What Will You Do with Jesus: Ignore, Admire or Worship Him

Should Christians Worship Jesus?

Here are a few scriptures that speak to that issue:

• Matthew 2:2 "Where is the newborn king of the Jews?  We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him." 

• Matthew 2:11 “They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

• Matthew 14:33 “Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” 

• Matthew 28:9 “Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.”

• Matthew 28:17 “When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.”

• Luke 5:8 “When Simon Peter saw this; he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

• John 5:21-23 "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him."  

• John 9:38 “Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.”

• John 20:28 “Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

• Philippians 2:9-11 “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

• Hebrews 1:6 “And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

• Revelation 5:12 "In a loud voice they were saying: 'Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"

10 Reasons to Believe in Jesus!

To “Believe in’” someone or something means more than merely believing that person or thing exists.  Believing in someone or something means that our lives reflect the values and ideals of that person or thing.  Believing involves more than thought; it insists upon action.

Here are 10 Reasons to BELIEVE in Jesus

1. Jesus Believes in You

This is what he says: "I will never fail you and I will never forsake you." -- Hebrews 13:5

2. Jesus is Someone You Can Trust

This is what he says: Don't be troubled or afraid.  You trust in God; now trust in me." -- John 14:1

3. Jesus Accepts Us Just as We Am

This is what he says: "Come to me, all of you who are weary and those who carry heavy burdens.  I will give you rest." -- Matthew 11:28

4. Jesus Forgives Our Sin

This is what he says: "Father, forgive them because they don't know what they are doing." -- Luke 23:34

5. Jesus Offers Complete Peace

This is what he says: "I am leaving you with a gift -- Peace of mind and heart.  And the peace I have isn't like the peace the world gives.  So don't be troubled or afraid." -- John 14:27

6. Jesus Offers Real Joy

This is what he says: "I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy.  Yes, your joy will overflow." -- John 15:11

7. Jesus Speaks with Authority

This is what he says: "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth."  -- Matthew 28:18

8. Jesus Tells It Like It Is

This is what he says: "You can only enter God's Kingdom through the narrow gate.  The highway to Hell is broad and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way." -- Matthew 7:13

9. Jesus Shows the Way to God

This is what he says: "I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one can come to the Father except through me."  -- John 14:6

10. Jesus Shows Great Love

This is what he says: "The greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends.  You are my friends if you follow me." -- John 15:13-14

What place does Jesus take in your life?  Do you merely admire him?  Or will you fall down and worship him?  Just asking.

 

Church Planting... by the Book

Things tend to go better when we do them by the book.  That is true of tuning a guitar or tuning an engine, planting a pineapple or planting a church.

The Book of Acts is an excellent resource for church planters.  It reveals a remarkably simple and yet extremely effective plan for planting churches that grow and prosper in their mission.  Unfortunately, many faith-based organizations have opted to develop complicated institutional plans that require enormous resources and produce minimal results.

When my family lived in Nigeria in the 1980's almost every little village church understood that an important part of their mission was to plant other churches.  

We attended a little church in the village of Gavva with a big heart and an even bigger vision. The congregation was very poor, but in just a few years it managed to start five other congregations.  What they lacked in monetary resources they more than made up for with enthusiasm and faith.

So what is involved in doing church planting by the book.  Begin by reading the book, the Book of Acts.  And look closely at Paul's church planting plan.  As you follow the plan, you'll see an obvious pattern.

• The Mother Church - The first Christians realized the church was a living organism rather than an institutional organization.  So the church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to plant the church in Antioch, and Barnabas invited Paul to join him:  

"So it was that for an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.” -- Acts 11:26

• Conceived by the Holy Spirit -  Their church planting plan was incarnational.  By that I mean that Paul and Barnabas depended upon the work of the Spirit to permeate their humble human efforts.  Incarnation involves the union of the divine with the earthly, the Holy Spirit and human flesh.  Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born into a human family.  The church was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born among those who gathered for prayer in the upper room. Church planting by the book is incarnational:  

 "While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.'”  -- Acts 13:2

• Through Fasting and prayer - The work of the early church was fueled by prayer.  Prayer is particularly important to church planting:

"Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off." -- Acts 13:3

• Church Planters are sent by the Mother Church - When the Church in Antioch was ready to send out workers, it didn't reach out to Jerusalem for help.  The Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul," who were members of the Antioch church.

