The Gospel Changes Everything (Pt. 8): Fear

We're in a series where we will see how the gospel of Jesus affects every area of our lives. Each post will look at how the truth of the gospel changes how we view a certain aspect of life and its implications in our lives.

Welcome to Holy Week, as Christians around the world remember and celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus on Good Friday and Easter. As I've been preparing for my Easter sermon, I was reminded of how surrounding the story of Jesus' death and resurrection is the tale of two distinct pictures of the disciples.

On one side we see the disciples controlled by their fear. They're paralyzed and incapable of doing anything good because of it. The soldiers show up with Judas the traitor in the garden of Gethsemane and the disciples scatter. One disciple (Peter) grabs a sword and tries to defend Jesus. But I guess fishermen weren't trained in sword fighting and Peter ends up cutting off a guy's ear. Jesus rebukes Peter, heals the guy's ear, and the disciples run. They abandon Jesus in one of his most trying moments. 

And not only do they desert Jesus rather than defend him, they are almost no where to be found. Their fear of the soldiers and religious rulers made them incapable of staying near or helping Jesus. Their fear overtook them, and led them to abandon their master. One disciple (Peter) does follow the crowd of soldiers from a distance, hoping to find out what's happening.

But soon, even his fear cripples him. A slave girl (think the lowest of the low in the social hierarchy of the day) asks Peter if he is a follower of Jesus. Peter denies it. It's not a soldier, not a Jewish leader, not even a peer who asks Peter if he knows Jesus; relatively she's a social nobody. Yet Peter's fear consumes him again and he denies knowing Jesus a second time. Finally Peter's terror reaches a boiling point and he denies Jesus a third time, even calling a curse down on himself (essentially saying publicly, "I swear on everything holy that I do NOT know this man."). And his fear leads him to do what he had just promised Jesus he would never do (Luke 22:31-34): deny and abandon him. 

Peter denies Jesus three times. 

After Jesus’ death, the fear continued. The disciples cowered in a locked room, terrified that the Jewish religious rulers and Roman soldiers would come after them next. They'd all but forgotten that Jesus had said he'd have to die and that he'd rise again. So they succumbed to their fear, they locked the door, and they lost hope.

But then something happens and they become completely different people. The fear is gone. These men are nearly unrecognizable from the disciples we see prior to the resurrection. The gospel has come and these same men are transformed! The gospel leads these disciples from crippling fear to fearlessness. 

Soon after Jesus' death and resurrection (the essence the gospel), his disciples are known for their boldness, their fearlessness, and their courage in Christ. When they see the resurrected Jesus and when they finally understand the gospel, it changes them!

Acts 4:8, 13 describes this. "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders’...Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” 

Now through the gospel, we're given the Holy Spirit. Peter is empowered by the Spirit and  instead of running away, what does he do? He preaches with boldness. He stands before the same people who accused and convicted Jesus and he preaches the gospel to them! And it isn't just we readers who notice something is different. The rulers are astonished. I love this next part. It says that the rulers recognized that they had been with Jesus!

The gospel changed the disciples, not just in this one instance but for the rest of their lives. The fearlessness that came from the gospel didn't end in Acts 4 but continued. Church history teaches us that all but one of the disciples were not only persecuted (think whipping, imprisonment, torture) but also killed for following Jesus. The only disciple that wasn't martyred was John (they tried to kill him by boiling him in oil but somehow he survived so they exiled him to live as a prisoner on an island). 

So what happened? What turned this crew of terrified cowards into fearless martyrs? The answer: the empty tomb!

The good news (that's what the word 'gospel' means) of Jesus' death and resurrection destroys fear. Fear of man. Fear of uncertainty. Fear of the suffering. Fear of the enemy. Because Jesus rose from the grave, even the fear of death loses its sting! Because Jesus conquered death itself, his followers are freed from its power over them. Through his death, Jesus destroyed "the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,  and deliver[ed] all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery" (Hebrews 2:14-15). The disciples are a great example of this: men who moved from slavery to their fear to being delivered by the gospel and having freedom over their fear.

As Christians you were once slaves to fear (you couldn't help but be fearful). But now through Christ, you've "received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory" (Romans 8:15-17). 

Through the gospel, God has "not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7). Because God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6). 

In Jesus' death and resurrection, his love was demonstrated and given to us. And his love fills those who believe in him. "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love" (1 John 4:18). Through the gospel we no longer have anything to fear. Jesus' perfect loves is driving it out. We no longer worry about the penalty for our sins because we know it's been paid for in Christ. 

