We smell like Jesus. To some people, we’ll smell like life, and they will be attracted. To others, we smell like death, and they will be repulsed. So it is normative that peacemakers will be persecuted, that peace will be resisted.
A gentleman stopped by my office and asked “Are you saying that peacemakers are troublemakers?” In this sense, I certainly am. If we are truly making every effort to do what leads to peace with God, with the people of God and with all men, we will be troublemakers for those who love the darkness.
Sounds weird and paradoxical, but in regards to peacemaking, you know you’re doing it right if there is opposition.
JG – I’m going to split up the question. Isn’t making peace a good thing? Yes – absolutely. Making peace with God’s people and bringing peace to the world is a great thing – from our perspective as Christ followers. Now is peace making a good thing by the world’s standard? Not necessarily. If we’re talking the Webster definition of lacking warfare, most people in the world would agree that it’s good. But if we’re talking shalom peace, the wholeness that comes from Christ, it’s going to face opposition.
The church today is facing a dilemma – which I call the “Nice Guy Dilemma”. We would prefer to look at the population of the earth as a bell-shaped curve. There are terrible people at this end (Hitler, Manson, Al Qaeda, etc.) We say they are bound for hell when they die. Then there are the Christians on the other end, and they are bound for heaven when they die. But everyone else, the majority, is in the middle and we’re not exactly sure where they’re heading. Some days it looks pretty good for them and some days it looks pretty bad – based on their actions, if they pass their holiness test. But this is not what the Scriptures say – not at all.
As Jason said, it’s black & white – literally. There are people in the Light and there are people in the Darkness. There is a single line of divide and His name is Jesus. As I tell my kids, there are two sides and you are either on one side or the other. It’s not Capture the Flag and there isn’t any No Man’s Land in the middle. Out of God’s tremendous love for His creation, His image-bearer – us – He sent His only Son to pay the penalty for our sins, to make a way for us to enter Heaven, to have peace… but we need to step over the line. Keep in mind, I started at the wrong side of that line. We all started over here.
So here’s the dilemma I referred to – we see the guy/gal in our extended family, in the office, in the neighborhood and they are really, really nice. They love there spouse, go to all the soccer games, work hard, pay their taxes. They are nice people and they appear to be peacemakers according to the world’s standard. But they are not true peacemakers, shalom-makers, according to Scripture because they are not Christ followers. As Jason so eloquently put it – this is a counterfeit shalom. But, you say, “They’re so nice and they do good things! That has to count for something.” Listen to these words from the prophet Isaiah – “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” (Isaiah 64:6). Even though he doesn’t say it, the nice guy is doing nice things …for himself. So that he feels good about himself, so that people like him, because he would like some things back, because he desires for the world to be a perfect place, etc. He does the morally right thing, but – and this is key – with the wrong motive. Nice guys don’t go to heaven. Christ followers go to heaven, and they’re called to pursue peace to glorify God. A fallen world does not want to hear that message, because they love darkness.
What if I’m a Christian and feel like I am making efforts to bring peace, but I’m not experiencing persecution?
JG – When we are Jesus followers, peacemakers, we are called to be bring peace to the world around us. So let’s just assume this is happening in many relationships simultaneously – our neighborhood, our work, our workout gym, our favorite store, etc. Now let’s narrowly look at one of those relationships to answer the question. Why are we not feeling persecution in our relationship, with say, our atheist coworker? I believe the answer is because there are seasons to the process.
If we continue on in Matt 5, Jesus lays this out for us right after the beatitudes:“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.”
Jesus tells us to be salt. What does salt do? In ancient times and today it’s used to 1.) add flavor…..make things better, and 2.) to preserve. What does light do? It illuminates the dark. We are called to make the world better, to preserve that which is going bad, and to bring light to dark places.
