Happy Reformation Day
It's Reformation Day! Here's a blog I wrote last year explaining why this day is so important in the life of the church.
I used to hate studying history. Boring, dry, stale, and completely unable to hold my attention. I would run from a history book (or blog) like it was the plague. Looking back, most of my disdain for history stemmed from my false belief that what happened in the distant past has no real implication on my life. I know, that's a really stupid belief. Thankfully, I eventually came around to the importance of studying history. My mind was changed while studying Christian history. I found it fascinating that many of the traditions and beliefs held by individuals and churches have their foundation in events that happened hundreds, even thousands of years in the past. I quickly began to realize that you cannot really know what you're doing unit you know why you're doing it. And that brings me to October 31; Hallowee....I mean, Reformation Day.Growing up, I had no idea that October 31 was a day to celebrate something far greater than candy and costumes. On October 31, 1517 a man named Martin Luther nailed a small work outlining his thoughts on indulgences. It would later be know as the 95 Theses, a work considered by many to be the spark of the Reformation. In the day's of Martin Luther an indulgence was the catholic church's way of removing punishment for sin--especially purgatory. You could do good works for an indulgence or simply buy one. One of the catholic church's best know purveyors of indulgences, John Tetzel, is most remembered for his quip, "As soon as a coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs." Luther, after spend much time studying the New Testament, was convinced that punishment for sin could only be removed by faith in Christ. That simple, biblical conclusion split the church.If it's your first time hearing Luther's story you may have the common reaction of, "How could people believe that? How could people believe you could buy your way out of God's punishment? After all, it's plain as day in the Bible that only by grace through faith in Jesus is anyone saved." But you have to remember another reality of Luther's world. The common Christian could not read the Bible. And it wasn't because they were illiterate. It was because the catholic church only allowed Latin Bibles--a language that only trained priests, bishops, and cardinals could read. In other words, the people of Luther's day were completely at the mercy of their teachers. If your priest said, "The Bible teaches indulgences," you had no way to argue against him.But then there was the Reformation. A wave of God sweeping over countries. Brave men (you could be killed for these disagreements!) began translating the Bible into people's native language, preaching from Scripture, and proclaiming the gospel of faith in Jesus. And so many things changed. Luther began to teach positively on marriage (he married the escaped nun Katharina von Bora), new churches formed, and so much distorted biblical doctrine was regained. In fact, if you go to a church that's not catholic, chances are it began in the Reformation. Baptist, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and many more. Lump them together and they're called Protestants (those people who protest catholic doctrine).Unfortunately, we tend to forget our history. What, after all, are we supposed to do with it? Do we venerate reformers like Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, and Melanchthon? No. These were not perfect men, especially Luther! As we remember, however, we can learn and be encouraged. You often see truth most clearly in the heat of the battle. I've personally learned more about faith, grace, baptism, repentance, and sovereignty from the reformers than any other group--precisely because they were fighting for those truths. There is so much we can learn from our collective Christian family history, and so much we may forget if we fail to do so.If you want to learn more about the reformers here are some good starter resources:Trick or Treat? It's Martin Luther (online article)Martin Luther: Lessons from his life and labor (online article)The Freedom of a Christian* by Martin LutherThe Legacy of Sovereign Joy* by John Piper*I own these books are you're more than welcome to borrow them.