When we read stories of the disciples' changed lives, we don't have to think, "I could NEVER do that!" In Christ, we've now been give the same Spirit that empowered them to be fearless in the face of persecution and death. We believe the same gospel and have been freed from the same slavery to fear. We know our savior has defeated sin and death once and for all and that the effects of his victory are given to us. Now in Christ, we have the same gospel that changed terrified cowards into fearless martyrs! 

SPENCER PETERSON / COMMUNITY LIFE PASTOR

The Gospel Changes Everything (Pt. 7): "Church Hunters"

We're in a series where we will see how the gospel of Jesus affects every area of our lives. Each post will look at how the truth of the gospel changes how we view a certain aspect of life and its implication in our lives.

There are a couple satirical videos going around online by some Christian comedians that you may have seen. They hilariously poke fun at the consumeristic view which many Americans have when finding a church. Similar to the style of the Onion or the Babylon Bee, they mock the self-focused mindset that many have when "church shopping" (I actually hate that term. But since most of you will know what I mean, I'll use it). Their videos play off the reality show House Hunters and create a new show called Church Hunters. 

First of all, these videos are really funny (click here to see a previous blog on how the gospel changes our view of humor). And the reason they're so hilarious is not just because they're well acted and clever but because they are so true. In these fictional "church hunters" I saw myself, especially the 21 year old version of me. The reason I picked (or didn't pick) a church was mostly based on ME, although I'm sure I hid it well with spiritual phrases that masked my self-focus and pure consumeristic motivation. 

So before we move to to see how the gospel changes our view of church, watch at least one of these videos just in case you have no idea what I'm talking about. Enjoy!

(Maybe we should be asking questions like this instead.)

Apart from the gospel, our view of church will probably look quite similar to Church Hunters, right? We live in a culture saturated with meeting our wants, preferences, and desires. If you don't like something, there are a dozens other options available. As a famous fast food chain says, "Have it your way." Apart from the gospel, we'll view church solely based on what we can get out of it. "Do I like the worship? Does it meet my perceived needs? How's the feel? Am I entertained? Is the preacher funny, hip, and (fill in the blank)? Is the coffee good? What about the wifi?" 

Now these aren't necessarily bad questions to ask. But the gospel changes our view of church. We go from viewing church just as individualistic American consumers to seeing the church as our spiritual family. In the gospel we're now not just religious consumers of goods and services but rather we're saved into a new community, saved into a God's family. Think about how healthy families live. They're committed. They see themselves as part of the solution. They see that they are needed. They fight differently with their family than they do with enemies. They want others within the family to grow and even give sacrificially of themselves to make that happen. They celebrate and mourn alongside their rejoicing and grieving family members. 

Another way the gospel changes our view on church is by calling the church, calling regenerated, redeemed Christians, the Body of Christ. In multiples places in the New Testament the gathered group of believers is called Jesus' body. And out of that, we're reminded over and over again that we need each other! A body can't function without it's individual parts (or at least not healthily or for too long). Similarly, each individual church needs its fellow Christians. So when we view church solely as an individual and consumer, we're completely missing out. And the church God is calling us to is also missing out. 

Through the gospel we're now not just given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of everything Christ has promised us. But the Spirit also gives every Christian spiritual gifts: grace imparted, Spirit empowered abilities that are mostly for the strengthening of the church. Now because of the gospel, we don't just view what we can get from a church but we intentionally look for how we can use our spiritual gifts (as well as our time, talents, and resources) to build up the church.

We look for ways we can serve (not just receive). 

We look for for needs we can fill (not just our own needs). 

We look for how God is using this church (not just how this church meets my preferences). 

Everyone within a church is called to give up their preferences, from the senior leadership to the member. We don't give up our preferences because they're unimportant but because there is something even more important. "What's more important than what I want?" a 21 year old Spencer might have asked. The answer is the spread of the gospel to those who don't know him yet and the building up of the church in love and unity. 

At Hiawatha Church we're deliberate and intentional in everything we do. For all ten years of our existence we're asking the question, "How can we best reach our part of the city with the gospel?" and "What is God telling us is best for our specific church?" So we don't just do music or communion or coffee or community groups or preaching or kids ministry or hospitality or length of service just because we've done it in the past or because it's tradition or because its what the leaders want to do. But we're always thinking about how we can remove stumbling blocks to people hearing and seeing the gospel. We're all continually denying our preferences when we gather for the sake of others, whether its other Christians or people just checking out the faith. 

The gospel frees us from having to make church all about us. The gospel empowers us to move away from American consumerism and towards Christ-like love and sacrifice. The gospel changes our hearts from thinking solely as an individual and begin to see others as even more important than ourselves (sounds a lot like Jesus' attitude right?). 

