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Scriptural Teaching on Ministry to Children

October 23, 2007 by William Higgins

Jesus was very concerned that children be valued and ministered to by his people. I’m not sure there is anything more important than tending to the children among us – from our own families and from the community as well.

Yet among Christian groups there are different, even conflicting ways of approaching ministry to children. So we are called to discern how we will sort  through these issues; how we will minister to the children of this congregation.

As Elders we have been working on this, and we now invite you to enter into the process. That’s what this meeting is all about. I will give a presentation tonight on our understanding and our recommendations. It is our intention to move toward common understandings and practices on these issues – policies if you will.

We invite your feedback. Think of this as a Sunday School class. Stop me and ask questions or make comments. Some of this may be controversial or maybe not. I don’t know. What is important is that we let the Scriptures guide us in this.

The first thing I want us to look at, and what underlies much of what follows, is that Scripture teaches that

1. Children are a part of the kingdom of God

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God” – Mark 10:14. This comes from the story of Jesus blessing the children. In the last part of this verse Jesus teaches that children “belong to the kingdom of God.” This teaches us that we do not need to worry about the destiny of children, at least in terms of their immediate status with God. They are a part of the kingdom of God; the realm of God’s blessing and salvation. Or to put it plainly they are saved; they are safe in God’s grace.

But what is the age of these children who are a part of the kingdom? The first clue comes from Luke’s version of this story. He specifically notes that “they were bringing even infants to him” – Luke 18:15. The second clue comes from the word that Jesus uses for “children” – “paidion.” Based on its use in the New Testament this word refers to children from birth (e.g. Luke 1:59 – 8 days old) to puberty (e.g. Mark 5:39-42 – 12 years old). So the reference here is roughly to any child 12 or below – preadolescent children.

This is cruical for what follows. Jesus teaches us here that we should not think of our children simply as small adults:

Unlike adults, who need conversion to enter the kingdom, and are thus baptized as a sign of their conversion, the kingdom already belongs to children.

2. Children are not mature

A child in Scripture means one who is not mature. Along these lines it is used figuratively to refer to adults who are not mature in some way (e.g. I Corinthians 3:1). Literal children are not mature in many ways, but the focus here is on their inability to discern and choose between right and wrong for themselves.

  • Deuteronomy 1:39 talks about “ . . . your little ones . . . and your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil . . ..”
  • Isaiah 7:15 speaks of maturity in these terms: “when (the child) knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.”
  • Hebrews 5:13-14 defines maturity in this way – “those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”

3. Children are born with “fleshly desires”

Not only are children not mature in terms of being able to make moral and religious choices, they have an inborn tendency to resist righteousness. As we know, they often do not do what is right. Like all humans, no matter what age, children must struggle with the desires of the flesh; our natural desires that lead us to do what we want instead of what God wants.

  • As Jesus said, with regard to doing God’s will – “the flesh is weak” – Mark 14:38.
  • Paul said, “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law – Romans 8:7.

4. We are to train our children

Given the condition of children, the task of parents and the people of God is to train, shape and form them in the way of the Lord. Moses said to Israel in Deuteronomy 6:7 – “You shall teach my commandments diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Paul says in Ephesians 6:4, Christian parents are to raise their children in “the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

In practical terms this means teaching them:

  • what is right and wrong according to God
  • the contents of Scripture
  • about faith and helping them to learn to trust in God
  • about repentance and forgiveness when they do wrong
  • how to pray
  • how resist temptation

We are to teach them all this and more through both word and perhaps most importantly example – as they see us live out the Christian life.

The church also has a role in this training of children given its commission by Jesus to “make disciples” of all peoples (Matthew 28:19). We strive to do this through our various programming for children, especially Sunday school.

5. Childhood faith is good and should be honored

When we train our children in the way of the Lord they will most often come to have a childhood faith in God and Jesus. Even though the faith of children is different from adult faith (see below) it is loved by God and should be honored by the church.

  • Samuel served God as a child – 1 Samuel 3.
  • At age 12 Jesus knew God’s way better than the adults – Luke 2:42-50.
  • As Jesus said, God accepts and loves the praise of children – Matthew 21:15-16.

6. Adult faith is different and is the goal of our training

A child’s faith is dependent on what parents or others teach them. Since they are not fully able to discern and choose for themselves this is appropriate to their situation.

Adult faith, however, is different. It is a choice based on the person’s own discernment of what is right and wrong. And even though an adult’s faith will continue to grow and mature – the ability to discern for oneself and choose is what makes adult faith fundamentally different than the faith of a child.

