Snapshots in Time

Col 4:10 Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;) Col 4:11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me. Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. Col 4:13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis. Col 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you. (KJV)

We recently finished a study of the book of Colossians. Sections like this one often prove difficult from a teaching standpoint. After all, it's just a collection of final greetings and salutations right? Or maybe....a snapshot in time. Have you ever looked at an older photo of yourself and wished you could go back in time? Or maybe you're on the other end of the spectrum, and you're thankful for the changes in appearance the years have provided. Regardless of your personal preferences, one thing remains the same- life is filled with change!

There are several names listed above, but I'm just going to deal with two of them- Mark (Marcus/John-Mark) and Demas. In order to fill in the gaps with their stories, it will require us to go outside of the book of Colossians. First, we'll look at the story of Mark. Now Paul singles out Mark (Col 4:10) and instructs the church people to "receive him". What could possibly require this extra emphasis on John Mark? We get a glimpse into Mark's story from the book of Acts. We'll begin there.

In Acts 12:25, we find that John Mark became a companion to Paul and his cousin Barnabas. In Acts 13:13, we see that Mark abandons Paul and Barnabas and returns to Jerusalem (obviously many of the details in this story do not appear in this blog and I'm giving you a very very brief survey of what happened). Acts 15 records a split that occurs between Paul and Barnabas. And, as you might have guessed, Mark is the major point of contention. Barnabas wanted to take his cousin Mark along on their mission, but Paul felt like it was a bad idea, probably in light of Mark's earlier desertion (Acts 15:36-39).

When we read the closing remarks of Paul in Colossians, obviously the two of them had been able to overcome their obstacles. Paul instructs/commands the Colossians to receive Mark in the event of his arrival. Paul's second letter to Timothy also reinforces the idea that Mark became a valuable member of Paul's ministry team:

2Ti 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. (KJV)

Now, as a contrast- let's look at Demas and his story. We have even fewer details about Demas, but we have enough to see that something had changed for Demas as well. Again, we'll go outside of the book of Colossians and look at two other mentions of Demas. First, we'll look at Philemon.

Phm 1:23 There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;
Phm 1:24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

We see some names familiar to the benediction in Colossians- Aristarchus, Mark, and Dr. Luke (as I affectionately call him). Demas is referred to as one of Paul's "fellow-laborers" (in the Greek, the word is sunergos- probably where we derive our English word "Synergy"). The idea is a companion, helper, or work-fellow. The word is used in I Cor 3:9 to describe our partnership with God in the labor of the Gospel. The point is that Demas was an important component of Paul's ministry team.

Unlike Mark however, Demas's story (at least as it is recorded in Scripture) does not have nearly the happy ending. In some of Paul's last penned words, we find this description of Demas:

2Ti 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

Colossians is what I call the "happy snapshot" for Mark and Demas. Acts records Mark's failure, and II Timothy records Demas's failure. Somewhere in between those two is a benediction in a letter to a group of believers in Colosse. Mark appears to finish well, and Demas appears to finish poorly (this blog is not an attempt to judge Demas, merely to evaluate what is written in the texts- only God knows what happened to Demas and this writer is content to leave those details up to the Just Judge of all).

So what may appear to be simply a random collection of hello's and goodbyes might actually teach us a valuable theological truth. Every day provides an opportunity for choices to be made. The failures of the past are exactly that- the past. We cannot change them, but we can learn from them, and hopefully not repeat them. God is willing to give us (just like John Mark) another chance at getting things right. Conversely, a good start doesn't guarantee a good finish. We cannot rest on the accomplishments of the past as proof positive that we will end well. But we can be certain that God will be faithful to us no matter what. So take a look at your spiritual "yearbook" today. In what ways have you grown since your conversion? In what ways have you progressed, or perhaps regressed?

Php 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (ESV)
share on: facebook

Putting Off, Putting On, and Putting Up

Col 3:12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, Col 3:13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Col 3:14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony (ESV)

In my last blog entry, I discussed some of the practical implications of a new life in Christ. There is a dynamic tension that exists with so many biblical truths. For instance, we are admonished to "put off" those things that are incompatible with new life in Jesus. But positively, we are to "put on" those qualities that are consistent with our new nature in Christ. There are a few things I want to discuss about the passage of scripture listed above today.

First of all, notice that these qualities or attributes that we are to "put on" are identical to the nature of God. Humility, kindness, compassion, forgiveness- these are all Divine attributes. Perhaps it could be said that we are most like Him, when we display these lovely characteristics. It goes without saying, that these attributes do not seem to come about naturally for us. In fact, they are quite a struggle without the help of the Holy Spirit (especially that stuff about "bearing with one another"). Thankfully, we are not left on our own to develop these attributes, but rather we are encouraged to put them on. They are available to us based on our relationship with Christ. They are His attributes- and ours....because we are...."in Christ" and Christ is "in us" (Colossians 1:27).

