Blessed Thanksgiving!

Greetings to you and yours this holiday week.   I hope that it is filled with reminders of the reason for our lifestyle of thankfulness.

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!  (Psalm 105:1-2)

Remember, if we only have Jesus, we are rich beyond human imagination.  If we only are justified, we are totally relieved of all guilt and shame and sin’s dreadful consequences. If we only are saved, we are set for life and for eternity, in joy, with Him!

Our daily devotional quotes the Puritan, William Cooper, who wrote:

Thanksgiving demonstrates a spiritual and noble frame of the soul in the highest pitch of grace. The Lord Jesus taught us thankfulness both by pattern and precept, and he thanked God frequently and fervently... We live precariously, and are always at God’s mercy. God in his sovereignty might have never made us; or, he could have crushed us into nothing as soon as we were made, for, ‘has the potter no right over the clay?’ (Romans 9:21). Every moment we depend upon him, and all we have are gifts from him. His power over us is absolute and infinite. To this Sovereign we owe all, and therefore we owe him our thanks. ‘For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen’ (Romans 11:36).

Here at my house we are delighted to have the family under one roof.  David and Mandi and granddog Brody arrived Sunday afternoon after driving from Fort Hood,Texas.  You parents know there is no earthly treasure more valuable than having your kids all at home.  And it’s a hoot to be together, especially to watch the more puppy-like Brody interact with the slightly grumpier Scooter: last night I walked into the house late to find everyone nearly in tears from laughing so hard. Hearing me arrive, Scooter was waiting anxiously by the door, tail wagging furiously, while Brody stood patiently right behind her, being repeated whacked by that happy tail.

The Army is sending David and three other artillery officers to South Korea on Sunday for a pre-planned trip of three weeks or so, so he takes off on Friday. But our daughter-in-law will be here for that time,  so we are thankful that we get to have her close for so long. We’ll get together on Sunday, and I’m already looking forward to that, echoes of last Sunday’s wonderful service still reverberating in my heart.  As promised, you can find Pastor Brian’s communion meditation here on the blog, and here is Pastor Jim’s prayer, adapted from a prayer in Valley of Vision, The Giver:

Creator, Upholder and Proprietor of all things, we cannot escape from your presence and control, nor do we desire to do so.  Our privilege is to be under the agency of your omnipotence, righteousness, wisdom, patience, mercy and grace; for you love with more than parental affection.  We admire your goodness, stand in awe of your power, fall on our face before your purity. It is the discovery of your goodness alone that can banish our fear, allure us into your presence, help us to regret and confess our sins. We review our past guilt and are conscious of present unworthiness. We bless you that your steadfast love and attributes are essential to our happiness and hope; You have demonstrated your grace and mercy in the bounty of nature, in the fullness of your providence, in the revelations of Scripture, in the gift of Your Son, in the proclamation of the gospel.  Make us willing to be saved in your own way, perceiving nothing in ourselves but all in Jesus. Help us not only to receive Jesus, but to walk in Him… depend on Him… commune with Him… follow Him as dear children, imperfect, but still pressing forward, not complaining of labor, but valuing rest, not murmuring under trials, but thankful for our situation. And by so doing let us silence the ignorance of foolish men. Father, all these words and commitments we commend to you…to establish and accomplish in our lives.

For Jesus’ sake we pray, Amen

-Pastor Dale

Discipleship: A Summary of Pastor Dale's 11/21/2010 Sermon

This Sunday, instead of continuing on in our study of the book of Romans, Pastor Dale encouraged us with a message on discipleship. As healthy things tend to grow, such as plants and children, so Christians (both individually, and as a church body) need to be in a constant state of growth. If there is health, there is growth, and yet one of the biggest challenges facing the church today is the perpetual immaturity of believers. Discipleship is the answer to this problem, and it occurs when two or more people encourage each other to grow in Christ.

Paul tells us that God’s purpose for every believer is this process of being conformed to the image of Jesus (Rom 8:29). Our natural tendency is to listen and observe, yet Jesus didn’t tell us to go and make spectators, He said, “Go and make disciples.” But what do we mean by growing and being a disciple? Is this a matter of age, church attendance, Bible knowledge, or our behavior at church? Jesus answers this question when he said we will know his disciples by their fruit. When we think of a disciple we ought to think of a student, a learner, or a follower; but even more than these, Jesus’ disciples are to be doers of the word, not hearers only.