In one season, we may be obedient to the call. We are being salt and light. We are investing in the relationship that the Lord has put before us with this coworker. It might be early on in the relationship where we are accumulating some relational capital. It might be further along and we’re having lunch with them periodically….occasionally having some deeper conversations. We might care for them during a difficult time….ask them how they’re doing (and show them that we really want to know) when times are tough. When they’ve lost a parent, are struggling in their marriage or with their kids, had a miscarriage, are hating their job. Please don’t be the obnoxious, in-your-face Christian – beating them over the head with your 5 lb. Study Bible. Simply ask yourself – if the roles were reversed, how would I want another human being to care for me? Then love like Christ loved.
The second season comes out of this narrative as well. What I find really interesting is what Jesus says about salt and light. He talks about salt losing its saltiness. I’m not a scientist or a chemist, but I think sodium chloride is always sodium chloride and it doesn’t change its flavor – unless you chose to dilute the salt. In the same way, light is always light. It doesn’t change its brightness, unless you chose to cover it. Sometimes we chose to dilute our salt and cover our light to avoid persecution, I’m afraid they may not like me anymore.
In the third season, your atheist coworker might just be in process. You’ve laid out some truth, asked them a tough question, and they’re thinking – which is great! You are just waiting for an opportunity to love on them again. It’s not up to you to force a decision, but to simply be obedient in the situations that God gives you to share.
So there are seasons. In the first season, you’re doing exactly what you’re told and there may be some persecution. In the second season we discussed, you are diluting your salt and covering your light. You aren’t moving forward, so there isn’t any resistance – I’m a coward, I shy away. We all shy away at times. In the third season, we aren’t feeling persecution because they are in process of moving out of darkness into light. Be patient.
We need to assess whether we are diluting our salt and covering our light. If we are, we need to change. But we also need to be thankful of the opportunities the Lord gives us to be salt and light and learn to be patient and rest while someone is in process.
The Missing Peace: Overview
ONLY IN JESUS CAN WE HAVE PEACE, MAKE PEACE AND BRING PEACE.
SERIES MEDIA: WEEK 1 | WEEK 2 | WEEK 3
WEEK 1: HAVE PEACE – LISTEN OR WATCH
“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” – John 5:21
Sometimes,the Bible is just flat out confusing and it even seems to contradict itself. Take for example peace. Did Jesus come to the earth to bring peace or not? And if Jesus really was here to bring peace….why isn’t it here yet? We’d all like to have peace – in our world, in our country, in our neighborhood, in our marriage, in our home, and in our minds….but how do we get it?
A Jewish person would define peace as much, much more than the lack of fighting. They would say that it’s not just the absence of something….it’s the inclusion of many things. It’s completeness – it’s wholeness. “Shalom” is the Hebrew word that is translated into our word “peace”. We’ll define PEACE / SHALOM simply as “the way things are supposed to be”.
Jews believed that there was once true shalom in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve (Gen 1:31). This shalom was broken when Adam & Eve turned away from God and ate of the forbidden fruit (Gen 3:6). This was the first sin and the point in which sin entered the world for the first time…..breaking Shalom. Because of that sin – everything broke…..evil, war, sickness, tragedy, suffering, pain, injustice, guilt, lust, and even death – entered the world. Because of Sin —> Shalom ended (Rom 5:12)
The Jews longed for a way for Shalom to return. God had promised to send them a Messiah to His chosen people (pick your fav messianic prophesy :-). They waited for thousands of years……generation after generation….they waited. And then…..Jesus of Nazareth (John 1:41). But they weren’t sure it was the Messiah. And it sure didn’t look like it when Jesus was arrested, crucified, and buried.
But Jesus rose from the dead and appeared before his disciples and others over a 40-day period (Matt 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20). When appearing in a locked room before His disciples, the risen Jesus repeats the phrase “Peace be with you” three times (John 20:19, John 20:21, John 20:26). Just as Jesus was sent by His Father (God) bring peace, He called His disciples to to go out into the world…..to reach others….to share peace (John 20:21).
