What’s the Holy Spirit’s Address?

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. [10] But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [11] If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

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This past Wednesday, thirty came for our weekly Bible study through the Psalms and our prayer meeting. Toward the end of our time together, I asked everyone to go through a little exercise. I asked them, “When you think of Boone’s Creek Baptist Church, I want each of you to tell me what word comes to your mind.” It was very telling. The majority of the words caring, loving, compassion, rich history, etc. But two words truly stuck out in my mind: family and home.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives us some helpful definitions of ‘home.’ Consider the following:

• 1 a : one’s place of residence : DOMICILE b : HOUSE

• 2 : the social unit formed by a family living together
  3 a : a familiar or usual setting : congenial environment; also : the focus of one’s domestic attention <home is where the heart is> b : HABITAT
• 1 : relaxed and comfortable : at ease <felt completely at home on the stage>
  2 : in harmony with the surroundings
  3 : on familiar ground

My desire and your desire as well is that we would be a place for the people of God to come and to find a home, if that is God’s will for them. We desire for those who do not know Christ to hear the truth and to see the love that comes from the Holy Spirit’s love moving through us.

Yet, as we read this passage of Scripture from Romans 8:9-11, the question that immediately arises is this — and it is a question that is the most important question to ever be asked: is the Spirit at home in you? Is your heart His address? Is He in harmony with the surroundings of your thoughts, words, actions? Is he on familiar ground? 1 Cor. 6:19-20: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, [20] for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. “

How can we know?

(Click here to listen to this sermon via RealAudio. Right click and click on “Save Target As” to save it to your files. This was preached on 23 July 2006 at the Boone’s Creek Baptist Church, Lexington, KY. This is Part III of the series on Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Holiness.)

Are You Ready To Be Free? (Romans 8:1-4)

This past week, Kenneth Lay, the founder of the Enron Corporation and the leader of one of the biggest business fraud scandals in history, died of a coronary artery disease at the age of 64. He was convicted in May of 10 counts of conspiracy and fraud and was set for sentencing on October 23 of this year for his suspected role in this scandal. He was due to face from 25 to 40 years in prison. It is all the more surprising when we see his humble upbringing that all this could have taken place.

 

Some may believe it was not fair that Ken Lay died before he could begin his sentence. But I submit to you that Ken Lay was in jail already.

To listen to the rest of this sermon via RealAudio, click here.

No Matter Who You Are (Did the United Church of Christ Get It Right?)

Last night on TBS, my wife and I saw a commercial that caught our attention.  It opened in a cathedral sanctuary where people were coming in to sit for a worship service.  Suddenly, a mom is pictured holding a crying baby, followed a someone pushing a button that triggered an ejection seat in the pew that sent them flying out of there. 

Next, a gay couple sits down.  Ejection seat.  Then a homeless person, a man with a walker, and the list went on. 

Then it stated:  no matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you're welcome here:  The United Church of Christ.

So let me get this straight:  a homosexual couple is now classified in the same arena as a single mom, an old man in a walker, a homeless person, etc.  I guess all of these now are classified as outcasts and oppressed in a 'traditional' type of church, yes? 

Friends, I agree that Jesus Christ always talked with the outcasts of society.  He spoke with the blind, the lame, the sick — and even healed such!  These people did not choose their situation.  But there are those who have lifestyles they have chosen who want to be lumped in with these other who are in situations they have not.

But in John 7:53-8:11 with the woman caught in a situation she chose — adultery — He told the Pharisees, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her" (John 8:7, ESV).  They quote this along with Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, lest you be judged." 

But yet they seem to miss what else Jesus said.  He told the woman, "Woman, where are they?  Has no one condemned you?"  She said, No one, Lord."  And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you.  Go, from now on and sin no more."

Again, where's the focus for many?  That Jesus didn't condemn her.  The reason, I believe, is that the Pharisees did not offer the opportunity to repent.  They just took her with the intent of pronouncing a sentence and then punishing her.  No repentence!  No offer of God's mercy and forgiveness!  Just sheer condemnation.

But Jesus grants us that opportunity to repent — and that must be the message of the church.  "Go, from now on and sin no more."  From this point on, live for Me!  Love Me by obeying Me.

With the blind, the lame, and the sick, there was no sin to turn from!  But with other lifestyles that the Bible does speak of as sin, there is something to turn from and Someone to turn to! 

What kind of love would we be displaying as a true church if we did not tell folks of God's will and way and purpose?  If we did not preach, "Strive for holiness, without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14), then we would have as Cole Porter said a society where "anything goes."

Love your people — preach as Jesus preached in Mark 1:14-15:

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

This is preaching as Jesus preached.  Turn!  Trust!

Man-Centered Praise Choruses?

This Sunday, our church will commission five of our members who will be on-mission to New Orleans to help in the clean-up of the Hope Church in Waldheim and in other surrounding areas.  The name of the team is NO LiMiT (New Orleans, Louisiana, Missions Team) and the key verse around their trip is Psalm 147:5:  

Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
       his understanding has no limit.

The entire Psalm is about the greatness and worth of God’s power, provision, protection, and His proclaimed Word. 

Whenever I study the Psalms, I always turn to the three volume commentary on Psalms by James Montgomery Boice (1938-2003).  His commentaries along with John MacArthur’s are infinitely pastoral in tone but scholarly in depth and content.  Dr. Boice in his notes on Psalm 147 quoted Marva Dawn from her wonderful work Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down on how many of our praise choruses actually exalt the worshipper rather than the One who is worshipped!

For instance, one song by Rita Baloche called “I Will Celebrate” goes as follows:

 I will celebrate, sing unto the Lord
Sing to the Lord a new song (repeat)

With my heart rejoicing within
With my mind focused on Him
With my hands raised to the heavens
All I am worshipping Him
((c) 1990, Maranatha Praise, Inc.)

Notice the subjects of the sentence — in this short chorus, the worshiper is the subject a half dozen times.  All the while, we do not know anything about this God we are worshiping from this chorus (and thousands of hymns and choruses like it sung across this land), but we know all about what the worshiper is doing and singing and saying and feeling. 

Isn’t that the exact opposite of what is supposed to be happening in worship?  Psalm 147 only uses two pronouns to describe what the worshiper is doing.  But almost two dozen times does the Psalm recount who God is, what He has done, and what He desires for His people. 

So give me “Holy, Holy, Holy” and this wonderful hymn over all the others.  Let’s know the God we worship.  Let’s tell of His might and sing of His grace!

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish—but naught changeth Thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
But of all Thy rich graces this grace, Lord, impart
Take the veil from our faces, the vile from our heart.

All laud we would render; O help us to see
’Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee,
And so let Thy glory, Almighty, impart,
Through Christ in His story, Thy Christ to the heart.

What do you think?