Newness and Change (Jan 2025)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (rf. II Cor. 5:17 NASB)

 

            As we begin a new year, we are entrenched in the dead of winter. The leaves have fallen from the deciduous trees, leaving behind a carpet of fading color on the ground while bare branches hang overhead. The wind whistles through the tree limbs unheeded and undaunted by the cold. It is a truly a bleak landscape that remains after the official arrival of winter.

            However, there is the promise of newness and life that also floats on the breeze. Though its reality is still months away, just knowing Spring is ahead and waiting in the wings provides us hope for better things in store. We just need to buckle down and endure the harshness of winter’s wrath to get to the gentle compassionate touches of Spring.

            As is happening in the world around us so the same is true within our hearts and our church. The Lord is preparing new paths for us to follow, new truths for us to learn, new experiences for us for us to go through together. The arrival of the new is a blessing to us as He moves us forward, benefiting from the lessons we have learned in the past while not concentrating our energies and focus on the things behind us. Like in a book, the Lord would have us to turn the page and engage a new chapter in our walk with Him, both individually and as a church. Newness brings promise of life as it does in Spring. So, we want to embrace the newness with all of our heart.

            Change for the better is not a bad thing at all. We are actually made for change. The sooner we embrace that truth, the easier is it is for us to manage it. Let us together build on our rich history in Christ, personally and corporately, while awaiting the new things the Lord has in store for us as His people.

Remarkable Mary, the mother of Christ

 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. Therefore, the Holy One who will be born will be called the Son of God. Listen, your cousin Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age. And this is the sixth month with her who was declared barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” Mary said, “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be unto me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. (rf. Lk. 1:34–38 MEV)

 

The angel Gabriel visited Mary (actually Miriam in Hebrew), a young woman of Nazareth, a small village in the Galilee region of Israel. She was “troubled” (vs. 29) by his appearance but maintained enough composure to enter an important conversation with this servant who was sent directly on errand from the throne of God Himself. Her natural fear was overcome by awe and anticipation of finding out why the Lord of Hosts had chosen her to receive this message. God informed her that He had selected her above all other women in Israel to be the vessel through whom the Promised Messiah would come. Even from the womb He would be the king of Israel from the royal lineage of David as prophesied (vs. 32-33).

 

Her reception of this news and the attitude with which she accepted are of great note here. The text does not say that she through ambition would be elevated to an equal position with her Son as Co-Regent, if you will (as Roman Catholicism teaches). No, it is her humility, faithful resignation, and commitment to be the Lord’s servant that gains our attention. She hears of the impossible feat God was going to do in and through her and she without hesitation agrees to His use of her in His plan. In her case, humility + faith = an enduring legacy and blessing. She alone above all others would be forever known as the mother of Messiah.

 

We quickly overlook these beautiful facts when we look at Mary. She was a virgin (“I do not know a man”) and a teenager, yet she possessed a faith in and understanding of Almighty God that most older adults rarely obtain. Mary is more than worthy of our respect and admiration.

 

We should learn to follow her example and simply take God at His Word. Remember that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (rf. Heb. 11:1). If God says that He will do it, it will be done accordingly. He simply wants us to believe in Him enough to not only watch it happen but also be willing to participate in the miraculous process. 

 

This Christmas, let Mary’s gift of faith be yours as well so that as the new year approaches, we can anticipate with joy the reality of God’s work in us, through us and around us in the future.

A Thankful Heart

 I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. (rf. Ps. 9:1–2 NASB)

 

 

It is unfortunate that November presents us with one of the few times of the year when being thankful comes to the forefront of our lives. The retail establishment has already diminished the importance of Thanksgiving by focusing more on the Christmas buying season to maximize sales and profits. The world has much for which to be thankful yet having very little impetus to do so while largely having no clue as to whom their thankfulness should be directed. 

The Psalmist above gives the follower of the Lord strong encouragement to be thankful. He points out that the starting place of gratitude is in the heart. Possessing an attitude of appreciation is a “whole-hearted” pursuit (“I will give thanks…with all my heart”) as well as the personal experience of gladness as a result (“I will be glad…in You”). 

The outward expressions of a thankful heart are shown in one’s desire to give God praise for the benefits experienced at God’s hand (“I will…exult in You”; “I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High”). The person with a heart full of gratefulness is empowered to not only sing forth the greatness of God but to also declare the astounding things He has done for us, individually and corporately as His Church (“I will tell of all Your wonders”). 