One of Jesus’ Jewish disciples, Thomas, makes a profound statement when he declares Jesus as “My Lord and My God!” (John 20:28). He acknowledges Jesus as one true Creator God of the Universe. Only God could have restored the shalom that was broken in the Garden and He needed to die on a cross to accomplish it (Luke 24: 44-47). The best way to restore shalom, to bring things back to the way they were supposed to be, was to fix the root cause by addressing the sin of man. Jesus came so that all who trust Him can have peace!
WEEK 2: MAKE PEACE – LISTEN OR WATCH
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.” – Matthew 5:9
Peacemakers are those who actively pursue God-glorifying, Christ-centered, cross-focused peace with God, with the people of God and with all men. They preserve peace where it is and bring peace where it is not.
Beware of PEACEBREAKING (Romans 16:17-18) and PEACEFAKING (Jeremiah 6:14).
THREE ARENAS IN WHICH WE ARE TO “MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO DO WHAT LEADS TO PEACE” (Romans 14:19):
- Pursue peace with God – Romans 5:1
- Pursue peace with the people of God – 1 Peter 3:8-11, Romans 12:16, Colossians 3:15
- Pursue peace with all men – Romans 12:18, Hebrews 12:14
PEACEMAKING IS MISSIONAL: John 20:19-21, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Romans 10:13-15
GOD’S TERMS FOR PEACE – THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST: Isaiah 52:7, Ephesians 2:14-17
As sons & daughters of the living God, our identity in Christ is foundational to peacemaking; we do not make peace in order to become peacemakers, rather, we make peace because it is intrinsic to our identity in Christ. As peacemakers, we are representing and emulating Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), the son of the God of Peace (Romans 15:33, Philippians 4:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:23).
Peacemaking is not ushering in the absence of pain and conflict, but rather bringing peace into places of conflict, despite the pain – whether our own or others’. If the peace we have or the peace we bring comes only from a circumstance or situation, then a situation or a circumstance can take that peace away. Therefore, have, make and bring peace that rests in the power and grace of the gospel.
WEEK 3: BRING PEACE – LISTEN OR WATCH
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:10
In bringing peace, peacemakers can expect persecution. This is not necessarily the general persecution we all experience by living in a broken world; rather, this specific persecution will be directly related to the righteousness that we have in Jesus. (Matthew 5:10-12, 2 Timothy 3:12)
There are 2 general responses to righteousness – and thus to peacemaking – being inserted into a broken world. People will come to the light or they will hate the light (John 3:19-21, 2 Corinthians 2:15-16).
Despite the promise of persecution, we are called to go out into the word and be SALT & LIGHT (Matthew 5:13-16). Salt adds flavor and acts as a preservative. Light illuminates, holds back darkness.
The most foundational step to having peace in your life is to receive the peace that only comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ, then we must circle back to that constantly.
TRAIL GUIDE: Your Father Knows
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
FIVE BY FIVE*, LESSON 1: God answers prayer.
Smart phones, satellite phones, Skype, Facebook, Twitter, text messages, LinkedIn… and on it goes. We live in the most communicative era of human history. We will go to great lengths to facilitate quick, clear, on-demand communication with whomever, whenever we want. And when we lose connectivity? Look out. We want faster and clearer communication every day and we won’t tolerate downtime or poor connections. The demand has created a telecommunications industry valued in the trillions of dollars worldwide.
With our insatiable appetite for communications, why is it that when we address prayer, communicating with our God, we have so much trouble? There are books, seminars, systems, and campaigns, and yet we struggle both in theory and in practice when it comes to communicating in prayer with our Lord. Maybe it is because we don’t know how it works. Of course, for most of us, the same could be said about our smartphones – but that doesn’t stop us from using up the minutes like there’s no tomorrow.
