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May God Give Us A Passionate Love For Jesus
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his One and Only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Pastor's Blog Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 8/1/08
John 3:16 reads, "For God so loved the world that he gave his One and Only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." We all know this verse. Billions have memorized it. But do the truths of this famous verse move our hearts as it should? God sent Jesus to this world to suffer and die on the cross for our sins. He was raised to set us free from the power of death and give us a living hope in the kingdom of God. Are our hearts moved, or do we say, "Oh yah. I knew that already"? Jesus challenges our cold hearts to be moved once again by the love of God. God wants to open our eyes to see the fruit of his precious gospel, world wide. He wants us to be reconciled to himself through his great and unconditional love. What is the Gospel?
According to Mark 16:6a, "Jesus the Nazarene was crucified." Crucifixion was a most painful and humiliating death. On the cross, Jesus' blood was poured out for the sin of the world. This was the reason Jesus came to this world. He knew it when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Father, take this cup from me, yet not my will but yours be done." (Lk 22:42) Why was this necessary? It stems from who God is and who we are. God is holy and just. We are sinners. Our sins make us unholy, separated from the Holy God. Because of our sins we all walk in darkness in this life and will dwell in eternal condemnation in the next. Because of our sins, we each must stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (2 Cor 5:10) How can we be rid of the sin that separates us from our holy God? Humanly there is no way. But in his grace and mercy God has provided a way. One day John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of world." (John 1:29) For the Holy God to declare us forgiven, the blood of a sinless sacrifice needed be shed. But whose blood is sinless and holy enough to pay the price for our sins? Only Jesus'! Jesus is the perfect Lamb of God whose shed blood alone fulfills all the demands of our righteous God. Because of this crucified Christ, God can now say to us, "My child…your sins are forgiven!" We are forgiven children of God, only because of God's mercy and grace. (2 Tim 1:9)
Second, Jesus rose from the dead. Mark 16:6 continues, "He is not here! He has risen!" Death has always been the ultimate nemesis of mankind. Satan keep us captive through our fear of death. (Heb 2:15). Death wallops us with many painful blows. Death robs us of the meaning of life. Death makes us fearful. Death cause us to despair. Death make us live in sorrow and defeat. Death drives us to live by the motto, "Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die." (1 Cor 15:32b) So many of our young people are plunging themselves into a life of hedonism and constant entertainment and despair, because they have succumbed to the fear of death. Some try to avoid suffering and death at all cost. Some loose themselves in their careers or studies to find meaning their lives that will come to an end. Whatever the case, we have all somehow been stung by the sting of death.
But there is great news for all humanity. The angel declared, "He is not here! He has risen!" When Billy Graham was preaching in the former Soviet Union, he asked a Russian Orthodox church leader what changes he should make in the crusade. He said, "Speak more about the resurrection." (The Journey) The resurrection is such great news for through his resurrection, Jesus conquered death! We share in that ultimate victory, the resurrection from the dead. This is life giving news to a world walking in the darkness of death for through the resurrection we have crossed over from death to life (Jn 5:24) We now possess a true hope, and eternal hope that will never perish, spoil or fade. (1 Peter 1:3,4) It is the only hope worth living for. Also, we are no longer orphans and refugees in this world. We have an eternal home with our Father God forever. We are set free from our fear of death, and are enabled to pick up our own cross and follow Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus is indeed great news for all mankind!
When we have been touched by the love of God we need to go and tell. Mark 16:7 reads, "But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' " The facts of the resurrection of Jesus are intimately coupled with the facts of mission. You can never separate the two. And this makes sense. If you really value a message then you will want to proclaim it. For example, some really believe in Obama and some really believe in McCain. They believe so much that they will put stickers on their bumpers, sign in their yards. What more valuable a message can we ever be entrusted with, if not for the Gospel? We value it because, through the Gospel we have receive the forgiveness of sins, new life and eternal life. If we value it, then we should want to share it with others, even more vigorously then those who work in some campaign headquarters.
May our hearts be rekindled with a passionate love for Jesus and may we share this love with others around us.
The Word Of God Is Practical For Our Lives
Acts 6:1-15 Pastor's Blog Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 7/10/08
Key Verse: 6:3,4
"Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
Over the years I have met some students who think that the word of God is does not pertain to them today. They think it is irrelevant to our lives and they file it away as some antiquated religious text. But for those who know Jesus and know the Bible we know the word of God is the living word of God. Hebrews 4:12 reads, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." This sure doesn't sound like some book you would pick up out of the bargain bin of Borders Book store. It sounds like a power book that has a life changing effect on anyone who reads it and takes its teachings to heart.
When working on the message from Acts 6:1-15, I was amazed to see that within these few verses were nestled at least ten principles we should follow in carrying out the work of God. These principles can apply to almost anything we do when we work with people. Let me review the principles that I have discovered.