So the goal of our training is that when our children are mature (past the age of childhood acceptance before God – see #1) they will be ready to begin to discern and choose to enter the kingdom of God for themselves. As Paul writes to Timothy– “from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” – 2 Timothy 3:14-15. Our training is meant to equip our children so that when they are ready and able they will choose salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. For those with childhood faith this may well be a smooth and seamless transition.

7. Children and baptism

That baptism is for adults can be seen in several ways:

The symbolic meaning of baptism involves, among other things, the choice to leave the world and sin behind in order to walk in Jesus’ way. Or, to use the similar imagery of Romans 6  – baptism has to do with dying to your old life of sin and being raised to a new life of righteousness. But children are still a part of the kingdom of God, not the world. They have not yet even entered this adult world of choosing and discerning for themselves – along with culpably sinning before God. To apply this symbol to them is inappropriate in that it doesn’t properly reflect their status before God. They aren’t leaving the world and sin behind. They are already in the kingdom.

In Scripture, baptism is uniformly connected with adult kinds of responses: hearing the gospel, understanding it, and choosing faith and repentance in response to the message. But by definition children are not able to discern and choose to have faith in Jesus for themselves. The faith that they have is dependent on what parents and others have taught them.

Finally, Jesus connects baptism with discipleship, or “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” in Matthew 28:19-20. But children are not able to make the serious, adult kinds of choices that Jesus requires of all disciples. Jesus calls us to obey his hard teachings, to submit to church discipline and to sacrifice our lives for the kingdom.

Given this, baptism should not be applied to preadolescent children – even those who have a childhood faith in Jesus. Baptism is meant to be the marker of adult faith in Jesus. It is the way that Jesus chose for adults to publicly identify with him as a Christian and as a disciple. So baptism should be reserved for those who are able to have adult-faith; for those who are (roughly) 13 or older.

For those with childhood faith, baptism should be looked forward to as the symbol of transition from childhood faith to adult faith.

What we need, and are proposing, is a ritual for those who come to childhood faith, to affirm and support their faith, allowing us to reserve baptism for its proper role with reference to adults.

When our child matures to the point of making adult choices in relation to God – they may well be ready for baptism, or their childhood faith may continue on for a while, or they may discern and choose not to follow Jesus. We should be careful in this transition time not to pressure them into baptism. To be genuine, it must come from their own initiative, discernment and choice, although it is always appropriate to invite them to make this decision.

8. Children and the Lord’s supper

Symbolically the Lord’s supper represents much of what baptism represents.

The bread, coming from the Passover meal, speaks to leaving behind our old lives of bondage and despair in the world (just as Israel left Egypt behind). As was noted above under baptism, this is not an appropriate symbolic statement about where children are in their status before God. The bread also assumes an adult type choice to leave behind the world and sin in order to follow God. Each time we partake we remind ourselves of this commitment that we made to God at the time of our baptism.

The cup, coming from the covenant ceremony of Exodus 24 (where Israel agreed to obey all that God commanded), has a covenant context. It assumes that we have covenanted with God through baptism and it calls us to remember this adult type commitment – to do all that Jesus has commanded (Matthew 28:19).

So the Lord’s supper is a meal for those who have made the adult kind of commitment that is required to be a disciple of Jesus – baptism. Those with childhood faith should be taught to look forward to their baptism, when they too will be able to take part in this discipleship meal.

9. The blessing of children

Jesus is very clear that we are to “receive” children in his name. Jesus said in Mark 9:37 – “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” Jesus is also very clear that we are to “let the children come” to him – Mark 10:14. We are not to be like the disciples who tried to hold back the children from Jesus; who made Jesus angry.

But if baptism and the Lord’s supper are not the way to do this as a church, what is? The Gospels answer this question by telling the story of Jesus blessing the children.

“And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.. . . And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them” – Mark 10:13-16.

So, to “let the children come” to Jesus (Mark 10:14) is defined in this story in verse 16. And what it means to receive children in Mark 9:37 is explained here in Mark 10:16.

When Jesus ministered to children he did not baptize them or give them the Lord’s supper. He took them, prayed for them and blessed them. He took the time to receive them and care for them and to minister God’s blessing into their lives. This is also what we should do.