I think it is more likely that we struggle because, in our heart of hearts, we are depending on ourselves and our gifts and talents to carry us through. But this is an illusion, for when we stop and recognize the truth, in light of God’s Word (Romans 12:6, Deut. 8:18), it is God who gives us those abilities in the first place. “In Him we live and breathe and have our being,” so we are in utter, constant dependency on God for everything, no matter how great or small, whether we recognize it or not. Prayer is our recognition of that dependency, an expression of our trust in Him, and a key to unlocking God’s transformative power in our daily lives through close fellowship with Him. It is how we can, “with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18) and be changed forever. God’s Word is clear. Our God is a prayer-hearing, and prayer-answering God – a wonder-working God!
…Your Father knows what you need… -Matthew 6:8b
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
2 Chronicles 7:14
Matthew 6:5-15
Matthew 7:7-12
Hebrews 4:16
*What does “5 by 5” mean? In spoken communication over two-way radios, a transmitting station may request a report on the quality of signal they are broadcasting. “Five by five” means a signal that has excellent strength and perfect clarity — the most understandable signal possible.
TRAIL GUIDE: Safe, But Never the Same
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
ON BELAY, LESSON 3: Jesus saves and no one can take you from Him
“If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
This is one of the great mysteries of the Christian faith. We can find this truth foreshadowed in the events of the Old Testament and these shadows of what was to come are helpful to our understanding. Just as Noah was safe from the flood of judgment in the ark, and Israelites pursued by avengers could be safe within cities of refuge, so it is with us when we are found in Christ. Jesus welcomes us in to abide with Him where we can benefit from the price He paid for our sins. There in Christ we are covered and protected from the judgment that was ours to bear because He bore it for us.
But there is another way in which we are in Christ that adds an additional dimension and benefit to the believer. Jesus says that He is the vine and we are the branches – that when we abide in Him, we draw new life from the vine and bear good fruit. In fact, we become one with the vine. It is true that in Christ we are safe from judgment, but it is also in Christ where we die to our sins in his death and are raised again to new life with Him in his resurrection. In Him we have new life, a new way of thinking, and a new attitude towards ourselves, our sin, and our God. We are and are becoming new creatures altogether in the safe harbor of Christ. What wonderful news to communicate to our children, that in Jesus they are loved and forgiven and transformed and secure in God’s grasp. Even if we lose our grip, He won’t lose his.
Behold, I am making all things new. -Revelation 21:5a
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
2 Corinthians 5:17
2 Corinthians 3:18
Romans 6:1-4, 7:4
TRAIL GUIDE: A Solemn Declaration
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
ON BELAY, LESSON 2: Jesus saves and no one can take you from Him
What is the purpose of testimony? Testimony is the solemn declaration usually made orally or in writing by a witness either in a courtroom under oath or elsewhere. Its purpose is to provide information on which to base a decision. Our memory verse, 1 John 5:11-2, begins with these words, “And this is the testimony…” Whose testimony? God Almighty’s testimony. His testimony, or solemn declaration, is that eternal life can only be found in his Son and be had only through his Son. We have already established that God is trustworthy so we know that the testimony is true. What decision then must be made based upon this information? Why did God give us this testimony?
“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31)
This is the good news! God’s testimony is that we are sinners, separated from Him (Isaiah 59:2), that we can in no way work our way to Him but can only be reconciled to Him by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), that He made this possible through the sacrificial and substitutionary death of his Son (1 Peter 1:8), and that because his Son was raised from the dead we can be part of God’s family by receiving Jesus Christ as our Savior (John 1:12). This is God’s solemn declaration and the foundation for life eternal.
But these are written that you may believe… -John 20:31
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
John 20:31
Isaiah 59:2
Ephesians 2:8-9
1 Peter 1:8
John 1:12
TRAIL GUIDE: Daddy’s Got You
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
ON BELAY, LESSON 1: Jesus saves and no one can take you from Him
To live a truly eternal life, eternal both in quality (in God’s eternal presence and with His eternal purpose) and in duration (we will never perish), we must understand and place our confidence in God’s assurances to us. An assurance is God’s pledge, His guarantee for His children born of the Spirit through Christ. While there are experiential or subjective ways for us to get a clue as to our salvation and place in God’s family, our love for the church and the things of God (1 John 2:15, 3:14), and the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) among them, it is only God’s “testimony,” His solemn declaration through His Word, that stands as our objective proof of the assurance we have that, when we have believed and received His gift of eternal life through Christ Jesus, we are secure in his hands.