Principle # 1: Keep the priority, to study the Bible and pray The apostles realized that they could not be side tracked in serving food to the widows. Other had to do this important work. God had called them to prepare and preach the word and to pray.
Principle #2: keep it on track. Without the this principle the church would loose its direction and its focus.
Principle #3, always be mindful of the weaker ones. The apostles were concerned about the widows. These are the weakest among them. They knew that they should care for them because God cares.
Principle # 4: the basic responsibilities must be acknowledged, not avoided. The apostles never turned a blind eye to the needy. They embraced the challenge to provide for the needs of the widows.
Principle #5: delegate. The apostles could not preach and pray and serve the vast needs of the people all by themselves. They needed to delegate responsibility and so must all leaders if the work of God is to grow.
Principle #6, give important tasks spiritual people. The people chosen to serve were to be full of the God's wisdom and Spirit. We must raise up those who are growing spiritually to positions of leadership.
Principle #7, large enough to be representative and small enough to be effective. Sometimes we get too big and we loose our co-working spirit. We need wisdom to find the right mix of people to do the job.
Principle #8, be inclusive. They included many minority Greeks. We must be inclusive if we are ever going to grow as a church or campus ministry.
Principle #9, humbly co-work with others. Stephen set the example of excepting a job that others may feel is too menial for them. We can not be picky in doing the work of God. I would rejoice at being even a door keeper in the house of God for one day. (Psalm 84:10) Thank God for choosing us. God will raise us up.
Principle #10, those who humbly perform menial tasks will be raised up as leaders. This is so true. God himself will raise up those who are humble and who serve faithfully.
As you can see these are all pertinent principles to our lives as ministers of the Gospel. The word of God is relative to our lives today. They are the living words of God. Those who heed them and obey them will be filled with the wisdom of God and the spirit of God. Let us all make a decision to approach the word of God in the Bible with a new and humble attitude with a learning heart. God bless you all..Pastor Kevin Jesmer
The Word Of God Is Practical For Our Lives
Acts 6:1-15 Pastor's Blog Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 7/10/08
Key Verse: 6:3,4
"Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
Over the years I have met some students who think that the word of God is does not pertain to them today. They think it is irrelevant to our lives and they file it away as some antiquated religious text. But for those who know Jesus and know the Bible we know the word of God is the living word of God. Hebrews 4:12 reads, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." This sure doesn't sound like some book you would pick up out of the bargain bin of Borders Book store. It sounds like a power book that has a life changing effect on anyone who reads it and takes its teachings to heart.
When working on the message from Acts 6:1-15, I was amazed to see that within these few verses were nestled at least ten principles we should follow in carrying out the work of God. These principles can apply to almost anything we do when we work with people. Let me review the principles that I have discovered.
Principle # 1: Keep the priority, to study the Bible and pray The apostles realized that they could not be side tracked in serving food to the widows. Other had to do this important work. God had called them to prepare and preach the word and to pray.
Principle #2: keep it on track. Without the this principle the church would loose its direction and its focus.
Principle #3, always be mindful of the weaker ones. The apostles were concerned about the widows. These are the weakest among them. They knew that they should care for them because God cares.
Principle # 4: the basic responsibilities must be acknowledged, not avoided. The apostles never turned a blind eye to the needy. They embraced the challenge to provide for the needs of the widows.
Principle #5: delegate. The apostles could not preach and pray and serve the vast needs of the people all by themselves. They needed to delegate responsibility and so must all leaders if the work of God is to grow.
Principle #6, give important tasks spiritual people. The people chosen to serve were to be full of the God's wisdom and Spirit. We must raise up those who are growing spiritually to positions of leadership.
Principle #7, large enough to be representative and small enough to be effective. Sometimes we get too big and we loose our co-working spirit. We need wisdom to find the right mix of people to do the job.
Principle #8, be inclusive. They included many minority Greeks. We must be inclusive if we are ever going to grow as a church or campus ministry.
Principle #9, humbly co-work with others. Stephen set the example of excepting a job that others may feel is too menial for them. We can not be picky in doing the work of God. I would rejoice at being even a door keeper in the house of God for one day. (Psalm 84:10) Thank God for choosing us. God will raise us up.
Principle #10, those who humbly perform menial tasks will be raised up as leaders. This is so true. God himself will raise up those who are humble and who serve faithfully.
As you can see these are all pertinent principles to our lives as ministers of the Gospel. The word of God is relative to our lives today. They are the living words of God. Those who heed them and obey them will be filled with the wisdom of God and the spirit of God. Let us all make a decision to approach the word of God in the Bible with a new and humble attitude with a learning heart. God bless you all..Pastor Kevin Jesmer
Advice To Two, Graduating Middle School Girls
Jennifer Jesmer and Christa Pitts Grade 8 graduation celebration. Triton UBF. 6/14/08
Written by Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF
Jeremiah 29:11, "11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
I thank God for this opportunity to celebrate the graduation of Christa Pitts and Jennifer Jesmer from grade 8 middle school. They are about embark into the exciting and yet ominous high school years. During their middle school years, there have been so many struggles, usually involving emotions, social pressures, issues of gaining acceptance, and everything associated with making the transition from childhood to early adulthood. What can a father say to his daughter and her friend concerning this new transition in life? What can I teach them about God, faith and his wonderful grace. This message will explore some matters of faith pertaining to this milestone event in their young lives. Lets see.
