The Power of Biblical Hope

Posted on December 3, 2012 by jeff warren

When we think of “hope”, we generally are not thinking of biblical hope. We have all “hoped” for things that did not happen or that we did not receive. That is not biblical hope. Biblical hope is not wishful thinking. Biblical hope is living in the confidence of a past event, a present reality, and a future certainty. It is full confidence in the finished work of Christ on the Cross, the sovereign work of God in my life right now, and the certainty of His promised future. Like our salvation, there are past, present, and future dimensions of hope. Biblical hope is a bold and certain expectation that God will do what He says He will do. So like faith, hope has this maddening quality of the unseen- the yet to be. It has a future orientation. It’s why Paul says-

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope (present) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (past), to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, & unfading, kept in heaven for you. (future)” 1 Peter 1:3-4

This Christmas remember that your hope & my hope is not dependent possessions, or material things, but on a Person. We need to continually remind each other of our glorious future ahead. It changes everything. My Christmas prayer for you:

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

Where does hope come from?

Hope comes from the “God of hope” so you must come to Him to receive it. Ephesians 2:12 says, “..you were.. separated from Christ.. and strangers to the covenants of promise, having NO HOPE & without God in the world.” Hope comes from the Lord. There is no HOPE apart from Him, because apart from Him it does not exist. You must come to Him to get it. Are you?

How do you get hope?

1. By believing patiently. It says, “in believing”. “And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this HOPE we were saved. Now HOPE that is seen is not hope. For who HOPES for what they already have? But if we HOPE for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:23-25

2. By obeying the Word. Rom. 15:4 “through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have HOPE.” You must be in the Word. God’s Word gives hope.

3. By the power of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us …” His Spirit in us gives hope. N.T. Wright says, “The Spirit is given to us to begin the work of making God’s future real in the present.”

What does hope look like? What are the marks of hope? Notice too that the Bible describes this hope, not as simply “hanging on” but that we “ABOUND in hope” it is described as a “living hope”- a vibrant, dynamic, vigorous hope! SO..

Hope results in a life filled with joy and peace.

“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold.” 2 Corinthians 3:12 God’s hope brings great confidence to us! Are you living in hope? Do you live every day filled with hope? Would others describe you as having a confident and constant future orientation? Friend, if you are a follower of Jesus remember, “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” 1 Corinthians 15:19

“Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in HOPE of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:2-5
“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Psalm 34:18
Come to Jesus. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred (delayed, postponed) makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” Don’t wait. Don’t go another day without living in His hope. And remember hope is from God alone. Hope has come to us. Hope has a name and His name is Jesus.

