Articles by Bill Denton at Heartlight

Quality People

billdenton@crossties.org (Bill Denton) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Everyone gets a turn at crisis. And more than once. The real question is only this: Who in your life is both capable of and willing to walk through your crisis with you? In many ways, your life will be defined by the quality of people who journey alongside you ("The New Rebellion Handbook," p. 236).

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
My eye is wasted away from grief,
my soul and my body also.
For my life is spent with sorrow
And my years with sighing;
My strength has failed because of my iniquity,
And my body has wasted away (Psalm 31:9-10, NASB).

"Your life will be defined by the quality of people who journey alongside you." I'm quite sure that isn't totally true, but it's true enough for us to pay close attention. More than one person has told me, "I don't know how I would have made it through what happened to me without the people who love me and care about me." Anybody who has experienced hard times knows the truth of that statement.

The sad thing is that in our modern times, we've either forgotten or neglected the importance of our "people connections." I once conducted the funeral for a man I had never met. He had lived across the street from one of our church families. At the funeral the only people who attended were his wife and two grown daughters. This family had lived in that town for about fifteen years. They attended no church, belonged to no club, had no friends, and barely knew any of their neighbors. I don't know why. What I know is that they lived a lonely life, and when the husband died, if it had not been for the family across the street that attended our church, there would have been nobody to help the wife through the ordeal of her husband's death.

Who would help you through a crisis? If you can't put a name to that question, you're in trouble and may not even know it. But there is a companion question implied in the broader scope of this discussion. Who would you help through a crisis? You see, unless we all are willing to be the one who helps, when it comes our turn to be helped then chances are there won't be anyone.

Some people have large, close families, but I've noticed that even when that's the case, in a crisis people yearn for people outside the family to stand by them. Some people have close friends, a loving church, good neighbors. Those are all wonderful resources. But the best resources you'll ever have are those people you stood by during their time of crisis.

One of the great things about being a Christian and part of a great church is the call for all of us to be servants. You can't put that responsibility onto a few people, or even the church staff. It's too big, too broad, too demanding for a handful of people to deal with. Tough times demand lots of people, ready to respond, able to help. But we really need to know that when it comes our turn to deal with a crisis, it's likely those we've already helped through their own crisis who will be the first to help us. Are you among the "quality people" that others need?

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Website: CrossTies

With Us!

billdenton@crossties.org (Bill Denton) — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0600

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which translated means, "God with us." (Matthew 1:23 NASB)

"Only Christians believe in a God who says, 'Here I am alongside you. I have experienced the same suffering you have. I know what it is like.' No other religion even begins to offer that assurance." (Tim Keller, "Preaching Amid Pluralism," Leadership Magazine, Winter 2002, pp. 34-35.)

The fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy happened in the birth of Jesus. But it was not simply in the birth of a child to Mary. The vital preface to that birth, found in announcements by angels to both Mary and Joseph, revealed an act of God that staggers the mind. This was no illicit conception of unwed parents. It was no ordinary conception of a married couple. It was a birth created by an act of the Holy Spirit, planting a child in a virgin's womb. But it's even more than that. If you ever wondered how Joseph handled the news that the young woman to whom he was engaged was pregnant, you might consider the words of the angel. "They shall call His name Immanuel." It's a name that means "God with us."

One might legitimately ask, "What does that mean, 'God with us?'" It tells us who this child, born to Mary, actually is. He was never just a baby. He was a divinely conceived baby. He was never just another person, born to a mother. He was God's Son; God incarnate born to a human mother. Throughout His ministry, into the ministry of the apostles, and even today, the goal of biblical teaching and preaching is first to create understanding and belief in Jesus as the Son of God.

The incarnation is not totally explainable to us, for it is surely the most unique birth, of the most unique person, ever born. Consider the power of his miracles, the wisdom of his teaching, the magnetism of his person, the uncanny combination of strength, and love, and grace, and mercy. This is one of the most important things about the incarnation. Since Jesus was God in the flesh, he reveals God to us in the only way we can grasp the information. He is the divine, packaged in flesh, to help us see the invisible God with our eyes, our minds, and our senses. Only because God is "with us" in human form can we possibly fathom the unfathomable.