First, God Is Love.
Witnessing the growth of Jennifer and Christa over the last fourteen years, I could only come to one conclusion about God….God is love. He is the complete embodiment of love. He is the essence of love, the epitome of love. God is a good God and he has good intentions for us. We can trust God in all that he does. When we place our hope and trust in him, then we can be rest assured that he takes control of our lives and works all things, even the most difficult things, out for his glory. Romans 8:28 reads, " 28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[a] who[b] have been called according to his purpose." Though there have been so many difficult moments, these young ladies can know that God has been working for their good over the years.
This fact is re-enforced by the words of Jeremiah the prophet. Jeremiah 29:10-11 reads, " 10 This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Indeed God has plans to prosper us and to grow us so that we can be fruitful servants of God so that we can bear fruit and glorify God with our lives. Even though this world lacks hope and young people live in hopelessness and despair every day of their lives, we must thank God that he gives us a hope and a future. How can we have such confidence? It is because of who God is. God is love. God is the Creator. He is risen and alive. He wants to intervene. He wants to come to our aid. He wants to and he is able to by his almighty love and power. These two girls have such a bright hope because of the love of Jesus Christ.
Second, It is God Who Has Granted These Young Ladies Victory In Life.
God has blessed Jennifer and Christa in so many ways. They have experienced victory in their lives, scholastically, socially and most importantly, spiritually. When so many have given up the battle to keep their identity as children of God, they have kept their clear identity as Christians and servants of God, even in the public school system. All of these things are a great victory. But with these great victories also come great temptations. Temptations to claim all the credit for ourselves and to use the "spoils" of our victories for ourselves, to bolster our own glory in this world.
Abraham had a similar experience when he was called Abram. In Genesis 14, Abram had a great victory against a powerful king. He rescued his nephew Lot. He could have a reveled in his own glory. He could have claimed the fruits of war for himself. He could have said "I did it" and even tried to claim the promised land by himself. His heart could have been filled with a new hope that he could do something for himself in his own way, with his own efforts. It was a great temptation. But at this cross roads in his life, God intervened by sending a servant of God, Melchizedek. In Genesis 14:18-20, we read, " Then Melchizedek king of Salem [d] brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, 'Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator [e] of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be [f] God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.' Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything." Melchizedek reminded him that God was in control and that it was all because of God that he won the victory. He needed to continue believing in God's promises and living by faith but most importantly he must thank God, give all the glory to God, and let God give him the land in his way and in his time. Abram accepted God's council and God's help and look at verse 20b, "… Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything." He re-dedicated himself to the life of faith to which he was called. Later, God warned his people to never become proud, but always give glory to God. Listen to what Deuteronomy 8:17-18 reads, concerning the Israelites entry into the promised land. "17 You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." 18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today."
These two girls have won a great victory. They worked hard. But the fact is, God gave them the victory. They must never become proud and become full of false ideas that they do not need God. They must remain humble, thank God for all he has done and recommit themselves to living by faith, believing in God's promises.
Third, Remain In Jesus' Love
Part of the proper response to the grace of God is to remain in Jesus as a branch remains in the vine. John 15:5, reads, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." It is a great challenge to remain in the vine. It was not easy to remain in the vine, Jesus, during the middle school years. How much harder will it be in the high school years. Why is that? I think it is because of worldly hopes that are born in our hearts as we enter young adulthood. People begin to have hope in themselves and in the world. And the fact is, what people hope for, they follow. Worldly hopes force us to follow worldly courses of life. They make us disconnect from our vine, Jesus. We are living in a country where anyone who studies hard and works hard can achieve something in this world. Jennifer has so many plans to join after school clubs and do this and that. Christa has the same, I bet. I pray, that as they enter high school, their hopes may be God's hopes and may they remain connected to the true vine Jesus.
Fourth, Pray And Seek God With All Of Their Hearts.
In the high school years there will be so many interesting things to do. It will be a great temptation to treat Jesus and his precious Gospel as a hobby. But the Prophet Jeremiah gives young people clear direction. Jeremiah 29:12 reads, " Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, …" These young ladies need to pray and seek God with all of their hearts. Not just a little bit. Not just casually. Not just as a hobby …when they have time. But with all of their hearts. May God plant in them a passionate desire to come to Jesus, pray and encourage their classmates to do the same.
Fifth, They Need To Know The Big Picture.
