Thursday, April 29, 2010
Glimpses of Eternity
In Jesus Christ, in His image, we begin a relationship that issatisfying here and now, but that extends beyond the known and theseen into the greater realities of forever. We cannot let the precious trinkets and imperfect promises ofthis passing moment overshadow the wealth of what it means to be ajoint-heir with Jesus Christ in inheriting the riches of reality thatwill endure when Donald Trump's billions have vanished like smoke, nomatter how the wisdom of this age undervalues them. We are God'sfamily!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Maybe my "Last Chapel Sermon"
... about "loyalty" and "vision" . . . if you can decipher my spacey speech:
For E.N.C. chapel 4/29/92
DEALING WITH CONFLICT IN LOYALTIES
(( A NEW EXPERIENCE, BEING PAID TO SPEAK IN CHAPEL FROM MY OWNPULPIT, WHICH IS NOT MY OWN PULPIT WHEN THIS IS THE COLLEGE CHAPEL
1) reflections on the history of this church's relationship toENC across the years
2) reflection on the larger relationship of ENC to the church atlarge, and to the Church of the Nazarene in particular))
1. A FOCUS ON OUR LOYALTIES
".. to thine own self be true and it must follow as the nightthe day thou canst not then be false to any man.." Shakespeare'scharacter notwithstanding, this is only partially true. and as Tony Campolo has said in the title of a book outliningseveral damnable heresies-- there is a kernel of truth in mast lies;the title is "Partly Right", by the way
WHEN LOYALTIES CONFLICT, how do we address the tension? who orwhat has to give? William C. Placher in a recent article says
"imagine admissions literature stating something like this:
We groom you to success in your careers. We prepare you for graduate and professional work at the best universities or cocktail conversation at the best country clubs. And also, we will get you thinking about the service of the crucified son of a carpenter who calls his disciples to give up all that they have and pick up their crosses and follow." Then Placher adds with bitter irony: "On second thought, perhaps we'd best leave out that last sentence." So-- am I called to be a millionaire, or called to be a monk?Am I to be socially active, or fundamentalist-defender of the faith?Is there any kind of safe way to go? or better, is there any one rightway?
2. SEEKING THE DEEPEST, HIGHEST LOYALTIES
Kohlberg, Lawrence Kohlberg, (who had some influence in myunderstanding of how I think about 'right and wrong'), saw- still inindividualized understanding- the highest motivation as being"principled" or "post-conventional" motivation. He wrote that he had never observed anyone under 22 years of agethat was really into this high level of loyalty to truth.
I question that-- for the highest understanding of truth isnever abstract, never objective. Robert Coles, also an eminent Harvardteacher, has seen in children nine, ten, eleven years of age aspiritual sensitivity that went beyond their rational understanding ofmoral issues.
We are dealing here with mystery! And I have known many people whose moral understanding may havebeen lacking, but whose commitment to Truth was so thorough and soirrevocable that they lived like Jesus because they lived with Jesusand Jesus lived through them.
There is a better, a higher way of loyalty. It is the personal loyalty to Jesus that transcends all other loyalties. It denies self-sovereignty ("I am NOT God!") and identifies with Christ's body,the Church, (imperfect as it may be, especially after you join it)!
Conclusion: Change is threatening. We live in tension between the joy ofchange and the security of steadfastness. This is the generation of them that seek Him, that seek Thy face OJacob!
For E.N.C. chapel 4/29/92
DEALING WITH CONFLICT IN LOYALTIES
(( A NEW EXPERIENCE, BEING PAID TO SPEAK IN CHAPEL FROM MY OWNPULPIT, WHICH IS NOT MY OWN PULPIT WHEN THIS IS THE COLLEGE CHAPEL
1) reflections on the history of this church's relationship toENC across the years
2) reflection on the larger relationship of ENC to the church atlarge, and to the Church of the Nazarene in particular))
1. A FOCUS ON OUR LOYALTIES
".. to thine own self be true and it must follow as the nightthe day thou canst not then be false to any man.." Shakespeare'scharacter notwithstanding, this is only partially true. and as Tony Campolo has said in the title of a book outliningseveral damnable heresies-- there is a kernel of truth in mast lies;the title is "Partly Right", by the way
WHEN LOYALTIES CONFLICT, how do we address the tension? who orwhat has to give? William C. Placher in a recent article says
"imagine admissions literature stating something like this:
We groom you to success in your careers. We prepare you for graduate and professional work at the best universities or cocktail conversation at the best country clubs. And also, we will get you thinking about the service of the crucified son of a carpenter who calls his disciples to give up all that they have and pick up their crosses and follow." Then Placher adds with bitter irony: "On second thought, perhaps we'd best leave out that last sentence." So-- am I called to be a millionaire, or called to be a monk?Am I to be socially active, or fundamentalist-defender of the faith?Is there any kind of safe way to go? or better, is there any one rightway?
