Finding True Contentment

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Scripture Text:  1 Timothy 6:3-10

1 Timothy 6:6

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

(ESV)

Which comes first, Godliness or contentment?  In chasing contentment, we face this question.  We may think that if I become more Godly or spiritual, I will find contentment.  However, on the other hand, we may believe that the removal of the things in our lives causing lack of contentment would make us godlier.  The balance in this dilemma is finding contentment no matter what the present circumstances are in our life (Philippians 4:11).  The Apostle Paul found this level of contentment in his life, giving us an example to follow in our own personal pursuit of true contentment.

Finding true contentment involves,

1)      Rejection of false teaching (1 Timothy 6:3-5) – Paul’s instructions to Timothy in this passage are quite clear with him telling Timothy those not in agreement with the Lord Jesus Christ have conceit and understand nothing.  Their conceit is pride that causes divisiveness with the teacher spewing his or her falsehood having to resort to defending their teaching through the creation of division.  Paul also mentions those teaching falsehood viewing their form of godliness as a means of financial gain.  This has not changed in our modern society as we now see preaching using God talk to appear godly while the pastor lives extravagantly off contributions used to support the spreading of a false gospel.  The Apostles did not preach the Gospel as a means of financial gain but out of love for Christ and a commitment to fulfilling their missional role of spreading the Gospel and making disciples (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  This missional commitment caused some to observe how they were able to turn their world upside down (Acts 17:6).  Those preaching with a goal of financial gain will compromise truth for they must preserve their financial gain by ensuring they do not step on any contributors’ toes.  This is sadly no different than a politician not being honest to preserve the flow of donations into their campaign.  What the world and church needs are men and women dedicated to declaring biblical truth and trusting God to care for their financial needs.

2)      Finding contentment in God (1 Timothy 6:6-10) – Paul is writing this passage while sitting in a Roman jail, awaiting execution for teaching his faith.  While he could have complained about the injustice of being in jail for his beliefs, he instead writes that godliness with contentment is great gain.  While the content of Paul’s instructions to Timothy throughout this epistle indicates godliness, we must wonder if his godliness has contentment while in jail.  1 Timothy 6:7-10 provides the answer with Paul emphasizing that true contentment is not due to what material possessions we have.  True contentment is satisfaction at having our need for food and clothing met.  Someone in jail like Paul could not expect anything more than the meeting of these basic needs and had to learn to trust God for even these basic needs.  However, when we live in an affluent society it is easy to fall into the temptation to seek satisfaction through the accumulation of material possessions.  Modern television preachers often play upon this desire by distorting sound biblical teaching to mean God wants everyone to be rich and if you give to their ministry, God will bless you with wealth.  Philippians 4:19, something Paul wrote while imprisoned for his faith, does not say God will make us rich, but that God will meet our basic needs.  Matthew 6:33 promises all these things to those seeking the Kingdom of God.  Taken in its context, things are basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing, not wealth (Matthew 6:25).  The wealth of a Christian is not what they have materially but what they have spiritually, an eternal relationship with Jesus Christ. 

The process of finding Godly contentment is a continual process of loss of desire for worldly things and the development of a greater desire for the things of God.  Romans 12:2 reminds us that this process involves the renewal of our minds.  We must learn to say no to our former fleshly pursuits of contentment that left us empty and replace them with the pursuit of knowing God and His Word. 

Psalm 1 reminds us of the blessings we can experience when we pursue greater knowledge of God and His Word.  Using word imagery, this psalm equates one having a desire for the Word of God to a fruitful tree planted by streams of water that does not wither.  In contrast, the psalmist equates one in pursuit of worldly contentment to chaff blown away by the wind, illustrating the deception of seeking contentment in worldly things that only provide temporary happiness but no lasting contentment.  I challenge all reading this to take some time to reflect on what you are doing to seek contentment.  If it is not a godly pursuit the challenge is to replace it with Godly pursuits that provide godly contentment.  My prayer is that all reading this will find true and lasting contentment through a closer relationship with Jesus, our savior who died for us.  If you have not done so, I challenge you to take the first step by praying with me to accept Jesus as your Savior,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Congratulations on taking the important first step.  You now have eternal life as promised in John 3:16, but godly contentment is an ongoing process.  This process begins with learning more about the truth contained in the Bible.  Just as we gained academic knowledge through systematic teaching, we learn knowledge of the Bible by becoming part of a church teaching the Bible.  In addition to acquiring knowledge of the Bible, at a church we also make friends with others that believe as we do.  These friends are the ones that will help us learn just as our fellow classmates did in school.  Psalm 119:105 uses the image of a lamp lighting our feet as we take our next step.  It is a dark world, but everyone has a bright light to light their path through the darkness of the world in the Bible.  The challenge for each of us is will we use the light. 