By the "Big Picture", they need to know what God is doing in their lives. Why did God place them in the "pressure cooker" of adolescence, school studies and campus mission? Things will get hotter and the pressure is sure to increase. But to be certain, there is a reason for it all. Joseph was a young man who knew that God had a clear purpose for his life. He confessed to his brothers, in Genesis 50: 19-21, "'Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them." These girls must know that it is not all about them. Their blessings are not just for them alone. God has a great and glorious purpose. It is for God's glory, for the saving of many lives. They can save their fellow classmates' lives by setting a Christ-like example and by sharing the Gospel with many. They can live as shepherds and Bible teachers, helping students repent of their sins and accepting the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, we thank God for his deep and wonderful grace revealed in the lives of Jennifer and Christa. May they always know God's love. May they know where true victory comes from and may they always give glory to God. May they remain in Jesus, fulfilling God's good purpose for them, to draw near to Christ and to save many lives unto eternal life.
If Not Us, Who? If Not Now, When?
When I was a young Christian I came across an article concerning the drop in faithful church attendance in Canada. It intrigued me so much that I copied it and stuck it to the inside of my Bible. I'm glad I did because from time to time I refer back to the article and realize that I have made the right choice in keeping church attendance as part of my keeping the Sabbath Day holy, for you see, declining church attendance has plagued our culture since the 1960's. I always felt there must be something we can do as a church and individually to counteract this now multigenerational trend. Look at what Dr John Redekop, then of the Wilfred Laurier University, in Waterloo Ontario Canada, had to say about trends in Canadian church attendance in 1990.
"Why is Canadian church attendance dropping? Across Canada the polls appear to tell a story of declining church attendance. What are the reasons? Public opinion polls, while not always reliable concerning exact figures, serve us well in tracking trends, especially over long periods of time. Fortunately scientific pollsters have been measuring church attendance in Canada for 35 years.
Unfortunately, from a Christian perspective, the figures are not encouraging. In 1955, when the Canadian Gallup organization conducted its first poll it found that 58 percent of adult Canadians had "recently attended" a place of worship, all varieties included. The percentage of regular attenders was slightly lower.
By 1957 the "recently attended" figure reached 60 percent. Six out of ten Canadians had recently attended a church, synagogue or other place of worship. Since that time the percentage has steadily declined.
The 1990 Gallup figure stands at 27 percent for adult Canadians. Significantly, the comparable US figure, for 1989, was 42 percent.
Clearly, while 80 to 90 percent of Canadians still claim some sort of belief in God and while most still call upon the church to play a role in various rites of passage-christening, marriage, funeral-the role of the church seems to be merely nominal for most. What has produced the major decline in church attendance, more then 50 percent in one generation?"
The article goes on to propose five sociological reasons and five religious reasons for this trend. The sociological reasons include, affluence, urbanization, intellectualism, the weakening of the family, church becoming irrelevant. The religious reasons include, church not caring for the spiritually sick, churches asking too little of their members, individualism, doctrinal compromise on fundamental matters, ignoring practical community ministries.
(John H. Redekop "Why Is Canadian Church Attendance Dropping?" Christian Week Nov. 20, 1990 p. 3.)
The decline in church attendance has not abated over the last two decades. According to Dr Redekop 42% of Americans "recently attended a place of worship" in 1989. In 2006 the rates show that number to have dropped. "While 31% of the nation claims they attend services once a week – and a further 11% say they attend almost every week."(Gallup Poll News Service April 27, 2006) Other polls show similar results. The following articles have been compiled by the Ivy Jungle Network. (http://www.ivyjungle.org/GenericPage/DisplayPage.aspx?guid=227E25ED-3508-46E8-AE32-6135C17E753E ; accessed 1/31/08) They give an idea about the attitudes students have towards regular church attendance. In a nutshell, they say that students value spirituality, but they are rejecting regular church attendance. Look at what some excerpts from various articles have to say.
"…For most college students, attendance at religious services decreases during their time on campus. The study shows that approximately 43% of incoming freshman say they "frequently attend" services and only about 20% say they "never attend." By junior year those frequently attending has dropped to about 25% while those not attending at all are about 37%." (USA Today December 18, 2007)
"…Attendance at services dropped significantly…" (Inside Higher Education December 18, 2007)
"This fall, thousands of students will leave their high school youth groups to head to college. If the statistics are correct, most will never darken the door of a church once they set foot on campus. Only 20% of students who attended church regularly in high school will do so in college. Only 10% of students who identify themselves as Christians will attend church regularly while at school." (Comment Magazine June 29, 2007).
