This past weekend was our annual Missions Conference. I’d like to underscore why this event is on our church’s annual calendar. We’ve all got plenty to do, so it isn’t just another event to fill our schedule.

We believe that the church’s primary task is found in Christ’s commission to His disciples to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. This command hasn’t been rescinded. Therefore, it’s the task of the church in every age to obey our Lord and bring the glorious news of His suffering and exaltation on our behalf to all nations, tribes, and tongues.

In some quarters foreign missions has either become simply an opportunity for adventurous Christians to see far off parts of the world, or it’s contaminated with the postmodern sludge of “all cultures are equal” and have abandoned, almost entirely, the task of proclaiming the Gospel of Christ’s Kingdom. 

Nevertheless, the banner of Christ will be raised over every citadel of human society: church, state, and family. But keep in mind that when the Great Commission says, “Go” it literally translates to “as you are going.” Meaning, this task of evangelizing the nations isn’t to be done as if it’s a Hail Mary desperation pass at the end of a football game. Rather, we’re to courageously and diligently seek to know Christ and make Him known to all inhabitants of the earth.

All this will take awhile, but we must not twiddle our thumbs. Spurgeon gives a fantastic reminder on this front: “If from this day for the next 10,000 years not a single soul should be converted to God by foreign missions—it would [still] be [the Church’s] duty with increasing vigor to thrust her sons forward into the mission field because her duty is not measured by the result, but by the imperial authority of Christ!”

Ben Zornes – March 10, 2024

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In a broadly Christian world, Christian virtues tend to get weaponized. We have seen this with concepts like justice and love and empathy, or the condemnation of being judgmental. Only a broadly Christian world says that being judgmental is wrong or that justice or love or empathy are good. But of course everything depends on definitions. When a judge vindicates the innocent and condemns the guilty, he is being judgmental in a good way. When someone finds a lost wallet and decides not to return it to its owner because the owner is an enemy, that’s unrighteous judgment. The Bible requires God’s people to be judgmental, but we are to judge with the standard of God’s word and remember that the measure we use to judge others will be used to measure us. 

We are required to love everyone, but love is treating others lawfully from the heart. Love is not going along with what anyone says makes them happy or caving or compromising simply because they say what you’re doing makes them feel bad. Likewise, justice is not making everyone happy. Justice is enforcing God’s law, which primarily consists of punishing evildoers. And while God does require us to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn, we must also practice self-control, which means that we are not to be ruled by our feelings or the feelings of others but by God’s Word.

In one sense, the fact that everyone, even those who hate God, keep appealing to these Christian virtues tells you that we are not yet as far from our Christian roots as some would have you believe. Pure paganism doesn’t care about justice, love, or empathy. But of course, if we continue down this current dark path, apart from the grace of God, we will end up in a paganism that ceases to care about any virtue.

But all of this is why worship on the Lord’s Day is at the center of all that we do. In worship we renew covenant with our Lord. Romans 12:1 says that we accomplish this reasonable service as we offer our bodies as living sacrifices. And in the next verse, it says that we are not to be conformed to this world but transformed by the renewing of our minds. As we renew covenant in worship, God renews our minds, correcting, teaching, training, and changing us from glory to glory. 

Toby Sumpter – March 10, 2024

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“And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.  But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners love those who love them.  And, if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners do the same.  And, if you lend to those whom whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.  But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will sons of the Most High.  For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  Therefore, be merciful, just as you Father also is merciful.“

Luke 6:31-36

In this passage, we have Jesus giving us the golden rule — do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  This isn’t just golden (the best rule) but also one of the most practical, as we all, even as young children, have a pretty good idea about how we would like to be treated without having to be taught.  In other words, we have a perfect idea of what Jesus is expecting of us here.

But note that Jesus didn’t give this rule to everyone.  Rather, He specifically directs it toward us as believers or His followers.  How do we know?  He gives us the contrast to those He calls ‘sinners’.    And, to give this rule some real bite, it comes in the context of loving our enemies.  Jesus explains, even sinners know how to love those who treat them well.  So, the application here is to everyone — even our enemies or perhaps most specifically our enemies.  