Jesus: Provider of our Needs

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Scripture Text:  Mark 6:30-44

Mark 6:42

 And they all ate and were satisfied.

(ESV)

The source of much of the fear, worry, and depression in our lives is a lack of satisfaction or contentment.  Often the cause of this dissatisfaction is our seeking of contentment or happiness in things other than God.  The first commandment commands us not to have any other gods but the one true God.  We often think of this as one worshipping a heathen god but the other gods in our lives are often anything we place our faith in to supply our needs. 

Jesus feeding of the five thousand is one of the Bible’s best-known miracles.  As I read it, I try to imagine being among that crowd wanting to hear more teaching from the Lord.  However, as I am listening and having my spirit fed, my body begins to feel weak from hunger.  I realize I am in a desolate place and too weak to make it to the next town where I could find food.  I try to imagine being one of the Disciples who are also hungry and ask the Lord to dismiss the crowd only to have the Lord assign them the impossible task of feeding this massive crowd from five loaves and two fish.  The real story, however, is Jesus knew what he was about to do and uses this to test the Disciple’s faith in Him as their provider.  The crowd, Disciples, and Jesus have something to teach us as we learn to trust God to meet our needs.

1)      The crowd (Mark 6:30-34) – Jesus and His disciples had been busy ministering and Jesus orders them to go to a desolate place to rest.  This concept of resting for those in ministry is good for ministers can become weary even in performing good works of ministry (Galatians 6:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:13).  However, the throng following Jesus was so spiritually hungry, they ran ahead while Jesus and the Disciples went in a boat to the other side of the lake, beating them there.  Jesus, God in the flesh full of compassion, could not ignore this level of spiritual hunger and dedication and begins teaching.  However, the lateness of the day causes the crowd to begin experiencing the pangs of hunger which could distract them from hearing and benefiting from the teachings of Jesus. 

2)      The Disciples (Mark 6:35-40) – Seeing the lateness of the day and possibly the hunger of the crowd, the disciples approach Jesus and ask Him to send the crowd away to find food.  While this seemed like the logical thing to do, Jesus instead tells the disciples to feed them causing them to ask for permission to spend the equivalent of a worker’s annual wage to buy food for the crowd.  The truth is that Philip is not seeking permission to spend money but expressing doubt at the impossibility of doing what the Lord has asked the Disciples to do.  However, to the Disciples credit, they do obey when Jesus instead commands them to sit the crowd down in groups on the grass.

3)      Jesus (Mark 6:41-44) – Jesus has tirelessly spent the day teaching an eager crowd of people but is about to provide the greatest teaching of how God can supply our physical needs by feeding a crowd of five thousand from five loaves and two fish.  Jesus honors the dedication and spiritual hunger of the crowd by meeting their basic need for food.  He also teaches His Disciples a valuable lesson to trust God even when the situation seems impossible. 

A hunger to learn more about God through the study of the teachings of the Bible fills the spiritual hole of hunger in one's heart.  However, we still have physical needs to meet.  It would be nice if we could spend all our time in the study of the Bible and have God miraculously deliver fish and bread to feed us.  The truth, however, is we usually need to work to provide income to help meet our needs.  However, this does not negate the need to trust God for we should thank God for His provision of a job to meet our needs and trust Him to give us knowledge, wisdom, and strength to continue working.  Meditation on God’s Word and prayer should not stop after closing our Bibles in the morning but should continue throughout the day as we trust God while doing our work. 

The doubts of the Disciples are indicative of doubts those in ministry may experience when facing a challenge.  The Disciples asking Jesus to dismiss the crowd could have been their reflection on the grumbling of the Israelites in the wilderness and the subsequent rebellion (Exodus 16:1-3).  The Disciples were asking Jesus to cut the sermon short which would have meant the crowd would have missed the greatest teaching of God’s provision by missing the miracle of feeding the five thousand.  While we all, including those in ministry, have time constraints, it is important not to cut short the time God needs to minister to His people.  While ministry has time constraints on Sunday, especially in churches having multiple services, pastors should encourage their congregation to continue the learning through personal study and meditation on scripture and prayer.  Churches also should offer teaching in small groups throughout the week to ensure the Holy Spirit has the time needed to continue the work of ministry in the lives of the congregation.  God is our provider both physically and spiritually, but we must trust and give the Holy Spirit time to work. 

Who is our Neighbor?

