No Greater Love

It is very rare that I comment on movies or such things like that, but here in the past few posts the movie industry has come up. However, this time I highly recommend a visual production entitled, No Greater Love.

This is a Lionsgate production and comes with a 4 out of 5 for family friendliness from the Dove Foundation.

My wife and I viewed this just recently and both of us were just overwhelmed with the acting and the portrayal of Christianity through the eyes of an unbeliever. We loved it! It was honest, fresh, very well done, and tastefully, yet vividly emotional.

The opening scenes are abrupt and certainly get your attention. They deal with a wife caught in the grips of deep depression and turns to alcohol as a way out before she abandons her husband and 10 month old son. The movie then comes to the present day where this abandoned husband, Dave, and his 10 year old son are very attached and lovingly strong in their relationship. The husband now, an unbeliever, is now actually thinking of marrying another woman, yet has such emotional ties to his long-lost wife.

The movie brings us along the journey of discovering his lost wife, now dealing with the anger, bitterness, yet overwhelming love he still has for her. The problem now is that the wife, Heather, has become a Christian. She is a totally different person. What now? Believers and Unbelievers being married? Divorced? Different paths, plans, and what about the burden of a believer's heart to follow God when now comes this man she lost contact with and a son she has not known for his entire life practically?

This is a great movie that tugs at your heart and portrays the power of Christ's change in those who are truly saved and walking in obedience.

I encourage you to watch it. I think the content is a bit much for a younger audience and would agree with Dove's assessment of keeping it to an audience of 12 years old and up. This is a much milder version of a Fire Proof kind of movie. The emotions are calmer yet very intense at the same time.

We found our copy in the local video store, so make it a date movie if you like that and enjoy, No Greater Love.

Crazy Love (A Review)

I have just finished listening to the audio book version of Crazy Love by Francis Chan. It has been a very challenging and meditative time. Francis Chan incites us to earnestly inspect our God and His love for us. Chan also then provokes us (me) to consider how I love my God in return. How then do I demonstrate, interact, and increase my ability to love God?

Tim Challies does his review of this book as well. Read his review and then I encourage you to also read or listen to this resource.

It is a crazy love to this world. But to us may it be a kind of love that causes us to be more like Christ. You can also check out the website for this book HERE.

This thing called "Ministry" (Part 12)

I come to the conclusion of this series I have been running on the shape of ministry through the pages of Paul's epistle to the Corinthians, specifically, 1 Corinthians.

The whole series has been a personal viewpoint of how Paul did ministry, expressed ministry, and challenged me as a minister to view my own understanding and performance. There are obviously many other passages we could go to and study, but this book was for me a challenge. Ministry is about a heart and soul dedicated and sold out for Christ. Ministry is about forgiveness and forthrightness. Ministry is about transparency and honesty. Ministry is about people and less about pride.

The passage I want to conclude with is thus:

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:50-58)

What a classic passage of Scripture! Paul grants to us a new lease on living. We are given such great contrasts between corruptible and incorruptible, mortal and immortality. We are shown the stark reality of death but the greater conquest of Christ over death. We are given "new revelation" that death holds no power over the forgiven soul and the grave is not a place of repose or cessation.

The law brought death's sting, but Christ's death destroyed death's law. Death and the grave hold no more power and we have victory, catch that, VICTORY!

Notice then the conclusion that Paul grants us in verse 58, "Therefore....BE."

Be what? Here then lies ministry. As ministers of the Gospel and the message bearers of Christ we are to be.....

Steadfast - firmly or solidly in place (also found in Colossians 1:23 and 1 Peter 5:9)

Unmovable (immovable) - without shift or change (only place in NT where this form of the word is used)

Always abounding - has an attachment to have abundance in growth and thus to be abundantly growing. Under that idea specifically here Paul is emphasizing the idea of being outstanding, to excel, to be prominent in that growth. (Used other places but a good example is found in Colossians 2:7 of the abounding of thanksgiving.)

We could spend a lot of time discussing the further implications these terms bear, but I will leave that to you. The issue then goes to what are we to be steadfast, unmovable and abundant in? Answer: "The work of the Lord."

Another passage that comes to mind is Ephesians 4:12 - the work of service, the work of ministry. The job of pastor/teachers is to equip the saints to do their labor of love (of course we as pastors are in that category of saints as well).