Finding Freedom from Religion

Posted on July 4, 2012 by jeff warren

More than 70 years President Roosevelt gave his famous “Four Freedoms” speech in which he upheld the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. As we reflect on our freedom as Americans, every follower of Jesus should also reflect on the freedom we have in Christ.
If freedom of religion is one of life’s great freedoms, I would suggest that freedom from religion is much more significant and costly freedom. In fact, it was the apostle Paul who described religion when he referenced “the law” in the Book of Galatians. Any structure, belief, ritual, moral behavior, or action by which we seek to achieve a right standing before God (through human effort) is “religion”. Ironically, many religious people are living in bondage. When we truly understand the difference between religion and biblical Christianity, it impacts everything about our relationship with God. Then, and only then, is true freedom found.
In Galatians 3:1-14 Paul uses the strongest terms possible in exhorting believers to go back to the Gospel as the one and only basis for their Christian lives. The essence of the Christian life is the Gospel. It is what Christ has done on the cross. But this is not only a means toward salvation, it is the means toward our sanctification, the motivation for our obedience, and the power to live our lives in Christ.
It may sound strange to some, but Christ came to set us free from religion. 2,000 years ago God sent His Son to rebel against a religion that He, Himself, began. And by “religion” I do not mean “Church”. The Church is the Body of Christ- the “living out” of our faith is a community project- we do it together AS the Body of Christ. But it all starts as we stop trying to gain God’s approval through our own efforts, give up, and admit our need for a Savior, confess our sin and our inability to set ourselves free.. then, we can escape the bondage of our sin. Jesus said…
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36 What did Jesus really mean? Paul answers the question in Galatians. His battle cry is the same as the great reformers of the 1500’s. During the Reformation, the most dramatic shift in Christian history, many protested against the Catholic Church- at the time- with its works-based, religious add-ons to what Christ has done. From these protestors or “protestants”- came many groups forging their own way with the Bible alone as their guide. In fact, a brief history lesson and a look at the theology of the reformers will be helpful for our study of this 3rd chapter. In fact, it was the book of Galatians (along with the book of Romans) that most influenced Martin Luther to post his 95 theses (complaints) on the door of the Wittenburg Church- that sparked the Reformation- protesting the religion of his day. So, quickly…
The 5 Pillars of the Reformation “Solo, soli, sola”, are all Latin for, “alone/only”
1. ‘Sola Scriptura’ – By Scripture Alone
2. ‘Sola Gratia’ – By Grace Alone
3. ‘Solus Christus’ – By Christ Alone
4. ‘Sola Fide’ – By Faith Alone
5. ‘Soli Deo Gloria’ – Glory To God Alone
The Book of Galatians focuses on numbers 2 through 4 in particular- “By GRACE through FAITH” alone we are justified, we are sanctified, and we will be glorified. From start to finish it is faith in the finished work of Christ (not religion or “works of the law”).
By Grace Alone
I want you to examine your heart- to see if you have truly been set free in Christ. AND all of us need some freeing- None of us have arrived.. nor will we. I want you to ask yourself a series of questions and do a kind of self-examination (a Holy Spirit investigation). With each point below, ask yourself: How do I know if I think and live this way?) DO YOU FOCUS ON:
• Christ’s sacrifice or the Law? (vs. 1-2) Do you live your Christian life on the basis of works or by faith? And here’s what most of us miss: The demand of the Law is perfection. The fallacy of the “What Would Jesus Do?” question is this: Jesus would do it perfectly. And that’s game over for us. The Father is not grooming you to be the replacement for His Son. He is calling us to give up, fall on our knees, and believe that there is shelter through faith in His Son. Do you rest in Christ’s fulfillment of the law and His sacrifice OR do you strive and work to become pleasing to God? It will never happen- not through your works! And this not bad news, this is Good News. Is your life one big “thank you” or are you constantly driven to gain God’s approval? Are you motivated by fear or out of gratitude? Are you striving to win God’s approval or do you rest and revel in the fact that you already have it?
• God’s Spirit or human effort? (vs. 3) Having received Christ’s Spirit at salvation, are you now turning away from the Spirit- (the only power to transform you) and going back to your religious ways (thinking that a modification of your behavior will transform your heart?) This is crazy! Are you trying to let Moses finish what Christ has begun? Do you strive to “do the right thing” in your own power or do you constantly go back to the liberating truth of the Gospel -that it is God’s Spirit changes you, not your efforts. Do you pray for His power to move in your life or do simply try harder day in and day out? Are you constantly measuring your performance before God or comparing yourself to others? Are you quick to judge? These are signs you’re focused on human effort, not the Spirit. Are you obsessed with thoughts about your performance or are you obsessed with the Gospel? Because it is the Gospel that is our motivation for obedience. ARE you focused on:
• Your faith or your works? (vs. 5-9) Do you live by faith or by works?
Most of us live by works because that puts us in control. The law (or works) puts everything on us- and the truth is, we like that. Because we like to keep score. Faith takes us out of the picture and puts everything on God. Faith makes all of my works and human effort as no consequence and I can no longer keep score- I can’t come before God or others and say, “Look what I’ve done, look how righteous, how kind, how religious I am.” Faith puts us all on the same level so that we cannot boast about how we’re on some higher plane than others. It’s faith FIRST and it’s faith LAST. Faith in what? Faith in Christ- who is and what He’s done for us. Many Christians start out with a simple, focused faith- relying fully on the grace of Christ, but they desert the purity of the Gospel and enter into legalism and works. Here’s a profound truth: It is possible to avoid Jesus as Savior as much by keeping all the biblical rules as by breaking them. Paul says- that kind of life leads to- not a blessing, but a curse.
• A blessing or a curse? (vs. 10-14) Again, the demand of the Law is
perfection. If you’re going to keep any of the law, you must keep ALL of the law. “What Would Jesus Do?” Here is the costly answer: Jesus would do it all perfectly. And that’s game over for you. The Father is not grooming you to be a replacement for his Beloved Son. He is announcing that there is blessing for those who take shelter in his Beloved Son. because “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23) and the “wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). So if you want to measure yourself by the law- you’re under a curse! You’ll never be blessed. In 2 Cor. 1:22, Paul says that God has “set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
Are you living as one blessed? If so, you seek to be a blessing to others. Then in verses 15-22 Paul argues that in every day life people make binding agreements that cannot be nullified just as the covenant was originally given to Abraham. But THEN came the law (after the covenantal promise) to show us that we are prisoners to sin. But the promise of salvation and freedom have finally come to us through Christ- making us sons and daughters of God- not prisoners.
“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” 2 Cor. 1:21-22
• A child or a prisoner? (vs. 23-25) The law has become a “tutor”. The Greek word is “pedagogos”- a “child-conductor” or “moral teacher”, a strict disciplinarian” who would train boys (6-16 years old)- a kind of moral guidance counselor- often through harsh methods if they felt it was necessary. The law was a temporary, often harsh, disciplinarian, given to us so that we might see that we cannot measure up to the high and holy demands of God. Christ came to live the perfect life and fulfill the holy requirements of the law (so we wouldn’t have to) and he died on the cross for our sin (because we could not). It is by grace through faith that we are saved. Grace is the most expensive free gift you’ll ever receive.
Joy is found, not in obedience to God’s law, but in surrender to His love. The Gospel frees us from this pressure to perform, this slavish demand to “become”. The liberating declaration of the Gospel is that, in Christ, we already ARE. Here’s the freedom of the Gospel of grace- IF you are a Christian, here’s the Good News: Who you really are has nothing to do with YOU- how much you accomplish, who you become, your behavior (good or bad), your strengths or your weaknesses, your sordid past, family background, your education, your looks, and on and on.. Your identity is firmly anchored in Christ’s accomplishment, not yours, His strength, not yours; His performance, not yours; His victory, not yours. Your identity is steadfastly established in His substitution, not your sin. The Gospel doesn’t just free you from what other people think about you; it frees you from what you think about yourself.
Now you can spend your life giving up your place for others instead of guarding it- because your identity is in Christ, not in your “place”… I am now content with the back of the line, the last place, the role of a servant, you and I can GIVE freely.. because our identity is not found in what we possess.. and all of this is because of Christ’s finished work declared to us in the Gospel. So the final question-focus on
• Religion or relationship?
Is your life defined by your religious activity or by your relationship with Jesus Christ? And how would you know? Simple really. What do you think about? Where do you spend your time? Do you seek HIM daily or more activity? Do you focus on what Christ has done or what you must do? Are you experiencing a vibrant relationship with Christ or are you just trying to live a religious life?

