"Unplanned"

            Unplanned is a recently released film derived from Abby Johnson’s memoir Unplanned. Earlier this week we went to see it with several others from PCC. I was not sure what to expect of the movie, but I knew the basics. Johnson was the director for a Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas, who resigned her position. After resignation she became an advocate for the unborn, and she began a ministry to assist abortion clinic workers to leave their jobs. Her resignation was met with fierce opposition from Planned Parenthood, who sued Johnson and her pro-life friends.

             The film does an excellent job of telling Abby Johnson’s story, yet it was the information that was new to me that gripped my heart. The movie didn’t attempt to hide any of Abby’s sins, nor did it hide the grittiness of abortion procedures. Here are a few takeaways:

• Abby had two abortions, and was honest about her experiences that are portrayed clearly in the film. Also, in the days leading up to her resignation from Planned Parenthood a few things key things occurred. For the first time, she assisted in an abortion. She saw the live ultra sound picture of the fetus, and watched as the fetus was sucked out of the uterus. This was horrifying! And it seemed to be what motivated her to resign. Later, the film shows that she pulled her own file so that she could see the ultrasound picture of one of her babies that was aborted. These are important segments of the film, they capture the essence of her and her fetus’ humanity, victimization, and the pain of abortion.

• Planned Parenthood may be the most corrupt organization in America. What I learned is troubling. They manipulate young women to agree to abortions. They are motivated by the love of money. They tell many lies to people. They take ultra sound photos of their patient’s unborn babies to get a measurement for the price of the abortion, but they do not show the photo to the woman for fear that she will change her mind to save her baby. I used to think that Planned Parenthood was just a bad organization, but now I’m convinced that the devil has much power over them, they destroy unborn babies. And he is a he thief who “comes only to steal and kill and destroy,” but Jesus came to give life (John 10:10).

• Although some of the protestors at the clinic in the movie expressed attitudes of harshness, the Christians portrayed in the movie were people of love, kindness, and peace. It struck me that people are often attracted to truth by the love and hospitality of a Christian, not a hateful attitude. This was the case for Abby. Although I do not know if Abby is born again, she definitely had a change of heart regarding abortion. She came to this much truth because people were praying and people were gently informing her of the truth of abortion.

• God will forgive all sin, including abortion. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the means for God’s forgiveness, but a person must possess genuine faith in Christ and His Gospel to be forgiven. So as we preach the gospel remember that the Gospel is the answer to abortion, and it offers God’s mercy to all, even abortion doctors. “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1).

• Lastly, the film received an R rating from MPAA. But I agree with the film’s maker who said it is PG-13. There is a scene in the movie depicting an abortion that is difficult to view. And, there is some salty language in the movie, so if you’re going to view it with your kids please be aware.

Reasons Why I Love the Church

To be sure, this post is revised from an earlier one I wrote a couple years ago. My hope is that it will be as encouraging to you who are reading it today as it was then. The truth remains the same for all times, generations, and cultures.

Reason #1: Jesus loved the church. I am not Jesus, neither are you, but being called by him means we must be like him. His passion for his bride brought him to death. We ought to prize his beloved church above any program, ministry, school, family, or institution.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless” (Eph 5:25-27).

Reason #2: The church began with the Apostles but it didn’t end with them. We long for connections that extend beyond our current network of friends, family, and tradition. We want an ancient one. One reason family genealogies are so popular is because most people long for roots. Christians have deep roots, our history began in chapter one of Acts and continues on through 28 chapters of Acts, and right up to today. There are no new questions, nor are their new answers. We look to an ancient book (the Scripture) for answers. And if we are still curious, there is nearly 2,000 years of historical theology to help us learn how the church taught the Scriptures in years past.

Mike Horton says that “The church was born in doctrinal debate. It fought its way to dominance through centuries of arguments over doctrinal detail. The Reformation was a controversy between two different gospels.”^[1] Today marks a terrific vantage point for the church. There is no actual reason for heresy, accurate theology was worked out in history. For starters, we believe the Bible is a genuine book that came from God. The church has taught this since its inception nearly 2,000 years ago. Who are we to think that the Apostles got it wrong?

Reason #3: The church is full of people who can help. I long to learn more, to be better equipped to serve Christ. I want genuine answers to my questions about God, and I want to mature in Christ with other Christ-followers, and I hope you do as well. If so, there is good news, the church exists to help, to build you up.

“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:11-13).

Reason #4: The church is commanded by its God to love everyone. Of all the groups of people in the world the local church ought to be the safest and most caring environment. God’s people are called to unconditionally love one another, and God calls the church to love those that no one else will love and to expect nothing in return (no strings attached). We love because our Lord is glorified when we do so, and we want to show the world his love.

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” (Rom 12:10-11).

“Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law” (Rom 13:8).

Are you convinced? I hope so. Let’s remember that the church is not a building, a program, or a denomination. We are not scary either. We are God’s people, whom Christ has redeemed and prized as his own. If you don’t love it already, begin to cultivate a love for the church.