10. A summary of practical outcomes

1. We should have a continued focus on training our children: Sunday school, bible school and girls’ clubs. And we should seek to equip and support our parents as teachers of their children.
2. We should continue to have a service of blessing for our babies upon their presentation to the church and we should be ready to pray for God’s blessing for children, whenever they or their parents seek it out.
3. We should reserve baptism for adolescent young people and older.
4. We should provide a public ceremony to affirm and support the expression of childhood faith in our children.
5. We should reserve the Lord’s supper for those who are baptized.
6. We should provide a special time of blessing for children each time we celebrate the Lord’s supper so that they are included and are able to be ministered to by Jesus.
7. For the preadolescent children among us who are already baptized, we would like to walk with them, invite them to catechism classes, as needed when they are ready, and in general encourage them to own their faith as young adults as well.

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A note on the connection between the hallowing and kingdom requests

October 10, 2007 by William Higgins

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Reflections on the Lord’s Prayer 9/04

September 30, 2007 by William Higgins

This is a presentation I gave several years ago on the Lord’s prayer – Reflections on the Lord’s Prayer

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Jesus, our Teacher

September 19, 2007 by William Higgins

Last week, we talked about Jesus our Savior. But for many Christians today that’s as far as it goes, because they go on and live their lives according to whatever they think is best or according to whoever they choose to listen to. But as scripture teaches us Jesus in not just our Savior,

Jesus is also our teacher

In fact, as Jesus says in Matthew 23:10 – “you have one teacher, the Christ.” In other words, Jesus is telling us that he is our one teacher; he is our true teacher. This means that

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Jesus, our Savior

September 9, 2007 by William Higgins

Today, I want to share with you about Jesus and how he is our Savior.

The Scriptures present a dire picture of our condition

That’s because when we sin, there are always consequences. Galatians 6:7 says, talking about sin, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” This is an unfailing law for every person on earth – no exceptions. Paul says, “don’t be deceived” because for some reason we always think that it won’t apply to us. But it does.

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What to do when there is conflict

August 26, 2007 by William Higgins

We are bringing our summer series to a close today. We’ve been looking at building healthy relationships with each other in our church community. We talked about: Repentance, forgiveness, going to the one who has wronged you to seek peace; anger; gossip; and last week not judging. Today we deal with conflict.

The first thing I want to say is that –

Conflict is a normal part of life

 Given our different backgrounds, life experiences, personalities, and understandings of things – it is inevitable. We will have disagreements in faith and practice – all the way to what the color of the carpet should be & everything in between!

What I am sayings is that it is not a sin to disagree. In fact, it is not even a failure to disagree. Often conflict means that we are getting into real relationships with each other. We are getting past the small talk. Working through these conflicts can be tremendous for building true community.

 Conflict was certainly a part of the early church

  • In Acts 6:1 we find that the Judean Christians overlooked the needs of the Hellenistic Christians in terms of passing out the food rations to the widows. It says, “Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.”
  • In 1 Corinthians 1:11 we see that there was quarrelling among different groups in the Corinthian church. It says, “For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers and sisters.”
  • And in Philippians 4:2-3 we find two coworkers of Paul who could not get along. It says, “I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel . . ..”

Conflict is normal and when we see it among us we should not be surprised. I mean, think about it, if the apostolic church had it – certainly we will! The key is how you respond to it. This is where we get into trouble; this is where we can fail or fall into sin. So let me share with you seven things to do when there is conflict that will help us to work toward peace.

 1. Love the person

Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 in terms of conflict. “Love is patient and kind” in the midst of conflict. “Love does not envy or boast. Love is not arrogant or rude” in how it responds to the other. “Love does not insist on its own way.” It is open to hear the other; it is yielding. “Love is not irritable or resentful. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.” It is not happy if the other person is shown to be wrong. The focus is on what is best and right. “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” Even when there is conflict.

This is how we should treat others with whom we disagree. We should never demonize them, tear down, or think the worst of them just because they dare not agree with us. Loving the other person is foundational.

 2. Go to the other person

It is not necessary that we agree on everything, but in some cases we have to come to a resolution to move forward or to get along. In these cases – don’t go to someone else and gossip, go to the person you disagree with. This comes from Matthew 18:15. This is talking about when someone has wronged you, but the principle of face to face contact certainly applies here also.

 3. Work hard to understand the other person’s point of view

James 1:19 says in part, “Know this, my beloved sisters and brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak . . ..” You should be quick to hear the one who disagrees with you. You should be slow to speak, actually listening and not just waiting to give your side. Understand their position clearly and why they hold it. You should be able to make their case for them.

