Author: a4cadmin1

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The Gospel & CoVid-19

Introduction. How should we as followers of Christ respond in this time of calamity? Now more than ever it is important to meditate often on God’s Word and to constantly pray. Time in God’s Word and seasons with him in prayer will carry us through this difficult period. Here are some important truths to reflect upon, along with some practices that grown out of them. 

The Evil is Real. This pandemic is evil. It is the result of a fallen created order. When Jesus faced the brokenness of the create order, it grieved him. We, too, should sorrow over this pandemic. This leads to our first biblical response in the face of the viral calamity.

Practice Biblical Lament. Lament is a passionate expression of grief, along with a complaint to the Lord for help. Lament is a wise initial response to harm, injustice, and a pandemic like Covid-19. The Bible is filled with expressions of lament, especially in the Psalms. Biblical lament does not exclude a mixture of joy. As we lament over the evil that is befalling our communities, may the Lord to help us exhibit all the fruits of the Spirit (including love, joy, peace).

God is In Control. God is sovereign, and this includes his ultimate control over evil. The God of Scripture alone is omnipotent; COVID-19 is not. Jesus taught that God cares even for the sparrow; yes, the very hairs of our head are numbered. Sin, sickness and death, like Satan, cannot step over the boundaries that God sets. This is a great comfort. With the Lord’s help let us model trust to one another. This is a second scriptural response.

Practice Trust in the Lord. What makes a biblical perspective on lament healthy is its attending trust in the Lord and an assurance of ultimate and enduring joy. In Psalm 94. David cries, “How long, LORD, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant?” But then David confesses, “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your unfailing love was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”

We are taught that in the face of death we are not to grieve like other people who have no hope (1 Thess 5). This does not mean that we do not grieve. Jesus himself wept over Jerusalem for their unbelief and he wept at the tomb of Lazarus. But Christ wins the final victory, and so we too can rejoice. May the Lord help us to lament well, and then to rejoice with God’s people as we together trust in Him and wait for final victory. 

God Is with Us in Our Suffering. The Lord enters into our suffering. While both good and sovereign, our God is also a God of perfect compassion. He cares for us, not from afar, but as one intimately involved in our lives. God exhibited his love in the life and death of his Son. Jesus shared our humanity and suffered so that he could more fully and empathetically help us when we suffer (Heb 2:14-18). We can come to him in our time of need, he understands and is able to rescue us. This leads us to a third response.

Practice Prayer for One Another. One of the most important things we can do is to join one another in prayer, for ourselves and for the lost all around us. Because of “social distancing” being physically together in groups may not be possible. But we can pray faithfully for one another, even when somewhat isolated. We can also communicate often with one another and pray together through social media. Pray much and ask the Lord for wisdom as to how we can compassionately be present with those among us who are in the greatest need.

Evil and Suffering Will Be Defeated. Evil, including this terrible pandemic, will ultimately be defeated. This is the proper context for Rom 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” God’s timetable is not ours – but the ultimate victory is sure. It is a victory won by Christ in his death and resurrection and in his certain return. This will bring relief from sin, sickness, death. It will also bring us into the glorious inheritance of the children of God. Oh, what a wonderful day that will be! This is our hope and leads to a final response.

Practice Hope. While we lament, and trust, and pray with one another, let us proclaim the hope of the gospel. People need hope and only the gospel fully provides this. The gospel provides a hope for the worst of times. Even in the face of death, this hope survives offering eternal life in a new heaven and earth. This is for all who find salvation in Christ. Hallelujah! Let us continue to share the gospel with our families, friends, and neighbors – especially in the face of this calamity, whose end is sure. Thanks be to God!

This article is a condensed version of an earlier work of Dr. Dan Ebert. Access the first edition here: http://all4christ.org/mf-the-ministry-covid19/

 

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MF-As You Are Going

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded
you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20

 

I am involved with a church in downtown Minneapolis named Grace in the City. It is small with more or less 40 attenders but it has a huge heart for runaway teens and others on-the-run, drug addicts and pushers, people in and out of jail, centers, shelters and sober houses, prostituted people, homeless families, street people and struggling families. Grace is located in a tough neighborhood without a church. It is close to where I started full-time ministry in 1977 so being there brings back a lot of memories for me.

Its pastors are Ean and Wade, two young men who have a background of drug use but they are now new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). They are graduates of Teen Challenge and Bible college and dedicated to shepherding their unusual flock and teaching them the Word of God. Grace provides physical food for hungry bodies and spiritual food, the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ, for famished souls. Food, drinks and coffee is regularly donated to Grace by grocery stores, food banks, bakeries, churches and coffee roasters. Before in-person ministry was shutdown, due to COVID-19, the church building was buzzing every day with people of all ages eating meals, Bible studies and sharing groups for men and women, people dropping by for a cup of coffee and friendly conversation and fellowship for those who know Jesus as Savior. Each Sunday afternoon was a lively worship service with all kinds of people attending. Since the end of March, including regular Gospel outreach on the streets, all this has stopped till further notice. Worship services are now on FaceBook and shown on a monitor so people can watch from the sidewalk outside the building. Every noon people are picking up meals from the curb, and as they do, they are asking when in-person ministries will resume.