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Scripture Text:  1 Timothy 6:1-2

Luke 10:29

 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

(ESV)

Finding contentment in a divisive world attacking Christian values seems like an elusive goal.  However, the Apostle Paul reminds us that contentment in godliness is the greatest contentment one can experience.  While imprisoned in a Roman jail for his faith, the Apostle Paul spoke of being content in all any situation (Philippians 4:11).  The challenge facing all professing Jesus as Savior is learning how to be content in a world attacking their faith.  Paul’s instructions to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:3-10 indicate that contentment comes from a foundation of Biblical truth. 

However, before exploring 1 Timothy 6:3-10, we must conclude the theme of 1 Timothy 5 providing instruction on how to serve Christ in the community.  The term bondservant is foreign in our modern culture with the employee being the closest thing to a bondservant.  However, even when we replace bondservant with employee, many may have issues with the call in 1 Timothy 6:1 to treat their employer with honor.  This is especially true if one works for an ungodly boss.  When asked about which commandments in the law were the greatest, Jesus taught that loving our neighbors was second only to loving God (Matthew 22:36-40).  The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) not only stresses the importance of extending God’s love through acts of charity but also defines who our neighbors are. 

Divisiveness is nothing new in culture and has always been the purpose of the enemy beginning in the Garden where the serpent separated humanity from God (Genesis 3).  In response to the lawyer of Matthew 22:36-40, Luke records his asking Jesus who his neighbor is (Luke 10:29).  In response, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan where a despised Samaritan extends God’s love to an injured man going from Jerusalem the Jericho.  While scripture does not identify the man as Jewish, the fact he is going from Jerusalem leads to the presumption he was most likely Jewish (Luke 10:30). 

The racial divide between the Samaritans and Jews was vile not unlike racial divides present in modern society.  While Jews and Samaritans share a common biological heritage, they have theological division going back to the splitting of Israel after Solomon’s death (1 Kings 12).  This led to the declaration of the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel as Samaria (1 Kings 16:24) with those living in that region of Israel referred to as Samaritans.  So divisive was this rebellion that in Jesus’ time Jews would not even walk through the region of Samaria with the Jews not considering Samaritans their neighbors.  Jesus teaching to this Jewish lawyer about a Samaritan showing charity to a possibly Jewish man is teaching that even the reviled Samaritans are their neighbors. 

Just as Jesus telling a Jewish lawyer that a Samaritan is his neighbor, our employers are not just our boss, but someone we must consider our neighbor.  While Paul’s teaching to Timothy concerns respect for a boss who is a believer, Paul also urged Timothy to pray for those in authority over him in 1 Timothy 2:1-4.  Whether a believer or non-believer, our boss is one in authority over us and someone we are to biblically honor, pray for, and consider our neighbor.  Having worked for both believing and non-believing bosses, I can attest to how this attitude results in a calm and peaceful spirit while working.  With this attitude, it is possible to achieve Godly contentment even in a negative employment situation. 

However, this does not mean an employee must surrender to performing illegal or immoral tasks under their boss’s direction for this is ungodly and does not lead to Godly contentment.  My experience with working for a non-believing boss, however, usually does not involve the boss asking to do something illegal or immoral for even a non-believing boss does not want to incur legal problems.  Instead, non-believing bosses who find out someone is a believer may engage in soft persecution in an effort to get them to become angry or act worldly instead of living in a Godly manner while at work.  We honor such an ungodly boss by praying for them and doing our Job as if we were working for the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24).  Honoring a Godly boss is a way of respecting a fellow brother or sister in the Lord who benefits from having a believing employee serving them as if they were serving the Lord. 

Jesus also took the idea of loving our neighbors to the point of also loving our enemies and those persecuting us for our faith (Matthew 5:43-48).  Jesus died for sinners and we are all sinners (Romans 3:23).  God saves us but leaves us in this world to be ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).  As good ambassadors, Christians have a calling to live for Christ in what they say and do which includes loving our neighbors including those that may persecute us.    

Dealing with Guilt from the Past

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Scripture Text:  Mark 6:14-29

Mark 6:16

 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”

(ESV)

There is an abundance of programs in media dealing with the paranormal indicating an interest in things beyond our spiritual dimension.  While as a Christian interest in the spiritual is good in that it provides an open door to share about Jesus and the Bible, these programs mainly deal with hauntings of both locations and people.  While this may be good for ratings it is not theologically correct according to the Bible. 

First, any spiritual manifestations in a location are not because of a disembodied deceased person for the Bible teaches that absence from the body ushers one into the presence of the Lord to face judgment (2 Corinthians 5:6-10).  This is not to say that there cannot be spiritual manifestations in the world but that the origin of these manifestations is not human but a demonic or angelic being.  During Jesus’ ministry, He often confronted demonic manifestations that possessed people (Matthew 4:24; 7:22; 8:16) and even direct confrontation with Satan during His temptation (Matthew 4:1-11).  However, people in the Bible also confronted angelic beings.  Lot had a visitation from two angelic beings that rescued him from Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1-22).  Peter also had an angelic visitation that aided in his escape from prison for his faith after fervent prayer on his behalf (Acts 12:1-19).  Scripture, therefore, leads to the conclusion that any spiritual manifestations originate from either demonic or angelic beings. 