As Sarah Bessey writes to us western Christians, "We can pontificate for days on what the Church is doing wrong and what needs to change, casting judgment easily. We tend to think en masse or point fingers as a coping form of disassociation from our own culpability."

So instead of complaining, judging, and critiquing, the gospel calls us to ask these types of questions:

• When problems arise, how can I be a part of the solution?
• Where can I use my spiritual gifts to strengthen my brothers and sister in this church (or the church in general)?
• What needs are present that I can help meet?
• What is Jesus asking me to do to serve him (remember, the church is called his body)?
• How can I get excited about the vision of my church and how God is using it to reach unbelievers and grow a healthy, unified church?

Jesus frees us from the prisons of us putting ourselves at the center of the universe. In the gospel he tells us he loves us so much, that he died to save us not just to himself but also into his family (the church). He gives us spiritual fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters. He calls us to join him as we go into the kingdom of darkness and bring his message of love and forgiveness! And he calls us to do that with the same mindset: denying ourselves and seeking the best for others.

SPENCER PETERSON / COMMUNITY LIFE PASTOR 

Four reasons we plant churches

The biblical reason

The gospel can expand and multiply many different ways in a person’s life or a church’s or city’s, but one of the main ways it expands is through robust church planting efforts - as we see numerous times in the book of Acts. In fact, it’s a repeated pattern. The gospel is preached in a city, some believe and some reject, the converts are baptized and gathered for corporate worship and life together, and then some of those are sent out to plant new churches in that city or elsewhere. The Apostle Paul is a big part of this, but he also commissions associates like Titus and Timothy in cities to “put into order what he (Paul) left behind" (Titus 1:5), which was basically a call to further establish the local church, train up leaders, organize for public worship, etc.

If we’re looking for an example in the Bible of a Christian thriving individually (outside of a local church community), or a biblical command that encourages a kind of “just me and Jesus”-type spirituality, we’ll be looking for a very long time. It just doesn’t exist. The movement from conversion to church life (and church planting) was beautifully instinctual for the early church. It should be for us as well.

The statistical reason

We need more churches here in the United States.

• In 2005, only 17.5% of people in the U.S. attended church on any given weekend (American Church in Crisis (ACC) by David Olson). These numbers could be skewed downwards if we factor in that this number includes unhealthy, non-gospel-centered churches that—biblically speaking—aren’t really churches. So, it’s even worse than it appears.

• About 4,000 churches close every year. Approximately the same amount of new churches start each year. However, to keep up with population growth, an additional 3,200 churches need to start every year (ACC).

• The number of unchurched Americans is increasing by a rate of 1 million per year (Church Leader’s Intelligence Report, 04-01-09).

Think about it: how many mature, thriving, healthy, gospel-centered, Jesus-loving, missionally-living Christians do you know on your block, in your dorms, or in your work-places? Chances are, not too many. America is a very secular (and spiritually misguided) place, and increasingly so as time goes on. There is so much opportunity right here in our country and right here in our wonderful, but broken city of Minneapolis/St. Paul.

The missional/evangelistic reason

Tim Keller: “Much traditional evangelism aims to get a ‘decision’ for Christ. Experience, however, shows us that many of these ‘decisions’ disappear and never result in changed lives. Why? Many decisions aren’t really conversions, but often the beginning of a journey of seeking God. Only a person who is being ‘evangelized’ in the context of an on-going worshipping and shepherding community can be sure of finally coming home into vital, saving faith.”

We couldn’t agree more. Evangelism isn’t just for easily identifiable non-Christians. It is, of course. But it’s also for Christians. And people who think they’re Christians but aren’t. And those people who are joyfully receiving the gospel now, but who might not be next year when the cares of the world creep in and choke it out. The Church is the God-ordained means by which we all persevere in the faith, so if we seek to truly evangelize a city, we need more churches, not just individuals who share the gospel with other individuals once with no connection to a local church whatsoever.

The church renewal reason

Planting churches is a renewing thing for sending churches as well. It almost always grows churches numerically in the long run. It reminds those who stay why they are there and what the mission truly is. It infuses life and excitement into the church and creates opportunities for involvement, leadership, and spiritual gift implementation that otherwise might not be there.

So, church planting churches usually have an easier time maintaining a leadership development and evangelistic “culture”. They avoid plateauing and stagnating. They apply the belief that “It’s not about us!” on a very sacrificial level, figuratively giving away a part of their body, which resembles how Jesus gave his body for us, that we might live.

CHRIS WACHTER / LEAD PASTOR