"A survey by LifeWay Research indicates 70% of Protestants (evangelical and mainline) ages 18-30 quit attending church by age 23. More than one third said they had not returned to church, even sporadically, by age 30…" (USA Today August 6, 2007)
"Those earning a bachelor’s degree showed a 59% decline in attending religious services and a 15% decline in the “importance of religion.” However, for those who did not attend college at all, 76% quit attending services and almost a quarter reported a “decline in the importance of religion.” (University of Texas Office of Public Affairs News Release June 6, 2007)
"Many a church and campus leader has lamented that so many students drop out of church once they step on campus." (Redandblack.com (University of Georgia newspaper) September 13, 2006)
"A report from the Gallup poll shows that those identifying themselves as Catholics (45%), Methodists (44%), Presbyterians (44%), Lutherans (43%) and Episcopalians (32%) all attend church less than 50% of the time. Church of Christ led the way with 68% attending every week, followed by Mormons, Pentecostals (65%), Southern Baptists (60%) and non-denominational protestants (54%)." (Leadership Network Advance May 2006)
"We must face the honest fact that there is a growing body of research which demonstrates that there is a significant disconnect between professing faith in Jesus Christ and actually following Jesus. A recent study by the National Study of Youth & Religion entitled, "Portraits of Protestant Teens" reveals a great deal about our current approach to youth ministry and its shortcomings. The study revealed that 59 percent of Protestant teens (13-17) report regular church attendance, meaning they attend church at least 1-3 times per month and 41 percent of all teens report regular church attendance. The study participants identified affiliation with nine Protestant denominations with Southern Baptist being the largest group represented in which 65 percent of teens reported regular attendance.
Forty-seven percent of Protestant teens reported active involvement in their church’s youth group compared to 38 percent of all teens. The majority of Protestant teens also reported that they attend Sunday school “a few times a month,” participate in youth retreats, rallies, and conferences." (John H Armstrong. "What Ever Happened To Discipleship", March 04, 2007. http://www.johnharmstrong.com/; accessed 2/1/08)
(For more expanded versions of each article contact me at Kevinjesmer@yahoo.com )
The question we have to ask ourselves is, how are we going to respond to this alarming trend? Is regular and faithful Sunday church attendance going to be a thing of the past? Listen to what Kenneth Callahan, author of Effective Church Leadership and Twelve Characteristics of an Effective Church has to say, "The day of the church culture is over, the day of the mission-field has come. The day of the local church is over, the day of the mission-outpost has come. The day of the pastor as shepherd is over, the day of the missionary leader has come. The day of the Christian is over, the day of the missionary has come." (Walling, Terry B. Focused Living Retreat Workbook. Church Smart Resources. page 8. c. 2001) It may be true. Churches will become like missionary outposts in a dry and thirsty land. Our Triton UBF ministry has called itself a World Mission Center since the 1990's. Sometimes at our NIU UBF I feel like a missionary outpost.
In UBF we are praying to double our Sunday Worship Service attendance, in each chapter by 2010. We are definitely going against a cultural trend. If we really want to increase our Sunday worship service attendance, what are we going to do to counter a cultural trend, moving with increasing momentum? God will work when we pray and love others like Jesus.
Some people don’t seem to care that the church attendance is in decline. To many, it is a dying institution that should be left to die. They feel that God will manifest himself in other ways. They have no personal sense of responsibility to promote the well being of any church.
The Message of Repentance Goes With the Message of Hope
Deuteronomy 30:19-20a, "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life.."
1/7/08 Pastor's Blog Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF
There are some things in this world that are inevitable. Some of these are suffering, death, judgment and taxes. Another thing that is inevitable are consequences for sin. This is a universal principle. If we don't study we will fail. If we don't work, we don't get paid. The Bible says if we don't work we don't eat. (2 Thess 3:10) If you don't exercise you get out of shape. If you don’t love your wife you will regret it. There are consequences for our behavior and the choices we make. We cannot avoid it as surely as we can not avoid death and taxes. Because of poor choices, people end up suffering a lot.
When people are suffering they want messages of hope and messages of grace but not necessarily messages of repentance. They want to hear comforting and gentle words. I don’t blame them. They are hurting a lot because to the consequences of their sins. If a Christian comes to them with a message of repentance, then they might say, "Aw, come on! I feel bad enough already. Please don't talk to me about these things." They don’t want to hear anyone with an "I told you so" attitude. But, on the other side of the coin, if people don’t want to hear the message of repentance, along side the message of hope and grace, they do not really want the whole Gospel. They don't want to accept what Jesus is offering. There is no healing for them and ultimately no hope. It is like a person who needs surgery, asking a doctor to come to his house and heal him, but that person does not want to go to the hospital or subject himself to any uncomfortable medical procedures. That person will not be healed. The same is for a person who does not want to hear the message of repentance. So what is the connection between repentance and our healing in Christ?