"God with us" helps us understand God's ultimate will. Through the virgin birth, God came in the realest sense. Because Jesus was divine in human form, his actions were God with us. His role as Savior is that of God acting on our behalf. With us means we are never alone. Next time you feel lonely and think that nobody cares, remember Jesus, who is God with us.

Website: CrossTies

Whom Do You Hate?

billdenton@crossties.org (Bill Denton) — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0500

If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. (1 John 4:20-21 NASB)

You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do. (Author Anne Lamott, from her book "Bird by Bird": Pantheon, 1994)

Whom do you hate? Hold on a minute before you answer that question.

I've actually had people admit to me that they hated somebody. Many times the hater was someone who had suffered unbelievable pain at the hands of another. Human beings are capable of doing some awful things, and the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual pain we endure because of the actions or words of others seems more than we can bear. When you understand the things that have happened, you can at least understand the powerful hatred that grips the hearts of those who have suffered.

I have known others who were, perhaps, at the other end of the spectrum. They had "personality conflicts," words were said, somebody stabbed the other one in the back -- you've heard this before. There was no real tragedy that happened, people just didn't get along. Now they hate each other.

Some marriages end in hate. Some business relationships end in hate. Some neighbors develop an ages-long feud that feeds a never-ending hatred for one another. Racial tensions exist today that are remnants of actions and words from long ago, or not so long ago, and leave the scar of hatred on whole communities. We borrow the hatred of our parents, our siblings, our friends. Sometimes, we hate people and don't know why. Hatred powerfully shapes, directs, and governs a person's life.

Nobody can tell you to just stop experiencing powerful emotions. If it were that easy, neither hatred nor any other problem would persist for long, or cause so many troubles. Gaining control of powerful emotions requires time, effort and purposeful constraint. The good news is that we can make progress by controlling the things more within our reach.

A better question might be this: "Toward whom do you act hatefully?"

Why is this a better question? For one important reason -- you have more control over how you act toward others than how you feel about them, and by changing how you behave, you have a much better chance of changing how you feel. While God might want us all to have warm, fuzzy feelings toward one another, He is more concerned with our behavior toward one another. Even the command to "love one another," is not primarily a command to feel good about others, it is a command addressing how we behave toward others.

I see a lot of hateful behavior. I see people who are slighted, shunned, treated or spoken to (or about) in negative ways. What I know is that there is something even worse behind the behavior. I also see others who are struggling to gain control over their hatreds. They are making the effort to do what is good and right for others, despite some powerful feeling to the contrary. Those people are not hypocrites, for the hypocrites just do things for a show. I'm talking about people actually trying to overcome the hate in their hearts. Whom do you hate? Maybe it's time to see the link between God and the one you hate. You can't love God and hate others at the same time. We deny that truth all the time.

Now ... whom do you hate?

Website: CrossTies

Rap or Not ... It's for the Lord

billdenton@crossties.org (Bill Denton) — Sat, 19 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0500

[Special thanks to Stephen Davies]

Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father (Ephesians 4:18-20 NAS).

Did you know "Amazing Grace" can be sung to the tune of "Gilligan's Island" or "House of the Rising Sun?" Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley and writer of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," often used other melodies -- even those used in local taverns -- to make it easier for people to recognize and sing his hymns. Imagine that? Some of our most popular hymns used melodies sung in a bar.

Speaking of bar tunes, many years ago, my aspiring writer and musician son, Stephen, age 13, asked me to listen to his favorite style of music: rap. I listened carefully ... and honestly told him I didn't like it but then I challenged him. "Why don't you write a Christian rap song and sing it for our church?"

Why did I say that? Our church was a typical country church which sang mostly hymns written over one hundred years ago. How would these precious people respond to a rap? Oh well. Why worry? Stephen would never write a Christian rap song and he certainly would never sing it in church, would he? Oh, yes he would. He wrote that song within a week and so I reluctantly fulfilled my part of the promise and one Sunday he stood before our entire congregation and sang or rapped, "Stand Up for the Lord."