2. SEEKING THE DEEPEST, HIGHEST LOYALTIES
Kohlberg, Lawrence Kohlberg, (who had some influence in myunderstanding of how I think about 'right and wrong'), saw- still inindividualized understanding- the highest motivation as being"principled" or "post-conventional" motivation. He wrote that he had never observed anyone under 22 years of agethat was really into this high level of loyalty to truth.
I question that-- for the highest understanding of truth isnever abstract, never objective. Robert Coles, also an eminent Harvardteacher, has seen in children nine, ten, eleven years of age aspiritual sensitivity that went beyond their rational understanding ofmoral issues.
We are dealing here with mystery! And I have known many people whose moral understanding may havebeen lacking, but whose commitment to Truth was so thorough and soirrevocable that they lived like Jesus because they lived with Jesusand Jesus lived through them.
There is a better, a higher way of loyalty. It is the personal loyalty to Jesus that transcends all other loyalties. It denies self-sovereignty ("I am NOT God!") and identifies with Christ's body,the Church, (imperfect as it may be, especially after you join it)!
Conclusion: Change is threatening. We live in tension between the joy ofchange and the security of steadfastness. This is the generation of them that seek Him, that seek Thy face OJacob!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
For GOOD FRIDAY
April 17, 1992
IT IS FINISHED
Good Friday Meditation
John 19:30 When Jesus had received
the vinegar, He said, "It is finished!"
and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
A STATEMENT ABOUT CHRIST'S LIFE WORK
The cry from the cross, "It is finished" is the final word in the
Gospel of John. "Into Thy hands I commend My spirit" is a personal
word of faith; this is a statement about what Jesus has done with His
life, and where He had finally ended His earthly ministry.
THE VIEW OF UNBELIEF: IT'S ALL OVER
I suppose there are different ways to hear these words. One
interpretation, I hasten to say 'Not my own!', might say that with
these words Jesus has simply said: "It's all over!"
The agony has ended, but with it also the noble experiment has
failed! 'My disciples are scattered, the high and holy-sounding words
I uttered have proved empty. Love is NOT stronger than hatred; the
people with the biggest army always win.'
But if this had been the true meaning of these words we never
would have heard of Jesus Christ except as a tiny footnote somewhere
in an historian's notebook about some eccentric Jewish revolutionary.
This is the interpretation we must give these words however,
if all that we see is the cross of Christ.
I know it is Good Friday. I know we aren't supposed to celebrate
the Resurrection until Sunday. I praise God that the Cross is God's
victory for us over the power and guilt of sin. But it takes the power
of the Resurrection to unlock the full meaning of these words: "It is
finished!"
John 20:9 expresses how helpless we would be to see the full
meaning of "It is finished" without knowing, as we most certainly
know, that Jesus not only died but rose again from the dead. John 20:9
says:
"For as yet they did not understand the Scripture
that [Jesus] must rise again from the dead."
From our perspective this side of Calvary, this side of the
resurrection, this side of Pentecost and the living Christ inhabiting
His church, we know that Jesus was NOT admitting defeat with his
statement from the cross, IT IS FINISHED!
THE PERSPECTIVE OF FAITH: IT IS COMPLETE
The only way we Christians can understand these words of
completion is in the light of the mighty power of LIFE ETERNAL, the
Resurrection Power that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus.
In His own words in the High Priestly prayer Jesus said: (17:4)
"I glorified Thee on earth, having accomplished the work which Thou
hast given Me to do."