Grace is meeting people where they are in life and pointing them to Jesus, the Friend of sinners and our sympathetic Savior.

I have befriended Ean, Wade and their few regular volunteers. Ean, who is single, is the only one who gets paid, which is very little, because the church’s income is small. Wade, who is married with children, has a job and serves at the church some evenings and during weekends. They rotate preaching on Sunday. They are excellent expositors, with their own individual style, as they teach God’s Word. I walk alongside Ean and Wade as their friend, prayer partner, encourager, coach, shock-absorber and perhaps source of stability and normality. I am a Barnabas to them.

Now Ean and Wade are discipling Evan. Evan is 18 years-old and just finished his first year of Bible college. They have noticed that Evan has a calling and the gifts to become a pastor-teacher like them. Last Sunday Evan preached his first sermon *ever* during a worship service at Grace. He spoke from Revelation 2:1-7 and did an outstanding job handling the text. His message was clear, passionate and with many practical applications. As their big brother in Christ, I am proud of Ean, Wade and Evan! There is nothing fancy about Grace in the City Church and Ean, Wade and Evan are ordinary young men and I am an ordinary old-man. But there is something very special happening at Grace. It is that God has called this unusual church into being and is keeping it alive and well during a difficult time through guys who are living unusual lives. By the mercy and grace of God, disciples are being made as we go with the Gospel. Matthew 28:18-20 is happening in a rough and tough neighborhood of Minneapolis. We are His-story makers.  You can be a His-story maker too, by God’s grace, in unusual places among unusual people.

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MF-Caring for the Wandering

“My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth 

and someone should bring that person back, remember this: 

Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way 

will save them from death and cover over 

a multitude of sins.” – James 5:19-20

Clearly James is writing about a believer in Christ who has wandered from the truth, or Jesus Christ. This person has fallen into sin and is no longer living consistent with his or her beliefs. Christians disagree over whether or not it is possible for people to lose their salvation, but all of us agree that those who have wandered away from Christ, the truth and the church are in serious trouble and need to repent of their sins and return to Jesus. James urges loving Christians to help wanderers return to Jesus and live again according to the truth. By praying for, and lovingly talking with the wanderer, while meeting him or her where he or she is at in life, we may bring this person back to their merciful and gracious Savior. 

 

1. I am asking myself why people wander away from Jesus, the truth and the church. I think we all know someone, or many people, in this condition. Here are some possible reasons for wandering:

 

     a. dreadful fear of what others think or say or of persecution

     b. weary of suffering for their faith

     c. deep ongoing pain of disappointment

     d. severe separation from family and friends because of faith in Christ

     e. death of loved ones or friends

     f. ongoing illness

     g. the reality of following Christ overwhelms our unmet exceptions of trusting Him

     h. trapped in sin/s

 

The reality is difficulty, suffering, trials, tests and disappointment is part of a Christian’s life. Let us not sugarcoat this.

 

2. As followers of Christ and members of a local church we need to be ready to pursue the wanderer. 

 

God asked Cain this ancient but up-to-date question, after he killed his brother Abel, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9).

 

The answer then and now is; “Yes”, in the local body of Christ we are acceptable for and to each other.

 

3. We need to be mindful that we/I could stray away from the truth. We/I need to heed daily these three admonitions: 

 

     a. be humble

     b. stay close to Jesus

     c. stay in God’s Word

 

4. When we talk with someone who has wandered from Jesus and the truth we need to be sure to tell them that God will receive them back if they repent and return to Jesus and the truth. This is the parable of the lost son in Luke 11-31. 

 

Conclusion

 

The book of James is my favorite book of the Bible because he emphasizes faith put into action. Right living is the evidence of and fruit of faith. The local church needs to serve with compassion, speak lovingly and truthfully, live in joyful obedience to God’s Word, and love one another. The local expression of Christ’s body ought to be like heaven on earth as we draw people to Christ through love for God and each other. If we truly believe God’s Word we will desire, by His grace, to live by it each day. God’s Word is not just something we read, think about or confess but something we do. Our belief, faith and trust must be put into action by our hands and feet. Let us be faithful shepherds of our flocks by our teaching of God’s Word, caring for our members and pursuing those who are wandering.

 

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MF-The Ministry & COVID19

Introduction. During this time of calamity, our first tasks are to meditate often on God’s Word and to be in constant prayer. As the pandemic rages and with all the uncertainty, it will be important for us as Christian leaders to model confidence in the Lord, even as we tenderly share the gospel. Many are looking to us for guidance and reassurance. Only time in God’s Word and seasons with him in prayer can prepare us. Biblical truths can help undergird our work and guide how we respond. Here are a few on which to meditate.