As Christians we should set the examples of the world and for our families on how to rightly express our appreciativeness to the Lord for the blessings He has given to us. Let the overwhelming distractions be purposefully put aside for a time to allow us to share with our family members and friends just how good God has been to us and the richness we have experienced in being called into His family. Let our Thanksgiving be bathed in an attitude of worship, expressing our heartfelt thankfulness for Him being our God and we being His people.

Come Out and Be Separate

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who exchange darkness for light, and light for darkness; who exchange bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (rf. Is. 5:20 MEV)

            

            Our culture seems determined to pursue a course in direct defiance of the precepts and teachings of the Lord. They would have us to believe that their actions and motivations that Almighty God declares to be sin in His sight are actually positive contributions that benefit both the individual and society. Culture’s position is unmistakably “tolerant” toward all things that God finds repulsive and worthy of His judgment because of His holiness.

When a culture in whatever timeline you choose determines to exalt darkness and evil as if these things are good, believers must know the Lord is not pleased and they should separate themselves from such pursuits. He wants His people to be a distinct group from the surrounding society by not aligning themselves with the sinking ship of the world and its ways. The Apostle Paul puts it succinctly in his second epistle to the Corinthians, quoting the OT prophets of Isaiah and Ezekiel, “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (rf. II Cor. 6:17-18 MEV).

            As believers in Christ, we must not just accept the things of the culture around us and say that we don’t want to cause issues or be offensive to the unbeliever by saying or doing anything to the contrary. When we try to blend in with the world, we effectively say to God that we do not really desire identification with Him. Hear the words of the Apostle John on this matter: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father, but is of the world” (rf. I Jn. 2:15-16 MEV). 

October is one of the months that we have the opportunity to see and experience the love of our culture for darkness and evil. Wherever we go, we are confronted with it. We also can decide not to be party to their perspective. Rather, let us take Paul’s words to heart and be different, separate from those who relish in evil. Let us shine the light of His truth brightly in contrast so the world will know the followers of Jesus are distinctive and delight in belonging to Him. Let our actions and words be uplifting and encouraging with the goal of helping those caught in the darkness to come to the light and love of Jesus. As the psalmist declares, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For the darkness shall cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord shall rise upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you” (rf. Is. 60:1-2 MEV).

 

Seek the "Old Paths"

“Thus says the Lord: Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths where the good way is and walk in it, and you shall find rest for your souls.” (rf. Jer. 6:16 MEV)

 

            In the past few decades, the way that Christians worship God has been changed dramatically. What used to be a very reverent time of coming before the Lord with prayers, praise, honor and adoration has in many cases morphed into a time to engage in an emotional display, focusing on physical responses to the songs, while believing that worship and music style are equal to each other. Where the Reformers focused on the right teaching and communication of the Word along with the correct perspective on celebrating the Sacraments (i.e. the Lord’s Supper and Baptism), modern Christianity has substituted life coaching and inspirational messages for exegetical sermons, focusing rather on bullet points, minimal Scriptures and personal or celebrity anecdotes. Not all churches view worship this way, but many do as they seek to bridge into a culture that has no appreciation for the Christian faith, Jesus or the Bible. Overall, though motives may have been good in the hope of building a positive connection with unbelievers, these adaptations have done nothing but water down and provide an inaccurate portrayal of Almighty God. We have been guilty of creating a desirable god “in our own image”, worshipped in the way that we like, not the way He desires.

            These changes will come back to haunt us as we move into the future. As Hosea states in 8:7, “they sow the wind and they reap the whirlwind.” We may very well have already arrived at this juncture when noting the rise in percentage of those in our country who desire no “religious affiliation” along with those who are turned completely off to Christianity by the close ties Evangelicals, in particular, have made with each of the polarized political parties. American Christians are finding that they have lost a great deal of credibility by following the ways of the world and the culture. 

We need to regain the concept of God and His authority over us not acting as we have authority over Him. We need to remember that He is a God of order and not of chaos and confusion (rf. I Corinthians 14:33), having established a certain level of decorum and protocol as we approach His throne in worship. Our God typically communicates His word and will through His written Word and the “still small voice” of His Holy Spirit (rf. I Kings 19:12), neither of which can be heard unless we are “still and know that (He is) God” (rf. Psalm 46:10), relishing in His Presence. True worship is not about us being emotionally or physically charged up as a result; it’s totally about us being humble, quiet, and respectful before Him while being excited, anticipating and open to His Spirit’s movement in our hearts as we approach the Lord.