And what DID Jesus come to do?
1. JESUS CAME TO SHOW US THE FATHER.
John 1:1 declared that Jesus is the WORD. In John 14 Jesus
tells the disciples, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the
Father." God is Transcendent, beyond our full
comprehension. Yet forever we know what God is, for God is
like our Lord, like our Friend, Jesus of Galilee.
2. JESUS CAME TO DESTROY THE WORKS OF EVIL.
I John 3:8 says: "The Son of God appeared for this purpose,
that He might destroy the works of the devil." Satan has set
up shop on this planet, and has taken many prisoners. He has
propagated lies about what real power and real wealth and real
satisfaction might be. Jesus has come to set the prisoners of
evil free, and show them His own love, and share with them His
own life!
3. [Here we come to the truth that from our perspective is
central, having to do directly with our salvation:]
JESUS CAME TO BRING LIFE TO YOU AND ME.
John 10:10 I am come that they might have LIFE, and that they
may have it more abundantly. And also John 1:12 He came unto
His own and His own received Him not; but as many as received
Him, to them gave He power to become the children of God, even
as many as believed on His name.
When Jesus said, "It is finished" He was saying that everything
necessary was set in place that we might be God's children, heirs of
God's grace in Christ, joint-heirs with Christ to all the love of
God's family!
"It is finished!" means that we may be:
justified - counted as righteous in Christ
regenerated - new creatures in Christ
adopted - brought into God's family with His Spirit crying
"Abba, Father" within us and
sanctified - or the actual work of making us LIKE Christ begun
within our personality
BEHOLD: THE FINISHED WORK
Perhaps the best news is that this cry of Jesus from the cross
means that THERE IS NO MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE YOU AND I CAN
COME TO GOD, to receive this gift of life (this Gift=Jesus Himself!),
and to be received into God's family:
This finished work is ours to receive as the Holy Spirit makes it
available to us by God's grace:
John 1:12 " ...as many as received Him, to them gave He power to
become the children of God, even as many as believed on His
name."
I'M SURE THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE LORD JESUS INTO YOUR HEART
AND LIFE OR YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY. BUT IF, BY CHANCE,
YOU HAVE COME WITH BURDENS OR DOUBTS OR FEARS, FEARS OF LIFE OR FEARS
OF DEATH, LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT WHEN JESUS SAID, FROM THE CROSS: IT
IS FINISHED! HE HAD YOUR ETERNAL SALVATION, AND YOUR PERSONAL
ASSURANCE AT HEART. HE DIED BECAUSE HE LOVES US, AND HE COMPLETED THE
WORK THAT MAKES HIS ETERNAL LIFE OUR OWN!
Prayer:
———————————————————————————————————
Dr. Russell Metcalfe is Pastor Emeritus of the Wollaston Church of the Nazarene. Permission to reprint or publish this material is GRANTED as long as the reprinting or republishing is not-for-profit. You can access more of Dr. Metcalfe's sermons at his scripturally indexed sermon archives web site. Now with MP3 audio sermons and audio bonus material.
IT IS FINISHED
Good Friday Meditation
John 19:30 When Jesus had received
the vinegar, He said, "It is finished!"
and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
A STATEMENT ABOUT CHRIST'S LIFE WORK
The cry from the cross, "It is finished" is the final word in the
Gospel of John. "Into Thy hands I commend My spirit" is a personal
word of faith; this is a statement about what Jesus has done with His
life, and where He had finally ended His earthly ministry.
THE VIEW OF UNBELIEF: IT'S ALL OVER
I suppose there are different ways to hear these words. One
interpretation, I hasten to say 'Not my own!', might say that with
these words Jesus has simply said: "It's all over!"
The agony has ended, but with it also the noble experiment has
failed! 'My disciples are scattered, the high and holy-sounding words
I uttered have proved empty. Love is NOT stronger than hatred; the
people with the biggest army always win.'
But if this had been the true meaning of these words we never
would have heard of Jesus Christ except as a tiny footnote somewhere
in an historian's notebook about some eccentric Jewish revolutionary.
This is the interpretation we must give these words however,
if all that we see is the cross of Christ.