As Christians we have no need to fear haunting from these beings for Jesus has overcome Satan and fear does not originate from God (John 16:33; 2 Timothy 1:7).  However, just as with Herod, past sins can come back to haunt us.  When reminded of a past sin we must determine its source.

1)      The Holy Spirit – Everyone coming to know Jesus as his or her savior does so after convicted of their sin by the Holy Spirit.  Since there is no record in Scripture of Herod accepting that Jesus was Messiah and instead a curiosity over who He was (Luke 23:6-12), it is safe to conclude Herod was feeling conviction.  Thoughts of past unrepentant sin are not guilt but conviction from the Holy Spirit and something both believers and non-believers must deal with.  For a non-believer, its conviction by the Holy Spirit of their need to surrender their life to Jesus for forgiveness and eternal life (John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10).  For the believer, it is an alert from the Holy Spirit of unrepentant sin in one’s life that is hindering their relationship with God.  In either case, the reminder of sin illustrates an obstacle to someone moving forward in their relationship with their creator. 

2)      Satanic – John 10:10 reminds us that Satan has one purpose, to kill, steal, and destroy God’s people.  If one is a believer and has repented of the sin in their lives, the source of sin’s reminder is satanic for God has completely forgiven the sin (John 3:17; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21).  This is guilt as opposed to a conviction for the purpose is drawing one away from intimacy with God instead of closer intimacy with God. 

3)      Personal doubts about one’s relationship with God – While the theme of the Gospel is salvation by grace with Jesus taking the condemnation for our sins, false teaching of salvation by works and the possibility of losing one’s salvation still exists.  This was the source of the false teaching in Ephesus and why in his letter to the Ephesians Paul penned Ephesians 2:8.  The salvation offered by Christ on the cross is complete and eternal.  However, we still live in the flesh and in a world dominated by sin which can dirty our feet as we walk through the world.  This is the symbolism of Jesus’ washing of the Disciple’s feet (John 13:1-11) and what John meant by 1 John 1:9.  While most people are familiar with John 3:16, John 3:17 and Romans 8:1 reminds us of the fact that those in Christ have no condemnation. 

Those in Christ need not fear haunting from demonic spirits for Jesus death on the cross rendered him powerless.  Likewise, we need not fear haunting from our past life but must determine its source.  If the source is unrepented sin in our lives, we must turn to God for forgiveness.  If it is satanic, we must draw closer to God for the purpose is drawing us away from intimacy with Christ.  If the source is our own doubts, we must remind ourselves of God’s promises and that our salvation is secure in Christ (John 3:17; Romans 8:1).  There is no need to endure haunting by the past as Herod did because we have freedom from sin in Christ. 

The Church: Serving the Community

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Scripture Text:  1 Timothy 5:1-25

1 Timothy 5:25

So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.

(ESV)

Last Wednesday the study of 1 Timothy 4 focused on the Church serving Christ.  In the study, we discovered the need to reject false teaching through the study of truth and being an example of Godliness in how we live and serve Christ.  James 2:20 reminds us that faith without works is dead.  Some have erroneously interpreted James 2:20 to mean Christians must earn their salvation or right standing with God through good works.  However, Jesus secured our salvation through His work on the cross (Ephesians 2:8).  Therefore, the biblically sound interpretation of James 2:20 is that Christians are not to just sit back in anticipation of eternity with Jesus but to actively spread the Love of God through good works, bringing others to the knowledge of Jesus as their savior.  1 Timothy 5:1-25 provides specific instruction on the good works the church is to perform to show the love of God.  These good works include,

1)      Charity (Matthew 25:40) – The comparison of Peter and Judas provides an example of Jesus’ forgiveness of sins no matter how much we have rejected Christ.  While Peter represents the grace of God to extend complete forgiveness after total rejection (John 21:15-19), Judas hung himself out of guilt instead of seeking forgiveness (Matthew 27:3-10).  Simon, the one that carried the cross for Jesus demonstrates why Christians extend charity to others, not to be seen as performing good works but doing good works as if we were extending Charity to the Lord (Matthew 27:32; Matthew 25:40).  A modern example of this level of service for Christ is the ministry of Mother Theresa. 