After the service was over, young people surrounded Stephen to eagerly tell him it was the best song they ever heard in church. Others asked for the words. At this point, I figured it would be smart to take another look at Stephen Davies' rap for Jesus, "Stand Up for the Lord."

Take it to the top, not just another Christian rappin'

Here to tell you what's really happenin'

All this violence in the streets, I don't want to hear it

It's time that the people got the fever for the spirit.

He gave us our life and He gave us our choice

But we are the youth and we've got the voice

For serving Christ is a price we can all afford

C'mon yall, Oh yeah, stand up for the Lord.

As I read the words, the message coming from a youthful perspective really hits home. Stephen was clearly pointing out world wide problems and urging Christians to action. "All this violence in the streets … It's time that the people got the fever of the spirit." But more importantly, my son saw the loving relationship and the choice Christ offers us all, even today: "He gave us our life and He gave us our choice." Stephen declared that our youth do have a voice and we should, "Stand up for the Lord."

Think twice about the way you live your life

You don't go to heaven or hell with a roll of the dice

Jesus Christ loves everyone and all

Just think of his grief when he feels us fall

Out of his hands, into the devil's deed

And by him dying on the cross we were all freed

We're just sparks and God is the fire

The one and only God-preacher, teacher, Messiah

I know you wanna, You know you wanna, So why ain't you gonna?

Okay, okay so it's not a classic hymn, and when Stephen stood before our church and sang, all of us old people mostly stared. However, I noticed that the youngsters began nodding their heads in rhythm with the beat and by the smile on their faces you knew they were enjoying and understanding the message.

Stephen said something simple but profound in the second verse: "Think twice about the way you live your life. You don't go to heaven or hell with a roll of the dice." In other words, there is a real God who celebrates our joys and grieves over our failures. "Just think of his grief when he feels us fall." My favorite line in the song, however, is this one: "We're just sparks and God is the fire." What a wonderful way to describe our mission. "I know you wanna. So why ain't you gonna?"

C'mon, let's stand up for the Lord.

Makin' controversial music and pullin' the money

But after a little while, you just ain't funny

Just give your life to the Lord

The person who all your life you've ignored

The world is full of crime and sin

Don't ya think it's about time we let the Lord in?

You'll see the light if you open the door

C'mon ya'll, Oh yeah, stand up for the Lord.

Stephen takes a satirical poke at the music people themselves in this verse: "Makin controversial music and pullin' the money," accurately describes the state of our music industry today. Eventually, however, you soon find the money and attention is never enough. "You just ain't funny." My son once again emphasizes another solution, another way. "Just give your life to the Lord ... Don't ya think it's about time we let the Lord in?"

Stand up, Stand up, Sit down, Psyche

Too busy preachin' the word on the mic

He's got the whole world in His hands

But some people just don't understand

Believe in the Lord and you'll find out

That he'll put joy in your life and there's no doubt

That followin' Jesus never leaves you bored

C'mon y'all, Oh yeah, stand up for the Lord.

Music is a wonderful tool used for expressing our deep love for God. No generation should ever claim to know which music is proper. After all, one generation's barroom melody could soon be another's sacred hymn. We need to learn to value all styles of music knowing that if you respect and appreciate my music ... you also respect and appreciate me. "C'mon y'all, Oh yeah, stand up for the Lord."

Website: CrossTies

The Indescribable Gift

billdenton@crossties.org (Bill Denton) — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0600

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15 NAS)

Your standard man, at this point in the Christmas season, has purchased zero gifts. He has not yet gotten around to purchasing an acceptable gift for his wife for last Christmas. He did give her something last year, but he could tell by her reaction to it that she had not been dreaming of getting an auto emergency kit, even though it was the deluxe model with booster cables and an air compressor. Clearly this gift violated an important rule, but the man had no idea what this rule was, and his wife was too upset to tell him. (Dave Barry, "Your Gift Is in the Male," The Washington Post 12-12-04)

Men are notorious gift-givers. OK, that may be a misleading statement, because Dave Barry probably has us men pegged accurately. We're not all that great at buying gifts. We think we're being practical, the person for whom we bought the gift thinks we're nuts. When it comes to gift-giving, most of us men could use a little help.