Given our rocky start as a church with some in the Troy community, it is helpful to remind ourselves of this command.  And, it is important to see that it is based on our imitation of the nature of our God.  God is merciful, therefore as His children, we must imitate Him and be merciful as well.  When we are treated poorly, called names or the victims of legal warfare, we are commanded to rejoice and bless our enemies just like our Father in Heaven.  But, let’s not stop here.  

In one sense we may find it easy to love our more pugnacious Troy neighbors because their criticisms are light and mostly infrequent.  However, we should also remind ourselves that this command applies equally to those closest to us:  our wife or husband, child or parent, sibling or cousin, friend or classmate.  From these people we EXPECT much, much more than than from our enemies and so we are more likely or at least more often to not treat them as we would be treated.  This is sin.  Be aware of how you are treating those closest to you.

Matt Meyer – March 10, 2024

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In John Owen’s Mortification of Sin, he notes that one key way the Spirit helps us put sin to death is by working more and more of His fruit in us. Owen famously said, “Be killing sin or sin will be killing you.” And he was right. But we often forget that the leading way the Spirit kills our sin is by turning into a chef and cooking up all sorts of good things inside of us. He cooks up joy, the aroma of which suffocates our depression. He bakes peace that kills that vaporizes that aroma of stress and anxiety. Love sizzles on the skillet in our hearts and that judgmental and selfish spirit that would rest in our flesh gets crowded out.

Keep these things in mind as you go through life in general and as you confess your sin in particular. Sometimes, when you kneel, there is that big stinker of a sin to own before the Lord. If that is the case today, then go right ahead and confess that one. His grace and favor toward you abounds and whatever that sin, it cannot match the blood of Christ’s cross.

But at other times, you might not have that big one staring you in the face, so what are you to confess? Well, confess that your kindness hasn’t been what it ought to have been. Your patience hasn’t abounded. Your self-control could have filled the house like a pleasing aroma.

Every time of confession is an opportunity to admit that our hearts aren’t as large as they ought to be. And it is a time to ask our Father to enlarge them so that there simply wouldn’t be any more room sin. They’re looking to find a room in which to lodge. But the Spirit has taken up so much space there is now that neon sign shining out front, saying, “No vacancy.” 

Jared Longshore – March 10, 2024

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There are many in the church today who know and hate their sin but find themselves still stuck in their guilt and shame. They know that God is holy, that they are not, and do not struggle to say so. But a key ingredient is missing in their attempts at repentance. 

Full repentance is not just owning what you have done, but it is also owning, or apprehending, what God has done on your behalf. You could say that there are two movements or parts to repentance. The first is true confession – identifying and naming your sin as God names it, with contrition and no euphemisms or excuses. But you must not stop there. The second part of repentance is then owning what God has done – turning to Christ in faith and receiving His forgiveness, graciously extended to you. Without both of these pieces, repentance is incomplete. 

If all you have done is name your sin but have not yet turned in humble faith to the One who is faithful to forgive and cleanse you of all unrighteousness (1 Jn. 1:9)—then it is no wonder that you keep finding yourself stuck in the same hole of despair. Without forgiveness, without cleansing, you are still left in the mess you dug yourself into. 

Sure, you can see clearly that it is dark and dirty, and that you cannot climb out on your own. But you have not yet grasped onto the nail-scarred hand reaching down to pull you out. You have not yet apprehended God’s forgiveness and grace extended to you so that you may walk in the light.

Now note, this is not the same thing as “forgiving yourself.” Forgiveness is not extended from yourself to yourself – it comes from God – the one you have offended and sinned against. 

He freely offers forgiveness to all who turn to Him; you must only exercise faith and take hold of it. Or perhaps for a more accurate illustration, if His forgiveness was a sea of refreshing water, all you must do is fall in. And when you do, you will most certainly be washed clean.

Shawn Paterson – March 3, 2024

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