4. Seek to find a mutually satisfying resolution

In Acts 6 we saw how there was a conflict in the Jerusalem church over the food allotment for widows between the Judean Jews and the Hellenistic Jews. Well, they came together and found a solution that satisfied everyone. The apostles would focus on preaching and prayer and they appointed seven deacons to tend to the practical needs of the community, including the widows.

Notice as well that these deacons all seem to have Hellenistic names. So the majority, the Judeans worked hard to take care of the concerns of the Hellenists. They put them in charge of the food allotment.

This is an example to us. Out of love and respect we work to deal with the issues in a way that is acceptable to all.

5. If necessary, accept mediation

 If the two of you can’t work something out, let someone else come in who is good at working at resolutions; perhaps even a conflict mediator. In Philippians 4:2-3 Paul says, “I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel . . ..” Paul is talking to a specific person and asking him to help these women get along. For the sake of peace, be willing to accept this kind of help with your conflicts.

6. In some cases we might need to accept the disagreementand move  forward separately but peacefully

 Now often Christians separate over the smallest of issues; even just over having a conflict! But in some cases the disagreement is over central values or issues of  conscience. This is different.

Paul & Barnabas could not agree on an important issue: taking Mark along with them on their second missionary journey. Mark had abandoned them on the first trip. Acts 15:39 says, “And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other.” One did ministry in one place and the other did ministry in another place.

Christians will not always agree on things. This is why we have different kinds of churches. But let it be without bitterness and spite. Notice that we find Paul later praising Barnabas (1 Corinthians 9) and wanting Mark’s services (Colossians 4).

 7. In some cases we might need to allow mature believers to render a  resolution

In 1 Corinthians 6:5, after rebuking them for taking each other to court (which Christians should never do), Paul says, “Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers?” Paul is saying, in essence, form your own (Christian) court. Gather mature, wise believers who can offer a resolution that both parties bind themselves to, even if it is not exactly what they wanted, for the sake of peace.

In all of this –

Our goal is to live in peace with one another

Listen to these admonitions to peace in the New Testament, which certainly apply to situations of conflict:

  • “Be at peace with one another” – Mark 9:50
  • “Be at peace among yourselves” – I Thessalonians 5:13
  • “Live in harmony with one another” – Romans 12:16
  • “Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual up-building” – Romans 14:19
  • “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed your were called in the one body” – Colossians 3:15
  • “Pursue peace with everyone” – Hebrews 12:14

We find this peace, not by sweeping conflict under the rug, or living in denial, but by dealing with it in the ways that we have looked at.

Sometimes it takes hard work to deal with conflict

And the temptation is to deny it or sweep it under the rug. Just because conflict is normal, doesn’t mean it is easy. It can be very painful, distressing and trying. But as Paul says, “If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” – Romans 12:18. This doesn’t mean live peaceably until it seems impossible and then don’t live peaceably. It means for your part do everything you can to live in peace with others. You can’t force someone to live in peace with you. But do all you can from your end.

Let us each commit to do everything in our power to live in peace with one another, by working through our conflicts even when it is hard.

William Higgins

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Judgment or Mercy?

August 19, 2007 by William Higgins

What you give to others,  is what you will get from God

 We are looking again at our relationships with each other and how to be a healthy community. Today we look at the topic of judging. Our text is Luke 6:37-38 – “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

“Don’t judge me!”

 . . . is a phrase you hear all the time these days. It means, “don’t tell me what I am doing is wrong;” “don’t put your values on me.” In our culture it is live and let live. Everyone does what is right in his or her own eyes. As long as you aren’t hurting others, its OK. And this has come into the church as well as we privatize our lives so that we think that what we do is not anyone else’s business.

Needless to say this isn’t what Jesus meant when he said “Do not judge.” We know this because:

  • Jesus pointed out sin in people’s lives all the time and he called them to change. For instance in Luke 16:14-15 – “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, ‘You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.’” Jesus was never afraid to point out sin
  • Also, Jesus taught that in the church we are to hold each other accountable for our behavior – Matthew 18:15-17. This is what we call church discipline. This involves pointing out sin in other’s lives and calling them to repent. Paul even calls this process “judging” in             I Corinthians 5:12-13.

So clearly pointing out sin and calling people to repent is not what Jesus is forbidding.

What then does Jesus mean??

There are three clues from our text:

Clue #1: “Judge not” is linked to the phrase – “and you will not be judged.” This last phrase is a reference to the final judgment. So “judge not” is connected to the final judgment, which links it with things like: the end of mercy; a final verdict; and punishment for sins.