I remember a time when I asked my wife what she wanted for her birthday. She said, "Oh, nothing." Now, being the very logical, practical person that I am, I took her at her word. When her birthday rolled around, there was no present. Let's just say that I try not to make the same mistake any more. I read somewhere about a fellow who bought his wife a rain gauge for their anniversary. After all, being a farmer's daughter, she often kept up with the weather. His gift is now one of the family jokes, and I suspect he shops with a different purpose now-a-days. I've heard all kinds of gift stories. Some of them make you scratch your head and wonder what in the world that guy was thinking about when he bought that. Others make you smile as you realize how well-intentioned the gift was, but how far off the mark it ended up. Some get the "Oh, no!" response as you realize the gift was really what the giver himself wanted. Of course, most of these stories are tales about men's attempts at gift-giving.

Thankfully, not everyone is so gift-challenged. Plenty of wives have opened up a little black felt box and gasped at the sparkling gem inside. Or, they've opened the door and found one of those huge red bows topping a new car. Or, they opened a card to read a not-so-bad attempt at love poetry. There have been children shocked when Dad actually got them that new bicycle or the pony. Occasionally, we men can come through with a great gift.

There is One who has come through with the greatest gift of all. When God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to die for our sins and to rise from the dead to give hope of eternal life, it was the gift of all gifts. No gift-loaded Christmas tree has ever secreted a gift as loving, as desperately needed, as beautiful, or as magnificent. We may struggle to give appropriate gifts, but God has come through for us with a gift for all time, for all eternity. It's an indescribable gift!

Website: CrossTies

Courage in a Crisis

billdenton@crossties.org (Bill Denton) — Mon, 12 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0500

"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7 NASB)

"Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway." (Actor John Wayne)

Hurricane Katrina thrashed the coastal areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida last week. If you watched the news at all, you saw the near total devastation of the great city of New Orleans. Closer to home, I saw areas of Biloxi where we once lived, and was amazed at the power of wind and water to simply erase what had once been.

I listened to a lady on television describe how she had gone back to her two-story brick apartment building only to discover that it wasn't there any more. All she found that belonged to her was a shoe. I have a friend who preaches in Pascagoula. He's pretty sure his house is gone. Not only that but at this point, he fears that just about the entire church that he preached for is gone. Oh, the building is still standing; I'm talking about the people. Their houses are gone. Their jobs are gone. There is nothing to come back to, assuming they got out of harm's way. He doesn't even know if he will go back and if he does, what will be there?

I grabbed a bite of lunch today at Wendy's. And it was there that I was reminded of the resilient spirit God put into people. The place was full of refugees, most of whom were trying to figure out how to get home. Some were from south Mississippi, others from Louisiana. All were sharing similar stories. One lady said her biggest fear was that her house would be full of snakes!

Still, they were headed home. One man said his wife was a nurse and she needed to get home so she could get to work. Two young guys in a short bed truck had the thing loaded down with gear. I heard someone say they had been looking for generators to take back south. The storm created a crisis. God created people to rise to the occasion.

I saw people obviously displaced and displeased with the problems, but at the same time I saw people with a simple, easy determination. Not everything they were talking about seemed to me to be the smart thing to do. After all, as I write this, there is a real problem with gas for automobiles. Two guys went out the door and one said to the other, "OK, worst case scenario, how far do you think we can get if we can't find any gas?" I didn't hear the answer, but they went out, climbed into the truck and left. I can only assume they're headed home.

Prayers, help, financial assistance will all be needed in the weeks and months ahead. This disaster will leave its effects for generations, I'm afraid. After all, we're still talking about Camille and this one may have been just as bad or worse. But, when all is said and done, people will survive, rebuild, and get on with life. It's the way God made us. It's courage in a crisis, long-term anyway.

