"The demons begged Jesus, 'Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.' He gave them permission and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned." Mark 5:12-13
I want you to try and picture this: The region is on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. There is a man who is completely out of his mind and if that's not bad enough, he has superhuman strength. He could even break iron chains off of him. People in their beds at night would hear him crying out among the tombs and the surrounding hillside. One can easily imagine that people double locked their doors and mothers warned their children to stay away from the outskirts of the city.
One day Jesus came to the town and this demon-possessed man (or rather the demons in him) begged Jesus not to send them to their doom at that time. They asked Jesus to make a concession...let them go into a herd of swine. Amazingly, Jesus allows their request and about two thousand pigs drowned themselves.
In order to properly understand the significance of what happened here we must understand that Jesus is the Lord of all creation. Psalm 24: 1 says, "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it." That means the pigs belonged to Jesus. As such he had the right to do with them as he wished.
The Deal
In Genesis 1: 24 God created everything after it's own kind. This included all of the animals. But when he came to the creation of man he said something different:
Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all of the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.' " (Genesis 1:26)
Here we see that even though there are some similarities in the chemistry and biological makeup, human beings are distinct and different than the rest of the created order. While the other creatures were created after their own kind, man is the image bearer of God. Even observation of the man and animals reveals distinct differences. Animals aren't capable of things like science and the arts. They don't build and develop hospitals, universities and businesses.
Man is different!
And in the passage in Mark we catch a glimpse of the value God places on man versus the animal kingdom. This man was regarded as one of the 'undesirables' by society. The demons had rendered him completely insane and dangerous. Yet Jesus regarded this one human life to be worth more than the lives of TWO THOUSAND PIGS.
In our society today it seems that we regard animals and human beings as quite the opposite. Hunting out of season, keeping a fish that isn't legal size or exceeding the bag limit, declawing a cat can get you a hefty fine and in some cases, jail time. But aborting a full-term baby is completely legal in some states. Please understand, I do NOT advocate breaking any hunting and game laws, (and I think declawing cats is cruel) but we have placed greater value on the animal kingdom than on human beings
How far we have fallen.
It wasn't much different in Jesus's day. After the people heard about the drowned pigs and saw the demoniac dressed and in his right mind, they pleaded with Jesus to leave. Jesus had just freed a man who was created in God's image who had been enslaved by a legion of demons. And in the process, had made the townspeople safer\. Yet the people were more concerned about the pigs.
Having God's Perspective
"...But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Corinthians 2:16
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12
If we are to truly follow Jesus Christ than we must surrender our ideas and wills completely to him. God places far more value on human life than he does the animals. The notion that we are of no greater value than all other life is an example of philosophy that 'seems right to a man' and it has led to death. Not only by the millions of abortions that have been performed, but by the despotic genocides that have been committed as well.
We who follow Christ are to be different.
As image bearers of God we are of far greater value than the animal kingdom. We have also been given the mandate to be stewards of creation. We are to take care of the earth. But we are not to subjugate ourselves to the creation. That is the idolatry God condemns in Romans 1:25:
"They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the creator--who is forever praised. Amen."
I pray that we all will have the mind of Christ and see things the way he sees things and have our ideas and wills completely surrendered to him.
Friday, September 27, 2019
Thursday, September 12, 2019
TESTIMONIES THAT NEVER HAPPENED. The Dangers of Appointing Leaders Who aren't Ready to Lead.
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? Hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye"
Matthew 7:3-5
"Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure." 1 Timothy 5:22
A number of years ago, at a church I was attending I heard the testimony of a young man who served as one of the youth pastors. He told a sordid story of having been sexually abused as a young boy into the beginning of his adolescence. He then told of how Jesus Christ had brought healing and restoration. As time went on it became apparent (at least to some of us) that perhaps the healing he had described either had been incomplete or possibly, never happened at all. While to the best of my knowledge, nothing horrible had happened, it became apparent that he was still a very wounded man and his woundedness was affecting his ministry in some very ungodly ways.
This situation illustrates why it is important to really evaluate carefully who is appointed in positions of leadership. As Paul told Timothy, we should be careful not to appoint leaders too quickly. This principle can and should apply to anyone who may be placed in any type of leadership position. But especially those placed in a teaching capacity.