Why is it so important to know we are firmly held in the Father’s hands? From our childhood most of us can remember hearing these words, “Come on, Daddy’s got you.” If you are like me you probably associate those words with an experience like standing on the edge of a swimming pool that seemed like a bottomless sea or sitting at the top of a slide that seemed like Mount Everest. As we looked down at those outstretched arms we did some very quick calculations. What has my experience been with this person up to now? Can I trust him? If our father was a trustworthy and loving father who had shown himself to have powerful arms (at least compared to ourselves) capable of catching us, we most likely took a deep breath and jumped. Experience shows us that over time our confidence level in this person grows and makes each subsequent jump easier until finally we are flinging ourselves, carefree into his arms. When Jesus says of the Father, “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand,” He is saying, “This is my Father and, through me, your Father as well and He won’t let you fall. Jump. Daddy’s got you.” All of our other assurances in God are built upon this cornerstone. Confidence in God’s faithfulness begins here.
No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. -John 10:29b
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
John 10:28-30
1 John 5:11-12
Psalm 145:13
Hebrews 10:23
Psalm 18:2, 62:2,6-7
Jesus, Our Victory in the Forgotten War
As we’ve seen over the past six weeks during our teaching series, The Forgotten War, it is crucial that every Christ-follower understand that we are involved in constant spiritual battle that roils and rages within and without. Certainly, spiritual warfare is something we can easily over- or under-emphasize, but the importance of developing an awareness of the war cannot be understated. For me personally, The Forgotten War series has brought to mind not only the need to be aware, but also the need to be vigilant, prepared and courageous as I engage “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).
Though our enemy works tirelessly against us, our God is great – and He has not left us without provision for this forgotten war. Ephesians 6:13-18 is one of the most often-quoted passages on the theme of spiritual warfare, and gives us a description of the spiritual armor and weaponry God has made available to us:
“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints…” (Ephesians 6:13-18, ESV)
Like any good wartime tactician would, the apostle Paul walks us through the tools at our disposal here in Ephesians 6. He lays out an array of defensive and offensive options and invites us to suit up and make ready. What we should not miss, however, is that this passage is not merely about techniques or tools. There is a greater purpose behind each element of this considerable arsenal.
With a closer examination of each piece of armor, it would seem that each weapon Paul arrays before us leads us not merely to a technique, a tool, or a spiritual warfare methodology, but to a Person – the person of Jesus Christ.
- We are to fasten on a belt of truth. Certainly it goes without saying that having the truth fastened to us is vital as we resist Satan, who is “the father of lies” (John 8:44). Pontius Pilate once asked, “What is truth?” (John 18:36). While this remains a favorite question of many even in our day, Jesus has already answered this for us – He is the truth and truth comes through Him (John 1:17, 14:6).
- We are to put on a breastplate of righteousness.* We are all prone to establish our own righteousness apart from God, but Christ fulfills all that is needed – He gives it freely to those who believe (Romans 10:3-4). The only righteousness that counts is not from man, but from God’s abundant provision of grace – the gift of righteousness through Jesus (Romans 5:17).
- We are to have feet ready to carry the gospel of peace. The word “gospel” means good news, and there is no better news than the “good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.” (Acts 10:36) Because of this great gospel “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1) and thus should “be ready to do whatever is good” (Titus 3:1).
- We are to take up the shield of faith. Remember that breastplate of righteousness? It goes hand-in-hand, as it were, with this shield of faith. Righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (Romans 3:22). Because of the gift of our faith in Jesus, we are shielded by God’s own power (1 Peter 1:3-5). Our faith comes from Jesus who is also perfecting it in us (Hebrews 12:2). And when our faith fails, the faithfulness of our Lord remains a shield around us (Psalm 91:4).