Website: CrossTies

Marriage Can Be a Lot of Work!

billdenton@crossties.org (Bill Denton) — Sat, 20 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0500

The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man." For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:23-24 NASB)

In the midst of marital disagreement, it is not uncommon for a spouse to wonder if there isn't somebody with whom they would be more compatible. Suleyman Guresci, of Izmir, Turkey, divorced his wife of 21 years after a bitter six-year court battle. In an effort to find the ideal woman, Guresci turned to a computer dating service - the kind that evaluates your written profile and suggests matches for you. From a list of 2,000 prospective brides, the computer selected his former wife, who (unbeknownst to Guresci) had signed up for the same service. Guresci's response? He decided to remarry his wife just nine months after their divorce.
He said, "I did not know that my ex-wife had been the ideal counterpart for a marriage. I decided to give it another try by being more tolerant toward her." Raymond McHenry, "Stories for the Soul," p.176

Marriage can be a lot of trouble. Just think about all the time, effort, expense, worry, tension, and heartbreak that goes into the male-female relationship. Young people grow up worrying that someone of the opposite sex won't like them. The same young people often have concerns about what real love is, how they know they are in love, what to do if they think they're in love, and wonder what would happen if the other person really does love them back.

Then there is all the fuss about engagements and weddings. Most guys seem to breeze along and go with whatever they are told to do, but for many young women, it's a big deal. It's even a bigger deal for the mother of the bride-to-be. There are so many decisions to be made, a wedding dress to choose, bridesmaids dresses, decorations, people to invite and more. Yes, it's trouble.

Then the wedding happens and the happy couple gets hit with rice or birdseed, climb into a terribly decorated car and launch into married life. Maybe they enjoy a few days of honeymoon, but sooner or later, just about every couple wakes up one day and comes to a frightening realization: marriage is a lot of trouble and with all its joys and blessings, it also requires a lot of work!

That person you adored can sometimes seem like a stranger. He or she has weird ideas about decorating the house, how to spend money, whose parents you will visit on holidays, what leisure time is all about, and even what TV shows to watch. Resolving financial problems isn't simply a matter of choosing what to buy; it's having enough money period. Communication can grow in volume in direct proportion to the frustration level caused by one's spouse. Nope, marriage isn't easy, it's hard.

I dare you to read your Bible and find the passage that says marriage is easy. Let me save you more trouble. It's not there. Marriage takes work, effort, purpose, and time, but it can succeed beautifully ... especially when we realize that God has given us "the ideal counterpart" and we have "decided to give it another try by being more tolerant."

Website: CrossTies

Fathers Know a Secret

billdenton@crossties.org (Bill Denton) — Sun, 19 Jun 2005 00:00:00 -0500

Fathers know a deep, dark secret about their side of parenting. Being a father is confusing and often frightening. Bill Cosby once wrote, "If God had trouble handling children, what makes you think it would be a piece of cake for you?" (Cosby was referring to Adam and Eve and their disobedience in the garden.) To make our task even more challenging, somewhere along the way our children develop the firm conviction that Dad never even lived in the real world or his brain is stuck in a malfunction mode! The real clincher is found in the common belief that all world problems are caused by American males (OK, so this is a slight overstatement, but notice how dads are most often portrayed on TV — dumb, out to lunch, mean ...). It all adds up to quite a challenge.

Most men want to succeed as fathers. They think they are taking their role seriously. Though many men wouldn't admit it, they are eager for something that will enhance their effectiveness as a father. Dads can become heroes to their children. It takes a lot of work, patience and love, but it's possible. What follows are some suggestions that will help you fight the misperceptions of fathers in your own family by doing some right things with your children.

Be Around
Few things are as important as your presence. Dads often make lots of excuses. There is work, there is this project or that. There's the civic club, the golf game, the tickets to the ball game or the hunting trip. Twenty years from now your kids won't care about any of that and neither will you. You'll be wondering what happened to the relationship. Your kids need you. Be there.

Learn How To Encourage
Parents, by nature, tend toward the negative. "Don't" and "can't" are necessary tools. They help keep the kids out of the fire and help them understand it's not good to eat the whole jar of peanut butter at once. But, kids need to know what they can do. Validate their abilities by telling them when they do something well. It will give them courage to do even better.