2)      Preaching and teaching biblical truth (John 8:32) – The truth contained in Scripture is what sets people free for it sets them free from sin that would condemn them to eternal separation from God.  Therefore, the most charitable thing one can do for another is to share the freedom giving truth of Scripture.  The church should be charitable and address the physical needs of the poor in their community but they must also share with these individuals the truth of how they can be saved and live with God for eternity because of what Jesus did on the cross.  Those in dire physical need suffer from a lack of hope due to their condition.  Therefore, along with supplying food, water, or clothing, Christians should share the hope provided through Biblical truth.

3)      Living a life of purity in an impure world (James 2:20) – Our good works must also include the example of Godly living in our own personal lives.  1 Timothy 3:1-13 list the qualifications for elders and deacons.  These individuals as leaders in the church must provide an example for other Christians to follow for in so doing, they back their teaching with a life of purity.  Their good example also illustrates the possibility of living righteously for Christ in an unrighteous world.  However, it is not just these leaders in the church that must strive to live righteously for people outside the faith watch anyone professing faith in Jesus as Savior.  Living righteously supports the truth one professes to live by from the Bible and results in charitable works from a love for Christ and not one striving to appear charitable for self-aggrandizement. 

While everyone professing faith in Jesus as their savior receives salvation and forgiveness from sin, their faith is dead if not accompanied by good works.  However, a Christian does not perform good works for self-aggrandizement but instead out of love for Jesus and a desire to help those in need and provide eternal hope.  To bring revival to a world in need, the church must move outside the comfort of their church and go out into the world offering charity to those in need and the hope of eternal life.  Christians must back their good works by living righteously bringing genuineness to their motives. 

If you are reading this and have no hope because you have not asked Jesus to forgive your sins, Jesus is waiting for you to call upon Him.  No matter what you have done in your life, Jesus died on the cross for you and stands ready through His resurrection to provide the hope of eternal life.  If that is you, please pray with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

If you just prayed with me, I encourage you to begin putting life to your faith by sharing this blog and telling others what has just happened in your life.  This also includes those that already know Christ but have been sitting on the sidelines allowing their faith to die.  Revival in this world begins with the children of God as they go out and share through charity, teaching, and righteous living the hope of John 3:16. 

The Church: Serving Jesus Christ

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Scripture Text:  1 Timothy 4:1-16

1 Timothy 4:7

⁷ Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;

(ESV)

Deceit and demonic teaching are nothing new for it was the deceit of the serpent that led to the eviction of humanity from God’s presence (Genesis 3).  In 1 Timothy 4:1-2, the Apostle Paul warns Timothy that in the later days there will be a falling away by some, like Eve, enticed to follow deceit, false, and even demonic, teaching.  However, the false teaching of this text does not appear to be total Satan worship but instead a subtle straying from the Gospel of grace into a gospel of legalism forbidding marriage and eating of certain foods (1 Timothy 4:3).  This totally goes against the message from God given to Peter in his vision in Acts 10: 9-16 where God declares all food good.  The forbidding of marriage may have come from Paul’s desire that people remain single as he did so they could devote themselves more to the study of scripture (1 Corinthians 7:6-9).  However, this is not a command forbidding marriage for Paul begins by stating this is a concession, not a command and that one should marry if they cannot exercise self-control over sexual urges.  The only way to prevent falling for these or other deceitful teachings is to devote oneself to serving Jesus Christ and the study of the Bible. 

When our focus moves from self to serving Jesus Christ, we begin to have a desire to serve others.  Young Timothy must have had a heart of service with Paul directing him to serve those he ministered to by presenting the truth of sound doctrine (1 Timothy 4:6).  Living and teaching sound doctrine involves,

1)      Rejecting false teaching (1 Timothy 4:7) – The culture in which Timothy would be ministering was a culture where Greek mythology was prevalent.  Paul was concerned that Timothy would reach out to the community in Ephesus by accepting portions of their mythology.  Not wanting his mentee to succumb to this temptation, Paul instructs him to have nothing to do with these irreverent myths.  While Greek mythology is not the prevalent belief in our modern culture, the church still must resist the temptation to water down the message of the Gospel in the interest of political correctness and adhere to sound doctrine. 

2)      Biblical training through practicing spiritual disciplines (1 Timothy 4:7-8) – Just as one develops a strong physical body through physical training and exercise, one develops a strong spiritual body through practicing spiritual disciplines.  The book “Celebration of Discipline” by Richard Foster is a great book to assist in practicing spiritual disciplines and a must read for anyone desiring a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. 

