BE A BETTER CHURCH

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Today's reading: I Thessalonians 4:1; 10

4:1 Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.
4:10 An infact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.

The Thessalonian Church is an amazing church. They were incredible and fast in its growth. They have larger congregation compare to any other churches.

Let see again how this church began. Read from Acts 17:2-4 :

17:2 As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scripture.
17:3 Explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead .” This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he said.
17:4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God fearing Greeks and not a view prominent woman.

So dramatic isn't it? In three days Sabbath in a row, some Jews have become believers, joined him, with several Greeks and many respectable woman as well.

Not only that, the Thessalonian church is a good example for many Christians in Macedonia and Achaia. The church is famous for their faith to God. And also for Paul, Silas, and Timothy their faith and love are making them in joy and pleasant memories (I Tess 1:7, 3:6-7).

Even though they were so good as congregation, Paul still giving them advice. Not to put them down but to make them even better church. Even though in the congregation they love each other, including all the brothers in Macedonia area, Paul still advised them to have more love. With other words, there are always rooms for the Christians to grow. Is that a good news? Imagine if you are no longer growing in all things. You have achieved everything in your life. Isn't it the right word for that is (sorry) death? Because even Paul still feel difficult to go to heaven. He wanted to help as much people as possible to have the salvation in Christ. (Philipians 1:21-22)

In the Thessalonian Church particularly, there were still many rooms for Paul to grow which are to make the church growing where many young Christians in the church. In his heart, he asked: Who is going to lead them? Where he and his friends, Silas and Timothy will still have to continue to evangelist. They didn't live there. Who is the church leader? Elders? Pasteur? They didn't have one yet because the church has just begun and the large number of congregation too. Aha.. Still rooms to grow more. There are brothers who can be given responsibility, will be prepared and trained to become elders, Pasteur or leaders in the future (I Tess 5:12-13).

There's other thing that can be learned from Paul and Thessalonian church that the churches should not have to be panic, confuse or worry for the huge church growth in near future. Why? Because the growth comes from God and the Christians spread the seeds, planted , and watered it (I Corinthians 3:6-7). The need of anticipation, preparation, empowerment and the training toward people who have talents and gifts to lead and to shepherd have to be taken seriously.

So, be a better disciple! be a better church! be a better leaders!

We still have plenty rooms to grow.

Word of Prayer:
God thank you for the lesson this morning. Give me the ability to grow daily. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

CHRIST & TORAH'S LAW

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Today's Reading: Romans 3:19-31

3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his insight by observing the law; rather, through the law become conscious of sin.
3:21 But know a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
3:22 this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God,
3:24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
3:25 God presented him as a sacrifice atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished- 3:26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. 3:27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that observing law? No, but on that faith 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law
3:29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,
3:30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through the same faith. 3:31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

In General, human being do not like alteration. They are afraid, worried, uncomfortable, nervous to new things that can disturb their stability and their comfort zone. Because that changing process usually demanded life adaptation, effort, obedience, improvement, progress, training and some other things.

Let say new president, company's new leaders, changing job or position or department, new laws, regulations, rules, new requirement of obtaining documents or exchanging letters, house moving , and other things. Are that changes containing movement, effort, energy or risks? Even more with the right changing with positives conduciveness, and constructive result, all those changing effected human not to be still, not to become comfortable, to keep moving all the time, to have progress in life,to grow, to become better and more effective.

God was not offering the Jews changes that cause them even worst. He was not in position to replace Torah but to fulfill and make it perfect in Christ.

Below there are four comparisons between Torah and Christ:
1. The Torah's Law made human to realize their sins and the punishment for the sinners. But Christ redeemed human and released them from punishment.

2. The Torah's Law could not make people right in front of God. But, Christ is the way to the truth and life. He is the peacemaker of human and God. He purified and made human deserve to be in front of God. (John 14:6).

3. From Torah's Law human knows about sins but Christ, he teaches, rebukes, corrects attitude, trains human in righteousness, makes human his disciples, makes them God's children, Christ like, in his picture (Matthew 28:18-20, II Timothy 3:15-16)

4. Human would not be righteous of doing Torah's Law, but of faith to Jesus Christ.

By looking at the four above then the conclusion is that Christ is better, perfect, and more profitable for human compare to the Torah's Law. But the problem was the Jews have been comfortable to the Torah's law. They thought by doing all the Torah's law they will be righteous in front of God and be saved. Also, they don't feel save or feel comfortable to think that the salvation comes only because the faith of Jesus. They were taught to think and believe that if they do good deeds, and implement Torah's law that will save them.