Admit Your Faults
If you don't admit your faults, you'll be the only one ignoring them. Admit faults and be man enough to apologize. It will make you more sensitive about how you handle your children's faults. It will also make it easier for your kids to forgive you when you need it.

Make Trust A Priority
Trust comes two ways. One is to earn it through dependability and consistency. The other way is a gift. Children need to learn both. Show children they can trust you. Earn their trust. Teach them they must earn trust as well. However, there comes a time when you extend trust as a gift. When you do, you will tap into your child's increasing maturity.

Show Tenderness
Too many American fathers grew up with the "macho-man" idea. Be strong, be tough, be hard, be busy. That's fine if you're a character in a Clint Eastwood cowboy movie, but it doesn't do much for relationships with kids. Children need to see that Dad is touched by some things, that there are emotions inside, and not just angry ones. Little boys and girls need hugs and kisses from big Dads. Many grownups cry because they never heard Dad say, "I love you," or felt a loving embrace from strong arms.

Love Your Wife
The single best source of input regarding marriage is from one's parents. Respect your kid's Mom. Be kind to her. Demand that your children respect her as well. Your response to your wife develops a sense of security in your children. Give your kids the security of a loving marriage.

Respect Authority
Most fathers want to fill the role of authority. However, if you want your children to respect authority they must see it in you. Show respect for God, church, government, and your boss. Show respect for your own parents, if they are still living, or speak of them in ways that show respect if they are no longer around. Your example will instill the right attitude in your children's minds.

Be A Christian
Take the lead in spiritually nurturing your children. Plant spiritual values in your children's hearts. Teach them about God, Christ and His church. Show them it's important. Talk about death and eternal matters, but illustrate the importance by your own life. God will become important to children when God is important to Dad.

Teach The Bible To Your Children
Fathers spend thousands of dollars educating children for a job. They often spend little educating them for a life. The Bible will help your kids know how to live. You should be the primary instructor. One simple way to do this is to get a children's Bible and read 1 story a night with your children when they are young. As they grow older, simply go to more grown up Bible stories until you are actually reading the Bible with them, or discussing what they have read in Scripture on their own.

Be Fun
There are plenty of times for seriousness. Your kids need to know that you can laugh and have fun. Lighten up! Everything is not earth-shatteringly important. Laugh at jokes, mistakes and yourself. Let some things happen with a smile instead of a frown. Your kids will think that you're great fun to be with. Bet you'd like that, wouldn't you?

Now a word to you fathers. Don't make your children angry by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction approved by the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)

Website: CrossTies

We Have to Serve?

billdenton@crossties.org (Bill Denton) — Sat, 21 Aug 2004 00:00:00 -0500

For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves. (Luke 22:27 NASB)

We like to think of ourselves as becoming like Jesus. After all, who led a more noble life than he did? We admire his compassion, gentleness, perseverance, and purity -- all of his respectable qualities. But, Christ's own testimony about himself was, "I am among you as one who serves." (Luke 22:27) We can't leave out this part of Christ's character. If we are not becoming better servants of both God and man, we are not becoming more like Jesus. (Ray Hoo, "Turn Your World Upside Down," Discipleship Journal: Issue 10, 1999. Electronic ed. Colorado Springs: The Navigators/NavPress.)

Serving is no fun!
A teen class once sat around a table planning a special event for the older folks at church. It involved preparing a fun meal with a menu that purposely disguised everything. From the eating utensils to dessert, everything had funny names. The idea was to get people to put in their "order" for a four-course meal. Each course had to be selected from the menu, but nobody really knew what they ordered. You might end up not getting your fork until the fourth course! You might have to improvise and eat your mashed potatoes with your pickle spear! Then came the blow. The teens were to serve each of the four courses and clean up afterwards. One said, "We have to serve?"

There you are. It's the question that bounces around almost every time. Sometimes it goes unspoken, but you can bet it doesn't go unthought. The truth is that most of us would rather be on the receiving end of the serving than the giving end.