"The work of the Lord."

What is your work? Where do you labor? What do you find to be your place and practice of service?

The implication is that we all are to be doing something. Thus we all are to be ministers of some sort. We all have a toil to perform and a job to accomplish until the day we are called to glory either through grave's door or by means of Christ's coming back for His chosen people. So....What then is your task? Of course we all the the Great Commission to fulfill, but specifically, what is your ministry to the body of Christ?

The challenge is granted and with it Paul then offers this word of encouragement as well, "your labor (toil) is not in vain (futile) in the Lord (when done for and because of Him)."

Ministry is many things, but it is ours to do. Ministry has many challenges and sometimes is not as noticed or seems not as important as others, but it is handed to us by the Lord of our life and lover of our soul.


Whatever your "ministry," do it unto God and not unto men. Your labor is not futile, empty, vain if it is done for Christ. He is our ministry. We labor for Him because of Him, and through the power He affords us.

Now that is Ministry!

This thing called "Ministry" (Part 11)

It has taken me some time to come back to this thought due to church commitments and then other personal matters, but also because I did not want to come into this next passage flippantly. We have been going through 1 Corinthians and seeing how Paul handled this thing called "Ministry."

I am a minister of the Gospel. I am a minister in my church. I am a minister at home and wherever I find myself. To be a minister is not something that comes with one approach and only one manifestation. To be a minister in this thing called ministry means that I have to be in control of my flesh, and be controlled by the Holy Spirit. But Paul also leads us to see that ministry is also about being controlled by Love.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

If I wish to speak to the needs of man and I have no love for him then it does him nor me any good. It is simply a lot of noise making. It may even sound pretty, but in the end it does not give us any melody or do much for harmony.

If I wish to proclaim the wonders of God's written word so as to impart understanding to the masses and even if my ability in faith is capable of hurtling mountains from their moorings and have no love, I am nothing.

If I gave everything I owned to feed and clothe the poor and even gave my own body up to be burned for the cause of Christ and yet have not love, it profits no one.

So many times I can get caught up in the doing and Paul reminds me that the doing is not as important as the decision to love those to whom we are doing it for and to. The messages I preach and the programs I organize will not avail to anything unless we have love for these people.

A minister is one who speaks, imparts God's Word, demonstrates faith, shows surrender, and reveals character by LOVE not titles, degrees, and even years of resume experience.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (John 13:34)

The Christian life is a life of relationship. Imagine the relationship one would have with his or her spouse if love was ever in question. The divorce rate of our country is reflective of man's opinion of love. We move from one love to the next, from one desire to the next. The consumer mentality of our love lives is evident in the material greed and the moral degradation all around us.

But notice what Christ said...."A new commandment."

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44)

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Ephesians 5:25)

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19)

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; (Philippians 1:9)

Why do we not get it? The image of Christ is at stake. The purpose of the church is brought to bear. The power of the Spirit is made anemic when we choose not to love. When we choose not to love we choose to not care for and demonstrate the sacrifice of Christ, the magnitude of Christ, the preeminence of Christ by our love. When we seek to deny love we proclaim self as supreme and man as superior. We announce weakness as victorious and pride as the winner.

This thing called ministry is about how we love and if we love. It has never been about who. For even our worst of associates and our most dreaded of compatriots is brought into the circle of those with whom we are to demonstrate love as God has commanded.

Of course that is not easy. But what in the Christian life has ever been "easy?" That is why the Christian experience is a race, a battle, a field plowing experience. We wage war against the natural man everyday and we do not like being told what to do let alone who to love and how to love. We want to pick our vices and pick our friends. We want to choose our associates and compliment our likes and dislikes by the people who share in the same.

To love the unlovable and not get anything in return? Unheard of! To simply do it because God said so? Now wait a minute! I did not sign up for that kind of ministry. I want to do it my way and get something tangible for it.

May we soon remember that God got a raw deal when He chose to love us. Christ suffered immeasurably when He chose to love us. The Holy Spirit is even grieved at times with us as our indwelling representative of God when we choose to refuse to love and obey.

Ministry is about loving others as Christ loved us. May we choose wisely and quit with all the loud banging and haughty mindedness that is ruining the church. May we show love, live love, give love, and have love one for another.