First, people choose to live in sin, out of their ignorance of God. So often people choose their entire life time choosing to live in the darkness of sin, refusing to come into the light of the gospel. Jesus says in John 3:19-20 reads, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness instead of the light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." When people choose to live in the darkness, they are choosing to have a broken relationship with God, who is light. (1 Jn 1:5) They have broken relationships with others. When we choose to live in the darkness we suffer endlessly. Our lives become one tragedy after another. People do not know what they are doing. Jesus, when he was dying on the cross, prayed for those who were persecuting him, saying, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." (Lk 23:34) People are oblivious to where there choices are leading them. When they do suffer because of their sins, they wonder why such hard things are happening to them. They may even blame God for the events in their lives. They may feel like failures or their hearts may be filled with bitterness to God and men. They loose all hope in this life and for eternity.
Second, God calls all people to consider their choices and choose to walk in his light. Only then can they receive forgiveness, true hope, new life and healing to their souls. Moses gave these words to the children of Israel before they entered the Promised land. Deuteronomy 30:15-20 reads, "See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. " Clearly, for people to blessed in God they must repent and choose to obey God's word and live in God. They need to make decisions to practically hold fast to God. Then they can be saved from the consequences of their sins. When they look to Jesus, the Lamb of God, (John 1:29) then God can turn everything around. They can become New Creations, (2 Cor 5:17) Their past suffering, can be a testimony of God's wonderful grace in order to attract others who are living in the darkness. They will discover the eternal truth that, "…in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)
Third, this hope and restoration includes the message of practical repentance. Even Jesus, when he began his earthly Messianic ministry began with the message of repentance. Mark 1:15 reads, "'The time has come, ' he said. 'The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news." Jesus does not just say, "believe the good news." He says, "repent and believe the good news." And repentance must be practical. In Luke 3:10, some very sincere people came to John the Baptist asking him what they should do. John told them to repent in very practical ways. Luke 3:11-14 reads, " 11John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." 12Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" 13"Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them. 14Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely—be content with your pay." It is true that people must believe in Jesus and look to Jesus and place their hope in Jesus. This is the first step to being saved and restored, but with this hope and this faith they need to make a practical decision to leave their lives of sin (John 8: 11) and begin to walk in the light of God. (John 3:21) This decision may be small at first, but it must practical nonetheless. Isaiah 30:15 reads, "This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says; 'In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.'" Again, not just rest, quietness, and trust, but all of these are prefaced by repentance. All of them put together is where our salvation can be found. For those who will have none of it, there is no salvation for them in Jesus.
What are some practical steps of repentance that we need to make? First, we need to give Jesus and his word a chance. We need to take our eyes off of our problems and tragedies and look to Jesus the Lamb of God. (John 1:29) We need to listen to the servants of God that God sends into our lives, like Abraham listened to Melchizedek in Genesis 14:18-21. We need to, at least, turn our eyes towards the words of God in the Bible and study that word, for his word in our hearts is what will give us strength to walk in the light.(Psalm 119:105) We may have to make practical steps to leave our old environment and begin to fellowship with God's people. Deciding to rise up out of our beds of despair and come to church could be a small act of repentance and a step of faith that can lead to our healing.
As a Pastor it is impossible for me to just give the message of hope and grace and not even give the message of repentance. It is asking me to compromise the truth of God. It asking me to not give the only cure that there is for the sickness of sin. It asking me to give a "feel good" message, that may make people feel good for a time, but I know does not carry with it true and lasting healing. I don’t want to come to people saying "I told you so" but I also want to give them what they need. I also need wisdom to help people to make small acts of repentance that are born out of faith. May God give us the wisdom spread the Gospel message that brings life. God bless you.
Jesus Wants To Strengthen Bruised Reeds and Smoldering Wicks Through The Church
Matthew 20:12 reads, "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory."
Pastor's Blog: Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 12/26/07
Jesus strengthens broken reeds and smoldering wicks, Matthew 20:12 reads, "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory." A reed is a water plant that should grow tall and straight. There is a certain strength in a reed. But if that reed is bruised then there is a flaw in it's wall. At that weak point the reed bends. With some agitation the reed may break. A wick should have a strong flame burning strong. But because of lack of oxygen, or no fuel, that wick smolders. It is in danger of being snuffed out. People are like broken reeds and smoldering wicks. They are bent over and about to be broken in half because of life's hardships and their sins. Some people have run out of fuel, have no energy and their flames are about to flicker and die. Jesus never breaks broken reeds or snuffs out smoldering wicks. He does not just splint the reed. Instead he heals the bruised portion of the reed so that the reed can once again stand up straight and tall and flourish and sway among the other reeds. He will carefully place fuel around the wick, be it oil or wax, and gently blow until the smoldering wick bursts into flame, a flame that is sustainable and burns on and on. Jesus does this to people when they come to him and allow Jesus to work in their hearts and lives. Jesus does not do his life giving work overnight. It takes time. He wants people to place all of their faith and trust in him. He wants people to come into the fellowship of believers. He wants people to participate in the life and the mission of his church. He wants them to study the word of God deeply so that the word of God can be nestled deeply in their hearts. He wants them to grow through discipleship training. It takes time, but when we do things God's way then any bruised reed and any smoldering wick can be strengthened and burn bright.
