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The New Morality

 

In their book, Good Faith: Being a Christian When Society Thinks You’re Irrelevant and Extreme, David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons trace the path America has taken toward a new moral code: “the morality of self-fulfillment.” The new moral code comes with six guiding principles:

  1. To find yourself, look within yourself.
  2. People should not criticize someone else’s life choices.
  3. To be fulfilled in life, pursue the things you desire most.
  4. Enjoying yourself is the highest goal of life.
  5. People can believe whatever they want as long as those beliefs don’t affect society.
  6. Any kind of sexual expression between two consenting adults is fine.

Today’s decree, later changed to a directive (because decrees are usually handed down by God and someone must have clued in the overreaching Department of Justice that they might be using a word with religious overtones…which of course isn’t tolerated today) that all public schools must give equal access to bathrooms to transgender people is the government enacting these six guiding principles.

Russell Moore stated in his blog today:

The state here wishes to use its coercive power not simply to stop mistreatment of people but to rescript the most basic human intuitions about humanity as male and female. How, after all, does one win a culture war against one of the most basic facts of science and life: that there are two sexes? One does so by withholding the funds and recognition necessary to operate in public space, unless institutions get in line. Children, then, become pawns of the state for the state to teach what is ultimately a theological lesson, not a scientific one.

According to the state (and Hollywood, ESPN, Zuckerberg from Facebook and a host of other media elites), one’s gender is determined by looking within, not by the biological standards of male and female anatomy. Anyone who disagrees is considered an intolerant bigot. Since people should do what they desire most and enjoying life is the highest goal, individual assessment of one’s own gender takes precedence over safety of others, scientific evidence and basic discretion.

Pastor Kevin DeYoung, in a letter to the Michigan State Board of Education stated:

The current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) includes gender dysphoria, labeled as gender identity disorder until 2013, as a recognized condition when accompanied by distress over one’s biological sex. While some parents may encourage their children to embrace their chosen gender identity, whether it matches their biological sex or not, many other parents will see gender confusion as a natural part of passing through puberty and will encourage their children to embrace their biological sex. It is not the place of the schools to undermine what is taught in the home.

We are experiencing a tsunami of cultural change. Underneath the tsunami lies the earthquake that created it: the morality of self-fulfillment. Moore states well, “We must bear witness to the goodness of what it means to live as creatures, not as self-defining gods and goddesses.”

The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever–not to glorify self and enjoy self forever.

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Walk The Walk

I pray that every family had a blessed Mother’s Day!

It was another great day in the house of the Lord yesterday. The spirit really moved, and it was great to worship together with brothers and sisters.

If you didn’t hear Jerry’s sermon, click here. In our time together yesterday, we jumped into Titus who was on the island of Crete. Paul had great instructions for Titus as he led this church.

In Kids Worship, we did not focus much on the instructions for older women…However, we did talk about what it looks like to live for Jesus. Here are the Conversation Starters:

  • If they play a sport, ask them what position they play. If they play an instrument, ask them what instrument they play. Pick a hobby that they like and ask them about their role (baseball: pitcher, play piano: musician, drawing: artist, etc.).
  • Take whatever role they play, and ask them if they would call themselves something different. (Say something like this: “If you are a pitcher, would you call yourself a right fielder?” The answer should be “no” to this question.)
  • Did you know that as a Christian, you have to Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk?
  • To Talk the Talk means that you must tell the truth about what you are. If you are a Christian, you must say you are a Christian. Have you ever had the opportunity to share the Gospel with someone? (If so, ask them about this experience. If not, that is ok. Encourage them to talk to someone this week.)
  • To Walk the Walk means that we must live in a way that shows what we are. If we say we are a Christian, you must do what? Live like it, right?
  • How do you live like a Christian?
  • Read Titus 2:11-14
  • Did you know that the Gospel has changed us???
  • What is the Gospel? (Have them explain it to you. If they can’t, then you can explain it to them.)
  • How do we live like the Gospel has changed us?