Two challenges: One is to those of you who have never realized that true Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with God- through Jesus Christ. The second challenge is to a group that I call the “religious Christian group”- and before you think that you’re not in this group, most of us are. The religious Christian and the grace-filled disciple live very different lives.

• The religious Christian loves a routine; a grace-filled disciple longs for mission.
• The religious Christian knows the letter of the law; a grace-filled disciple lives the spirit of the law.
• The religious Christian loves tradition; a grace-filled disciple loves a challenge.
• The religious Christian is satisfied with ritual; a grace-filled disciple thrives in mystery.
• The religious Christian desires stability and certainty; a grace-filled disciple seeks a life with Jesus filled with risk and adventure.

How do you want to live your life? In a religion or a relationship?

And the Angels were Silent – Saturday in the tomb

Posted on April 7, 2012 by jeff warren

“He put Jesus’ body in a new tomb that he had cut out of rock, and he rolled a very large stone to block the entrance of the tomb.” Matthew 27:60

How quiet it is on Saturday before Easter. How sad it is. How despairing it must have been for those who had seen their teacher, their friend, and their hope die right before them. All of creation held its breath to see what would happen next. All of heaven peered toward earth to see how we would respond. And God didn’t move. Not one word; not even a sign. Have you ever been there? You had great expectations that God was up to something big, something life changing, and then…nothing. Have you ever put all of your hopes in a person or in yourself, only to see them come crashing down before you? Then you know how the disciples must have felt.

They had all run away scared. They couldn’t believe it. Their leader, their master was dead. He was really dead! It was all over. No hope, nowhere to turn, no plans. On Saturday all they could do was run for their lives and hide out hoping no one would find them. Do you ever think God is silent? Do you ever pray thinking it doesn’t get past the ceiling? Let Easter Saturday serve as a lesson for every day of the year. God may seem to be silent, but in reality, He’s about to bring about His greatest work! If you ever wonder if He’s at work on your behalf, ponder the difference between Saturday and Sunday. Remember, God may seem slow, but He’s never late.