Clue #2: “Judge not” equals “condemn not.” They are in synonymous parallelism with each other. This means that they say the same thing in slightly different ways. To condemn means to pronounce a person guilty and enact punishment on the person.

Clue #3: “Judge not” means the opposite of “forgive” and “give” (mercy). They are in antithetical parallelism with each other. So to judge is to withhold mercy or forgiveness.

So when we see someone struggling with sin, Jesus forbids that we: condemn, seek to punish them, write them off (give a final verdict on them so that we don’t need to worry about them anymore), withhold mercy, or withhold forgiveness even if they repent. Rather, in mercy we seek to help them out of their sin and then forgive and restore.

  • We are to act redemptively, not punitively
  • We are to help them up, not put them down
  • We are to always leave open the possibility that they might change, not close the door of mercy on them

Examples of these different approaches 

These help us see the contrasts between these responses to sin in people’s lives:

The tax collectors and prostitutes: The scribes and the Pharisees pointed out their sin but only to condemn them; only to write them off as beyond mercy. Jesus pointed out their sin but showed concern and love for them. He went to them and sought to help them out of their sin.

The adulterous woman – John 8: Her accusers pointed out her sin and only sought to punish her; to stone her to death. But Jesus had mercy on her. He called her to stop sinning. He took a redemptive approach.

The Gentiles – Romans 2: Many Jews had judged the Gentiles as hopelessly evil and wrote them off. They simply avoided them. Paul loved and worked with the Gentiles. He reminds these Jews that it is “the riches of God’s kindness and forbearance and patience” that leads people to repentance (2:4), not hard hearted condemnation.

What about in our day? How do you respond to those who struggle with drug abuse, giving in to homosexual desires, or those who have a  history of being a sex offender? Do you seek to condemn, punish, write them off, put down, ridicule? Or in mercy do you seek to act in redemptive ways to help them with their problem?

Why this kind of judging is forbidden

1) Because this is not the final day. 1 Corinthians 4:5 says, “Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes.” Now is the day of grace – 2 Corinthians 6:2 – not judgment. As James says God is “able to save” sinners – 4:12.

Even notorious sinners can repent. Paul said, “I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost sinner Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life” – I Timothy 1:16. God is busy extending mercy to sinners, and so should we. Final judgment must await the appointed time when Jesus returns. Even with church discipline, this is not a final verdict. We hope and pray for their repentance.

2) Because we are not qualified to make such judgments. It is God who judges. James says, “There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” – 4:12. And only God is able to judge. Paul says, “God will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart” – I Corinthians 4:5.

3) Because we are ourselves only forgiven sinners. How can we, who escaped God’s condemnation only by God’s mercy, turn around and withhold mercy from someone else and condemn them? We have no ground to stand on.

Scripture talks about this a lot: Romans 2:1 – “For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” John 8:7 – “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” Matthew 18:32-33 – in the parable of the unforgiving servant the master says, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?”

Finally, a warning and a promise

Jesus said in Luke 6:38 –  “the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” In the parallel in Matthew 7:2 he said, “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” This teaches us that how we treat others now is how God will treat us on the final day. This principle can work against us or for us.

The warning: If we judge and condemn when we see sin in someone’s life; if we are harsh with others, if we reject others as rejected by God, if we exclude others from the realm of whom we love – God will do the same to us. The same measure will be applied to us.

But the promise is this – if we act in merciful ways toward the one struggling with sin, God will be merciful to us and in great abundance. Jesus says – “a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap” – Luke 6:38

It can go either way. Its up to you! So let’s choose to be merciful, so that we will receive mercy from our heavenly Father.

William Higgins

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God wants every part of every part of you

August 12, 2007 by William Higgins

Today I want to pick up a theme we touched on in January when we looked at the Shema. And we begin by looking at Mark 12:29-30:

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord alone is God. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

This is Jesus quoting Deuteronomy 6:4-5. Would you say it with me?

Alright, let me remind you of two things about this –

Call for commitment to God

1) God wants every part of us. We are to love God with our

  • heart
  • soul
  • mind
  • and strength

This covers every part of us, both our inner person and our strength or body. God claims all of us, not just part of us. Everything within us and everything else.

2) God wants all of every part of us

  • not just part of our heart – but all of our heart
  • not just piece of our soul – but all of our soul
  • not just a portion of our mind – but all of our mind
  • not just a percentage of our strength – but all of our strength

God wants every part of every part of you.