To Carve or Not to Carve
Out of all the American holidays Halloween poses the most questions for Christians. Not once have I been asked questions about Flag Day or St. Patrick's Day, but every year I get some questions about Halloween. I can boil all the questions I've been asked down to one, "Should Christians have any participation in Halloween?"Some things should be avoidedAlmost every American holiday has elements that Christians should avoid. Take the common practice of getting drunk on St. Patrick's Day for example. Every Christian should avoid getting drunk on green beer (or any other color beer for that matter!). That doesn't mean, however, that you should avoid all things green on St. Patrick's Day. I think the same thing is true for Halloween. There are some things that people do on Halloween that Christians should avoid--seances, ouija boards, and participation in satanic rituals come to mind.Some things are a matter of individual freedom and conscienceThere are other things, however, that I would argue are up to an individuals freedom and conscience. Take carving a pumpkin for example. Now, you can find all kinds of information on where pumpkin carving originated. And some of what you can find is just plain ridiculous, like the myth that druids were the first people to carve pumpkins, and that they carved demonic shapes into them for satanic rituals. (The problem with this myth is that pumpkins were first introduced to Europe 500 years ago and druids disappeared about 1,000 years ago.) But let me just own up to a reality. People have used pumpkins in ways that dishonor God. Here's the important question: does their misuse of pumpkins mean that I should stay away from them altogether? Based purely on that logic I would say no. My biblical support for that is Paul's teaching on meat that was sacrificed to idols in 1 Corinthians 8:1 - 6. Here's what was happening. Animals were being sacrificed in pagan, idolatrous ceremonies and the leftover meat was being sold at the local market. Imagine walking into your local grocery store and buying a steak that came from a pagan sacrifice. Should you buy that meat? eat it? serve it to others? Some people said, "Stay away from it," while others said, "Eat up." Paul's simple point was two fold. First, there is only one God, so a sacrifice to an idol is not a sacrifice to a god at all. Second, God made everything, including that meat. Don't call something God made good evil or impure. His final advice was, "If your conscience does not condemn you then eat the meat--as long as it doesn't damage another brother or sister in Christ." That's the way I look at something like pumpkin carving. God made pumpkins, and I'm not about to condemn something God made and called good. I can take a pumpkin and carve it, eat it, paint it, then compost it to the glory of my God who made it...IF and only if two conditions are met. 1) I feel no condemnation in doing so, and 2) my actions do not cause other Christians to stumble.There are many things associated with Halloween that fall into this category. Which leads me to my last point.Don't do anything without thinkingIt's both foolish and dangerous to do something without giving it thought. We should think through every action in light of Scripture, the work of Jesus, and the mission God has given us. Before you carve a pumpkin and set it by your front door you should consider your ministry in your community. Before you send your kids out to collect and consume a ridiculous amount of candy you should consider that gluttony is a sin. Before you lock your door and turn off your lights on Halloween night you should consider if you could use your neighbors coming to your house to get candy as an opportunity for a gospel conversation. Think through your actions, pray for wisdom, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you. In the end make 1 Corinthians 10:31 your goal. "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."*For more on Christians and Halloween:Sent into the Harvest: Halloween on Mission (by David Matthis / Desiring God)What are Your Thoughts on Halloween (by John Piper)The History of Halloween Revisited (by Mars Hill Church)
Family Devotions
One of the most beneficial things any family can do is to have a regular time where everyone in the house comes together to worship Jesus. You've probably heard someone talk about the importance of having this family time, but maybe you're struggling getting things going or maintaining some regularity. Let me give you some encouragement and tips that might help you. I'll break my tips into three categories: families with young children, families with older children, and adult families (everyone living in the house is an adult). Finally, I'll end up with four pieces of advice for every family.Families with Young ChildrenI've got two rules of thumb here: make it special and keep it short and to the point. Make your family devotion time something special for your kids. It doesn't have to be extravagant, just special. Rebekah, our 3 year old, loves candles. So every night before she goes to bed I let her get the special candle, I light it during our devotion time, and she blows it out when we're done. It's simple, but makes it special for Rebekah. It's also good to make it short and to the point. Younger children probably aren't going to sit for a half hour Bible study, and that's ok. Intentionally make your family devotion time short and sweet. In our house we have a devotion routine that has three short parts. We'll sing a song together (if you don't play an instrument go a cappella or use YouTube), read a Bible story, and finish up with prayer. You know how long your kids will stay focused, so make the length of your time fit your family. Here are some great resources for younger family devotions.Children's Bibles to read from every night
- 1 - 4 year old: The Beginners Bible (short stories that young kids can hold on to)
- 4 - 12ish year old: The Jesus Storybook Bible (stories are longer, the book connects every story to Jesus)