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^[1] http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var1=ArtRead&var2=670&var3=main

PCC Church Member Responsibilities

The Bible describes the church as brothers and sisters who must “be devoted to one another in brotherly love” (Rom 12:10a). We are to be together each Sunday, during midweek gatherings, and with fellow members as we’re invited to a home or to coffee. God says we are to be “rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, . . . [and] practicing hospitality” together (Rom 12:12-13). Church membership is like marriage. With marriage comes responsibilities to a spouse, to your children, and to your spouses’ family. To this end our constitution gives us several responsibilities that we have toward one another as the members of PCC. It says:

The members shall be responsible to the authority (Hebrews 13:17), maintain fellowship (1 John 1:6-7), maintain the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3), esteem others better than themselves (Philippians 2:3), be constant in prayer (Romans 12:12), serve one another (Galatians 5:13), contribute to the needs of the saints (Romans 12:13), assume financial responsibility for the ministry of the church according to one’s ability (2 Corinthians 8:3-4), and be willing workers (1 Peter 4:10). Reconciliation between members will be encouraged in accordance with 1 Corinthians 6:1-4, and Matthew 18:15, 17 and with cognizance of Romans 14:19.

1.     The members shall be responsible to the authority. Hebrews 13:17 says “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.” We follow our pastor and elders, they lead, we follow. Even I, though I am an elder-pastor, am submitted to our elders.

2.     Maintain fellowship. 1 John 1:6-7 says “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” Hidden sin blocks fellowship with God and with each other. Confess and repent of your sins.

3.     Maintain the unity of the Spirit. Ephesians 4:3 says “being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Do nothing that would cause division. Do not put others down. Do not grumble to other members, but do everything to maintain our oneness as Christ’s body. 

4.     Esteem others better than themselves. Philippians 2:3 says “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.” In everything put other church members before and above yourself. 

5.     Be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12c says “devoted to prayer.” Pray for the spiritual growth and renewal for every church member, constantly. 

6.     Serve one another. Galatians 5:13 says “but through love serve one another.” 

7.     Contribute to the needs of the saints. Romans 12:13 says “contributing to the needs of the saints.” If you see a brother or sister who needs anything give them what they need. 

8.     Assume financial responsibility for the ministry of the church according to one’s ability. 2 Corinthians 8:3-4 says “For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints.” Give to PCC regularly, sacrificially, and according to your ability. Figure out the percentage of your income that you are able to give to the church, and give regularly (weekly or monthly). If you have not worked this out, talk it over with your spouse, and make a decision. God expects us to give to our church, if we can. 

9.     Be willing workers. 1 Peter 4:10 says “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Our church has so many needs that go unmet. Consider helping in the nursery. Consider helping the men with various projects. Consider providing meals to church members, or working in the kitchen for a potluck. 

10.  Reconciliation. Matthew 18:15, 17 says “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.” We all are sinners, we all sin against one another, so we all need to perfect the process of reconciliation. If one has offended you or sinned against you, go talk to him or her. If it isn’t resolved, call me, or another church member to help you work it out. We must resolve our issues with one another. Church membership is a lot like marriage, divorce should not be an option, nor should leaving the church over unresolved sins and offenses.

God’s Word outlines many responsibilities for us. The church will take one day per week of your life, the Lord’s Day. Use these biblical responsibilities to direct your expectations of one another, and your ideas about church. Let’s link arms together to worship and serve Jesus Christ, we’re a family.

The Better Country

Only time will tell what legacy the 2016 election will leave behind for our nation, but there is already one lesson we Christians can learn from it today: Politics does not exist to inspire divine hope. Dearest Christian, you must remember that we are resident aliens in this country, our citizenship is in heaven. We live today as strangers waiting to go home to our eternal country with King Jesus.

The book of Hebrews reminds us of our eternal country that we will possess if we stick with Jesus, our only hope. The original readers of Hebrews were struggling to keep believing in Jesus. They were tempted to leave the gospel to go back to their old Jewish religion. The author of Hebrews argues that the old Jewish religion is obsolete because it pointed them forward to Christ. However, many believers died during those old covenant times before Christ came. They were people like Abraham and Joseph, who both died before inheriting all of God's promises. But they died in faith, looking forward to the hope coming in Jesus and ultimately in their heavenly country. The author writes:

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on the earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:13-16 NIV). 

Our hope for a sinless nation or at least one where all its citizens are Christians will only be fully realized when God's Son returns for us, and takes us to the place he has prepared for us. So for now we can only see these things from a distance; we can't clearly see it yet with our eyes. But we do see something, don't we? Each Sunday when we are gathered to hear God's Word and to worship him, we see a glimpse of the better country, the eternal one that will come. We gather as one body, focused on our God, worshiping our God in unison. It is a glorious glimpse of what is to come. 

The coming eternal nation will not gain power through an election cycle, but through Jesus' second coming. Its citizens won't disagree over sinful issues like abortion, rather its citizens will please God in obedience from the heart. This perfect city will be visibly ruled by our Messiah, who will rule with pure justice, love, and all power. This hope will soon call us away from our temporary residence and unto a better citizenship, and eternal country where God will be our God and our King and we will be with all his people, one Christian family and country.