To sum this up, here are some answers to two questions:

First, let’s ask; “What is a disciple?”

1. To be a disciple I must have a relationship with Jesus and, as with any other relationship, we should enjoy spending time with him. John 12:26 says, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also.”

2. To be a disciple I must love Jesus supremely. In comparison to Jesus, all other affections should not come close. In Luke 14:26 Jesus is saying that being his disciple means we love him to such a degree that we are willing to lay down every other relationship (even our own lives) in order to follow him. Not only this, but we are to love God with ALL our heart, ALL our soul, ALL our mind, and ALL our strength (Mk 12:30).

3. To be a disciple I must love Jesus’ church, his family. “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (Jn 13:35).” And, 1 John 4:20 says, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother; he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”

4. To be a disciple, I must obey him completely; partial obedience is disobedience. “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (Jn 8:31-32).” (Also, see Jn 15:7-8).

5. To be a disciple, I must serve others unselfishly. “If anyone would come after me (as my disciple), let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Mt 16:24).”

6. To be a disciple, I must pass on the good news! “And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him (Mt 4:19-20).” As we see in 2 Timothy 2:2, disciples make disciples. “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

The second question related to discipleship is, “How do I grow?”

1. Spiritual growth is incarnational; we grow by letting Christ grow in us. The root word “carne,” means meat, or flesh, and so the one who became flesh (incarnation) now dwells in us by the Spirit. If we are to grow, then God in the flesh (Jesus) must be growing in us. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Gal 2:20).”

2. Spiritual growth is intentional; it doesn’t happen automatically. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Phil 2:12-13).” Working out your salvation is not passive. If you don’t do anything; if there’s no plan or strategy for growth then nothing will happen. Be intentional.

3. Spiritual growth is incremental. Growth doesn’t happen all at once. It’s a slow process and, just as a plant grows from small to bigger, so we have a beginning and then grow. You don’t see a plant grow, but it grows nonetheless - slowly and progressively. “[We] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Cor 3:18).”

4. Spiritual growth is personal. So, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves (2 Cor 13:5).”

5. Spiritual growth is habitual. There are habits that help us grow. When you care for a plant you develop habits, such as regular watering at a certain time of day. The same is true for your spiritual growth. Develop habits for your Bible reading and not neglecting fellowship by being at church. “[Do not neglect] to meet together, as is the habit of some, but [encourage] one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

6. Growth is relational. Our relationship is not only to God, but God has saved us into a body to be in relationship with each other. Your intentional relationship with your brothers and sisters in Christ encourages their growth, and their encouragement to you also helps you to grow.

With all of this in mind, the elders want to encourage you to begin this process of learning and encouraging someone else in the faith, and an excellent resource for this is “Fundamentals of the Faith,” by John MacArthur. We have several copies available, and this will help you learn more about your faith and give you an opportunity to encourage someone else as well. There are several people in the church who have already worked through this book (see your bulletin), and are excited to continue working through it with others. If you would like to begin growing in this way you can contact either Pastor Jim (541-821-0343) or Marla Lance (541-664-5796), and they will introduce you to a person or group for you to get started with.

Has God Rejected the Jews? A Summary of Pastor Dale’s 11/14/2010 Sermon

Paul’s letter to Christians in Rome is clearly one of the most important books of the Bible we can study. If you were deserted on an island, and could only have one book of the Bible, Romans would be a good choice because it helps us understand much of the Old Testament and focuses our attention on the grace of God in saving us through Jesus Christ. One person who recognized the treasure of Romans was Martin Luther; a man used by God to reform the church from the unbiblical, works oriented, practices of the 16^th century Roman Catholic Church. Concerning Romans he said;

“In this epistle we … find most abundantly the things that a Christian ought to know, namely, what is the law, gospel, sin, punishment, grace, faith, righteousness, Christ, God, good works, love, hope, and the cross; and also how we are to conduct ourselves toward everyone, be he righteous or sinner, strong or weak, friend or foe-and even toward our own selves. Moreover, this all ably supported with Scripture and proved by St. Paul’s own example and that of the prophets, so that one could not wish for anything more. Therefore it appears that he wanted in this one epistle to sum up briefly the whole Christian and evangelical doctrine, and to prepare an introduction to the entire Old Testament. For, without doubt whoever has this epistle well in his heart, has with him the light an power of the Old Testament. Therefore let every Christian be familiar with it and exercise himself in it continually. To this end may God give his grace. Amen.