Now that is ministry!

This thing called "Ministry" (Part 6)

For a few posts we have been focusing on what this thing called "ministry" is about. Now, notice I did not say "all about" for that is what the professional writers spend hours amassing great quantities of research and data to produce books do. I on the other hand have been tracking through 1 Corinthians to see how Paul handled ministry to a difficult group of early believers in the pagan city of Corinth. To catch up check out this link.

(Acts 20:24) "But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God."

Paul had his ministry in mind when he addressed these Corinthian believers. His was a ministry commissioned by Christ and contained solely in the Gospel. This gospel now comes to bear in 1 Corinthians 9.

"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:19-27)

What is this thing called ministry? To Paul it was Submission and Subjection. Submission to a greater cause than his own, and subjection to greater people than himself.

Submission to a greater cause

The Cause is the Gospel. The cause is the salvation of human souls. The Cause is one that transcends pettiness and programs. The cause is the message of life vs. death and the only way to know life is through Jesus Christ. Paul knew that message. Paul was very ready to propagate this all important proclamation of God's eternal love.

"For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel." (1 Corinthians 9:16)

Would that I felt that way about the Gospel. Oh, I claim to, I strive to, I want to. But to minister with such passion that I am submitted to nothing more than the Gospel message and that all else takes a back seat to the task of letting everyone around me know that Jesus died for their sins and offers them release and hope for eternity's opportunity. To be a true minister I need to subject myself to the overwhelming emotion and burden of the Gospel message. Not programs, not TV shows, not all the other things that want to trap me and bind me and pull me away from reaching people. Let it be that we are bound to the call of God to share this love story in every facet of life we find ourselves in. Be in Submission to the Gospel message.

Subjection to Greater People

In verses 19-23 (see above), Paul states that there are people at stake here - Jews, those under the Law, those who are without law, weak, all men. Paul grants us his desire to reach those who are without the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Paul does everything for the Gospel's sake (v. 23).

He becomes all things to all people. He becomes a Jew to win the Jews, as one without the law to win those who are without the law, weak to win the weak, and whatever it takes to whoever he is near; he does it to convince them, to show them their need of the Savior.

Now, we have Paul's own disclaimers here in these verses. He still is under the law of Christ and God and he acknowledges that his message is never based upon observance of the Mosaic Law or its commandments (v. 20, 21). The message still remains pure and the messenger remains true to the commands of Scripture, but he as the messenger goes to them and reaches them where they are. He finds a way to empathize and even to sympathize. He does not make them conform to something they are not before he shows them how to be accepted and transformed by God.

The societal standards are not the standards Paul used to draw people to Christ. He did not make people good Christians before showing them Christ and letting Christ remedy the areas of need. Paul did not preach reformation programs but instead transformation.

Ministry is transformation of lives, not conformation of traditions and regulations and even expectations. Who will we reach? What groups will we approach? Who makes our list of hopefuls? To Paul, if you lived and breathed, you were fair game. That is ministry. Souls, not classes.

Let's be partakers in the Gospel. Let's aim for what we know to be imperishable. We need to discipline our lives to focus on the eternal and keep our eyes on that goal. Let's not disqualify ourselves by giving attention to temporal or even sinful satisfaction. Let's give our bodies as the sacrifice God can use to reach even into gutter to demonstrate the utter love of God through Jesus Christ.

Now that is Ministry!

Held

There is a song I have come to really appreciate. Loss, pain, suffering are all part of the Christian's life. Yes, but the hand of God and His tenderness is ever present. To be Held! God is ever present; He is there! May we never forget that this is but a shadow, a fleeting moment, and heaven, eternity holds the joy of all that God has waiting.

Validation

I know that some will view this as a shortcoming in self-promotion and self-esteem issues, but it does have a cute and interesting twist. I think everyone wants to feel validated, to find purpose and especially as a Christian, I am to elevate and encourage my fellow believers.

I wanted to save this clip for myself and thought I would blog it to do so. I guess I am a romantic at heart. It is about 16 minutes in length, so view it when you find time.

Film Description as given: A short film about the magic of looking for the best in people. This movie has played at 34 film festivals worldwide and won 17 awards.