But . . . what we actually do is usually far short of what God demands. What we actually give God is, often, just a part of ourselves. We do this in different ways. We have what I call –

Strategies of commitment avoidance

These are ways in which we hold back on giving ourselves fully to God. We will look at several examples of these.

1. We give God the stuff that doesn’t require sacrifice. Honor my parents? Sure! That’s easy. They are good and noble people. But love my enemies – who harm me, slander me, threaten to kill me? No way!

God wants even what seems too difficult for you to give

2. We give God the stuff that makes us look good. Be honest? Well it’s hard, but sure, I’ll get a good reputation out of it. But when God asks me to share my faith with my coworkers? No way! That would embarrass me. They might disapprove of me or make fun of me.

God wants all of you, even if it causes you shame.

3. We give God the religious stuff and keep the rest for ourselves. Sure, I will go to church and say a prayer now and again. But order my private life according to God’s will? You know, let God control who I date, who I marry, my sex life, what career I have, how I run my business, what I do with my money. No way!

God wants control of your private life.

4. We give God the stuff that doesn’t take much faith. Yes, I will serve God here and there. But serve God when it means leaving my family, friends and home for a time overseas or somewhere else, or leave for ever? Not a chance!

God wants you to love him even when it stretches you to the breaking point – beyond what your faith can think or imagine.

5. We give stuff to God when the giving is easy. We give of ourselves when the circumstances are conducive. Sure, I will give some offerings. I’m doing pretty well now. But give sacrificially, when I have trouble paying my bills? No way. Or another example – sure, I will praise you when my life is easy and comfortable. But praise you when I am sick, disabled or poor? Certainly not!

God wants all of you all the time, not just when it is convenient or easy for you.

6. We give God the bad stuff in our lives – our problems, our crises, our needs. Sure God, take all this and fix it for me so that we can keep on living my comfortable life of complacence and half-hearted commitment, just like I always have. But give God my career, my resources, my creativity, my best time and focus. No way!

God wants our best, not our leftovers.

I said “strategies,” but really these are all one strategy. All of these have in common that we give a part instead of the whole. And we hope that that will be enough; and God will be happy with that! We think that we can appease God by giving him a part of us and not the whole of us. But God wants it all!

But you say, pastor . . .

Is God demanding too much?

Well think about it. God is only asking for what is rightfully his, for what God makes, God owns. Psalm 95:5 says, “The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.” What God makes is rightfully God’s. And this applies to us. V. 6 goes on to say, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!” God has made us and we are his. And so, as the verse says, we are to give ourselves fully in worship and submission to our Maker.

God made us and it is only right that we give ourselves fully to God.

Also, God is only asking from us, what he has already given to us in Jesus – everything. Romans 8:32 says, “God did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all.” Thankfully God didn’t hold back with regard to us and leave us hanging. God’s commitment to us is complete. God gave us everything in Jesus. And we should give God everything in return.

Think about in from another perspective. If we are holding out on God we are still in control. If I set the terms, if I tell God what he can have and what he can’t have in my life, then I am still in control – even if I give over most of myself to God most of the time. I am still in control!

Half hearted commitment isn’t commitment. To be committed to God means to give God everything. That’s why he asks for it all.

Finally –

Let Jesus be your example in this

Jesus was like us in all things (except sin). Hebrews 4:15 tells us that he knew human weakness, limitations and temptations. But he gave every part of every part of himself to God.

  • Jesus held nothing back
  • Jesus loved God completely – heart, soul, mind and strength
  • Jesus gave himself fully to God

May God give you the strength and courage to overcome your fears, so that just like Jesus you give yourself fully to God.

William Higgins

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How to handle your anger – Ephesians 4:26-27

July 22, 2007 by William Higgins

Ephesians 4:26-27 – “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.”

Last week we looked at the dangers of anger. Although God gives us anger as a way of motivating us to point out and correct wrongs, because we are weak and self-centered, our anger tends to lead to more unrighteousness and injustice. James 1:20 says, “the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

We also looked at the many warnings in the scriptures about the dangers of anger. If you allow unrighteous anger in your life it will destroy your relationships with others and with God.

We begin today by noting that –

Not all anger is unrighteous

  • In Mark 3:5, when many objected to his healing on the Sabbath, Jesus was angry. Angry that they couldn’t get it that people in need should be helped, perhaps especially on the Sabbath. This grieved him.
  • In 2 Corinthians 7:11 Paul commends the Corinthians for their indignation to clear their name about a matter he addressed in an earlier letter.
  • Of course, our text, Ephesians 4:26 – “Be angry and do not sin,” shows that you can be angry without sin.