The epistle is really the chief part of the New Testament, and is truly the purest gospel. It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but also that he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul.”

We currently find ourselves in chapters 9-11 where Paul deals with the problem of his people, the Jews, and their rejection of Jesus as messiah. In 9:6 he asks if this problem means God’s word has failed. He answers this three times in chapters 9-11. First, in 9:8 he says, “…it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.” In other words, “No, God’s word has not failed because God’s promises are for people who are true Israel by election, not simply those who are born into Israel by race.”

Paul asks a similar question, when he asks, “What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith?” Paul again answers with a “no,” this time in 10:4 when he says, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” In other words, “No, God’s word hasn’t failed concerning the Jews because Gentiles are being saved. God’s word stands because it is being fulfilled in those who have faith.”

Finally, in 11:25-26, Paul answers that God’s word has not failed concerning the Jews because “a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved.”

Why does this matter? Because if God’s word has failed, then God is not God, and there is no reason to depend on Him with our lives.

So, has God rejected the Jews? Paul answers this by pointing to himself (11:1). “No, look at me! I’m an Israelite.” Also, in 11:2-5 he points out that God has foreknown a remnant, and that anyone who is saved is saved by grace (11:5), not performance.

In light of this study, Pastor Dale suggests the following applications:

1. Think hard about these (sometimes) hard things. We have been saved into a faith that requires us to be learners. The gospel is a message communicated to us, and God reveals both its message and Himself, in the Bible. Because God has communicated this to us in writing we ought to understand that this requires reading and thinking and carefully interpreting what God intends to show us about Himself, us, and how we can be in a relationship with Him.

2. As you think about unconditional election, ask “Have I switched roles with God?” As Americans, we live in a culture that prides itself on independence and freedom. We not only want to be in control, but we see this as a virtue. What do you do when God’s word communicates that He is in control, and that He is the one who chose you? If we are to read and think and understand God’s word, then we need to ask if other things (such as our cultural assumptions) have caused us to think differently about this teaching of Scripture. Ask yourself, “Am I hearing what God declares in His word, or am I making it say what I think it ought to say?”

3. Humble up. Instead of the teaching of election making you proud, it ought to cause the opposite. Instead of thinking that you’re special because God chose you; election should humble you because it teaches that there’s nothing you can do, and even nothing about you, that causes God to choose you. God chooses you completely for His own reasons. As He declares, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” Right understanding of Scripture will always lead you to humble up.

4. Pray for ardent unbelievers. God is the one who saves, but He invites us to pray, and He uses our prayers to accomplish His will. Prayer is like a tool in the hand of God that He uses as He works, so … pray for unbelievers and God may use your prayer as a mean of their salvation.

5. Share the gospel with everyone. Your responsibility is to faithfully communicate the gospel, but the results belong to God. God invites us to be a tool in His hand, as we share the good news of Jesus Christ. It’s His work, not ours. Instead of feeling that someone’s eternal destiny is in your hands, understand that you are a tool in God’s hand to save those whom He chooses to show His mercy. The weight is off your shoulders, so share the gospel with everyone, and leave the results to Him.

6. Take risks with your money and your life. Don’t be foolish, be wise, but understand that your money and this life are temporary, so trust God with them. Be generous with both. Is there anything better than being a part of what God is doing? You’re invited to be a part of what He’s up to, so take a risk and let Him use these as you have an attitude of generosity.

