Monthly Archives: October 2016

October 28, 2016 · 11:16 AM

Christians And The American Dream: A Radical Choice

In his book, Radical, David Platt asks if the American dream is compatible with Christian discipleship. Can we be faithful to Jesus and pursue success by this world’s standards?

What is the American dream? Does it mean that we do whatever we must in order to get bigger houses and bank accounts, fancier cars and clothes, richer meals and vacations? If so, then how does Jesus and his agenda fit into such a life?

Jesus challenges his followers to make radical sacrifices, even to the point of risking one’s life in this age. He urges us to do whatever it takes in order to join him in his kingdom agenda.

The Lord’s agenda is clear and concise: “Go make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20).”

To be a disciple of Jesus we must make disciples for Jesus.

According to Jesus, the first step in making disciples is to go. We reach out to others with the good news about Jesus. We don’t just sit and wait for them to come to us.

Jesus tells us to make disciples of “all the nations.” Our outreach for making disciples is not limited by distance, race, nationality, politics, gender, or any of the other lines drawn by people to define and divide. We should go across the street and around the world to make disciples.

Jesus says that making disciples includes two things: baptizing and teaching.

Our first goal in reaching out is to bring people to a point of faith in Christ so that they will receive Christian baptism. We tell others about Jesus so that they will be saved and then profess their saving faith publicly through believer’s baptism.

Once people become disciples, we also help them be disciples.

Making disciples includes teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands. This is a life-long journey, the same journey that we are experiencing as disciples of Jesus.

So, we want to see lost people saved and saved people stronger.

Making disciples takes time, and so does the American dream. In his book, David Platt questions whether it is possible to succeed at both pursuits. Jesus puts it this way, “Nobody is able to serve two masters, for he will hate one and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other (Matthew 6:24).”

Platt also points out the terrible loss that occurs when Jesus’ followers opt for the American dream and do not make disciples. Hundreds of millions of people around the world will be lost, suffering in hell forever.

So the cost of not making disciples is high, too high. On the other hand, the reward for making disciples is beyond measure. All the houses, money, clothes, food and vacations in this life will be forgotten, but those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.

Treasure on earth can be destroyed and stolen. Treasure in heaven will never be destroyed or stolen. And as Jesus says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be (Matthew 6:21).”

May the Lord give us hearts that store up treasure in heaven,
Brother Richard

Will Jesus Vote for Trump or Hillary?

Wow! What a campaign! I cannot remember a run for the White House anything like this one . . . not in my lifetime (50+ years).

I wonder what the Lord thinks. Is Jesus leaning toward Hillary or Trump?

What is Jesus’ voting record? He had several political choices in his day. He lived in a country (Israel) that was oppressed by foreigners (Romans). One response was to use violent force against the enemy (Zealots). Jesus does not endorse violence.

Another response was to collaborate with the foreign rulers: go along to get along (Sadducees). Jesus does not compromise.

Others tried to work for change by using the system (Pharisees). They did not persuade Jesus to do things their way.

At least one group got ‘fed up’ and withdrew from the whole mess (Essenes). They went out and lived in the desert. Jesus did not join them.

Revolution? No. Compromise? No. Reform? No. Dropping out? No.

And Jesus had great prospects. The people are so impressed when he miraculously feeds at least 5,000 people with just 5 loaves of bread and 2 small fish – they are willing to support him for king (see John 6); what an incredible opportunity! Think of all the positive changes that Jesus could make as king.

Unbelievable. Jesus turns them down. He walks away and refuses to accept their support in a bid for power.

Does Jesus even care? Doesn’t he know that the only thing that evil needs in order to win is for good people to do nothing?

Jesus cares. And his rejection of the ‘mainstream’ political movements does not mean that he is inactive. Jesus is crystal clear about his mission. It’s not about revolution, reform, collaboration, withdrawal, or even responsible political leadership. He came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

By sticking to his mission, Jesus was made to look like an abject failure. His political enemies had apparently won the day. The religious and political powers collaborated to have him destroyed . . . publicly . . . shamefully . . . executed as a criminal.

Hopefully anyone foolish enough to believe in Jesus would be intimidated into silence.

But Jesus’ followers were not silent. Despite the fact that they had no political power or opportunity or prospects, they boldly spoke the gospel truth. They were risking personal destruction, why?

They knew something that changed everything. Jesus does not use the tactics of his political enemies because he fights to win a much bigger prize. Jesus fights the “good fight” for eternal victory.

Jesus’ followers risked it all for the Lord because Jesus did more than vanquish his political enemies. Jesus conquered death. Jesus paid the penalty for sin. Jesus opened the doorway to God’s greatest blessings.

Jesus’ enemies are footnotes in history. In fact, in the 2 millennia since Jesus was born in Bethlehem many great nations, powerful leaders, and influential movements have come . . . and gone.