"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 3:20).

Why Do You Look for the Living among the Dead?

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead” (Luke 24:1-5, NIV)?

Words like “conclusion” and “irreversible” enter my mind upon a person’s death. The gravity of death pulls us to think it is final. However, for Christians the grave is not final; it is more like the beginning. Jesus’ death was terminated with new life. “He is not here; he has risen” (Luke 24:6a). Jesus’ death was the beginning of new life for everyone who had followed and would follow him.

Hours after his death, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary (Luke 24:10) went to the place where Jesus was buried. What do you suppose they were expecting? They expected see his body lying still, grayish, cold, wounded, and without life. They were not happy. Death drains joy from the living; there is no hiding that. Neither euphemizing death as some generic passing nor renaming the funeral service that commemorates it as some generic celebration of life does not fix death’s joyless and cold sting. Death is hell, and Jesus’ mother and her friends were experiencing it. That is, until they stumbled upon evidence of life permeating Jesus’ former grave.

Nothing brightens a day like life. Holding a new baby automatically makes me smile. Also, the joy that comes when God saves a sinner is unavoidable. The church rejoices in new life and new salvation!

In the same way, the mourning women who expected to embalm Jesus’ body were jolted with joy upon hearing this question, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Like in any mystery their curiosity was overwhelming, Jesus’ body was gone. They probably figured someone stole his body. After all, that was the logical conclusion, but then they heard that question:

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?” The Son of Man, Jesus, is alive. Death could not hold him. Just as he taught his disciples, so it was (Luke 24:6-9). Joy crowds out the darkness of hell with this question.

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?” There is hope for every Christian. We who are in Christ will not die forever, just as Jesus didn’t die forever. We will be resurrected, just as Jesus was resurrected. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25).

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Stop thinking that death is the conclusion. In Christ, death is reversed. For just as Jesus arose from the ashes of death, so does the church at his return.

And when he returns, perhaps it will be asked of those who look for us at our graves, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”

How Many Times Can You Forgive Somone?

Showing others mercy as God has shown mercy to you is a visible mark of genuine conversion. In this article I deal with Peter's question to Jesus about mercy in Matthew 18:21-22. My post can be viewed over at Western Seminary's blog, Transformed. To view my article click here.

Enjoy Him Forever

Has Christianity become a chore? For a lot of men it has. In most churches the number of women is greater than the number of men. It appears that Christianity or church is just another chore for many men. This was my attitude for a season. I worked a lot of Sundays because there was work that needed to be done on the ranch. My attitude didn’t change quickly. For a time, shooting trap and bird hunting was more important than Christianity. Those activities brought me joy. Unfortunately my heart toward God was cold. Christianity became a chore without much joy. 

I’m writing this from our couch where I’m ill, but I’m grateful for this illness because in it I’m reminded to enjoy God. Perhaps one of the reasons God takes our physical strength away is to remind us to enjoy him. Enjoying God is the best we can do in situations like this, and may be the only thing we are able to do. I didn’t have the strength to preach last Sunday, and haven’t felt well enough to leave my house. However, I can enjoy God by singing to him, praying for you, reading my Bible, and meditating upon his wondrous grace and faithfulness.

As a church, have we forgotten to enjoy God? Think about the first line of the Westminster Shorter Catechism: “What is the chief end of man? Answer: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” Glorifying God is not complete without enjoying him. Remember Lazarus’s sister Mary? She enjoyed God, but Martha was too busy for Jesus. 

Jesus entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he said. But Martha was distracted with all the preparations she had to make, so she came up to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42, NET). 

Mary chose to enjoy Jesus instead of the chores, and she made the best choice. Who do you think made the best choice? Was it Martha who was busy working, or was it Mary? Mary wasn’t afraid of Martha, the Lord had walked into her house and she was going to savor each moment. Perhaps the better question is, why isn’t Martha enjoying Jesus with Mary? And why don’t we enjoy Jesus like Mary did?

Philippians 4:4 reads “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” Paul wrote that with enthusiasm because he had learned how to enjoy God in every circumstance. And now he tells the Philippians, and us, to always rejoice in the Lord. Enjoy God in your poverty, or in your wealth. Enjoy God in your sickness, or in your health. We must learn to enjoy God at all times without letting circumstances get in the way. Martha allowed kitchen work to pull her away from joy in Christ. You may allow your job to pull you away. Whatever it is that is pulling you away from enjoying God at home, and with your church family, set it aside and come back to Jesus. 

As we begin 2016 we could start a new list of chores, but all that matters is Jesus. If you make a list, put Jesus at #1. Determine to enjoy him every day of your life in 2016, enjoy him by hearing his word read, preached, and taught. Enjoy him as you pray to him. Enjoy him as you worship him at home and with our church family. Enjoy him when we take communion. Enjoy him as you care for your children or your grandchildren. Set aside time each day to spend with Jesus, to read and to pray. Then the next day, do it all over again.