They have already love doing Torah's Law that is why in their perspective, Christ teaching was considered to be dangerous and threatening Jews religion.
You probably asked, if that so why God gave the Torah's Law to human being? knowing that Torah's can not make them right in front of God? Even more, through Torah human undertstands sins. Torah was good and useful for human. If there was no Torah, then human will never realize about their sins and God's punishment. If human never realize about his sins and the punishment that will come, how come they have hope in God? If they don't have hope in God, how are they going to receive God's grace through Christ? How come they are saved?

Paul was being anticipative in his statement and teaching. He have not forgotten to underline that the Torah's law was not cancelled because of the faith for Jesus, even so will even stronger. Because Jesus came not to eliminate Torah or all the prophet's book but to fulfill the book (Mat 5:17). He was the fulfillment. He was the real fact of the Torah and book of prophet's (Col 2:17).

The Christians at this moment need to learn from Paul's teaching, way in telling message of God and in stating the truth in right way, and effectiveness to prevent conflicts that were not necessary to happen.

Word of Prayer :
God thank you for this morning lesson. Give you servant ability to teach, tell about the God's message, state the truth with the right way, right heart and effective.In the name of Jesus . Amen.

THE TRUTH ABOUT ADAM & EVE

Friday, December 26, 2008

Today's Reading: Genesis 2:16-17

2:16 He told him, "You may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden,
2:17 except the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad. You must not eat the fruit of that tree; if you do, you will die the same day.

You probably have asked these questions, why God commanded human not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Or do you have ever been thinking what if God never put rules to human being, what would happened? If there are no rules or prohibition then there are nothing to be obeyed, there are no thing to be listened, there are nothing to be followed, or authority. Human become separated from God. No relationship with God. Nothing to choose. Nothing to decide. No relation one another. There is no love to Him.

You know what happen to Adam and Eve. They have been broken God's commandment by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They died. Not as bodily but spiritually. Relationships have been broken. They were out from the Eden. And separated from God.

Try to think again about God's commandment to Adam and Eve. Have God had given impossible commandment to be obeyed? They have so many fruits from all the trees all over the garden. God was not given the commandment to achieve target, position or any achievement but only to not eating one of the trees from any trees in the garden. And the Evil had tempted Eve using one tree to take human to the sins. He said if you eat that fruit then she will be just like God. Actually that temptation comes from the devil. The devil him self wanted to be like God (Isaiah 14:12-15).

The answer of Eve to Devil showed that she was not really knows the exact questions of God's commandment. Read again what she said to Evil (Genesis 3:2-3).

Then the woman said to the snake:”The fruit of all trees in this garden can be eaten, but the the fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, God says: Don't eat or touch that, later you'll die.

There are three different things of God's commandment. That differences are adding, subtraction and unspecified statement. Eve did not said that the fruit of the tree of the knowledge but the fruit of the tree that was in the middle of the garden. She add his own word touch and said later instead of sure. So it is not coincidence. That Eve finally eat the fruit because the devil use her weaknesses on her. Not to mention that Adam was not around. Where was he at that moment. He came right after Eve had eaten the fruit. And Adam directly eating it withou asking or talking longly about Eve and the fruit.

Through that story there 4 things that you and I can learn from it:
1. God's commandment were not difficult commandment.
Obedience problem, Prides, Carelessness, Laziness, Preferences, or the love of sins are the things that most of the times prevented somebody to come to God.

2. Human faces serious problems .
Not to die physically but died spiritually (Romans 3:23).And that thing can only be cures of the faith to Christ. It is He who gave safeness and life.

3. Having right and truth understanding of the word of God.
As truth Christian do not added, subtracted, or changed His word.

4. For the husband and Wife, be united to beat the evil.
Do not let or leave your spouse being alone with not right heart/ in good spirirtual condition. So he/ she is not talking to the devil who are going to flirt her/him to fall into sins.

This is the truth about Adam & Eve.

Word of Prayer:
God thank you for this morning lesson. Give your servant ability to be careful on the devil's strategy to cheat. In the name of Jesus. Amen