- We are to take the helmet of salvation.* Salvation is “in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12) Salvation is found in Christ alone.
- We are to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. This is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, which Jesus asked His Father to send as an advocate for us, as a comforter and counselor (John 14:16-17, 26). This is the Spirit that reveals God and the deep things about God to us (1 Corinthians 2:10-11) and gives us the very mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:12-16). Indeed, this Spirit is our Lord (2 Corinthians 3:17) and is eternally inseparable from the word of God, the word that “became flesh and made his dwelling among us … the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
No single element of this arsenal is an end unto itself. Each piece points us directly to Jesus. A belt, a breastplate, a shield, a helmet, a sword – each piece is a parable, imploring us not to trust in the instruments themselves to win the battle – as those who might trust in horses or chariots (Psalm 20:7) – but to trust in Christ, who is mighty to save and who secures our victory.
It is only through our relationship with Jesus Christ that we can engage in such a battle. Apart from Jesus, we would have no knowledge, ability, authority or power to think rightly about spiritual warfare, much less engage in it. It is only in Jesus’ Name, only by His presence in us, with us, and through us that brings us any victory in this forgotten war. The victory is ours, because it is His.
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* It is interesting to note that in Isaiah 59, the Lord God enters battle against His enemies, who have separated themselves from Him by their sin. That’s us. And as He went forth, “He put on righteousness as his breastplate,and the helmet of salvation on his head” (Isaiah 59:17). It is incredible that now, because of Christ, He makes these available to us. God gives us His own “armor” as we do battle as adopted heirs, sons and daughters of the Most High God, co-heirs with Christ.
New Elder Candidates
Reston Bible Church is governed by a council of elders, consisting of some of our pastors and other biblically-qualified men who are volunteers. It is my pleasure to put three names into nomination for your prayerful consideration and feedback. They are Pete Ferrara, Jeff Lawler, and Brian Stegeman. You’ll find pictures and a brief bio of each candidate here. Over the last 12 months, they have all completed a thorough process examining their spiritual qualifications and calling.
Biblical eldership is absolutely critical to the spiritual growth of the body of Christ. Listen carefully to what the apostle Paul tells Titus around 65 A.D.:
“This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” (Titus 1:5-9)
There are two things I’d like you to notice here. First, there is relatively little mention of a an elders talent in Titus 1 or in 1 Timothy 3 (the other passage that lists qualifications for this office.) Instead, these qualifications are about godly character, being able to lead in a way that is pleasing to God. Secondly, notice the importance of the knowledge of God’s Word, so that they can teach sound doctrine and just as importantly, refute false doctrine.
Now a word about the selection process. These men were chosen from a list created by the pastors, staff and elders of our church. They then completed a study of all relevant passages regarding eldership in the Bible. Then they began to meet with the elders at our regularly scheduled meetings, where they participated but they didn’t vote on the agenda items. This was a year long, two-way process for them to determine if they felt called to this ministry and for our current elders to agree to issue that call.
They have and we have, and now all of you have a part to play. We will mention Brian, Pete and Jeff’s names this week and for the next two weeks. We are looking for feedback from the congregation about these men. Please give us positive feedback, if you have observed their good character or their ministry among us. Conversely, if you have observed anything in these men’s lives that concerns you, we would like to know that as well.
You may give us feedback in direct conversation or you may email the elders. We take the appointment of new elders seriously as one of their functions is to guard the doctrine of the church, which is to say, to guard the truth about Jesus Christ and His church. Again, you can find pictures and a brief bio of each candidate here. Please be in prayer for each of them, and we would love to hear from you regarding their candidacy for the elder council of Reston Bible Church.