How to express your anger in a righteous way

If not all anger is unrighteous, what’s the difference? There are three characteristics of the righteous expression of anger:

1. Be slow to anger. Another way of saying this is don’t be quick-tempered. Proverbs 14:29 says, “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” James 1:19 says “let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.” (In almost any argument or disagreement, isn’t it nearly the opposite? We are slow to hear, but quick to speak and quick to anger.)

There are several aspects to slowness of anger:

  • Don’t judge by appearances: John 7:24 says, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” Make sure what really happened. Don’t assume you know the whole story from afar. Be slow to get upset in these situations. Check things out first.
  • Patience with one another: Colossians 3:13 says, “bear with one another.” Patience means long-suffering, which means that you suffer for a long time. We are to suffer with each other and our weaknesses for a long time. Don’t’ have a quick trigger. Learn to put up with others’ quirks and idiosyncrasies.
  • Overlook an offense: Don’t always feel you have to respond in anger to everything; be willing to overlook the small or insignificant stuff. As Proverbs 19:11 states, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”

In all these ways we are being slow to anger; careful and cautious before we become angry. This is all about restraint and self-control.

2. Let your anger motivate you to act. If it is a situation that you have checked out and it is real, and serious enough that it cannot be overlooked, you need to act. Not in the heat of anger or a fit, but after you are able to think clearly, and gather yourself together. The point is – don’t put it off for weeks, or months. Ephesians 4:26 says, “do not let the sun go down on your anger.” Work to resolve the issue. It is dangerous to let your anger become deep seated within you. Don’t let bitterness take root.

3. Act in accord with God’s righteousness. Our text gives us a caution here with regard to anger. Ephesians 4:27 says, “give no opportunity to the devil.” When we act in anger in a way that is not according to righteousness, we end up with broken relationships and sinful anger in us, which Satan loves and uses. It’s like opening a door and inviting the devil into your life.

There are several aspects to acting in righteousness with our anger:

  • Don’t give full vent to your anger. Rather, exercise restraint. Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.” Never vent or unleash your full anger against someone. It will only destroy.
  • Act in love for the person. Our natural tendency is to let our anger move us to vengeance, punishment or retribution; to give back what we got. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:15 – “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.” We are to love those who harm us and return good for evil.
  • Go to the person in peace and seek resolution of the issue. Matthew 18:15 says, “If your brother or sister sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.” Luke 17:3 adds,  “if he repents, forgive him.” We are to give mercy and forgive.

In all of this what I am saying is – use anger according to God’s righteousness. Let your anger stir you up – not to destroy, tear down or punish, but rather to find peace and healing of relationship with the one who has wronged you.

What if there is no resolution?

If a person is unwilling to deal with the issues; they won’t repent – what do you do with your anger then? Having done all this so far, can we now strike out and punish?! No. In this situation you must learn to give your anger to God.

Paul says in Romans 12:19-21  -“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Give your desire for justice over to God. God can handle these things. And we trust that God will act on our behalf as God sees fit to make things right for us. As Jesus says in Luke 18:7 – won’t God act to give justice to those who cry out to him? Yes. God will act for us.

  • If you don’t give your anger over to God, you will be overcome by evil (v. 21); filled with unresolved anger, bitterness and rage with no way to address the situation according to God’s righteousness.
  • But if you give your anger over to God and move on with mercy and love for the person, then you have overcome the evil done to you. You have overcome it with the good of mercy and love.

Finally, you need God to help you

Anger can be powerful; it can enslave you. To be free is a matter of the transformation of your heart. Something has to change within you. And you can’t do that in your own strength. Remember – sin is powerful, but God is more powerful! So seek God’s help when you struggle in this area of anger and allow God to set you free.

William Higgins

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The Danger of Anger

July 15, 2007 by William Higgins

Anger is something we all struggle with, and it can really damage and destroy our relationships with each other. It also is a false substitute for the process of dealing with those who have offended you. Instead of going to the offender in love and seeking peace, as Jesus teaches, we go in anger to verbally (or otherwise) punish them. So today we look at the danger of anger and next week, Lord willing, righteous anger.