"He must not be a new convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap." 1 Timothy 3:6-7
Often when a person is considered very early for some type of leadership position it is because some level of talent or giftedness has been noticed. This can easily lead a person to think more highly of themselves than they ought to. Paul referenced how the devil fell into sin when he became conceited. And just as Satan drew a third of the angels with him, often when a leader comes under the same judgment it has a devastating effect on others.
It's interesting to note that Paul said he must have a good reputation with outsiders. How many cases have we heard of in recent years where a pastor or influential Christian leader had a 'moral failure'. You may have heard the expression, 'Secret life'. Often outside of the body their life wasn't so secret. One wonders if anyone considered what their reputation was among outsiders. Very often there were rumors being circulated about these individuals that nobody ever checked out. While we don't want to be involved in the latest gossip, when appointing leaders we do need to consider and look into what might be going on. The damage an individual can do, who is not ready to be a leader can be devastating to the church body.
There are two things that must be considered:
1. Is the person truly saved.
The byproduct of being saved is sanctification...being set apart...made Holy. Galations 5:22 describes the fruit that is borne in the saved person's life. Fruit doesn't show up overnight. An individual may have a great conversion experience and give a wonderful testimony afterwards, but it generally takes time before the fruit of the spirit begins to emerge and ripen. Too often people are appointed before the fruit has begun to manifest itself and all too often it becomes apparent later on that there was no real change but by then damage has been done. Jesus warned a number of times that there would be MANY false teachers. This is especially true in our day where doctrine is almost considered a dirty word. There is very little discernment and people are afraid to call out false teachers because they don't want to be labeled as 'judgmental'. But it is vital that we take the time to observe what is happening in the convert's life and see if the fruits of the spirit are showing up in the person's life. Even to the point of talking to some old friends they associated with before their conversion. Have they observed any changes?
2. Have the wounds really healed
Possibly more often than not, people who come to saving faith in Jesus Christ have some very deep wounds. Often we have experienced abuse, heartbreak from broken relationships, addictions, and the list goes on.
A very common scenario is just like the one I described in the beginning with the young man who had been abused and was deeply wounded. He gave a glowing testimony but after a time it became apparent that he was still very deeply wounded. Whether or not he was truly saved or not isn't the point. If he was truly saved, just as it takes time to begin manifesting the fruit of the spirit, sometimes healing does as well. God is certainly capable of healing us emotionally and spiritually in an instant. But often he takes us through a process to teach us things that contribute to our growth in Christlikeness. However when a person is placed in a leadership position before the healing has truly taken place, it becomes a situation of 'the blind leading the blind and both falling into the ditch'.
(Matthew 15:14)
I'm reminded of a teaching from someone who told the story of Daniel's three friends when they were rescued from the fiery furnace and it says that they didn't even smell like smoke. In other words, their rescue had been so complete that there was no evidence on them that they had ever been in the furnace. This teacher went on to describe someone they knew who was serving as a pastor who had gone through some horrific things. They said, if you didn't know their story you would never believe that those things had happened to them...they didn't even smell like smoke.
Of course, nobody acheives perfection of this side of heaven. We all struggle. But what is vital is that we are dealing with the issues in a godly way. And the question needs to be asked, "Are these issues going to have a negative impact on those the leader is supposed to helping?"
Too often we hear these glowing testimonies and from outward appearance they seem to be healed, but when we get close we discover they have a thin layer of ash on them covering a bed of hot coals. While the passage in Matthew 7 is about passing judgment on others while refusing to face the sin issues in our own lives. The point is still valid that if a person is not dealing with their own woundedness in an appropriate godly way, they won't be able to effectively help others. Many people have been burned because they were under leaders who were still very wounded themselves and had never properly handled their wounds in a Godly way.
The vital importance of good mentors
If a young person goes into the armed services. They will not be put into the battlefield on their first day. There is a tough regimen the new soldiers have to go through of training and conditioning before they can be put in battle. And it is TOUGH TRAINING. Some don't make it.
Being in a relationship where you are being mentored is tough. A good mentor will tell you things you may not want to hear. They may call you out on things that you want to make excuses for. But good mentors will see things about you that you don't see about yourself. They have also been on this Christian walk for some time and they know the struggles and how to get through them.