Pray: Lord, I confess I have not trusted You in Your silence. I want You to work in my time and in ways that don’t require a lot of waiting and wondering. I realize that when You are silent is when You will soon show your greatest work. And when You are silent, I can show my greatest faith and trust in You.

Praying the Seven Last Words of Christ

Posted on April 4, 2012 by jeff warren

I love this. In keeping with a series of messages I’ve been preaching at PCBC, I want you to see this post by Mark Wilson. Meditate on it. What a way to pray. Beautiful.

It is significant that Jesus prayed from the cross. Here he was, experiencing the worst torture a human being can endure, and through it all – he prayed.
Most of us, in that moment of anguish, would succumb to the suffering, and our prayers would be diminished to one word: “Help!” Looking back upon the worst moments of my life, I’d have to say “Help!” is the most sincere prayer I’ve ever uttered. Yet, Jesus went beyond a prayer for help at Golgotha. His prayers from the cross reveal the intensity of his pain – yet, a deep love pouring from his heart. Instead of being consumed with himself, he turned his focus to God and others. The old adage states, “We all have our cross to bear.” In our moments of anguish, we can look to Jesus, and see how he responded in his darkest valley. A review of Good Friday events shows that Jesus did three things:

1) He pressed into prayer.
2) He poured out love.
3) He surrendered all to God.

What an example for us! In deep sorrow and suffering, we, too, can press into prayer, pour out love, and surrender all to God.

The prayers of Christ from the cross serve as an excellent model for our praying during this Holy Week:

1) Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. (Luke 23:34)
Are you holding bitterness and resentment in your heart? Who has wronged you? Are you struggling to forgive? If you can’t bring yourself to forgive them, ask God to do the forgiving for you. Forgiveness is for our own benefit. Carrying resentment is like swallowing poison and hoping the other person will die.

2) Today you will be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)
Who is lost, broken and hurting? Pray for those who are suffering from their own decisions. Rather than judge them, love them. Remember we all need grace, and our past mistakes do not necessarily dictate our future. Focus on the life beyond this life, and how God’s love draws us to where we need to be. Trust those who are wandering to God’s care.

3) Behold your mother. (John 19:26-27)
Are you so consumed with your own pain that you are neglecting those closest you? What do your dearest loved ones need from you? Do you know how they’re doing? Pray for them. Love them deeply. Show them your concern.

4) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Mat. 27:46, Mark 15:34)
Admit your deep despair and loneliness. Where and when do you feel rejected and forsaken? This prayer comes from Psalm 22. Remind yourself that Psalm 23 follows immediately. We are never alone. In the darkest valley, God is with us.

5) I thirst. (John 19:28)
What is your deep seated thirst? What do you think you need to survive? Thirst for praise? Thirst for acceptance? Thirst for significance? Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

6) It is finished. (John 19:30)
What needs finishing in your life? What have you begun, but not completed? What is God’s calling for you – his unique mission? Are you following it? If not, what stands in the way? What parts of you are still “under construction?” Be patient with others, they are still under construction too. “Be patient with me. God is not finished with me yet.”

7) Into your hands I commit my spirit. (Luke 23:46)
What do you need to release into God’s hands? Have you been trying to control outcomes and other people? Let them go. Release them into the hands of your loving father. Are you concerned about your future? Your past? Are you confused about your present situation? Are you struggling emotionally? Spiritually? Relationally? Physically? Surrender all to God.

The Day God Got Mad

Posted on April 2, 2012 by jeff warren

Holy Week- Monday

“My Temple will be called a house of prayer but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” Matthew 21:13

Most of us have the mental picture of Jesus as the Good Shepherd with a baby lamb on His shoulders, carrying it to safety. We think of the soft images of Jesus in the manger as a baby or as a grown up with children sitting in His lap. But there’s one picture few of us ponder very often. It’s the picture of Jesus on the Monday before His death storming through the temple like a wild man yelling at people to leave! In one of the most dramatic acts of His ministry, Jesus said more about the priority of prayer than in a hundred sermons on the subject. He actually did this twice in His ministry and the first time He made a whip out of cords and was thrashing people out of the temple.