I know it is Good Friday. I know we aren't supposed to celebrate
the Resurrection until Sunday. I praise God that the Cross is God's
victory for us over the power and guilt of sin. But it takes the power
of the Resurrection to unlock the full meaning of these words: "It is
finished!"
John 20:9 expresses how helpless we would be to see the full
meaning of "It is finished" without knowing, as we most certainly
know, that Jesus not only died but rose again from the dead. John 20:9
says:
"For as yet they did not understand the Scripture
that [Jesus] must rise again from the dead."
From our perspective this side of Calvary, this side of the
resurrection, this side of Pentecost and the living Christ inhabiting
His church, we know that Jesus was NOT admitting defeat with his
statement from the cross, IT IS FINISHED!
THE PERSPECTIVE OF FAITH: IT IS COMPLETE
The only way we Christians can understand these words of
completion is in the light of the mighty power of LIFE ETERNAL, the
Resurrection Power that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus.
In His own words in the High Priestly prayer Jesus said: (17:4)
"I glorified Thee on earth, having accomplished the work which Thou
hast given Me to do."
And what DID Jesus come to do?
1. JESUS CAME TO SHOW US THE FATHER.
John 1:1 declared that Jesus is the WORD. In John 14 Jesus
tells the disciples, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the
Father." God is Transcendent, beyond our full
comprehension. Yet forever we know what God is, for God is
like our Lord, like our Friend, Jesus of Galilee.
2. JESUS CAME TO DESTROY THE WORKS OF EVIL.
I John 3:8 says: "The Son of God appeared for this purpose,
that He might destroy the works of the devil." Satan has set
up shop on this planet, and has taken many prisoners. He has
propagated lies about what real power and real wealth and real
satisfaction might be. Jesus has come to set the prisoners of
evil free, and show them His own love, and share with them His
own life!
3. [Here we come to the truth that from our perspective is
central, having to do directly with our salvation:]
JESUS CAME TO BRING LIFE TO YOU AND ME.
John 10:10 I am come that they might have LIFE, and that they
may have it more abundantly. And also John 1:12 He came unto
His own and His own received Him not; but as many as received
Him, to them gave He power to become the children of God, even
as many as believed on His name.
When Jesus said, "It is finished" He was saying that everything
necessary was set in place that we might be God's children, heirs of
God's grace in Christ, joint-heirs with Christ to all the love of
God's family!
"It is finished!" means that we may be:
justified - counted as righteous in Christ
regenerated - new creatures in Christ
adopted - brought into God's family with His Spirit crying
"Abba, Father" within us and
sanctified - or the actual work of making us LIKE Christ begun
within our personality
BEHOLD: THE FINISHED WORK
Perhaps the best news is that this cry of Jesus from the cross
means that THERE IS NO MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE YOU AND I CAN
COME TO GOD, to receive this gift of life (this Gift=Jesus Himself!),
and to be received into God's family:
This finished work is ours to receive as the Holy Spirit makes it
available to us by God's grace:
John 1:12 " ...as many as received Him, to them gave He power to
become the children of God, even as many as believed on His
name."
I'M SURE THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE LORD JESUS INTO YOUR HEART
AND LIFE OR YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY. BUT IF, BY CHANCE,
YOU HAVE COME WITH BURDENS OR DOUBTS OR FEARS, FEARS OF LIFE OR FEARS
OF DEATH, LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT WHEN JESUS SAID, FROM THE CROSS: IT
IS FINISHED! HE HAD YOUR ETERNAL SALVATION, AND YOUR PERSONAL
ASSURANCE AT HEART. HE DIED BECAUSE HE LOVES US, AND HE COMPLETED THE
WORK THAT MAKES HIS ETERNAL LIFE OUR OWN!
Prayer:
———————————————————————————————————
Dr. Russell Metcalfe is Pastor Emeritus of the Wollaston Church of the Nazarene. Permission to reprint or publish this material is GRANTED as long as the reprinting or republishing is not-for-profit. You can access more of Dr. Metcalfe's sermons at his scripturally indexed sermon archives web site. Now with MP3 audio sermons and audio bonus material.
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