The problem that I see in today's church model is that there a so many limited opportunities for young people to engage in discipleship training. At a recent Christmas service at a 2,000 member church, there was a Christmas program. The singers were perfect, the power point was flawless. The dancers were perfect. The program was seamless. Where were the broken reeds and the smoldering wicks on stage? Was there room for them? They can approach Jesus through the church. They can be attracted through the different groups and music. But what opportunities are there to grow as disciples and flex their weak spiritual muscles? In an atmosphere where excellence is stressed, can a tone deaf person be allowed to sing? Can a rhythmless person be included in the band? Can a spiritually immature person be allowed to preach a message or lead a small group Bible study? Can a lay person ever be a pastor? Can a child ever lead? Where is there room for weakness and imperfection? Where are there safe places for a person to make mistakes and grow through them?
God can be glorified when we reach serve him in our weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 reads, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak I am strong." We need to be allow to try to please God with our faith, even if we are full of weakness. When I first came to Jesus I lacked inner self confidence. I stammered all the time. But my pastor made me the presider of the Sunday worship service. They prayed for my healing. In time I was healed of my stammering. One time I was supposed to preside over one program at an International Summer Bible Conference. There was about 1500 people attending from 60 nations. But I got laryngitis just before the program. I could hardly speak. I should have been replaced. I offered myself to be replaced. But the leader of our ministry, Dr Samuel Lee, encouraged me to preside by faith even with my weakness. I did it and overcame. I tasted victory and I was so happy. I grew a little more. Jesus was glorified through my trying to serve him my weakness. In some modern church settings, would a spiritually young person with laryngitis be allowed to preside at an international conference? A person may say that people, who are like bruised reeds, can grow through opportunities found in the community groups. But in my two decades of Bible teaching, I have discovered that bruised reeds and smoldering wicks have very little strength to even lift their heads in church, let alone go out of their way to sign up for a small group, show up and stick with it. I think that these small community groups grow because the people joining them are not exactly bruised reeds and smoldering wicks. If a person has the inner strength to sign up and show up consistently, then they probably have some inner drive or discipline that propels them. They are not smoldering. We need to be able to use our churches to strengthen and disciple bruised reeds and smoldering wicks who have no strength to come to a program.
There is a point that you have to stop worrying what people think of your worship service and simply trust God that the people he brings will stay or go. There needs to be a balance. In UBF we try to make an environment that is attractive to students. We try to make things sincere, but not necessarily professional. We try our best but we also leave room in our ministry for the weak and the untrained to participate. If a ministry depends on the excellence of their ministry to bring people in then they will not give opportunities for the weak to spread their wings and try to fly.
People will come and go no matter how excellent you try to be. People feel comfortable in different settings. There are sincere believers who do not want the sleek, efficient, contemporary church style. They want the fellowship of the small church, where everyone knows everyone, personally. Some may want traditional worship with the liturgy and the rituals of the church. A person may go to church for 50,60, even 90 years of their life. Can a person keep their hearts engaged in constant reaching out with modern technology and "Dream Works" style productions for that amount of time? There is a time when people want to sit in the pews and gaze upon the altar and stand in awe in the presence of God without a flood of humanity and activities interrupting their communion with God. The Christmas program was flawless and wonderful. There were over 1,500 people. But afterwards, my kids had to hold onto each others' coats. We had to gather in a group in the lobby and we all had to leave for the 7pm service. There was little talking or meeting people. It was a rush to grab the church "new comers" CD, get out and get to your car. Luckily we could go to a family's home to further our Christmas Eve celebration. In contrast, at our small Triton UBF service, we could stay afterwards and have a pot luck lunch. The kids received gifts. They could sit on the floor and play with their gifts as the adults talked. There was time and space to fellowship. It was quaint and personal. Indeed, we must try our best to make an environment where Jesus is preached and newcomers feels welcome, but where do we halt our quest for human excellence and provide ways for smoldering wicks and bruised reeds to be healed and prosper in Christ? Where is the line between mass production and intimacy between God and fellowship with one another? May God grant us the wisdom to know the difference.
God Is Working Through The Manger…Even Today
Pastor's Blog
Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 12-24-07
Luke 2:7, "and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."
This Christmas we must always remember that Jesus was born in very humble circumstances. Look at verse 7 again. "and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, should have been born in a private birthing suite. In Dekalb, we have a brand new hospital. The OB room looks like a luxury hotel. Equipment drops out of the ceiling or appears from behind paintings. But Jesus was not born in such luxurious surroundings. Jesus was born in a manger. Stables were often caves with feeding troughs (mangers) carved into the rock walls. Mangers were dark and dirty places. No one brags about being born in a manger. Why was Jesus born in a manger? There are many reasons.