7. Don’t say: “I may not be chosen” Instead, have faith in God and grow in His grace.

8. Find joy in the Lord of grace. Be thankful for God’s grace and recognize that in Him there is great joy.

Check out our new video

For a long time, we have thought about hiring some kind of a spokesmodel to do a really first-class video introduction to Bear Creek Church. Well, we finally took the plunge and went ahead and did it.  And we're real happy with the results.  Our budget was pretty small so we had to cut some corners, but all in all we think our new video is pretty slick.  Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qU-4IGS1T8

About last Sunday...

First off, please forgive me for my coughing/snorting/wheezing fit yesterday morning.  That had to be pretty disgusting to listen to over the speakers.  Thanks to Mrs. Fite for coming to my rescue with the four year-old lozenge, and to Ron with the minty drink, and to Michelle and the slower Jake with the Kleenex.  Those seemed to do the trick!

Otherwise, it was a great day and so good to be together.  I was ‘specially blessed by Josh Mak’s sharing following the message. He is such a humble young man, and so earnest about being a great witness to his fellow airmen.

Ana Marcu introduced you to exchange student and fellow worship leader (weren’t the lyrics encouraging yesterday?) Eveling Garcia; today Eveling (from Nicaragua) is featured on the front page of the Mail Tribune (she is pictured with Susan Marcu, above).  You might be able to see the article here:

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101115/NEWS/11150306

I hope you will continue to remember persecuted Christians in your prayers: find their stories here:

www.persecution.com

That’s the Voice of the Martyrs website, where you can subscribe to their monthly magazine for free. If you inadvertently go to www.persecution.org, I think is also a good site, founded by a guy from Campus Crusade.

I also mentioned the very exceedingly excellent Christian news magazine, World (www.worldmag.com).  I wish everyone in our church who takes in any news – whether from the web, tv, radio, wherever – would support these people and subscribe.  I think it’s $49 bucks a year, which is a smokin’ deal given what you get.  Will you agree with everything you read in it?  Not a chance.  But it will get you and your family thinking about things from an-all important Godly worldview.  That, to me, is one very practical application of Romans 12:2:

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (The New Living Translation, obviously…)

Thanks for bringing in all those shoeboxes!  Let’s ask the Lord to turn them into gospel-delivery packages for the children who receive them.  And don’t forget to fill those coin boxes with money to support Sam and Millie’s work in Zimbabwe.  Two awesome opportunities to display the gospel in hands-on ways.

Miss yesterday’s bulletin?  Don’t forget you can always find a copy at www.bearcreekchurch.org.  Just click on “About our church” and then on “Recent bulletins.”

Remember that if anyone asks you about your church, you can share something with them and then if they want to know more you can point them to these resources: www.bearcreekchurch.org, www.bearcreekchurchpastors.blogspot.com, www.pastordale.com, and to “bearcreekchurchtv” at youtube.com. 

If you are a Facebooker, be sure to join “Bear Creek Church” to keep up with stuff posted there.

Well, that’s all for now, though I know I’m forgetting something.  Hope you have a blessed week, and don’t forget that – according to Romans 11 – we are the humbled recipients of God’s grace, so we have a lot to be thankful for.

-Pastor Dale

Thinking about communion as a sacrament

Do you view communion as a gift from our Lord? This is not just a church tradition where we share some bread and juice and remember Jesus. No, in addition to this, we actually come into His presence, by His invitation, to dine with Him for the strengthening of our faith. We come together to be blessed by this sacrament; that is, by this practice of the church that Jesus established.

You may wonder, “What separates some practices of the church into the category of a sacrament?” We recognize two – baptism and communion – because these were not just taught by our Lord, but He commands His church to do them. What also sets these apart from other practices is the use of material elements as visible signs of God’s blessing. Sacraments are also a means of grace to those who rightly partake of them; and a seal, or confirmation to us of the grace they signify.

When we eat the bread and drink from the cup we are pointed to the reality of Christ’s body and blood, and His sacrifice for our sins. In this sacrament we experience a unique presence of our Lord that strengthens and sustains us in our weakness, and gives us hope and expectation - not only for His coming, but also for the heavenly banquet that awaits us. This is a means of grace to those who eat and drink in faith. Not saving grace that is magically dispensed to us in these material elements, but a very real blessing that strengthens our faith as we acknowledge the grace of God given to us in and through His Son.