Why was He so mad? As Jim Cymbala states in Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, “His house was being prostituted for purposes other than what was intended.” The Bible never says, “My house shall be called a house of preaching, or programs that suit me perfectly, or lots of great music.” No, He says His shall be a house of prayer. Cymbala says, “I’ve seen God do more in people’s lives in ten minutes of real prayer than in ten of my sermons.” Then he asks, “What does it say about our churches today that God birthed the church in a prayer meeting, and prayer meetings today are almost extinct?” What about you? Is prayer your first priority? Is your house a house of prayer? Is your life a life of prayer? Determine that it will be. Let’s let our first priority of the church be prayer!

“The prayers of an upright person accomplishes much.” Proverbs 15:8

Pray: Lord, I want prayer to be the first priority of my church and of my life. I don’t want to grieve Your heart because of prayerlessness in my life. I will devote time to pray to You every day. I will be in constant conversation with You today.

Revolutionary Prayer

Posted on October 14, 2011 by jeff warren

An elderly Jewish man had been praying at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem for Arabs and Jews to stop their fighting. Someone asked him, “How long have you been praying?” “50 years” “How do you feel, praying for that long and the fighting continues?” “Like I’m talking to a brick wall.”

Have you ever felt like that guy? Let’s all just get real honest- we’ve all struggled with prayer. We’ve all felt guilty for not praying enough, we’ve all doubted the reality of prayer and we’ve all wondered if God really answers prayer. We’ve all walked through seasons of prayerlessness and the truth be known many of us pray very little.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

In Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus teaches us that the main reason for unanswered prayer is prayerlessness.

In his classic work, With Christ in the School of Prayer, Andrew Murray writes, “Moses gave neither command nor regulation with regard to prayer: even the prophets say little directly of the duty of prayer. It is Christ who teaches us to pray.”

What is prayer? Prayer is communication and communion with God. Again, only in Christ do you find a relationship, a friendship, communion with God.

Why pray? The purpose of prayer is to develop my relationship and intimacy with Christ and align my life up to His will.
I’ve thought about my relationship with Stacy (think about anyone you love)- my relationship with her has very little to do with asking her to do things for me. It’s really all about expressing my love for her, just being with her, getting to know her, and asking, “How can I love you more?” This is the kind of intimacy our Lord Jesus seeks with us:

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

Why don’t we pray? The main reason we do not pray is our own self-sufficiency. We think we do not need our Lord’s help.

Common Misconceptions of Prayer:

1. Prayer doesn’t work.
That’s another way of saying that God doesn’t answer my prayers. What happens is some of us have prayed and we think God hasn’t answered our prayers so we assume that He must not answer anyone’s prayers. We hear testimony of answered prayers and we think, “That didn’t happen. That was just a coincidence.” Well, for those who have discovered the adventure of prayer, we know that it’s sure interesting how many coincidences start happening when we pray.
“I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.” Psalm 17:6 It’s been said, “When we work, WE work, when we pray, GOD works.”

2. Prayer is breaking down the reluctance of God.
Prayer is not getting beyond God’s reluctance; it is laying hold of His highest willingness.

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:11

3. Prayer is not necessary. Again, prayer is the essence of the Christian life because the Christian life is all about a passionate pursuit of intimacy of relationship with Christ. It’s the ONE thing you’ve been called and the ONE thing you must devote your attention to.

4. Prayer is about asking God for what I want.
Johnny had been misbehaving and was sent to his room. After a while he emerged and informed his mother that he had thought it over and then said a prayer. “Fine,” said the pleased mother. “If you ask God to help you not misbehave, He will help you.” “Oh, I didn’t ask Him to help me not misbehave,” said Johnny. “I asked Him to help you to able to put up with me.” We need to move from selfish prayers. We struggle with our needs vs. our wants.

“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:3

5. Prayer must be eloquent.
The most common prayer in the Bible is the simple prayer. A quick study of the prayers in the Bible reveals raw, heartfelt, and desperate prayers are the most common.

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.” Matthew 6:7
One night Will’s parents overheard this prayer. “Now I lay me down to rest, and hope to pass tomorrow’s test, if I should die before I wake, that’s one less test I have to take.” Raw, heartfelt, honest prayer is the prayer of a child of God. All of these misconceptions are hindrances to prayer but:

6. The most common hindrance to unanswered prayer: Prayerlessness.
“…you do not have, because you do not ask God.” James 4:2
When we pray, according to His will, His character, His “name”, God answers our prayers- 100% of the time.

