Monthly Archives: May 2011

Thursday Bible Study

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Last year we started hosting a bible study at our house. It started with a few people, and the original plan was to focus on college students.

But over the course of the year, we’ve started to realize that it wasn’t for the college students, but instead, God was calling us to be involved in a community. Not just a community, but a community of sinners, of which I was chief.

Our church is an ethnic church reaching the Chinese community. My wife and I have been involved mainly on the 2nd gen side for most of the six years we’ve been at this church.

We started in a small group mainly of young adults. There were probably six to ten of us back then. Then we were called to help with the youth. Then after awhile, things started to cool or maybe it was already cold, but since we were new to the church… we didn’t know better. People were drifting, pastors left, people left, everyone had issues with everyone else… the chinese side didn’t get the english side, we had theological issues, different philosophies of ministry, etc. etc. etc.. Anything that had a side, people were on opposites.

Throughout that time I struggled to understand… uh… God? what’s going on? It was dark, it was dry, it hurt and the temptation was pretty great to leave or move on. I remember the break up from my first girlfriend. It felt like that. Very emotional. Wounds were very deep and they were very real.

Little did we know at the time… wounds went much deeper, sins were not addressed, it simmered, more bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness then I could possibly imagine. And this coming from church. No wonder, people avoid church.

But it was through this time that I saw not only the outward sin of others, but my sin of self-righteousness, judgment, unloving and unwillingness to get my hands dirty. I saw at times… I’m better than this. And throughout the past year, God was showing me that I was not better than everyone else… and unless I realize how much worse I was… how much I needed saving, how much I needed Jesus, just as much as all the people at church did… all this ministry, and all this serving at church would be a waste of time.

This past year we studied the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. We read through Tim Keller’s book the Prodigal God and it was a call for the lost sons to come home. Not only to come home, but to come and enjoy the Father’s company on our true elder brother’s expense. This was the Gospel told to us over and over again. My prayer is that I will remember it and hopefully people in the group will too.

When God calls us home, we are compelled to call others home. People are not defined by their issues, their associations, their status… but rather as individuals in need of God.

This is the blessings of being in community… a community of sinners saved by grace.

Come home.

Luke 18: annoying God

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Jesus tells a parable about a widow who constantly goes to a judge to get some justice. The judge finally agrees, only because he couldn’t bear the annoyance anymore.

Luke 18:1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’”
6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

And in a similar way, we can bring our requests to God with similar faith as that widow and God will answer. I see it especially true as a parent. When my children want something, I may ignore then once or twice, but they will ask and ask and ask until I give them a satisfactory response. Yes. No. or Later. But they will ask and ask.

God wants to give us great gifts, He wants to uphold his children, He wants a deep intimate relationship with us… Will you accept your sonship and come to the Father with such faith?

Come. Ask God. and continue to ask God. “Annoy” him with persistence in prayer.

Luke 12: High Expectations

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As you read Luke, especially those times when Jesus is speaking, you get a very distinct picture of how sharp and pointed his statements are.

In Luke 12 and even parts of 13, we see Jesus telling his disciples to be ready, to be on their guard for the return of the Master. We will give an account of all that we do.

42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
- Luke 12:42-48

Jesus calls each of us to account. He has placed some in charge of many and others in charge of few, but with all these instances, we have been giving a labor of love for the Lord. Are we doing what has been asked of us? Or do we shirk responsibility? Do we walk in faith or do we hide in fear? As I examine my life, all too often it is the avoiding of responsibility.

Put in your excuse: It’s too hard. I’m tired. I’m not in the mood. I have to take care of something else. Life’s not fair. This isn’t what I signed up for.

A friend used to ask me, what have you done with Jesus lately? This was a penetrating question, since coming to the LORD means dying to self. It means trusting in faith that Christ will do things that I cannot in my natural ability. Jobs and tasks where we are least qualified to perform, Christ will be most glorified when we trust Him.

My temptation is to walk in my strengths, that’s how I look good… but Christ calls each of us to a task that is impossible without the help of the Holy Spirit. That which is demanded of us is an impossible task unless we fall to our knees to be empowered and equipped by the Holy Spirit.

You know what you need to do. Trust Jesus. Walk in the Spirit. Praise the Father.

There is no higher calling.