jeff warren Posts

The Church’s Finest Hour

28 Sep , 2009 14 Comments

Yesterday I asked, “Could it be that this would be our finest hour?”  When is a church’s finest hour?  It’s been said that the Church of God does not have a mission in the world; but rather, “the God of mission has a Church in the world.”  Our God, the Primary Missionary, came to us in Christ for one reason: to reconcile us to Himself.  We worship the God of restoration, redemption, and healing.  2 Corinthians 5:16-21 is clear that God’s mission is to reconcile us to Himself through Christ.  Now we have become agents (“ambassadors”) of restoration, reconciliation, and grace.

James 5:19-20 says, “My brothers, if any of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”

Galatians 6:1-2 says, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.  But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Of course, Jesus (as he challenged the Pharisees before the  adulteress woman) gives us the definitive word on how we are to respond to our fallen brothers and sisters: “If anyone is without sin, let him throw the first stone at her.” John 8:7.

I’m so grateful that our church (FBC McKinney) is first and foremost a community of grace. The church’s finest hour is when she recognizes the amazing, undeserving, and transforming grace of God and determines to really live in it.  I heard it yesterday; I’m hearing it today… Listen to the stones as they hit the ground.  That’s the sound of grace in action.

Be diligent to guard your heart and your tongue.  Be prayerful, be forgiving, and be hopeful.  God’s best for you is yet to come.

See You at the Pole (the office, home, gym, restaurant, etc…?)

23 Sep , 2009 No Comments

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I just got back from “See You at the Pole”  Our students were up before the crack of dawn and gathered around the flagpole at their schools and prayed for their teachers, families, and friends.  It was so inspiring. I was touched (again) by the raw and unabashed passion of our kids for Christ.  I began to wonder what happens to many adults as we get older.  I know some adults are praying for their neighbors, their co-workers, and their families.  But I know many are not.  The Bible tells us that prayer changes things.  Jesus told us to pray for His kingdom to come “on earth as it is in heaven”.  We are to pray the very values of the kingdom (read Matthew 5) to come into our daily lives.  Pray that you will see God’s kingdom come through you as you seek to be light in your world today.  Thank you students for being an example for us all.

The Purpose of the Bible

14 Sep , 2009 No Comments

At FBC McKinney we’ve been walking through a life-changing series entitled, “God’s BIG Story”.  We’re exploring how to read, study, interpret, and apply the Bible.  My premise from the start has been to consider the reason God gave us the Bible in the first place.  Then, given that larger, Divine purpose, allow it to be the lens through which we understand and apply God’s Word.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The Bible…

  • is God-breathed. (it’s inspired by God- the writers, prophets, teachers spoke God’s words)
  • shows us truth. (it shows us which way to go- it gives us the truth about God, us, and all of life)
  • exposes our rebellion. (it shows us when we get off track- reproofs, refutes error, convicts)
  • corrects our mistakes. (it shows us how to get back on track- sets straight, corrects)
  • trains us to live like Jesus. (it shows us how to stay on track- “trains, instructs, disciplines”

God’s Word does all of this; but to what end?  “…so that…” (“for this purpose”) that we might be able to live IN righteousness- in conformity to the life of Jesus.  So that we might be “fully equipped, completely outfitted, fully furnished, fully supplied” to walk as Jesus did.  Everything we need is in the Bible (minus one thing)- the Holy Spirit.  As you approach God’s Word you cannot do so without the inward working of the Spirit.

None of this happens magically or by osmosis- you must read it alone and study it with others!  And it’s critical to remember that we cannot be obedient to the Lord apart from the work of the Spirit.  So many of us already know more than we’re actually applying.  In the end, Jesus says, it’s not what you believe that counts, it’s what you believe enough to do!

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” Luke 6:46

In the end, all of Scripture points us to one Person who said “follow me.”  Today, may you “keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22) and “walk as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6).

WIJD?

27 Aug , 2009 4 Comments

I’m starting a new campaign (not really but play along).  I think the whole “What would Jesus do?” is a great thing.  Good question, but not the best.  The better question is, “What is Jesus doing?”  The former relegates Christ to a religious figure of the past that we imitate, while the latter recognizes Him as alive and still at work in our world.  We need to get back to the power of the forgotten God of the Trinity.  The Spirit is the only means by which we can live the Jesus life.

The challenge today is not new programs, new music, new versions of the same old thing.  Let’s be innovative and relevant but remember that the greater challenge is to allow ourselves to be broken before God, confess our desperate need for Him, and bow to His purposes for us.  We don’t need more church programs.  The Church is already deployed across every realm of culture.  What we need is the power of the Holy Spirit directing every life.  The point is not imitation as much as it is inhabitation.  As we seek the Spirit we become more attentive, responsive, and obedient to His promptings.  Jesus meant what He said: “Apart from me you can do nothing.”

God’s BIG Story

19 Aug , 2009 5 Comments

You must approach your Bible from the vantage point of the bigger story, which is, “salvation history”.  It is the redemptive story of God.  In the end, it is all about God.  He is above, behind, under, over, and beyond the Bible.  God stands independently of the Bible.  God and the Bible are not the same.  The Bible points us to God through Christ.  If it does not, it’s simply a religious book of rules and regulations.  And if you believe that the Bible is “inspired” by God (2 Timothy 3:16) then you must read as it comes from the heart of God.  Like any love letter, this one comes from a Person.

As we approach the Bible from the larger story we then read it and interpret it in light of this BIG story.  If you do you’ll avoid three traps:

1. You won’t get trapped in a legalistic hermeneutic– a rigid interpretation of passages, and an inevitable reductionist approach to Scripture that puts God’s Word in a box- instead of unleashing it’s awesome mystery and power into our lives.

2. You avoid the tendency to remove the Holy Spirit from the dynamic work of interpretation and application of the Word in our lives TODAY.  Often we approach the Scriptures without the inward working of the Spirit- and an awareness that God is STILL and always at work in our lives (He didn’t stop moving, talking, guiding us when the Bible was completed).  We start to read it as a Guidebook on HOW to join Him- in this very same story we see in the Bible- in OUR day!  How exciting is that!?  When you woke up today you found yourself in the SAME Story- this HUGE narrative that we see in the Bible.  It’s still going on!

3. Finally, you avoid isolation from your brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ who may not agree with your interpretation of specific details of certain passages- instead you have the ability to embrace believers who hold to the CORE like you do and you can love them and encourage them and join them in God’s redemptive work in our world.  Yes, debate them in love and with respect if we need to, but serve with them even if we disagree on NON-core issues.   Too often we broaden the “core” beyond what God ever intended.  If you want to know what’s core, go to 1 Corinthians 15:3-5.