The next president of the U.S.A will have the ability to make things better or worse for a lot of people. So we should prayerfully and carefully consider our vote.

But let’s not despair. The next president of the U.S.A. will come and go. He or she will not be our Savior (or the Anti-Christ!).

Jesus is here to stay. He need not run for office. He is King of kings and Lord of lords permanently. And Jesus still does things his own way and he always has the victory, no matter how things may look at the moment.

We need not change Jesus’ methods or goals. The Lord’s power is unstoppable and his victory is inevitable. Be encouraged! Be faithful!

Richard Foster, Grace Baptist Church
Camden News, October 22, 2016

The Beginning of Prayer

When did people start to pray?

In Genesis 4:26 we read that people began to call on the name of the LORD (Yahweh) in the days of Adam and Eve’s grandchildren, specifically a grandson named Enosh. People spoke with God before Enosh was born, but conversations with God prior to Enosh were initiated by God: God spoke to Adam in Genesis 3, God spoke to Cain in Genesis 4. In prayer, a man or woman initiates communication with God by calling upon him.

Eve makes a statement in Genesis 4:25 about the blessing of having a son to replace Abel, who was murdered by his brother Cain. But she speaks of God in the third person (“he”). Prayer addresses God directly, in second person (“you”).

It seems natural to think that Adam or Eve or their son Seth (Enosh’s dad) prayed before their grandson Enosh and his generation were born. If they did, the Bible does not tell us. Instead, the Bible emphasizes Enosh and his generation. Enosh’s uncles, Cain and Abel, worshiped God in Genesis 4, but whatever Cain did was unacceptable to God and whatever Abel did died with him when he was murdered by his brother.

So we have no direct Scriptural evidence for prayer before Genesis 4:26. But in Genesis 4:26 we learn that Enosh and his generation began calling on the name of Yahweh at that time. In Genesis 4:26 something new begins.

“Calling on the name” is surely a reference to prayer. Enosh and his generation may have also sacrificed to God, as did Cain and Abel, but that is not mentioned. The emphasis is on prayer.

Many generations after Enosh, Jesus visited the Temple in Jerusalem. He was outraged by the distractions which the religious leaders had introduced in order to make financial transactions in God’s house. In an unexpected expression of righteous indignation, Jesus overturns the tables of the moneychangers and drives out the animals with a makeshift whip. He accuses them of turning God’s house into a den of thieves.

Then Jesus makes a fascinating assertion. He insists that his Father’s house is to be a house of prayer. Think of all the activities which Jesus could legitimately mention: praise, sacrifice, teaching, preaching, giving, fellowship, healing, but the only thing he mentions is prayer. Why?

Prayer is at the heart of biblical faith. The soul of spirituality in Scripture is the communion of God with the saints, his people. Humanity is created to know God and to enjoy him and his blessings.

After Adam and Eve sinned and broke the close relationship between humanity and God there was something vital missing in every person, something crying out for completion. Prayer is the heart’s cry for the One who is absent until forgiveness and restoration is affected and a new connection is made with the Maker.

In the larger context of Genesis 4-5 this verse at the end of chapter 4 highlights the contrast between the line of Seth (which includes Enosh) and the line of Cain (who killed his brother, Abel).

Cain’s descendants go to work developing the bountiful natural resources provided by God in order to build an impressive civilization. (I am especially fascinated with Jubal, the first to make and play musical instruments, or perhaps the first to develop music significantly enough to be considered the ‘father’ of all musicians.)

The creative use of nature is in no way sinful in itself. God filled this world with resources and he blessed humanity with the curiosity, creativity, intelligence and energy to discover and develop, to fashion and create. But the line of Cain in early Genesis is distinguished in this instance mostly by an omission, and what is lacking in Cain’s descendants is any effort to call upon the name of the Lord.

Seth’s line, on the other hand, has a desire to seek communion with God through prayer. And so, early in human history the division between believer and unbeliever surfaces (a continuation of the break between Cain and Abel). This is a division which will be seen in Noah vs. the antediluvian world, in Abraham vs. the Canaanites, Israel vs. the nations, the remnant of Israel vs. unfaithful Israel, and finally in the Jewish-Gentile church vs. those who reject Christ.

From Enosh to Jesus to now, the great feature that distinguishes the people of God is prayer, not just haphazard flirtations with prayer, but a heart that is hungry for the presence of God and refuses to give up seeking the Lord until he is found.

Unbelievers pray, but they are not known for their prayer.

God’s people should be seen by the world as a people of prayer.

Brother Richard

Monthly Archives: October 2016

Christians And The American Dream: A Radical Choice

Will Jesus Vote for Trump or Hillary?

The Beginning of Prayer

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