• The Church Planting Team - The Antioch Church Planting Team included more than Barnabas and Paul.  Acts 13:13 speaks of "Paul and his companions." Who were these companions?  A few verses later John Mark is mentioned as one of them.  But as you read through both Acts and Romans, more than 30 other workers are mentioned by name. Paul never worked alone, but usually with a team of 9 to 12 others.

• Lay Leadership - After Paul, Barnabas and the team planted a new congregation, they appointed local lay leaders and moved on.

"Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust." -- Acts 14:23

• Making Disciples - Nothing is written in the Book of Acts about the importance of having a plan of organization or articles of incorporation or even church bylaws. So how did the early church survive?  Church planting in the early church emphasized "Making Disciples" rather than collecting members. As Paul and his team, "
  strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith..."

"The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit." -- Acts 13:52

Postscript: When we returned to Nigeria in 2004 we noticed that church planting by local congregations had diminished considerably.  We wanted to know why.  What we learned was telling.  

Several years before our return to Nigeria, Church Headquarters decided to start a church planting program at the national level and called a very able person to oversee the program.  It was done as an honest effort to strengthen the church planting efforts of the denomination.  But it had just the opposite effect.  Local churches began looking more and more to headquarters to lead the charge and that curbed enthusiasm among local congregations to continue that work.

The church is a living organism rather than an institutional organization.  Healthy, lively congregations are rarely established through institutional programs, but are conceived when the Holy Spirit unites with ordinary Christians and transforms them into extraordinary disciples.

Many Long for a Different Kind of Church

For decades the primary way that Americans have experienced and expressed their faith has been through participating in a local church within their community. 

That reality is rapidly changing, according to researcher George Barna.  In his book entitled, Revolution, Barna describes what he believes will be the most massive reshaping of the nation's faith community in more than a century.

Relying upon national research conducted over a number of years, Barna profiles a group of more than 20 million adults throughout the nation labeled, "Revolutionaries," who long for a greater faith experience than they have known in the local church.  Barna says:

"A common misconception about revolutionaries is that they are disengaging from God when they leave a local church. We found that while some people leave the local church and fall away from God altogether, there is a much larger segment of Americans who are currently leaving churches precisely because they want more of God in their life but cannot get what they need from a local church.  They have decided to get serious about their faith by piecing together a more robust faith experience.  Instead of going to church, they have chosen to be the Church, in a way that harkens back to the Church detailed in the Book of Acts."

According to Barna, millions of Americans are leaving their local churches in order to be part of a different kind of church.  This expression of Church has been given several different names: Simple Church, House Church or Organic Church.  Frank Viola, a prolific writer and one of the leaders in this movement says, "The New Testament only knows one kind of church, and it's organic. The ekklesia is a living organism not an institutional organization.  Here is how he describes this latest expression of New Testament Church:

• The members meet often, not out of guilt or obligation, but because the Spirit draws them together naturally to fellowship, share, and express their Love for one another and for the Lord (ekklesia literally means an assembly or meeting).

• Jesus Christ is their living, breathing Head. The members make Christ profoundly central, preeminent, and they pursue and explore His fullness together. In short, the church is intoxicated with the Lord Jesus.

• They take care of each other, have open-participatory meetings where every member functions, make decisions together, and follow the Spirit's leading for outreach and inreach, both in their proper season.

• They are learning how to live by Christ and express Him corporately in endless variety and creativity to both the lost and the found.

• The condemnation and guilt is gone. The members experience the liberty and freedom that is in Christ, experience and express His unfailing love, and are free to follow Him out of genuine love rather than guilt, duty, obligation, condemnation, shame and guilt - the typical "tools" that are used to motivate God's people.

• They are missional in the sense that they understand "the mission" to be God's eternal purpose, which goes beyond human needs to the very reason why God created the universe in the first place. And they give themselves wholly to that mission. 