 

Truth One: The Evil is Real

This pandemic is evil. It is the result of a fallen created order. Sadly, this frightening virus will continue to bring sickness, suffering, and death. When Jesus faced the brokenness of the created order, it grieved him. We, too, should sorrow over this pandemic. To do otherwise fails to properly name evil. Our people want us to tell the truth and be sober about the danger we face. This leads to our first biblical response in the face of the viral calamity.

 

Model Lament 

A lament is a passionate expression of grief, along with a complaint to the Lord for help. Lament is actually a wise initial response to harm, injustice, and a pandemic like we are now facing. The Bible is filled with expressions of lament, especially in the Psalms.

An appropriate response of lament does not exclude a mixture of joy. As we model a proper lament over the evil that is befalling our communities, pastors and Christian workers need to exhibit all the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, etc.).

 

Truth Two:  God is In Control

God is sovereign, and this includes his ultimate control over evil. The God of Scripture alone is omnipotent; COVID-19 is not. Jesus taught his disciples that God cares even for the sparrow; yes, the very hairs of our head are numbered. Sin, sickness, and death, like Satan, cannot step over the boundaries that God sets. He alone is God; we can rest in him. This is a great comfort. We must exhibit a strong trust in God’s wise and benevolent rule of the world – even in the face of COVID-19. There is a mystery here that we acknowledge, even as we faithfully confess God’s absolute reign. If we model such trust, with the Lord’s help, others will imitate us. This is our second scriptural response.

 

Teach Trust by Example

What makes a biblical perspective on lament spiritually healthy is its attending trust in the Lord and an assurance of ultimate and enduring joy. We find this pattern in Psalm 94. David cries, “How long, LORD, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant?” But then David confesses, “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your unfailing love was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”

 

The most heart-rending lament ever uttered is found on the lips of our Savior as he faced the horror of the crucifixion.  He cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus was not role-playing; his lament sprang from the depth of his sense of abandonment in the face of evil. But Hebrews 12:2 tells us that it was for the “joy set before Jesus” that he endured the cross and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. 

 

In 1 Thessalonians 5, we are taught that in the face of death, we are not to grieve like other people who have no hope. This does not mean that we are not to grieve at all. Jesus himself wept over Jerusalem for their unbelief and wept at the tomb of Lazarus. But he wins the final victory, and so we, too, can rejoice.  We are wise to learn to lament again. May the Lord help us to lament well, and then to rejoice with God’s people as we together trust in Him and wait for his final victory. 

 

Truth Three:  God Is with Us in Our Suffering

The Lord enters into our suffering. While both good and sovereign, our God is also a God of perfect compassion and lovingkindness. He cares for us, not from afar, but as one intimately involved in the created order and in human history. God truly cares. He has supremely exhibited this love in the incarnation and in his self-sacrificing work on the cross on our behalf.  Jesus shared our humanity and suffered so that he could more fully and empathetically help us when we suffer (Heb 2:14-18). We can come to him in our time of need, he understands and is able to rescue us. This leads us to another response.

 

Be Present in Prayer

One of the most important things we can do for God’s people, and for the lost, is to be with them in their suffering, and especially to be with them in prayer. Because of the “social distancing” demanded by the pandemic, this is a challenge. As pastors and Christian workers, we will need to be careful and creative in finding ways to be with people and to pray with them. They desperately need us at this time. Much like medical and law enforcement personnel, minsters, may on occasion, need to be on the front line of the pandemic. Take all necessary precautions but be ready to be with those who so desperately need their pastor. May the Lord grant each of us wisdom in this difficult matter.

  

Truth Four:  Evil and Suffering Will Be Defeated

Evil, including this terrible pandemic, will ultimately be defeated. This is the proper context in which to understand a verse like Rom 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” God’s timetable is not ours – but the ultimate victory is sure. It is a victory won by Christ in his death and resurrection for the sake of the world, and in his certain return to make all things new. This will not only bring relief from sin, sickness, death, but it will also bring us into the glorious inheritance of the children of God. Oh, what a wonderful day that will be! This is our hope, a final response.

 

Encourage with Hope

While we lament, and trust, and pray with our people, let us also model the hope which the gospel gives. People need hope, and only the gospel fully provides it. N.T Wright wrote an interesting book entitled, Surprised by Hope. One might not agree with everything he teaches, but he helpfully describes the New Testament vision of hope. The gospel and the beautiful end of the story which the New Testament presents, give people the hope they need even in the worst of times. In the face of death, this hope survives: eternal life in a new heaven and earth with all those who find salvation in Christ. Hallelujah! Above all, let us continue to preach God’s Word and share the gospel – especially in the face of this calamity, whose end is sure. Thanks be to God!

 

 

***There are many wonderful articles and blog posts coming from pastors and theologians at this time of crisis. This is a blessing. I encourage you to read the best of this material, weed out the chaff, and continue to share with one another what is valuable.