God wants to bring about his salvation and reveal his glory through the manger. A manger was the place where Mary and Joseph went after they were rejected. A baby in a manger seems insignificant and weak and powerless. Such a scene evokes pity in our hearts. It stands in stark contrast to Rome. The throne of Caesar looks glamorous and powerful. It's power offered quick solutions to any social problem. We should never envy Caesar’s throne. God has always worked through the weak, helpless and rejected things of this world to reveal his glory. God is still working through the manger today. 1 Corinthians 1:27 reads, "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him." These verse need very little explanation. Simply put, God works through the foolish things, the weak things and the despised things and the things that are not to reveal himself to the hearts of men.
Nowadays there is a trend away from the spirit of the manger. People are attracted to the large and powerful things of this world, even in regards to the church. The problem is that people have become engrossed with all things big and powerful, and it is hard for them to even recognize Jesus born in a manger. They are surprised when they see the humble things of God. If you go to our UBF web site you will see pictures and short reports of small, humble Christmas services from around the world. Each one has one or two families with a couple of students. They all have big smiles. Their ministries are small and humble, like the manger of God. They bring a warm glow to my heart. Last week, two kids came to our Chicago Christmas service. They liked it, but after the drama they turned to their mom and said, "How come no one came out of the roof?" They were not used to a toned down drama. In Nairobi, I sat next to some Kenyan Hotel managers taking classes at a local campus. One person invited me to have our next conference at the Nairobi Hilton in order to experience the "Real Kenya." I told him that our people would rather stay in the student dorms where there were cold showers, broken toilet seats, rationed toilet paper, no window screens and limited safe water. That is where the students could afford to stay and that is where we wanted to be. The dorms were like a manger compared to the Nairobi Hilton. And a great work of God occurred. 350 people, including students from 11 African nations, recommitted themselves to Jesus and his Gospel. He didn't say much. I think he understood.
God wants to work through the manger and people are staring at the powerful and the mighty things expecting big things…fast. The problem is that by looking to the grand and powerful, they reject the life giving works of God born out of the manger. They distrust the manger. They have no hope in the manger. They despise the manger.
Our UBF, discipleship ministry seems like a manger. Poor missionary families seem like they are only struggling to survive in their mission fields. Our young, Bible teachers sometimes seem like the shepherds in this Bible story. We are tempted to think that we can grow in numbers if abandon the spirit if the manger for a spirit of human power and excellence. Embracing the 1:1 ministry is embracing the manger, for in the 1:1 ministry we can learn of Jesus very deeply. Every small act of love, every small act of service to God, every attempt to reach out to others, born out of faith and love, and born out of our weakness, is an expression of the manger ministry. When you reach out to others in your weakness, allowing yourself to be vulnerable and even rejected, you are practicing the manger ministry of Jesus. This Christmas, we must open our eyes to see the beauty and the power of the lowly manger. We need to see and support God working through the manger.
The Source Of True Joy
Pastor's Blog
11/23/07
Kevin Jesmer
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
It is not easy to be joyful always or to give thanks in all circumstances. But if we pray without ceasing and yield to the Spirit of God, struggling to hold to the good and avoid evil, and holding on to God's word, God himself will work in us to make us holy through and through and make us into his thankful people who can glorify him. He who called us is faithful.
Our young people are searching for true, lasting and fulfilling joy. But they do not know where to find it. They look to the media, to Hollywood and television, which tries to tell them what true happiness is all about. And so they are convinced that to be truly happy, they need a romantic relationship, or they need a life adventure like teaching English in a tropical party place. They need a job that brings them honor and glory. They need an expensive car and wear expensive bling. But they are surprised that they can not maintain such a lifestyle. They realize that smoking pot and listening to rap music and watching one movie after another does not bring them happiness. They say, "Is this it? Is this all there is?" They are unable to enjoy the simple things in life, like taking a long hot bath or going for a walk. They don't know where to turn and they are overcome with stress. Some even have panic attacks. Where do they turn to? They need to know that only true joy can be found in Jesus alone.
If it were not for God I could not be joyful. Personally, I would be despaired that my life would be reduced to eating and shopping and watching movies. I would always feel like I am wasting my precious time here on earth. I would also not know what is meaningful to do. I would turn to university studies, book reading, family history. But what would be the point of it all without God and eternal life? I would pace and wander in my heart without God's mission. I would be defensive, thinking my wife would be accusing me of shirking my responsibilities, when actually she was not. I would be constantly afraid of cancer. I could never be joyful without Jesus in my heart. Even if I could go on several vacations per year, I could never have the peace of God in my heart without Jesus and his precious Gospel.
This Thanksgiving I want to recommit my heart and my life to Jesus and to serve his purpose in my life. I want to dedicate my family to telling this generation of young people that happiness can only be found in God.