• After the foundation of the church is laid, it is able to meet on its own without a clergy or human headship that controls or directs it. The church can sustain herself by the functioning of every member; it doesn't need a clergy system for direction or ministry.

The Pearl of Great Price

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. -- Matthew 13:45-46

Juan Carlos Ortiz, a brother from Argentina, offers a powerful illustration of the parable of the pearl of great price. 

A man sees this pearl and says to the merchant, “I want this pearl. How much is it?”

The seller says, “It’s very expensive.” 

“How much?” 

“A lot!” 

“Well, do you think I could buy it?” the man asks.

“Oh, yes,” says the merchant, “everyone can buy it.”

“But I thought you said it was very expensive.” 

“I did.” 

“Well, how much?” 

“Everything you have,” says the seller.

“All right, I’ll buy it.” 

“Okay, what do you have?”

“Well, I have $10,000 in the bank.” 

“Good, $10,000. What else?” 

“That’s all I have.” 

“Nothing more?” 

“Well, I have a few dollars more in my pocket.” 

“How much?” 

“Let’s see … $100.” 

“That’s mine, too,” says the seller. “What else do you have?” 

“That’s all, nothing else.” 

“Where do you live?” the seller asks. 

“In my house. Yes, I own a home.” 

The seller writes down, “house.” “It’s mine.”

“Where do you expect me to sleep—in my camper?” 

“Oh, you have a camper, do you? That, too. What else”

“Am I supposed to sleep in my car?” 

“Oh, you have a car?” 

“Yes, I own two of them.” 

“They’re mine now.”

“Look, you’ve taken my money, my house, my camper, and my cars. Where is my family going to live?” 

“So, you have a family?” 

“Yes, I have a wife and three kids.” 

“They’re mine now.”

Suddenly the seller exclaims, “Oh, I almost forgot! You yourself, too! Everything becomes mine—wife, children, house, money, cars, and you, too.” Then he goes on, “Now, listen, I will allow you to use all these things for the time being. But don’t forget that they’re all mine, just as you are. And whenever I need any of them, you must give them up, because I am now the owner.” (Adapted from The Disciple[Creation House], pp. 34-35.)

Maxwell KROUSE is in the House

Psalm 127

A song for pilgrims

Unless the Lord builds a house,
    the work of the builders is wasted.
Unless the Lord protects a city,
    guarding it with sentries will do no good.

It is useless for you to work so hard
    from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
    for God gives rest to his loved ones.

Children are a gift from the Lord;
    they are a reward from him.

Children born to a young man
    are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.

How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!
    He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.

Someone recently told me there are 5 arrows in a full quiver.  If that is true, Chris and Autumn's quiver is now full. Maxwell Gunther Krouse was born a little after 3:00 AM on Sunday morning.  As you can see, he is definitely a keeper. May the Lord bless, protect and enable him to be good to the last drop.

Sing for Joy!

Psalm 65 The Message  A David Psalm Silence is praise to you,     Zion-dwelling God, And also obedience.     You hear the prayer in it all.  We all arrive at your doorstep sooner     or later, loaded with guilt, Our sins too much for us—     but you get rid of them once and for all. Blessed are the chosen! Blessed the guest     at home in your place! We expect our fill of good things     in your house, your heavenly manse. All your salvation wonders     are on display in your trophy room. Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer,     Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser, Muzzler of sea storm and wave crash,     of mobs in noisy riot— Far and wide they’ll come to a stop,     they’ll stare in awe, in wonder. Dawn and dusk take turns     calling, “Come and worship.”  Oh, visit the earth,     ask her to join the dance! Deck her out in spring showers,     fill the God-River with living water. Paint the wheat fields golden.     Creation was made for this! Drench the plowed fields,     soak the dirt clods With rainfall as harrow and rake     bring her to blossom and fruit. Snow-crown the peaks with splendor,     scatter rose petals down your paths, All through the wild meadows, rose petals.     Set the hills to dancing, Dress the canyon walls with live sheep,     a drape of flax across the valleys. Let them shout, and shout, and shout!     Oh, oh, let them sing!