“I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” John 16:23-24

The Kingdom of God and the Gospel of Grace

Posted on September 30, 2011 by jeff warren

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10

What does it mean for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven? Throughout the Gospels we read that Jesus came “proclaiming” and “bringing”- (enacting) the kingdom of God. This coming kingdom was accompanied by healing and great acts of compassion. Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes- a description of kingdom people. Most parables begin with the words, “The kingdom of God is like”. This kingdom is wherever and whenever the King reigns and some day, because of His completed salvific work on the cross His Kingdom will come on the New Earth exactly as it is in heaven.
It should be OBVIOUS from an honest reading of the Gospels that Jesus expected His disciples (US) to master the lessons He taught and actually LIVE a kingdom life- to actually practice illogical acts of compassion, unreasonable amounts mercy and stunning amounts of forgiveness. Clearly this Gospel of the kingdom of God… is a Gospel of grace. This Good News is that in God’s kingdom GRACE abounds. It’s Christ’s vision of the world and how it should be AND how it WILL be. If Christianity is about anything, it is about forgiveness. It is about grace. If we are to live as kingdom people, we need a recovery, a re-discovery of the core- the central- Message of Jesus- the FOCUS of the Christian faith: forgiveness. Indeed, in our best moments the gracious melody of forgiveness is heard as the recurring theme of our faith. The kingdom of God is a place where GRACE abounds.

The Kingdom comes when grace abounds. The parable of Jesus – like the story of the Vineyard workers in Matthew 20 leave the listener with head-scratching disbelief- how is it that one could work all day and another work for one hour and ALL receive the same compensation? Jesus taught “the new math of grace”. It’s not about human merit; but about divine forgiveness. It’s not about earning wages- in the kingdom of God the last are first, the weak are strong and there IS NO counting. Living in the kingdom, Jesus says, is not about religious moralism; it’s about a complete reorientation to the Gospel of grace.

What is grace?
Justice is getting what you deserve. Could’ve started with the word “revenge”- which we see a lot of in our world- that’s when someone does you wrong and you pay back with more than what you deserve.
Mercy is not getting what you deserve. Now, James tells us that mercy triumphs over justice (James 2:12).
Grace is getting what you don’t deserve.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

“God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
To live the grace-filled life means that we see grace- not simply as a means toward salvation but as a WAY of LIFE. That’s why you’ve been forgiven- so that you might LIVE forgiven. Grace demands a radical love and a forgiveness- in the final analysis forgiveness is an act of faith. I’m trusting God to be a better justice-maker than I am. Too often we know we should forgive, we want to forgive, we almost forgive, but in the end we realize we cannot forgive- we are too just. My need for justice trumps my ability to forgive. But in James 2:13 the Bible says that, “Mercy triumphs over justice”.
“The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:20-21
So, among God’s people, grace “abounds” (it overflows, it thrives, it increases). How does it “abound”, increase? It abounds, it thrives through us as God’s people when we extend grace to others.
Luke 14:15-24 Jesus tells the story of the Master who is planning a grand banquet and he tells his servants to go and invite certain people to come. One by one they offer excuses and say that they cannot come. The Master opens the invitation up to all and extends as invitation to the banquet to the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. The kingdom comes when grace abounds!

Grace abounds when…
1. We embrace God’s forgiveness. When God forgives He sees you as though your sin never happened. Can you forgive like that? You never will- until you realize that change won’t happen through ‘trying harder’ but only through encountering the radical grace of God. There is so much in your future but you’ve got to leave the past behind you! You need to bury the past- what could’ve been, what should’ve been, and how justice must be served in the life of that individual who has hurt you.
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

2. We become agents of God’s forgiveness. Christians sometime believe in a theology of grace but not a lifestyle of grace. Grace abounds when we take on the heart of Jesus. As kingdom people we are administrators of grace dispensers of His grace- we peddle, (we tout, we push) grace… here’s the picture of a kingdom person: wherever they go, they are so filled up with God’s grace- it abounds, it overflows, it spills over on to everyone they encounter. Have you ever met someone like that? Here’s how you spot them: they are kind to everyone. In fact, to the point that it doesn’t make sense- if grace doesn’t make you say, “Wait a minute…that CAN’T be right”, it’s not grace. Because grace, by it’s very nature is NOT fair. It is a most unnatural act. Grace-filled people have lots of friends- and lots of friends who don’t look like them. Following Jesus will always take you into relationships that make you uncomfortable.”
Grace-filled people are joy-filled people. Grace-givers are FUN to be around. They’re the people you want at your party. In fact, they know how to party! Don’t miss this: Jesus is saying the kingdom of God is like a party. It’s a feast! And why is it that so many Christians are unhappy, tight, grumpy, and solemn?! They have never truly embraced God’s grace. Because grace-filled people are constantly overwhelmed by the grace they’ve received from God- so much so, they want you to experience as well- so they show you what grace looks like. You can spot grace-givers. Are you one of them?