3)      Working with Godly hope of the reward to come (1 Timothy 4:9-10) – The prosperity gospel that preaches we can enjoy heaven on earth actually robs the children of God of the hope of an eternal reward of eternity with God in heaven.  This past week my pastor said something interesting as we were studying Psalm 23:6.  For those that know Christ, life on earth is the closest to hell they will get but for those that do now know Christ, life on earth is the closest to heaven they will get.  As we serve Christ we must remember to do so with the hope of eternity with Christ and the goal of pointing others to that hope. 

4)      Being an example of Godliness in what we say and how we live (1 Timothy 4:11-12) – Like it or not when we profess our faith in Jesus as our savior, others watch us.  While we are human and will sometimes fail to live in a godly manner, our goal must always be to live according to the Word of God.  Therefore, our example of Godliness is not going to be one of perfection but instead an example of one loving God and thankful for God’s grace in their lives. 

5)      Serve using our God-given gifts (1 Timothy 4:13-14) – 1 Corinthians 12 speaks of spiritual gifts that empower each follower of Jesus Christ to serve the Body of Christ.  Just like the human body, which consists of many diverse parts, the Body of Christ consists of a diverse collection of individuals with varying talents and abilities.  The key to one serving Christ is to find their dominant gift and serve using that Gift.  In this way, we prevent ourselves from becoming like the man who buried his talent in the ground and instead serves using our talents for Christ, so they multiply. 

6)      Having accountability to biblical truth (1 Timothy 4:15-16) – Even though the commitment of Christians is to follow Biblical truth, we are human and can stray from the truth.  Knowing this we see Paul’s final instruction to Timothy on being a good servant of Christ includes keeping a close watch on himself and his teaching.  We all need someone to hold us accountable who will honestly tell us when our life, what we say, or what we teach if in ministry strays from Biblical truth.  We all stray like sheep and why the good Shepherd had to lay down His life to save us (Isaiah 53:5-6). 

I encourage all reading this to pursue the truth of God’s word and live according to its truth.  Christians must reject false teaching, practice spiritual disciplines to learn the truth and serve with the expectation of eternity with God.  While on earth Christians have a calling and mission to share the truth of the Gospel and make disciples (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  I encourage believers to also have someone they are accountable to, ensuring they remain committed to Biblical truth.  May God bless everyone reading this post.   

Handling Rejection

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Scripture Text:  Mark 6:1-6

Mark 6:4

And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.”

(ESV)

A scan of the headlines, especially the political headlines, illustrates the divided culture in which we live.  With each side of an issue entrenched in their beliefs, the result is a rejection of the ideas of the other side.  However, when this rejection becomes personal with the rejection of the person as well as his or her ideas, rejection begins to tear apart any hope of resolution of differences.  Jesus had the ability to reject ungodly ideas and beliefs while accepting the one having these beliefs by dying for them on the cross.  Jesus rejected ungodly ideas through his teaching backed by signs and wonders telling who he was.  His death on the cross provides a bridge of acceptance of sinners while rejecting their sin. 

The context of Mark 6:1-6 is Jesus in His hometown with His disciples.  Jesus begins to teach in the synagogue, astonishing the audience (Mark 6:1-2).  This was nothing unusual for Jesus’ teachings often astonished His audience (Matthew 7:28; Matthew 22:33; Mark 1:22; Luke 4:32).  However, this time Jesus is teaching those in His hometown where he grew up.  While scripture tells us little of Jesus childhood only providing the account of the boy Jesus in the temple when He was twelve (Luke 2:41-52), those in Nazareth had familiarity with Jesus’ childhood.  Perhaps they remembered seeing the boy playing in the streets with the other children, possibly some of them.  Perhaps they remembered the boy helping Joseph in the carpenter's shop or going with His mother to the market. 

The source of their rejection of Jesus was from not being able to believe that this young child of a simple carpenter could have such great wisdom.  Even though they heard the wisdom of Jesus’ teaching and were aware of the miracles performed in His ministry, their lack of understanding and believing in who Jesus was has prevented Jesus from doing any miracles in His hometown (Mark 6:3-5).  In fact, their lack of belief amazed Jesus (Mark 6:6). 

We too can experience rejection when we make the decision to make Jesus our savior.  This passage provides guidance on how we can handle this rejection.  The passage tells us,

1)      To focus on the mission of sharing the Gospel and making disciples (Mark 6:1-2; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20) – God respects each person’s freedom of choice.  Therefore, when sharing the Gospel with someone, we have no control over whether they accept it or not for that is a personal choice.  Their rejection is not of us but our message and God who sent His Son to die for their sins.  Our calling from God is as messengers sharing the Good News of Salvation from God through Jesus. 