VIDEO: Whom Shall I Fear
As we prepare to close out our series on The Forgotten War, it’s plain to see that our takeaway centers around the pure truth of the Word of God and our obedience to Christ. We are in a constant struggle between the war of two kingdoms – the Kingdom of Darkness and the Kingdom of Light. We must see this conflict through the eyes of Scripture in order to engage as children of the Kingdom of Light. Satan’s tactics follow the same pattern nearly every time; a combination of doubt, direct contradictions of the Word of God, and half-truths. He works diligently to set up strongholds of shame, keeping us captive in hopelessness.
But there is hope. And He is God. He crushes the enemy under our feet. He is our sword and shield in times of trouble. Who is left to fear? We know who goes before us. We know who stands behind us. He is the God of Angel Armies And He is by our side, reigning forever.
You are my morning song
Though darkness fills the night
It cannot hide the light
Whom shall I fear
Underneath my feet
You are my Sword and Shield
Though trouble lingers still
Whom shall I fearI know Who goes before me
I know Who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always on my side
The One who reigns forever
He is a Friend of mine
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side
My strength is in Your name
For You alone can save
You will deliver me
Yours is the victory
I know Who goes before me
I know Who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always on my side
The One who reigns forever
He is a Friend of mine
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
And nothing formed against me shall stand
You hold the whole world in Your hands
I’m holding onto Your promises
You are faithful
You are faithful
You are faithful
The God of angel armies is always by my side
Questions in Tragedy
The nation again has had its soul pierced with yet another massacre. This did not take place in on the battlefield of Afghanistan nor was it the result of a back-alley drug deal gone bad. It took place in an obscure town in Connecticut, where a gunman opened fire in an elementary school. Two questions always surface in the aftermath of such blatant evil.
“Why does this keep happening in the most sophisticated nation on earth?”
“Why does God allow such things to happen?”
The answer to the first question is easy. The answer to the second is not easy.
Why does this keep happening in the most sophisticated nation on earth? People do such evil deeds because the Scriptures tell us the “The heart is incurably wicked…..” (Jer.17:9). Simply put, it is impossible for man to police his own behavior. God has established human government to be a deterrent to evil, but it will never be perfectly effective in this task. When human beings in any society vote to have total moral freedom, that society will see an increase in violent behavior. There is a subtle irony in that unrestricted freedom eventually leads to bondage. True freedom is only found when we stay within the bounds of God’s moral will.
When a nation heads down this path of unrestricted freedom, it tends to turn a blind eye to the real issue. It will point to having more security or better-educated people or more legislation regarding gun control to the table. But if anyone brings up abortion, pornography, violence in movies, lyrics, and video games, or the absence of absolute truth (all of which contribute to devaluing human life) then prepare yourself for battle. These will be seen as a threat to one’s moral freedom.
To be sure, the church is in no position to point its self-righteous moral finger at the world. Perhaps the finger needs to be pointed more at the church than at society since we are called to be the salt and light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). There is enough blame for everyone to have a sizable piece of the pie. Are we living a life that is void of hypocrisy?
So why does God allow such things to happen? This is a much bigger question and far more difficult to answer. In fact, the writers of Scripture often asked the same question. We know God is all-powerful and hates evil. Yet it is clear He allows it to have a foothold in every nation. God gives hints to an answer, but never fully reveals His feelings on this matter of lingering evil. Here are a few Scriptures to meditate on:
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever….” (Deut. 29:29)
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” (Isa. 55:8)
“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then, face to face…” (1Cor. 13:12)
I think perhaps the most revealing response is found in John’s gospel, where Jesus and Pilot are in dialogue. Jesus answers Pilot with these words “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I would not be delivered to the Jews…”
His point seems to be that as long as His Kingdom has not fully come, then by default, Satan’s kingdom reigns to the degree that God allows it. This does not answer all the questions surrounding the subject of evil, but in the end, we must trust Him to have reasons far beyond our present comprehension. And to be sure, our lack of understanding does not negate our duty or privilege to pray for those dear people who lost their children in this most recent tragedy.
~ Pastor Mike