THE CONGREGATION OF THE COMMON

  

There were a relative handful of those who held the reins of power and abundance of possessions who followed Jesus. One thinks of Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, and a few women of Herod’s household. Matthew and Zaccheus had been wealthy, but surrendered their status and substance to follow Jesus. There was an occasional ruler of a synagogue and Roman centurion, but that is about it.

The vast majority of those who received Christ’s words were common people. The peasant Prophet had a receptive audience in the poor, needy, outcasts, and such. Jesus had a message of hope to those who were the dregs in the bottom of society’s cup. The common people not only heard Him, but “heard Him gladly”!

One is reminded of Paul’s words:

“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”  (I Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬-‭29‬‬)

There is an uncommonly great message for the common people.  

Notice it does not say “not ANY wise…not ANY mighty, not ANY noble,” but “not many,” so we need not abandon all hope of reaching those who are scholars, successful business leaders, and in positions of power. Yet, only a handful of the “upper crust,” will respond to the Gospel. It is a sad reality.

Yet, the preacher need not despair, for he will often have a listening ear among those who are struggling to survive from day to day. In almost a half century of preaching the Gospel my experience attests to this. I have embraced it and seen people lifted from the depths of depravity and despair to the glory of being children of God!

So, stop complaining if this is the makeup of your congregation. Jesus was not “too good” to preach to such a flock, though He was the King of Glory, and only perfect Man. I can be like Jesus in serving the congregation of the common. May I be found preaching in the nursing home, the prison, the homeless shelter, and in the little brown church in the wildwood.  I do not have to speak from an elevated pulpit in a massive cathedral or on a spot-lit stage in a high-tech mega church facility.  If God calls me to such, then it is grace, but wherever—it is for His glory.

Matthew West put it this way in song lyrics:

Why You ever chose me
Has always been a mystery
All my life I've been told I belong at the end of the line
With all the other Not-Quites
With all the Never-Get-It-Rights
But it turns out they're the ones You've been looking for all this time

'Cause I'm just a nobody
Trying to tell everybody
All about Somebody who saved my soul
Ever since You rescued me
You gave my heart a song to sing
I'm living for the world to see
Nobody but Jesus
I'm living for the world to see
Nobody but Jesus

Moses had stage fright
And David brought a rock to a sword fight
You picked 12 outsiders nobody would've chosen
And You changed the world
Well, the moral of the story is
Everybody's got a purpose
So when I hear that devil start talking to me, saying
"Who do you think you are"
I say...

I'm just a nobody
Trying to tell everybody
All about Somebody who saved my soul
Ever since You rescued me
You gave my heart a song to sing
I'm living for the world to see
Nobody but Jesus
I'm living for the world to see
Nobody but Jesus

To this I say, “Soli Deo gloria!”

WHO’S YOUR ONE? Day 2: The Scope of His Glory

“Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among all peoples.” (Psalms‬ ‭96:3‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

We declare what we are most excited about. We naturally share the things we find most appealing or beautiful. Likewise, we are motivated to share the gospel because our eyes have seen the beauty of God Himself. We have experienced His goodness, glory and mighty works, and we are compelled to share this with others, including our one. We share the glory we have borne witness to.

God is ultimate, and the scope of His glory expands throughout the whole earth. The Psalmist exhorts readers to share who God is and what He has done among the nations. He is worthy to be praised throughout the whole earth, including among our family, friends, neighbors and coworkers. Join the Psalmist in this global declaration of God’s glorious character and His mighty deeds.

When was the last time you declared to your one an amazing work God did for you? This week, share an amazing work God has done in your life with your one. (From “Who’s Your One?” Daily Devotional, NAMB)

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD REVEALED

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’” (John‬ ‭8:12‬‬)

The purpose of light is to reveal—to shine out and to show up a thing.  This revelation is the outshining of God’s very glory.

Christ shines out the person of God.  When He claims to be the Light, He claims to be God.  Is He a liar, lunatic, or Lord?  Those are the only options.  He is either a deceiver, delusional, or Deity.  John was an eyewitness to His glory revealed on the Mountain of Transfiguration and testified, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John‬ ‭1:14‬).  Paul saw that Light and said Jesus is “the image of the invisible God” (Col.1:15). Hebrews 1:3 speaks of, “the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person….”

Christ shows up the path to God.  The Lord had just attended the Feast of Tabernacles (7:2). This feast celebrated the pilgrimage of the Jews through the wilderness. You may recall the glory cloud—a pillar of cloud that directed them by day and a pillar of fire by night. This glory cloud rested above the tabernacle. When it moved, they moved. As the glory cloud led the Israelites through the wilderness, so Christ is the Light of the world to guide us to God and in the path of His will day by day until we reach the eternal light of glory.

“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Cor.4:6).

THE GOD WHO OWNS EVERYTHING

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"In the beginning God created THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH” (emphasis added).

Creation testifies of the Creator. “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.” (Ps.19:1‬). All creation is designed to give God glory.  Isaiah wrote, “The whole earth is full of His glory” (6:3b).

The creation narrative strikes against the idolatry of the times in which Moses, the author of Genesis, wrote—the worship of the sun, the moon, the animals. The material universe is seen as God’s creation and the Creator deserves exclusive worship.  A.W. Tozer declared, “The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.”

The Maker owns His creation and has the right to dictate its proper use.  Man has been placed as a steward of God's creation and is himself owned by God (Gen.2:7, 15-17).  If He made it, it belongs to Him. God calls humans, who are the pinnacle of His creation—those made in His image—to account for the use of our time, talent, and treasure.  This is His world. We belong to Him.  All we are and all we have is God’s and meant for His glory.

Is that how we are living?  What are we doing with God’s stuff?