2)      To ignore feelings of inadequacy (Mark 6:3) – While Jesus as the Son of God had no reason to feel inadequate, we have a history of sin that the enemy uses to make us feel inadequate.  However, Jesus death on the cross has set us free from this history (John 8:36).  We must fill the gaps of our inadequacies with the truth of the Bible so we can ignore our feelings of inadequacy and any rejection due to someone pointing them out, remembering that they are rejecting God, not us.

3)      That those closest to us may reject us the most (Mark 6:4) – Those closest to us know our inadequacies and history and as such have ammunition to provide our greatest rejection.  While rejection from those closest to us can be emotionally devastating, we must follow Jesus example and continue sharing the Gospel with others (Mark 6:6).  When rejected by those closest to us we must pray that God sends someone else that they connect with. 

There was rejection in Jesus time, and it continues today but we must follow Jesus’ example by pressing on with the mission God has given us.  Jesus commanded the church, which is the people and not the building, to share the Gospel and make disciples.  Jesus would not have commanded us to do that without equipping us.  He has given us the Holy Spirit and the truth of the Bible which are more than adequate for the task.  We, therefore, must ignore rejection and not take it personally so we can share the life-changing message of the Gospel with a world in need. 

In God’s Perfect Timing

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Scripture Text:  Mark 5:21-48

Isaiah 40:31

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint.

(ESV)

The idea of waiting in our modern society is foreign.  We have microwaves that cook piping hot food in a few minutes, information available at the tips of our fingers, and can have things delivered to our homes.  While these things enhance our lives, there are still things in life we must wait for, like the renewing strength from the Lord when experiencing a need. 

The scripture text of this posting involves two people in need who approach Jesus.  First Jairus, a leader in the synagogue, approaches Jesus regarding his daughter who is near death.  Sensing the urgency of the matter, Jesus gets up to follow Jairus and lay hands on her so she receives healing (Mark 5:21-24).  By this time in Jesus’ ministry, he had a reputation for performing miracles so a great crowd follows Jesus to see what will happen (Mark 5:24).  However, one person in the crowd approaches Jesus to receive healing but unlike Jairus, she quietly reaches out to touch Jesus’ garment (Mark 5:25-28).  While scripture does not tell us why she did not approach him directly for prayer we can surmise she may have felt unworthy, or more likely not wanting to interrupt Jesus on His way to heal Jairus’ daughter. 

Whatever the reason, Jesus senses healing power has left Him and asks who touched him.  The disciples ask the obvious question, you see the crowd around you, and you ask who touched you, probably thinking, everyone.  What the disciples did not understand is that Jesus meant someone touched Him to receive healing.  Not wanting to have the woman quietly receive healing but instead wanting the crowd to hear about her healing miracle, Jesus pauses to allow her to share what has occurred in her life (Mark 5:29-34). 

During this time of pausing, Jairus’ daughter dies prompting someone from his house to tell Jairus not to trouble Jesus any more (Mark 5:35).  Similar to the lack of faith of the Disciples in the storm (Mark 4:39-40), Jesus asks why they lack faith.  Apparently, the one coming from Jairus’ house had faith Jesus could bring healing but not faith He could raise the dead.  While not mentioned in scripture, there may have also been a hint of anger over Jesus pausing to confront the woman.  Whatever was the reason for the lack of faith by the person from Jairus’ house, Jesus was not late and a miracle greater than healing was about to occur, the raising of Jairus’ daughter from the dead (Mark 4:41-43). 

God is never late and always on time.  It is our impatience and lack of faith that causes fear and doubt God has heard our prayer.  Delays in answers to our prayers may be,

1)      We need a renewal of strength (Isaiah 40:31) – The Lord hears and wants to answer the prayers of His children but is even more interested in his children being spiritually strong.  It is during the waiting process that we must take time to meditate on God and His Word.  This spiritual food makes us strong while we wait for the answer to our prayer.

2)      Spiritual warfare (Daniel 10:10-14) – Although Daniel’s prayer was heard, the answer was delayed 21 days due to spiritual resistance.  Christians are in a spiritual war against spiritual powers that are unseen and interested in destroying them (Ephesians 6:12; John 10:10).  While this may cause delays in the answer to our prayers as it did with Daniel, God hears our prayers and will do whatever necessary to deliver the answer.

3)      Unforgiveness/sin (Mark 11:24-25) – God paid a high price to provide forgiveness for our sins and expects us to extend forgiveness to others.  Failure to have forgiveness in our hearts means we are not in sync with how God thinks.  Romans 12:2 reminds us that living for Christ involves the transformation of our minds to be more like Christ.  Forgiveness is the dominant desire of God’s heart for God does not want to see anyone perish (2 Peter 3:9).  Lack of harmony with the mind of God delays and hinders the answers to our prayers. 

