Coffee With The Lord

A few thoughts from one of the best known passage in the Scripture – The Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5:1-12 – the passage I read and reflected on this morning during “Coffee with the Lord”…

The Sermon on the Mount is so counter-cultural!  In it Jesus emphasizes and values so much of what the broader culture rejects!  Here are the things Jesus values – that move His heart – that he blesses in wonderful and incredible ways!

* Those who know their “poverty in spirit”

* Those who mourn (perhaps especially over their “poverty in spirit)

* Those who are meek (not self-assured and assertive)

* Those who hunger and thirst to be righteousness

* Those who are merciful to others

* Those with pure hearts

* Those who are peacemakers

* Those who are persecuted because they are righteous

* Those who are unjustly persecuted

So, if any of these things describe you and explain your heart for God and others in a culture whose values seem to run completely opposite of these things… You can depend on it – These are the very things God honors and blesses! … And I don’t know about you, but I’ll take the blessing of God over the approval and applause of the broader culture any day!  How does the Bible put it in another place? … “The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it!” (Proverbs 10:22 ESV)

I read a passage of Scripture today that caused my heart to rejoice!  It is an interesting passage because, first of all, it passes sentence on all humanity, finding them guilty before God!  But it also declares God’s wonderful solution, that those who are guilty can be “right with God” – declared righteous – through faith in Jesus Christ and what He did on our behalf!

Here is a summary/excerpt of the passage taken right out of the Bible…

“ALL, both Jews and Greeks (gentiles), are under sin! … NONE is righteous, no, not one!  No one understands; no one seeks for God!  All have turned aside… No one des good, not even one! … There is no fear of God before their eyes! … Every mouth is stopped and the whole world is held accountable to God!

“BUT NOW the righteousness of God has been manifested – The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe!  For there is no distinction:  (Since) all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God – all can be justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus! … Then what becomes of boasting?  It is excluded! … For we hold that on is justified (made right/righteous by faith, apart from works!”  (from Romans 3:9-31)

Oh what wonderful good news!  Our human dilemma… Sin, cared for – provided for by God’s provision through Christ Jesus.  Everyone needs forgiveness!  Everyone needs cleansing!  Everyone needs salvation!  And it is available to ALL through faith in Jesus!  What a message!  What a provision!  Thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Impulse buying can be dangerous! But sometimes you come across a deal that is just too good to pass up! The opportunity is limited… the product is clearly superior and marked by quality… You’ve heard about the seller and his reputation is unsullied and honorable. People are snatching the item up – there are a limited number left… Today is the day of opportunity… What do you do?

I read an account in the Bible this morning that left me in awe! I know in today’s evangelistic climate there is the recognition that most of those who decide to put their faith in Christ for salvation and begin to follow Jesus go through a “journey to faith.” I’ve heard statistics that tell us most people have a gospel presentation 5 or 6 times before fully committing themselves to Christ. More and more people are “checking out Christianity” – they are “seekers” – they investigate the “claims of Christ” AND the congruency of Christians, then they begin the “faith journey.”

I understand that reality – I don’t have a problem with it – I believe that in many cases that kind of thing happens. But I also believe if we’re not careful we’ll miss the urgency of the gospel message! I believe we can marginalize the mighty “convincing power” of the Holy Spirit! I believe we can turn evangelism (i.e. sharing the gospel) into just another buyers decision, governed by good market research.

OK, here’s the passage I read this morning that blew me away! First of all a little background: We’re talking about men with established, lucrative businesses. They have homes, some may have had families to support, they are used to the give and take of the marketplace. They know about con artists and religious charlatans…

“While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. IMMEDIATELY they left their nets and followed him! And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. IMMEDIATELY they left the boat and their father and followed him.” (from Matthew 4:18–22 ESV)

I know that Jesus urged followers to “count the cost” before entering a life of discipleship (Luke 14:25-33)! But I also know there is an urgency associated with the gospel message… we don’t know the future; we don’t know how much time we have; and we can’t bank on tomorrow! And we also know “the gospel” is a powerful thing when it is shared in the power of the Holy Spirit. In fact, the Holy Spirit has more visceral and intellectual authenticating power than any other force on earth (just ask Apostle Paul)! So I acknowledge the “journey” aspect of “coming to faith in Christ” – the “process” people often go through before “signing on” – but I also believe we should expect more “immediatelys” than we do when the gospel is shared!

Listen, it was that “Peter” guy who IMMEDIATELY left his nets and followed Jesus who later confessed “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life! And we HAVE BELIEVED and have COME TO KNOW, that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:69). Sometimes the investigation and discovery comes AFTER the decision to follow! Just say’n.