Now some might say, "I don't need mentors. The Holy Spirit mentors me." It is true that God can do his work without us. But that is not how he has chosen to work. In Ephesians 4:11 the apostle Paul explains how God has appointed certain ministries for our equipping. When someone says that they don't need to belong to a church body or that they don't need mentors because the Holy Spirit mentors them, they are simply doing their own thing. The Holy Spirit isn't mentoring them, they are mentoring themselves. And the real reason they don't want to be mentored is because they don't want to be corrected.
Remember, a person who won't be taught should not be teaching others.
Now it's true that you may find out that you have a bad mentor, this is why it's good to sit under the mentoring teaching of a number of mentors. Proverbs 11:14 says "Many advisors make victory sure." The One caution is, don't look for people who are going to tell you what you want to hear (2Timothy 4:3 There are plenty of teachers who will do that) Look for people who will tell you the truth.
The Motivation of a True Shepherd
After the resurrection Jesus asked Peter three times if Peter loved him. When Peter answered in the affirmative, Jesus told him to feed his sheep and take care of his (Jesus's) sheep.
Many people aspire to leadership positions in the body of Christ because of personal ambition. They may desire recognition because of their own perceived giftedness, or perhaps power and control over other people. As Paul admonished Timothy when he said not to appoint new converts because they might become conceited if they are placed over other people before they are ready.
Too often in the church today we appoint leaders based on giftedness and abilities and often, credentials. What we really need to place front and center is this; Do they love Jesus, and does their lifestyle demonstrate a wholehearted devotion to him.. It's not even enough to love people. A true shepherd should have a passion for people but the heart motivation must be their devoted love for their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
May you all be richly blessed.
Matthew 7:3-5
"Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure." 1 Timothy 5:22
A number of years ago, at a church I was attending I heard the testimony of a young man who served as one of the youth pastors. He told a sordid story of having been sexually abused as a young boy into the beginning of his adolescence. He then told of how Jesus Christ had brought healing and restoration. As time went on it became apparent (at least to some of us) that perhaps the healing he had described either had been incomplete or possibly, never happened at all. While to the best of my knowledge, nothing horrible had happened, it became apparent that he was still a very wounded man and his woundedness was affecting his ministry in some very ungodly ways.
This situation illustrates why it is important to really evaluate carefully who is appointed in positions of leadership. As Paul told Timothy, we should be careful not to appoint leaders too quickly. This principle can and should apply to anyone who may be placed in any type of leadership position. But especially those placed in a teaching capacity.
"He must not be a new convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap." 1 Timothy 3:6-7
Often when a person is considered very early for some type of leadership position it is because some level of talent or giftedness has been noticed. This can easily lead a person to think more highly of themselves than they ought to. Paul referenced how the devil fell into sin when he became conceited. And just as Satan drew a third of the angels with him, often when a leader comes under the same judgment it has a devastating effect on others.
It's interesting to note that Paul said he must have a good reputation with outsiders. How many cases have we heard of in recent years where a pastor or influential Christian leader had a 'moral failure'. You may have heard the expression, 'Secret life'. Often outside of the body their life wasn't so secret. One wonders if anyone considered what their reputation was among outsiders. Very often there were rumors being circulated about these individuals that nobody ever checked out. While we don't want to be involved in the latest gossip, when appointing leaders we do need to consider and look into what might be going on. The damage an individual can do, who is not ready to be a leader can be devastating to the church body.
There are two things that must be considered:
1. Is the person truly saved.
The byproduct of being saved is sanctification...being set apart...made Holy. Galations 5:22 describes the fruit that is borne in the saved person's life. Fruit doesn't show up overnight. An individual may have a great conversion experience and give a wonderful testimony afterwards, but it generally takes time before the fruit of the spirit begins to emerge and ripen. Too often people are appointed before the fruit has begun to manifest itself and all too often it becomes apparent later on that there was no real change but by then damage has been done. Jesus warned a number of times that there would be MANY false teachers. This is especially true in our day where doctrine is almost considered a dirty word. There is very little discernment and people are afraid to call out false teachers because they don't want to be labeled as 'judgmental'. But it is vital that we take the time to observe what is happening in the convert's life and see if the fruits of the spirit are showing up in the person's life. Even to the point of talking to some old friends they associated with before their conversion. Have they observed any changes?