There is certainly a theme that should be obvious from Colossians 3:12-14. Having a relationship with God, involves interacting with other people! Some of the greatest challenges to our sanctification will arise from our ability (or inability) to relate well to others within the community of faith. I encourage you to read and meditate on this small passage of scripture in the coming days. After reading verses 12-14, you should come away with this conclusion; there is no personal conflict that the church faces that it cannot overcome!!!

Sadly, many of us tend to paint the church with a brush of idealism. Paul is a realist, but he's also an optimist. Not blind optimism, based simply on some notion of luck that magically all will simply "work out in the end". But rather an optimism based on the ability of God's grace to intervene and heal any given situation. Look at the scenarios Paul presents- putting up with each other's attitudes- dealing with complaints and quarrels with one another. Does it happen in the church? You betcha!

So how do we overcome these things individually and corporately? We must constantly remind ourselves that we are the beneficiaries of longsuffering, gentleness, humility, kindness, forbearance, and (thank God!) forgiveness. Paul reminded the Colossians that Christ had forgiven them, and thus they have a command to forgive one another.

I don't know about you, but I've been sufficiently challenged by all of this. Until next time....
share on: facebook

Walking Where You Live

I recently completed an online survey which claims to find the perfect city to match your lifestyle. I was somewhat surprised by the results (which I won't share here), but I understand how the website calculated the results. Based on a series of questions about your personality and preferences, the program is able to generate a response with some degree of accuracy. For example, people who enjoy mountain climbing are less likely to be a perfect fit for a beachfront condo. Likewise, those who love watersports probably wouldn't pick the Great Plains as their ideal dwelling place. So what does any of this have to do with theology you ask?

I mentioned in my last blog that we're studying the book of Colossians. I thought it would be proper to pick up where we left off last week. The Colossians were given a nice theology lesson about the supremacy of Christ (and consequently the futility of angelic worship and asceticism). Now, as is often the case, Paul shifts from the doctrinal to the ethical. That's not to say there is a huge dichotomy between the two- really there isn't. What you believe will determine how you behave. Now that the Colossians are fully versed in Christology, they will also be introduced into the ethical demands of that theology. Again, doctrine and praxis are closely linked in the bible. Paul will go on to use a clothing metaphor to describe the contrast between the old man and the new man. Hence, he says there are things we must "put off", and subsequently things we must "put on".

But today, I want to draw your attention to a phrase found in the 7th verse of the 3rd chapter:

Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

Paul has just described some things which are incompatible with new life in Christ ; sexual immorality, lust, covetousness (which is linked with idolatry). And lest we think God winks at those things, Paul reminds us that they bring about the wrath of God (Col 3:6). Now before we start pointing fingers and constructing soapboxes, let's not forget that Paul says that's the way we used to be. The major difference is that we no longer "live" there anymore. One of the reasons people find it so difficult to live the ethical demands of the bible is because they don't "live" there. And we are going to "walk" where we "live". Let me further illustrate:

Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

In Galatians chapter 5, Paul contrasts the "works of the flesh" with the "fruit of the Spirit". Admittedly, the fruit of the Spirit listed there, sets the bar pretty high. And the only way we can "walk in the Spirit" is if we "live" in the Spirit. It's about having a new nature-not one that is incapable of sinning or falling short of the mark- but one that has been radically transformed from above. I'm convinced we have many people who come to our churches week after week, and seemingly never are able to "walk" straight. Instead, their walk is a continual reflection of the works of the flesh. It could be (and I'm speculating here) that they are simply walking where they live.

It would be natural to see a man or woman with a surfboard at the beach. But a man with ice skates on at the beach would likely be laughed to scorn. Romans 7 is a depiction of what life is like without the Spirit. And sadly, this is the place so many are at; trying desperately to live a life of victory, but feeling hopeless. But the clouds part in chapter 8, and Paul describes life in the Spirit. He begins with these words:

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

So how then, do these individuals walk after the Spirit? It is precisely because they "live" in the Spirit.

Rom 8:8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 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. (ESV)

So I want to ask you this question today: where do you live? Because where you live, will determine where (and how) you walk. Maybe next time we'll get more into the clothing metaphor of Colossians 3. But this is enough for me to chew on for now. In case you haven't figured this out yet- this blog is less about me pontificating from a soapbox, and more about allowing you to read over my shoulder as I ponder the truths of scripture. I hope that you're blessed along the way.