Families with Older ChildrenIf you are a family with older children your kids can pay attention more, and you need to go out of your way to get them to interact more with the passages you're reading. My two rules of thumb here are make is special and get them talking. If you've got older kids you need to make your family devotion time special. The simple things that work with younger children won't be as effective, but thankfully there are other ways. For older kids the best thing you can do here is to get them involved! Let them read the Bible, let them act it out while you are reading, ask them to come up with one question about the passage. Do what ever you can to give them responsibility in your family time. You've also got to work to get your kids talking. It's not enough to read the story of Noah, Abraham, or Moses. You've got to get your kids talking about why those stories matter. The entire Bible is about God's rescue mission through Jesus! So read through a passage and ask questions like: what does this story teach us about people? about God? about Jesus?* Ask them what their favorite part or verse was...and them ask them why! Your best resource for older kids is the Bible you already own. Before your kids go to bed tonight grab your Bible, open to Mark chapter 1 and start reading. Keep reading every night until you finish Mark (it may take you two weeks or two months, that's O.K.). When you finish Mark let one of your kids pick the next book to read through.*if you need help coming with questions to ask your older kids send me an email. There are too many resources to list here, and I like to suggest these resources on a family by family basis.Adult FamiliesIf everyone in your house is an adult a family devotion may seem a bit out of place. It's not. You rob yourself of an awesome opportunity if you're an adult living with adults who are christians and you don't do regular devotions together. My tips here are go deep and make it personal. Pick up your Bible, start in the gospel of Mark and work your way through the book. It doesn't matter if you read a chapter a night or a paragraph a night. But don't just read. Go deep. After you read ask each other questions like: what is God teaching us in this section? what do these verses have to do with Jesus? Talk about what parts jump off the page as well as the verses that don't make any sense to you. And take the next step and make your study personal. Share with everyone how God challenged, encouraged, or convicted you with his Word. Reading the Bible isn't like reading any other book, it reads you more than you read it. So when God is working don't keep it to yourself! Finish your time off with serious and loving prayer for each other.4 Short Tips for everyone
- If there's a man of the house he should take the lead. Dad, husband, elder-statesman, whatever your role is men, you need to lovingly take the lead on this one. If your reading this and know that your not the one to take the lead, then humbly encourage the one who should lead to start tonight. A simple, "I would like you to lead us in a family devotion" will do
- Be disciplined in your family devotion. Pick a time that works for your family every day and is easy to remember. After breakfast, before bed, any time that is regular.
- No matter what the ages in your family try to include reading the Bible, singing (or some other form of music), and praying. All three of these are means by which God works in individuals and families.
- Finally, remember that christian growth isn't an individualistic pursuit. Yes, you are an individual accountable to God, but God has designed it such that we grow in community with other believers. You need your family to grow and they need you.
God foreknew you
Every truth God gives us in the Bible is deep and rich. Even simple truths have the power to shape the way the live, love, and think about God, others, and ourselves. The Bible's teaching on God foreknowing his children is no different. I've often come back to this word when I'm afraid, sad, or unhopeful. Let me talk about what God foreknowing you means and then show you why it's so encouraging.Some of the greatest verses on God's foreknowledge are Romans 8:29 - 30. Paul Writes,
For those whom [God] foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
The word foreknew is simple enough to break apart. For-knew, or to know beforehand. So Paul is saying that God knew you before. Now there are two important questions we need to ask. The first is, before what? What did God know me before? I think it's before God said "let there be light." Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:4 that God chose us (that's every christian) before the foundation of the world. That's right, before God created the first molecule he knew you! And that brings us to our second question.What does it mean that God knew you? Is Paul saying that God knew every thought and action you would ever make before you made them? While I think this is true, I don't think that's what Paul is getting at. Paul is drawing on a much deeper use of the word know. Consider the following verses:
Amos 3:2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.1 Corinthians 8:3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.Genesis 4:1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain.
In each of these verses know is used to mean much more than 'I know some information about you.' God knows the facts about every nation on earth, but he said to Amos, "Only Israel have I known." Paul is aware that God knows every human on the planet, and yet he says that if you love God you are known by God. And certainly Adam had met Eve before Cain was conceived! It's obvious the word know has a much deeper and richer meaning than we may at first think. It's a knowing that that includes loving, choosing, and doing good. In that deeper, when God says he knows someone he means that he has set his attention, love, and grace on that person in a special way.Now put those two together and be blown away that God foreknew you. Before God created anything he set his attention, love, and grace on you, christian. That's right, God has loved you with saving love before he made anything. And that is wonderfully encouraging. Let me give you two ways this truth encourages.First, God doesn't love you because of your performance. God set his love and grace on you long before you were born. There is nothing you have ever done that earned God's love. In fact, every truly good thing you've ever done has been because God had already set his grace and love on you. Even your faith to believe in Jesus was God's gift to you (Ephesians 2:8 - 9). Faith is the first fruit, the evidence that God has set his love and grace on you. Practically that means that God's love and grace toward you do not rise and fall based on your actions. His love and grace have roots in his foreknowing you.Second, God will keep giving you grace. Have you ever wondered if God would ever cut you off? That one day you'll wake up and all the love and grace you've know will be gone? Thankfully, that's not an option. God foreknowing you means that he will never stop pursuing you! Isn't that where Paul takes foreknowledge? Those God foreknew he predestined, justified, and glorified. That's one reason we can be confident that all things work for the good of those who are called (Romans 8:28).God foreknew every single person who has, is, or will one day put his or her faith in Jesus. If that's you, be encouraged today. Long before you did anything good or bad God set his love and grace on you, and that will never change!