2. Have the wounds really healed
Possibly more often than not, people who come to saving faith in Jesus Christ have some very deep wounds. Often we have experienced abuse, heartbreak from broken relationships, addictions, and the list goes on.
A very common scenario is just like the one I described in the beginning with the young man who had been abused and was deeply wounded. He gave a glowing testimony but after a time it became apparent that he was still very deeply wounded. Whether or not he was truly saved or not isn't the point. If he was truly saved, just as it takes time to begin manifesting the fruit of the spirit, sometimes healing does as well. God is certainly capable of healing us emotionally and spiritually in an instant. But often he takes us through a process to teach us things that contribute to our growth in Christlikeness. However when a person is placed in a leadership position before the healing has truly taken place, it becomes a situation of 'the blind leading the blind and both falling into the ditch'.
(Matthew 15:14)
I'm reminded of a teaching from someone who told the story of Daniel's three friends when they were rescued from the fiery furnace and it says that they didn't even smell like smoke. In other words, their rescue had been so complete that there was no evidence on them that they had ever been in the furnace. This teacher went on to describe someone they knew who was serving as a pastor who had gone through some horrific things. They said, if you didn't know their story you would never believe that those things had happened to them...they didn't even smell like smoke.
Of course, nobody acheives perfection of this side of heaven. We all struggle. But what is vital is that we are dealing with the issues in a godly way. And the question needs to be asked, "Are these issues going to have a negative impact on those the leader is supposed to helping?"
Too often we hear these glowing testimonies and from outward appearance they seem to be healed, but when we get close we discover they have a thin layer of ash on them covering a bed of hot coals. While the passage in Matthew 7 is about passing judgment on others while refusing to face the sin issues in our own lives. The point is still valid that if a person is not dealing with their own woundedness in an appropriate godly way, they won't be able to effectively help others. Many people have been burned because they were under leaders who were still very wounded themselves and had never properly handled their wounds in a Godly way.
The vital importance of good mentors
If a young person goes into the armed services. They will not be put into the battlefield on their first day. There is a tough regimen the new soldiers have to go through of training and conditioning before they can be put in battle. And it is TOUGH TRAINING. Some don't make it.
Being in a relationship where you are being mentored is tough. A good mentor will tell you things you may not want to hear. They may call you out on things that you want to make excuses for. But good mentors will see things about you that you don't see about yourself. They have also been on this Christian walk for some time and they know the struggles and how to get through them.
Now some might say, "I don't need mentors. The Holy Spirit mentors me." It is true that God can do his work without us. But that is not how he has chosen to work. In Ephesians 4:11 the apostle Paul explains how God has appointed certain ministries for our equipping. When someone says that they don't need to belong to a church body or that they don't need mentors because the Holy Spirit mentors them, they are simply doing their own thing. The Holy Spirit isn't mentoring them, they are mentoring themselves. And the real reason they don't want to be mentored is because they don't want to be corrected.
Remember, a person who won't be taught should not be teaching others.
Now it's true that you may find out that you have a bad mentor, this is why it's good to sit under the mentoring teaching of a number of mentors. Proverbs 11:14 says "Many advisors make victory sure." The One caution is, don't look for people who are going to tell you what you want to hear (2Timothy 4:3 There are plenty of teachers who will do that) Look for people who will tell you the truth.
The Motivation of a True Shepherd
After the resurrection Jesus asked Peter three times if Peter loved him. When Peter answered in the affirmative, Jesus told him to feed his sheep and take care of his (Jesus's) sheep.
Many people aspire to leadership positions in the body of Christ because of personal ambition. They may desire recognition because of their own perceived giftedness, or perhaps power and control over other people. As Paul admonished Timothy when he said not to appoint new converts because they might become conceited if they are placed over other people before they are ready.
Too often in the church today we appoint leaders based on giftedness and abilities and often, credentials. What we really need to place front and center is this; Do they love Jesus, and does their lifestyle demonstrate a wholehearted devotion to him.. It's not even enough to love people. A true shepherd should have a passion for people but the heart motivation must be their devoted love for their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
May you all be richly blessed.
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