Enjoy! Also, feel free to adjust these questions to best fit your situation!

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I Will Sing My Song

Habakkuk was such a rich book to go through these past few weeks. We have really seen God work through His word.

As a storm passed through yesterday afternoon, I felt it was fitting to sing in the middle of it!

Kids Worship was a lot of fun yesterday! We had a great time finishing up Habakkuk. If you missed Jerry’s sermon yesterday, click here. Here are the Conversation Starters for this week:

  • What is your favorite song?
  • If you didn’t say a Christian song, then what Christian song is your favorite? (If you as a parent don’t know their song, go listen to it.)
  • Do you know every word to that song?
  • Did you know that you can sing that song even when it’s hard to?
  • Habakkuk was in a storm, but he said he would rejoice in the Lord. What does it mean to rejoice in the Lord?
  • Can you rejoice in the Lord even when you are scared?
  • Habakkuk says that God is his strength. What does he mean?
  • Is there anyone stronger than God?
  • Let’s practice singing our song!!! (Yes, you have to sing their favorite song with them!)

Enjoy!

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You Can Sing In The Storm

The Holy Spirit was evident at Grace yesterday. It was amazing to see the Holy Spirit moving. The only person who receives glory is our good, good Father.

Little Pike Jr. brought the message to the kids in Kids Worship yesterday. I heard only great things about it! After reading his sermon, I truly believe that he did awesome.

The Conversation Starters are based off of Pike’s sermon in Kids Worship. It goes directly with what I preached in Adult Worship. If you missed the sermon yesterday, please listen to it here. Please adjust these questions to fit you and your kiddos!

 

  • What is something that you are scared of?
  • Are you scared of thunderstorms?
  • If not, what is something you are scared of?
  • Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a thunderstorm (or whatever you are scared of)?
  • Have you ever sung a song in the middle of it?
  • Habakkuk was in the middle of a storm and sang a song. How did he do that?
  • He did that because he had to Remember What God Had Done. What is something God has done in the past to help you feel safe? (Ended the thunderstorm? Got you through a scared time?)
  • Habakkuk also had to Remember Why God Did It. (Read Habakkuk 3:13). Did you know that God helps you in the storm because he loves you?
  • Habakkuk also had to Anticipate What God Will Do. (Read Habakkuk 3:16).
  • Habakkuk was clearly scared, right? He knew that God would get him through the storm because he had done it before.
  • Choose a song that you love. The next time you are scared, sing that song. And remember that God has protected you before, and he will do it again.

Enjoy!

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God Will Have His Way

What an awesome day to worship our Lord yesterday! It is comforting to know that even in the midst of evil God will have his way.

God is never not sovereign over us.

In Kids Worship, we used different “woes” than adult worship did. If you did not hear Jerry’s sermon from yesterday, please listen here. I will give my five woes compared to Jerry’s five woes so that you can know how to ask the kids:

  1. The Robber Robbed / The Pillager Pillaged
  2. The Protected Destroyed / The Fortified Dismantled
  3. The City Disrupted / The Civilized Demoralized
  4. The Rude Dishonored / The Shameless Defamed
  5. The Pagan Powerless / The Pagan Idolator

This is just so you (the parent) know what we talked about. Here are the Conversation Starters!

  • Have you ever had a player on your team to never came to practice, but they played in games?
  • Have you ever had a friend in class who’s parents did their homework and they made better grades than you?
  • Is that fair?
  • Is God in sovereign even though they prosper?
  • King Nebuchadnezzar was evil. Was God sovereign even though he was destroying nations?
  • Nebuchadnezzar did many bad things to people, what did God say would happen to Nebuchadnezzar? (He would get what he deserved.)
  • What does the cup represent? (God’s wrath.)
  • If Nebuchadnezzar would have to receive God’s wrath because of his sin, who took God’s wrath for us? (Jesus.)