God’s answers to our prayers are never late and given when we are ready for them.  While there may be spiritual warfare that delays the answer to our prayers, we have a God that is more powerful than any obstacle and willing go to battle to deliver the answer.  However, sin and unforgiveness separate us from God.  Therefore, when we pray, we must search our hearts and seek forgiveness of any sin and forgive others that have wronged us.  God will answer our prayers, but the answer comes in God’s perfect timing. 

The Church: Serving Christ for the Right Reason

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Scripture Text:  1 Timothy 3:8-16

1 Timothy 3:8-9

 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. ⁹ They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

(ESV)

The mission of the Church is to spread the Gospel message and make disciples (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  In last Saturday’s posting, we looked at the qualifications of overseers or elders, pastors, and bishops in the Church.  1 Timothy 3:8-13 deals with the qualifications of deacons in the Church.  However, prior to beginning this study, we must define what the Bible means by a deacon.

The origin of the church office of deacon goes back to Acts 6:1-7 and the selection of the seven chosen to serve.  The Greek word translated serve in Acts 6:2 is diakoneo from which we get the word deacon in 1 Timothy 3:8.  (1)  Therefore, a deacon in the Church is one attending to the needs of those in the church which in Acts 6:1 are the Hellenistic widows.  However, qualifications for deacons outlined in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 may cause some to believe they are unworthy to serve in the capacity of deacon.  However, when we consider the context and audience of this passage in 1 Timothy, we see that these qualifications are not there to create a sense of unworthiness to serve but to ensure service for the right reason.

The context of 1 Timothy 3:8-13 is a church subjected to the false teaching of works-based salvation as opposed to salvation by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8).  The audience addressed is Timothy who is about to become pastor of this troubled church.  This list of qualifications provides guidance to Timothy, ensuring those serving in the church are not part of the group spreading the false teaching polluting the doctrine of the Church.  The inclusion of these instructions in the Bible indicates a continuing need for church leaders to ensure those serving do so to glorify God and not to spread any false teaching.  These qualifications are present to ensure

1)      No hidden agendas (1 Timothy 3:8) – A modern translation of the term double-tongued today might the use of the cliché of one speaking out of both sides of their mouths.  Service in the Church must have the objective of contributing to the church’s mission of spreading the Gospel and making disciples and not with a hidden agenda of spreading non-biblical theology.  1 Timothy 3:10 instructs Timothy to test those aspiring to serve as deacons.  Part of this testing must include the determination of one’s motive to serve does not include any hidden agendas. 

2)      The self-control of those serving (1 Timothy 3:8) – All have sinned and fallen short of God’s standard, but believers have received forgiveness of these sins at the Cross (Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:8).  However, the forgiveness of sins at the Cross is not permission to continue sinning, believing Jesus will forgive the sin.  Instead, our old life of sin died with Christ on the cross with us now united with Christ through His resurrection into a new life (Romans 6:1-14).  Living a new life of service to Christ and His church involves living a life of self-control that resists the temptation to sin.  Granted, nobody is perfect which is why we can call upon God for the forgiveness of sin and move on (1 John 1:9).  Part of the testing of one aspiring to become a deacon must also include testing of their self-control. 

3)      One does not serve for financial gain (1 Timothy 3:8) – In order to wisely use the money people give to the Church, churches rely on volunteers to serve as deacons.  However, in testing those aspiring to serve as deacons, the church must ensure they do not have a hidden agenda to profit from serving others as this would constitute dishonest financial gain.  The initial purpose for the office of deacon in the church was a ministry to the needs of the poor in the congregation (Acts 6:1-7).  The reward for service to the church is a heavenly reward and not temporary financial gain. 

4)      Sound doctrine absent of false teaching (1 Timothy 3:9) – The threat of the infiltration of false teaching through those serving as deacons remains today.  Therefore, part of the testing of those aspiring to serve as deacons must include testing of one’s personal doctrine aligning with biblical doctrine.  This testing occurs over time as church leadership observes how one conducts their life.  Part of this testing involves observation of how one aspiring to becoming a deacon manages his or her own household (1 Timothy 3:11-12). 

Through adherence to these guidelines for serving as a deacon, the church ensures those serving do so with the right purpose and contribute to the mission of the Church (1 Timothy 3:14-16).  I want to encourage all reading this to find their place of service to Christ within the Church and to do so with the right purpose, bringing glory to God and not to bring attention to self.  All service to Christ and the church puts a smile on God’s face when done to glorify God. 

1. Cowen, Gerald. What is a Deacon and What is Their Role? www.crosswalk.com. [Online] Crosswalk.com, December 11, 2003. [Cited: June 1, 2019.] https://www.crosswalk.com/church/pastors-or-leadership/the-role-of-the-deacon-1235697.html.