Until next time....
share on: facebook

"Touch Not, Taste Not, Handle Not"

Col 2:21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;) (KJV)

We're studying the book of Colossians at LWC. This book reminds us that we are complete in Christ. He is all we really need, and the source of all wisdom. Apparently some false teachers had gained some traction in the church there, and were introducing some erroneous ideas. And it appears one of their mantras was "touch not, taste not, handle not". They had a unique brand of asceticism that they wanted everyone else to adopt in order to be a "real" disciple. Asceticism (in case you are not familiar with this term), is basically defined as rigorous self-denial or abstinence from certain things. In a theological sense, it usually carries with it the idea that a person can become a "better" Christian by adopting these disciplines.

It is important that we have balance in our theology. We have a tendency to polarize certain issues that we are passionate about. When we use or hear the phrase "doctrines of devils"- we typically think of doctrines of excessive indulgence and liberty. To that end, Jude warns that we must not "change the grace of God into a license for immorality"(Jude 4 NKJV). And Paul also was quick to point out that the appearance of grace didn't mean the end of holy living:

Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. (KJV)

However, when the bible speaks of doctrines of devils, it can also refer to doctrines of abstinence. When Paul wrote to Timothy, he warned him about these dangerous teachings that would infiltrate the church, and attempt to take the focus off of Christ, and put it on rules of rigid abstinence that God didn't command.

1 Tim 4:1-3
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. (KJV)

I think most of us are familiar with the concept that it is dangerous to take away from what God says. But equally dangerous, is the notion that we can add to what God has said, and make rules and regulations where there are none. (Prov 30:5-6, Rev 22:18)

The irony of this discussion, is that this rigid asceticism actually provides no lasting benefits to resisting the urges of the flesh. Look at what Paul says to the Colossians regarding their "touch not, taste not, handle not" approach to denying the flesh:

Col 2:23
23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. (NKJ)

There are things the bible says we should abstain from. Abstinence in and of itself is not a bad thing. The error we must guard against however, is the idea that a rigid self-denial can somehow supplement or supplant the sufficiency of Christ (I didn't mean to use such alliteration in that phrase, but it flowed nicely). If we follow Christ and obey the Word of God, we will have enough to keep us busy without having to add anything else. Let me leave you with Paul's statement of Christ's sufficiency.

Col 2:9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (NKJ)

Until next time....
share on: facebook

The Gourd of the Lord

Jonah 4:6 And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.
(KJV)

Today, we're going to take a final look at the book of Jonah. We opened this series of blogs by talking about 3 things the Lord did. And guess what.....that's how we're going to end it too! When we last left Jonah, he had preached his message of destruction, and the people of Nineveh responded by turning to God in repentance. Subsequently, God turned from His intentions and pardoned the people of Nineveh. Jonah should be happy now, right? Not exactly.

Jonah 4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. (KJV)

I won't spend much time dealing with Jonah's shallow and selfish response. But I will say this; there are times when our expectations and God's will don't converge. Yes, there are some who say if you simply have enough faith, you can make anything happen by saying the magic words or following the right formula(s). This too, is a shallow expression of faith. From our vantage point, it is often difficult to understand the "big picture". Jonah had just experienced the "altar call" of a lifetime. He saw more converts in one day than many of us will see in a lifetime. But he wasn't happy. He obviously didn't "get it".

At this point, we might expect the ground to open up and swallow Jonah alive. How dare he take such an attitude, after God went to such great lengths to preserve him for this very mission. But, as is always the case- God is much more merciful than we give Him credit for. Even in the midst of Jonah's pity party, God is doing a redemptive work and teaching a lesson. So let's look quickly at 3 things that the Lord did.

#1- God prepared a gourd (4:6)- This gourd provided shade from the intense heat of the day. Psalm 145:9a says "The Lord is good to all". Jesus says that God sends sun and rain on the just and the unjust (Matt 5:45). God is good to everyone! When we see injustice, we often ask the question "why do bad things happen to good people?". Such questioning ignores the fact that God allows good things to happen to everyone- regardless of whether they deserve it or not.

#2- God prepares a worm (4:7)- The worm reminds us not to hold too tightly to the things of this world. Paul told the Corinthians that all that we see in the material world is temporary (2 Cor 4:18). Life is filled with change and various seasons. Our lives can easily be devoted to the temporal. I recently had a laptop failure which reminded me how quickly years worth of work can be lost forever (here's a friendly reminder to always back up your data!). Ask yourself this question- how much of your time do you devote to issues of no eternal value? Obviously, I'm not suggesting that we spend every waking moment teaching or preaching. It is my opinion that God wants us to enjoy life- not simply endure it. But where are our priorities?

#3- God prepared a wind (4:8)- The wind reminds us that our only defense is faith in God. Our security does not rest in the amount of possessions we can amass in this life. We can do our best to insulate ourselves from disaster, but truly our lives are in God's hands. The gourd of yesterday, can be destroyed by the worm of today- offering no protection from the winds of tomorrow.