There are lots of practical reasons, of course. Serving takes time and effort. It almost always means doing something that somebody else wants done, and doing it their way! Serving usually interferes with our normal routine, or it requires us to set aside something we'd rather be doing. Serving has a bad habit of putting us into things that we find undesirable, doing things for people we'd rather not be doing it for, and generally making us wish we were doing something else. Serving often means we end up in other people's messes. It means we get dirty, sweaty, and smelly. Serving, by its nature, is on the low side of things. There are countless practical reasons for us to dislike serving.

It all makes Jesus hard to explain -- at least from the practical point of view. Yet, there he was having come into the world as the preeminent servant. Think about that phrase, for it is something of a misnomer. Still, it describes Jesus well. As his disciples, we've been called to serve. It is the more difficult job. It is the least thankful job. It is the one most do not want. Still want the job?

Jesus did!

Website: CrossTies

1 + 1 = Many

billdenton@crossties.org (Bill Denton) — Wed, 19 May 2004 00:00:00 -0500

"Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God." (Luke 8:11 NASB)

One of America's great preachers came one Sunday in midwinter to an appointment. The day was unusually stormy and bitterly cold, and he found the building empty. However, he took his seat in the pulpit and waited. One man came in, and at the appointed hour the preacher stood up and opened the service. At its close the solitary auditor departed without waiting to face the minister. About twenty years later, the same preacher was accosted by a stranger. "Do you remember," he asked, preaching years ago to one man at such a place?" "Yes, I do, indeed," replied Dr. Lyman Beecher. "If you are that man, I have been wanting ever since to meet you." "I am the man," was the answer. "That sermon saved my soul, and led me into the ministry. The converts of your sermon, sir, are all over Ohio." (William Moses Tidwell, Pointed Illustrations.

When I was in college, I heard someone tell a similar story to the one above. It seems that a preacher held what used to be called a "gospel meeting." It was during the days when one and two week long schedules were common. Each night, the preacher faithfully delivered his sermon, proclaiming the gospel of Jesus to his audience. Though he tried hard to reach people, the only person saved during that meeting was one little girl. For years, he thought of that meeting as a dismal failure. However, that little girl grew up to be a fine Christian woman. She married a good Christian man, and they had several boys, all of whom grew up to be preachers of the gospel. The converts produced by their preaching numbered into the thousands. I wonder if that preacher still thought of the conversion of one little girl as a failure?

[Editor's Note: While this may have been true in several places, I know of one person of whom this was true. One of my former elders, Lynn Taylor, said this lady was his grandmother and that in the second generation, all the boys were either elders or preachers as well.]

It is very likely that modern Christians have forgotten our job. We get caught up in all sorts of self-imposed responsibilities, most of which are well-intentioned and valuable. Still, the one, single thing that the Lord sent us into the world to accomplish gets little emphasis.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus revealed something powerful. "The seed is the word of God." You could turn that statement around and it would mean the same thing, but it would give an emphasis that we need to grasp. "The word of God is the seed." More specifically, Jesus sent all his disciples, including us, into the world to plant the seed of the gospel in the hearts of everyone.

"All the nations," as Matthew would put it. "All creation," as Mark would say. We need to start telling people about Jesus, the Son of God, who came into the world, died on a cross and was raised from the dead. He became the sacrifice that takes away all our sins, makes us right with the Father, cleanses us to live a holy life, and grants us eternal life. Nobody is too bad, too ugly, too wrong, too lost to share in glory. But, it is also true that without Christ, they are terribly lost and condemned forever.

God dearly wants to save people. But, he's made the saving of people dependent upon our telling them the good news. They can't turn to God if they don't believe. They can't believe in the Christ if they haven't heard about him. They can't hear unless someone tells them. The question is: "who will go and tell the lost that salvation awaits them?" Stop waiting for someone else to do it. Go today and share the good news. Will there be many who refuse it? Yes. Will there be some who are saved? Absolutely! How many are you willing to save? Let me suggest that just one person is worth the effort.

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