            The “old paths” referenced above speak of the previously confirmed ways that God would have His people live and worship, ways in which the Lord has already shown His pleasure. Nothing about our relationship and adoration of God is left for us to decide. From the beginning to the end of time, God alone calls the shots on how He operates and how He desires for His people to live and worship. Hopefully, modern American Christianity will appropriate this truth sooner than later and make the changes necessary that align our actions with His desires. If so, His blessings will soon follow when He sees His people obedient to His will and directions.

 

Modern Worship

“Thus says the Lord: Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths where the good way is and walk in it, and you shall find rest for your souls.” (rf. Jer. 6:16 MEV)

 

            In the past few decades, the way that Christians worship God has been changed dramatically. What used to be a very reverent time of coming before the Lord with prayers, praise, honor and adoration has in many cases morphed into a time to engage in an emotional display of upbeat music and visible expression, akin to what one would see in a modern rock concert. Where one expected to “have one’s feet stepped on” by the clear preaching and teaching of God’s Word has been replaced by inspirational messages designed to make one feel good about one’s life and to receive affirmation from God. Though this change does not speak of all of Christianity; however, it is an accurate reflection of how much the faith and our worship of God has adapted to fit the present culture. Overall, our adaptations have not been positive contributions.

            Indeed, what we have done in the recent past will eventually come to haunt us as we move into the future. As Hosea states in 8:7, “they sow the wind and they reap the whirlwind.” Truly, in time to come, American Christians will find that they have lost a great deal by following the ways of the world and the culture. They will have lost their appreciation for biblically based authority because they found the source of authority within themselves, making decisions on what they want or like, instead of what God desires. They will have lost decorum and protocol, choosing personal comfort and “dressing down”, rather than being at one’s best in attitude and appearance, coming in worship before the King of kings. They will have lost their hearing, believing that loud music in worship gets God’s attention while physical feeling of the music is prerequisite to their joy and ability to worship, rather than understanding that God is not deaf to His people nor does His Holy Spirit speak to His people in loudness but in “a still small voice” (rf. I Kings 19:12) which can only be heard when His people are quiet. God wants His people to worship Him on His terms and not their own. True worship is not about us being emotionally or physicallly charged up; it’s totally about us being in humility and quietness before Him.

            The “old paths” referenced above speak of the previously confirmed ways that God would have His people live and worship, ways in which the Lord has already shown His pleasure. Nothing about our relationship and adoration of God is left for us to decide. From the beginning to the end of time, God alone calls the shots on how He operates and how He desires for His people to live and worship. Hopefully, modern Christianity will appropriate this truth sooner than later and make the changes necessary that align our actions with His desires. If so, His blessings will soon follow when He sees His people obedient to His will and directions.

 

The Important Concept of Honor and Dishonor

 They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor from the Lord God.” But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the altar of incense. (rf. II Chron. 26:18–19 NASB) 

 

            As Westerners (i.e. those who are a part of Western civilization), our frame of reference is exceedingly individualistic. We typically think of actions and motivations in terms of oneself. How is this going to affect me? Will I personally benefit from this decision? We literally take everything in life personally.

            This is not the way the rest of the world perceives reality. Those cultures not in the Western orbit are profoundly motivated by how actions or decisions affect the community with little regard to the individual. This is the perspective that the writers of the Bible had when penning the Word of God in written language. Honor/dishonor were basic and foundational concepts that were in place and, thus, must be grasped if the Scriptures are to be understood correctly. 

            For instance, in the passage above, King Uzziah overstepped his bounds as king when assumed the role of a priest in the Temple. His flagrant violation was an ultimate display of dishonoring the Lord who established these bounds of office. Therefore, in honor of God’s holiness and in payment for his sins, Uzziah was struck with leprosy and could no longer rule his nation publicly. He would be an outcast and have his son rule in his stead as regent until Uzziah’s death. In other words, sinning against God’s Word and commandments is equal to dishonoring the Lord and His holiness. Ultimate dishonor is living a life of sin in defiance of God and His honor, making it a worthy and ultimate punishment in hell. 

            As Christians, we need to move away from this Western, individualistic mindset and more toward the honor/dishonor framework of the Scriptures. As we do this, our actions and decisions will be based on what is best for Christ and His Church, rather than what we personally desire. When our thoughts are on our believing community (i.e. the local church), we will find ourselves honoring the Lord by what we do and say, all the while avoiding anything that might be dishonoring to Him. This is true, not only in our worship of God, but also in the way we live daily. Our focus should always be on how best I can serve and honor the God who by His grace has saved and sanctified us as His own children. Nothing less will suffice.