Enjoy!!

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Live By Faith, Die By Pride

 

For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end–it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:3-4 ESV)

How amazing has it been studying Habakkuk? I have received so much encouragement by studying and preparing my sermons from this book.

Live By Faith, Die By Pride. The righteous shall live by faith.

This is essentially the slogan for all of Scripture. This is what God wanted Habakkuk to write plainly on tablets. In Kids Worship, we discussed this very sentence.

If you haven’t heard Jerry’s sermon from Sunday, please listen here.

Here are the Conversation Starters for you and your kids:

  • Can you tell me some slogans that companies use? (Use Nike, McDonalds, etc.)
  • Read Habakkuk 2:2
  • God told Habakkuk to write on tablets. Why on tablets? (Permanence, durability, etc.)
  • Read Habakkuk 2:4
  • What was the Main Idea in Kids Worship on Sunday? (The Righteous Shall Live By Faith)
  • If you commit a crime, are you guilty of that crime?
  • If you commit a sin, are you guilty of that sin?
  • What does righteousness mean? (A gift of forgiveness)
  • Are you righteous without God? (NO)
  • Scripture says we have been given righteousness and we are to live by faith. What is faith? (To trust all of the time)
  • Do you trust your parents?
  • Do you trust the God who made your parents?
  • If you are guilty of sin, but been given righteousness, then who received the punishment for the sin? (Jesus)

 

As always, adjust what need! Enjoy and God bless!

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When God Doesn’t Make Sense…

The sovereignty of God is not something we can question, but questioning God in his sovereignty is exactly what we see Habakkuk doing in the passage from Sunday.

The Chaldeans have moved in on the people of Judah and now Habakkuk is seeing the carnage they are bringing. What an eye opening passage.

If you have not listened to Jerry’s sermon from Sunday, please go listen here.

I’m excited to give out these Conversation Starters for all you parents! The sovereignty of God is a heavy subject, but it is crucial for our kids to understand it.

Here are the questions for this week:

  • What is the King of England in charge of? (We discussed that he reigns over all of England)
  • What does sovereign mean? (We talked about soveREIGN. To reign over a something)
  • If the King of England is sovereign over England, what is God sovereign over? (All creation)
  • Read Habakkuk 1:12-13. 
  • Even though we know God is sovereign over all creation, is there still evil in the world?
  • Is God sovereign even though people kill other people? (You could mention 9/11 or the Pakistan bombing from Easter Sunday)
  • Have you ever asked your parent “Why?”
  • Have your parents ever told you to wait and trust them?
  • Are you allowed to ask God “Why?” (Habakkuk asks God why)
  • Did you know that God wants us to trust him?
  • Read Proverbs 3:5-6

Again, feel free to adjust these accordingly! Enjoy and God bless!

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Unthinkable Sin Demands Unbelievable Justice

What an exciting Easter weekend it was! Good Friday, Journey To The Cross, Easter Eggstravaganza, and all four services yesterday made for a monster celebration of our risen Savior.

This week as Pastor Jerry and I prepared our Easter sermons, I wondered if the kids would be able to handle our One Main Idea: Unthinkable Sin Demands Unbelievable Justice. As it turns out, they can. If you were not able to make it to any of the services yesterday, please go listen to the sermon via Podcast or click here.

I love the idea of streamlining Pastor Jerry’s sermon with mine. We are also going to start conversation starters on the blog the following Monday. For all parents of children, here are the conversation starters:

  • When you are at school, and you see someone being bullied, what do you do?
  • Do you ever see a bully get away with their actions? Do they not get in trouble?
  • Do you think that is fair?
  • Read Habakkuk 1:1-4. Should Habakkuk speak to God in this way?
  • Have you ever felt like Habakkuk? A bully not getting in trouble? A sibling not getting in trouble?
  • What is Unthinkable Sin? (In Kids Worship we talked about all sin being “unthinkable.” For Habakkuk, there was violence and destruction. For us, it’s everyday sin. To God, there is no distinction. Sin is sin.)
  • Read Habakkuk 1:5-6. God is about to raise up a people for the sole purpose of destruction. Are the Israelites getting what they deserved?
  • What is Unbelievable Justice? 
  • If the Chaldeans were raised up to bring justice to the Israelites, who was raised up for us?
  • Do we get what we deserve? Does Jesus deserve it? (Illustration: If your sibling took a spanking that you deserved, how would that make you feel?)
  • Can God really love us so much, that he would send his only son to die for us? Yes.

 

Feel free to adjust accordingly with these questions. These are skeleton questions to help pursue meaty conversation with your children. Enjoy!

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Come On In

Wendy and I are sitting here anticipating another surgery. Earlier this morning, Jeff Domingus text me Psalm 24. As I read it, I couldn’t help sharing it with you. Wherever you are, whatever you’re facing, your 3 word prayer can (and should) be, “Come on in.”

David opens the Psalm by acknowledging God’s rightful ownership of everything:

The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. (Psalm 24:1-2 ESV)

Before he says, “Come on in,” he asks, “How can I come in?”

Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah (Psalm 24:3-6 ESV)

More than once David had ascended God’s hill (Jerusalem) and stood in his holy place (the temple). The prerequisites: clean hands, pure hearts, undivided worship, honest dealings. The reward: blessing and righteousness. Interesting that David got the reality that God provides the righteous requirement for entry into God’s presence.  But how did he receive that: by seeking God. God seeks us, we seek him. God pursues us, we pursue him. God longs for us, we long for him.

While Wendy and I definitely want a successful surgery today, we want God more. Why? David continues.

Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah (Psalm 24:7-10 ESV)

Jerusalem had gates–12 of them to be exact! When a dignitary arrived, the gates would swing open wide, the city would be astir, the red carpet rolled out. Jerusalem, that ancient holy city, was only significant because of who reigned there. If the King of glory didn’t enter, then ascending the hill and standing in the holy place had little value.

In just a few hours, Trent will be rolled back (like so many times before) through doors that Wendy and I will not walk through. We will wait while the doctors do what they do. Our hope, our peace, our comfort is that the King of glory is there. Don’t miss who He is. He is the LORD, strong and mighty. When our strength ends, His is only beginning. When our strength fails, His sustains. When our strength wanes, His grows.

Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts–in other words–the one who fights for us. Every time we come to this point, we feel powerless and helpless. But the King of glory is the ultimate warrior, the determined general, the consummate commander.

Selah (pause…and think about it)

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Now and Forever

Dictionary.com defines destiny as “something that is to happen or has happened to a particular person or thing; lot or fortune” or “the predetermined, usually inevitable or irresistible, course of events.”
In 1 Thessalonians 5:10 Paul encourages:
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 ESV)
You might say…the predetermined, inevitable or irresistible course of events for those who confess and believe Jesus is deliverance not damnation, redemption not rejection. God has not destined you for wrath.
I don’t want to go too deeply into this, but this verse (see also 1:10) is most convincing to me that when Jesus returns, believers will not have to endure seven years of the Great Tribulation. Let me explain. Revelation teaches clearly that there will be 7 years of Tribulation that accompany the return of Christ. I am convinced that, prior to that Tribulation, we will all be safe at home with Christ. I have one more convincing reason.
“Jesus Christ, who died for us so that.” Jesus’s death not only freed us from the power of sin, it freed us from the penalty of sin. Jesus’s death made us right with God! He died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.  As God’s children, we live with Jesus now. He lives in us, we are in him. As God’s children, we will live with him then (when we sleep…meaning die).
Jesus died to bring us home. That is our destiny.
The predetermined, inevitable, irresistible course of events for you (if you’ve confessed and believed Jesus) is to be at home with Jesus.  Now and forever.