3. We decide to include everyone- especially those who are undeserving. We must determine that we will include everyone in this kingdom party. Everyone is invited to be a recipient of my love. I will show NO discrimination as I dispense this grace that I have been given.

4. We introduce others to the Grace-giver Jesus.
Everyone is welcome… the kingdom of God is all-inclusive (or more correctly- exclusive to those who come undeserving, humble, and contrite before God.
As we apply this as a church family- we’ve said that as kingdom people- we are a Gospel-centered church- and this Gospel is the Gospel of grace. Grace leads to inclusion (the central point of this parable in Luke Grace leads to diversity which should lead to more grace. That’s the Church!

A sign you’re growing in grace: You realize Jesus ALWAYS writes stories of mercy, of grace, compassion, and reconciliation bigger than you would. Join Him in writing a story of grace today.

A Shadow of Heaven

Posted on February 25, 2011 by jeff warren

One of the great blessings of being a pastor is that I am reminded daily of what really matters in life. Today I sat down with a precious family to plan the memorial service of their loved one. Our conversation jumped from here to there, earth to heaven, the temporary to the eternal, the already and the not yet.

I believe that every day we’re given glimpses of heaven. Whether we catch them or not is entirely up to us. It seems even the worst among us catch glimpses of the eternal: something more, something beautiful, something sacred. I’m sure I’m not the only one who hears the rumblings of something eternal among us. Milton’s question echoes across time, “What if earth be but a shadow of heaven?”4 Why does every culture in the world worship Someone or at least something? Philip Yancey notes in his book, Rumors, “Alone of all the beasts, the human animal has the power and freedom to center life in one impulse. We have not, it seems, the power to abstain from worship.”5

What is that within us? Is it simply the result of some evolutionary process that has created within us this God-consciousness, this desire to exalt Someone who is beyond us? Or could it be that God Himself really has “set eternity in the hearts of men” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)? Could it be we really do have a kind of “homing device” that calls us onward to seek, to search, to desire? In his classic book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis writes, “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”6 The fact that we have such longings doesn’t prove that God is the One prompting us or that eternity awaits, but I believe our longing for Heaven whispers to us in our joy and it seems to scream at us in our despair that something else is coming. And Someone else is writing this already-but-not-yet narrative.

Surely we all long for more. When Jesus prayed for the Father to set all things right by bringing His kingdom to earth (Matthew 6:10), He was calling for a present and future reality. “Thy kingdom come” should be the cry of every believer’s heart. As we join God in His restorative agenda we become the answer to the prayers of our Lord. The present life is but a shadow of heaven. You and I are not yet free from sin, but we do have the capacity within us (by the power of His Spirit) to reach our fullest redemptive potential. Live today with the end in sight. He is making everything new (Revelation 21:5).

Making Resolutions- James 4:13-17

Posted on January 2, 2011 by jeff warren

As we make resolutions at this time of the year it’s important that we do not miss the first step in setting goals. Too often we make plans and then ask God to bless them. James calls this arrogance. It’s a practical atheism (believing in God but living as if He doesn’t exist). Most of us do not think of ourselves as boastful people, because we do not go around making people listen to our bragging. As a good discipler, however, James makes us examine more subtle forms of boasting. Our arrogance is revealed when we assume that we control time and events. By using the categories that James offers in Chapter 4:13 we can see how comprehensively we do this.

James challenges 4 categories that reveal our arrogance when:
1. We name the TIME- “Today or tomorrow”.
2. We state our PURPOSE- “we will go”
3. We name the PLACE “to this or that city”
4. We state our GOALS “to carry on business”
5. We name our REWARD “make money”

What else is there than time, purpose, place, goals, and reward?