As a billboard point us to the reality it represents, so the signs of bread and juice point us to greater realities – namely: Christ’s past work on the cross; His current presence that strengthen our faith; and His certain promises that await us. These signs point to God’s grace and they seal, or confirm to us, the very grace they are meant to signify.

John Calvin wrote that a sacrament is “an outward sign by which the Lord seals on our consciences the promises of his good will toward us in order to sustain the weakness of our faith; and we in turn attest our piety (meaning, reverence or devotion) toward him in the presence of the Lord and of his angels and before men.”

So, the next time you participate in the sacrament of communion: receive the bread and juice as signs that point you to the reality of Christ in you, the hope of glory; recognize that He is with you; see that you are a part of His body that proclaims His atoning death; and repeat this sacrament often, with grateful obedience, as you look forward to His glorious return.

- Pastor Brian

The disciples, on the ark? What gives? Why don't kids know their Bibles?

A person in a position to know told me on Sunday that Christian kids today don’t know the stories of the Bible.   Part of the reason, this person said, was that these elementary schoolers aren’t raised in Sunday School.  Instead, they go to big Sunday morning programs called “Celebration Street” or “Wacky Worship” where they are entertained but where they are not schooled in the events of scripture. This person called these programs “holding tanks,” perhaps because they keep kids busy without actually challenging them.

I share this because I want to encourage our fantastic Sunday School teachers that their work in complimenting the critical mission of Moms and Dads to acquaint their children with the God of history is holy work.  Keep it up! How can children possibly be expected to know the God of history if they don’t know God’s history?

After her mother and both her grandmothers before her, our 17 year-old daughter Anne became a Sunday School teacher last Sunday, after years of being a Sunday School helper.  The first lesson: Sodom and Gomorrah, for very small children!  Talk about a challenge:  I told Anne to sum it up this way: “The people were very naughty, and one woman turned into salt.  Work that one out in your heads, kids. See you next week!”

Seriously, her first lesson also included God’s promise to Abraham, one of the seminal events in all redemptive history. Under BCC Children’s Ministry Director Kim Clark, our teachers use terrific curriculum from Desiring God Ministries (see it here: www.childrendesiringgod.org).  It is the very best we’ve seen, mainly because it actually recognizes the aim of holy writ (to show Christ, and our desperate need of the gospel), rather than turning every story in the Bible into a moralistic/”be nice”/Aesop’s-fable-like/puhleeze stop slugging your sister/behavior modification nag.  The top of Children Desiring God’s web home page describes the goal of the curriculum we use:

“The greatest need of the next generations is to know and cherish the infinite value of God. Therefore, we want them to become so saturated with the Word of God that they treasure Jesus alone as the one who saves and satisfies the heart. The goal of our curriculum is to fuel spiritual desire by exalting the greatness and worth of God and His glorious work through Christ.”

Whoa. Lofty aims, those.  And exactly right.  It worked for me: my Mom and Dad’s faithfulness was an important means of God’s claim on my life, and Sunday School was a big part of that.  I have really fond memories of Sunday School with my Mom as teacher.  The best part: the flannelgraphs. For those of you born in the last two and a half decades, these were paper cutouts stuck on grippy backing that clung to flannel –covered boards so you had something for the kids to look at as you told a Bible story: the high tech innovation of the day. Because my Mom was a teacher, we got to bring the flannelgraph HOME where I could play with it. My biggest thrill came from mixing up the stories of the Bible, for example putting the disciples in the hold of Noah’s Ark, where they crushed the head of the serpent and snacked on the loaves and fishes by the light on the Damascus Road.  This deviant tendency was a probably a predictor of my future as a preacher, but at the time it was just cool to be able to manipulate all these characters and scenes. To this day I remember the smell and feel of those cut-outs, which took my Mom forever to clip from the sheets on which they came. Her time was well-spent: who knows what other fruit the Lord brought from her heart and hours?

So, parents and teachers: keep teaching your children the stories of the Bible and bless you for your holy work in passing on the faith that dwells in you! May it also, according to God's purpose in election, dwell in our children as well (II Timothy 1:5).

Pastor Dale