James 1:19-20 says, “Know this, my beloved sisters and brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

Anger is meant to lead us to righteousness

Anger is a God given desire for justice; that things be done rightly and fairly. This is the way that God has made us to function. It arises when we think that we or others have been wronged in some way. And it prompts us to act to make things right. God gave this to us to promote righteousness. It is meant to lead to the pointing out and correction of injustice

However, our anger often leads us to sin. There is a paradox here, for even though it is meant to promote righteousness, our anger often does not promote true righteousness. As James 1:20 says, “the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

Why? 1) Anger is difficult to control. It is explosive, like a fire that quickly rages out of control. As Proverbs 27:4 says, anger is “overwhelming.” We become angry but can’t control our anger. 2) Our anger is often guided by our own distorted sense of what God wants us to do. It stirs us up – but to do what? We often have a warped understanding of justice that turns our behavior into hateful vengeance. And as Christians, we often forget the way of Jesus and ignore God’s call to mercy, love of enemies and forgiveness. Instead, in our anger, we seek to punish others.

So, in the hands of self-centered, weak humans (like all of us) anger leads us not to do God’s righteousness – but to do our own unrighteousness. Proverbs 29:22 says,  “one given to anger causes much transgression.” Psalm 37:8 says, “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.”

Examples of how anger often leads us to sin against others

1) Instead of loving others – it can lead us to murder – Genesis 4:5-7. Cain felt he had been wronged when God did not accept his offering, but did accept his brother’s. This made him angry. He did not control his anger and it led him to murder his brother. 

2) Instead of building up others – it can lead us to tear down others with our words – Matthew 5:22. “. . . Whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” Jesus teaches here that angry words that tear down, simple insults and expressions of judgment, are also a form of murder. They are also a breaking of the sixth commandment

3) Instead of living in peace with each other – it leads to quarreling and strife.  Proverbs 15:18 says, “A hot-tempered person stirs up strife.” Anger often leaves in its wake wounded people and broken relationships.

4) Instead of kindness to others – it leads us to be cruel in our words and actions – Proverbs 27:4. Our anger makes us say things and do things that are extreme and cruel to others – things we wouldn’t do and say if we were not angry.

5) Instead of being willing to love and forgive – it leads us to hold on to bitterness. Bitterness is an unwillingness to forgive. Ephesians 4:31 says, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you.” Notice the connection between bitterness and anger is this verse.

6) Instead of acts of love for others – it leads us to do acts of malice. Malice has to do with acts of hatred towards others. This also comes from Ephesians 4:31, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.”

Not only does it destroy our relationships with others . . .

Unrighteous anger destroys our relationship with God

We cannot be in right relationship with God, when we are not in right relationship with others. This is a principle that the NT teaches. We see this in the following.

1) It blocks our ability to be in relationship with God.  I Timothy 2:8 says, “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.” It is inconsistent to pray when there is quarreling and unresolved anger – as if nothing is wrong. Matthew 5:24 teaches us to first be reconciled to the one you have offended by your angry words, before you come to worship God. We must deal with those we have wounded through our anger first

2) It leads to our condemnation before God. Galatians 5:19-21 teaches that outbursts of anger are works of the flesh. It then goes on to say, “Those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Colossians 3:8 says, “But now you must get rid of all such things – anger, wrath . . ..” These things are a part of our old life that is to die. In verse 6 Paul says, “on account of these things the wrath of God is coming.” Our sinful anger lead to an outbreak of God’s righteous anger. Matthew 5:22 teaches that even simple words of angry insult like “you fool,” will lead to our condemnation before God as a breaking of the sixth commandment.

The danger of anger

What I’m saying is that anger is so hard to control, so easily corruptible, so easily leads us to sin, and the consequences are so grave – we must beware!

1) Anger is so dangerous . . . If we are angry, we must be very careful for sin. As Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry, but do not sin.”

2) Anger is so dangerous . . . We should not befriend someone who cannot control their anger. Proverbs 22:24 says – “Make no friendship with a person given to anger, nor go with a wrathful person.”

3) Anger is do dangerous . . . We should be careful not to provoke others to anger – which could cause them to stumble into sinful anger.  Ephesians 6:4 says,  “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger . . ..” This admonition can certainly be more broadly applied in other relationships.

Conclusion

Next week we’ll talk about righteous anger – What anger looks like when it is not out of control; when it has not forgotten Jesus’ call to love our enemies; when it is not busy destroying our relationships with others and with God. But for today I want us to hear, and take home, and ponder the serious warnings in the scriptures about the dangers of anger – that we should beware!

William Higgins

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