So are we not supposed to plan? Notice he does not say “don’t plan”. In vs. 15 he says, “Instead”… plan this way… “if it is the Lord’s will”. As a pastor, of all the questions I’m asked, the most common centers around God’s will. “What is God’s will for my life?” “How can I know God’s will for my life?” “How can I discover God’s will for my life?” This is a question we all ask- but we don’t realize that we’re actually asking the wrong question. This question actually betrays our arrogance and the self-centered nature of prayer. What is God’s will for my life is overshadowed by a more important question. The better question is not, “What is God’s will for my life?” but simply, “What is God’s will?” I’ve discovered this question brings much greater clarity to what God would have me do. Now some may say I’m wrestling in semantics, but I think not…

The KEY question: “Lord, what is Your will?” Here’s the power and greater clarity of this question: We already know what His will is. His will is for you to know Him, to receive His grace and to love Him with all our heart, soul mind, and strength. His will is for you to grow to become just like Jesus. His will is for you to allow Him to continually transform you into His likeness. His will is for you to show His love to the world- starting right where you are. His will is for you to worship Him, become His disciple, and to live as a missionary for His glory everywhere you go.

What is God’s will? To give your life fully to Him- regarding TIME, PURPOSE, PLACE, GOALS, and REWARDS- they are ALL in His hand. That’s His will and that’s His will for your life. As for where you live, where you go, what you will say, and who you will encounter along the way- simply trust Him with all of that. In short, His will is for you to be His disciple.

Read Luke 9:23-25. The call to discipleship is an ever-expanding release of my life to Him. How counter-intuitive this is to our way of living, how counter-cultural. In this upside down kingdom the call is to self-denial and to a glorious release of all we are to become the very best of all that God has created us to be, all to HIS glory. I become fully “me” when I release all things that I have planned for myself.

Read Jeremiah 29:11. “I know the plans I have for you…” Notice: They are His plans and He knows them. So, the key question seems to be “How do I know His plans?” It is by seeking Him with my whole heart. It’s good to note: ultimately the journey is not to a place of position but to a Person. It’s in knowing HIM that I know His ways. In the end- Our calling is not to a place or to a plan or a position but to a Person- Jesus Christ. We can make resolutions but the highest calling of our lives is to Jesus Himself. He said, “Come, follow ME.”

The Gospel alone can empower this kind of shift- from my will to His will. Jesus gave up all control so that we can know everything is under control. When we see the King of creation losing control upon the cross, our fears are destroyed and our courage rises up- because of His love and because of the hope of resurrection!

Here’s my challenge: Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands and step out into an invincible future with Him. Give your life fully to Him.
Why not now?

Pastor: follower, leader, servant, debtor

Posted on October 2, 2010 by jeff warren

I’ve been called to be a pastor. Paul wrote, “It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers…” “Pastors and teachers is actually one word in the Greek- it could be said, “shepherd/instructor”. Clearly my first calling is not to a position or a place but to a Person. My highest calling (like any believer) is to Jesus Himself. My role as a pastor is love God with all my heart and to love others- more than I love myself. My task as a pastor is to communicate God’s vision for His church and to shepherd the people as together we accomplish the mission God.

“The first task of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say, “thank you”. In between the leader is a servant and a debtor.” Max Depree

I love Max Depree’s definition of the role of a leader. My first task is to tell the Truth- whether people want to hear it or not. The Bible gives us His truth. And I know that I am a servant and that I indebted to anyone who will allow me to lead. It was Andy Stanley who said, “leadership is a stewardship, it’s temporary, and you’re accountable”. All of us are accountable before God Almighty for the vocation (“calling”) He has given us.

My primary role is to stay close to Jesus. My highest calling is to Christ Himself- to stay so close to Him, to listen to Him and obey Him in my role as pastor. The priorities of my life will be guided by Scripture: God first, my wife second, my family, and my ministry. I will live openly and authentically before you. I follow the apostles example in Acts 6:1-4. I will devote my life to prayer and to my personal walk with Jesus Christ. This is true for me- but it is true of you as well- as a parent, a friend, a co-worker, a classmate… if you’re not walking closely with Jesus, everyone around you becomes a victim of your unspiritual life.

I long to walk so closely with Jesus that I could join Paul who said, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1 Copy me as I copy Jesus. The pastor’s role is to point everyone to Jesus. I don’t want to waste my life- and I know you don’t want to either. God is calling us into this great adventure that is His redemptive mission- to bring hope and healing to our world. If a church can determine to align all things (both personally and corporately) with His mission, that church will change the world. Let the journey begin.