All of this makes Jonah wish for death. Again, at this point, we might expect the Lord to simply grant his request. At the very least, we might expect Divine silence. Instead, the Lord engages Jonah in dialogue (4:9). He explains to Jonah that the gourd was an object lesson. Jonah's priorities were totally askew. He had no concern for the thousands of innocent children living in Nineveh. He seemed only concerned about his reputation, the "unfortunate" repentance of the people of Nineveh, and of course- the withering of the gourd.

We are a culture of stress and anxiety. Some of our fears may be legitimate. Some of our anxieties may well be warranted. I would be lying if I said I never experienced either of them, so I don't stand in judgment of you today. But I want us to take an inventory today, and see where our priorities stand. How much of our time is spent in frustration and anger because our expectations and God's will don't seem to be on parallel tracks? Could it be that God is using us in a way that we despise and yet it's for the greater good?

The book of Jonah has always left me a little uneasy because of the ending. We don't end this book with a benediction, a hymn, or an Amen. The book ends with a question. Just as Jonah was left with the question, so are we. In light of God's love for all mankind, what are we going to do about it?

Until next time...
share on: facebook

Quick update & random remarks

I apologize for the hiatus since my last post. A few weeks ago, I took a much-needed vacation to beautiful Longboat Key Florida. I've always been fond of sunsets, and this trip provided a few great photo opportunities. This one was taken with my cell phone, which isn't exactly the best quality, but still conveys the great scenery there. Truly one of the most beautiful places on the Gulf coast!

I want to blog about other things, but feel like I need to wrap up the series on Jonah. So look for that next, and then we'll look at some other topics in the coming days. I had to move my sermon podcast, because my previous host decided to vanish from the web without notice. The new podcast site is http://libertywc.podbean.com and the feed is http://libertywc.podbean.com/feed if you decide to subscribe that way. I lost all of the episodes on the previous podcast, so right now there's only one message uploaded....but more to come! Thanks for your patience. The podcast should have iTunes subscription capability within the next week or so.

I've been working on a lot of things this summer, including recording my first instrumental CD of original music I've written on the guitar. I've met some wonderful people during this process, and I appreciate all of the feedback and support I've received during this time. And it's always neat to hear from people who are familiar with my ministry. If you interact on the social networks on the web, feel free to add me as a friend on myspace http://myspace.com/henryhaneyjr , or Facebook http://facebook.com/henryhaney . I'm not a robust 'tweeter', but I do occasionally update on Twitter, so you can follow me there at http://twitter.com/henryhaney if you want to as well.

Well, that about wraps up my random thoughts early on this Saturday morning. I hope to hear from you soon. As always, I appreciate your prayerful support. I sincerely covet your prayers as Pam and I endeavor to do the work of the Lord in these last days. God bless you!

Until next time....
share on: facebook

Who can tell what God will do?

Jonah 3:9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

We will continue today in our installment of blogs regarding Jonah. The story of Jonah is truly remarkable on so many levels. The mercy and grace of God often gets overshadowed in discussions about Jonah's ride in the big fish. When Jonah was finally released from the belly of the fish, a revival of biblical proportions took place. Jesus says that Jonah's arrival in Nineveh was a "sign" to the people (Luke 11:30). This prophet of God arrived in the city with a message of destruction; "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown". Jonah's message was not of the "repent or else" variety. It was merely a pronouncement of impending calamity.

And yet something remarkable happened. This city known for its wickedness and opposition towards the people of God had a great awakening. The king of Nineveh proclaimed a fast and instructed the people to "cry mightily unto God". When we fast-forward to the end of the chapter (3), we see that God changed his intentions based on their response. The book of Jonah sometimes presents a problem for those of us who demand that every ounce of theology be systematic. In this book, a prophet's message of doom does not come to pass. In this book, God changes his course of action based on human response. Did this take God by surprise? Of course not. But this shows that a relationship with God is dynamic- not static!

For me, one of the highlights of chapter 3 is this example of the king of Nineveh taking a chance on God's mercy. Remember that the people of Nineveh had no guarantee that anything would change their outcome. At this point, they could have simply mocked Jonah, or taken the attitude of "let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die" (I Cor 15:32b). But instead, they risk everything and cast their hopes upon the mercy of God. And they were not disappointed! Now contrast the people of Nineveh (those who had no promises or guarantees) with believers in Jesus Christ (those who have been given "exceeding great and precious promises" -2 Peter 1:4).

You cannot go wrong with God. Among our greatest fears, is the fear of rejection. But we have some wonderful and comforting promises from scripture that I want to share with you in closing.

Joh 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Jam 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
share on: facebook