Tag: Religion

In What Do You Find Your Identity?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals3 Comments

Identity

In what do you find your identity?  Your answer is important because your answer will inform your actions.

The Pharisees and Jesus

In Matthew 22, the Pharisees send their disciples along with the Herodians to trick Jesus. Approaching Jesus the group says,

“Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances.” (Matt. 22:16b)

If you can’t tell, their flattering is false. Yet, there is some truth to it. Truth they are hoping to use against Jesus. Jesus is, as they say, unconcerned with the opinions of others. Jesus isn’t a politician who makes calculated political maneuvers or who holds back because of what other might think.

Jesus doesn’t do those things because Jesus doesn’t find His identity in the acceptance of others but in His relationship with the Father. As a result, He says and stands for the truth.

What We Should Do

Just like Jesus, we shouldn’t find our identity in the acceptance of others either. We shouldn’t be wrapped up in what others think about us. All that’s going to result in is us being let down.

Think about it. Our peers opinions changes as quickly as the weather. If we want their acceptance, we have to constantly win it by doing things of which they approve. That, however, is no way to live, especially if we are Christians.

You see, if we are constantly worried about the approval of others, we are more likely to equivocate on God’s Word – to act contrary to God’s will, and to cave when we should stand for the truth. So instead of trying to win the approval of our peers, the public, or even our own families, we should seek God’s acceptance.

The Sureness of God’s Acceptance

God’s acceptance is something we don’t ever have to be anxious about because it never changes. God’s acceptance never changes because it’s not based on our work, but on Jesus’ work.

You see, when we believe in Jesus as our Savior and repent of our sins to follow Him, Jesus’ work is attributed to us, so that when God looks down on us, He sees Jesus. He doesn’t see all the mistakes we have and will make. He doesn’t see our sin. Instead, He sees Jesus and the life He lived.

Conclusion

So instead of finding our identity in others, we should be like Jesus and find our identity in God. If we do, we will be more likely to stand for the truth.

Question for Reflection

  1. Do you see a correlation between identity, acceptance, and standing for the truth?

Resources

Post adapted from my sermon: How should we think of authority?

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Why Do Some Follow God’s Will, While Others Don’t?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

http://stephencuyos.com

Have you ever wondered why someone who has the same opportunities to hear the gospel as you do doesn’t respond in the same way?

Background

I grew up in a Christian family. We attended church every week. I also went to a Christian school. At school we were required to take two years of Bible class and attend chapel. Many of those in my class also attended the youth group associated with the church that ran my school.

Even though many of my classmates heard the same presentation of the gospel and had the same opportunity to respond and follow Jesus as I did, many didn’t. They continued to live according to their own will instead of following God’s will. Why is that?

Why do Some Follow God’s Will, While Others Don’t?

At the end of the Parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22:1-14 Jesus answers this question. Jesus says,

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matt. 22:14)

So Jesus tells us “many are called”. Many are called to respond, to profess Him as Lord and Savior, and to live according to God’s will. Jesus, however, tells us few accept the call and actually produce fruit.

The reason Jesus gives for their unrepentant heart is that they aren’t chosen. For if they were, they would accept God’s call, they would follow Him, they would produce fruit, and live according to God’s will, but they don’t. And that’s because they haven’t been chosen.

Don’t Write It Off

Now, I know this is a challenging verse. I know it is a controversial topic. But Jesus said it. So even if at first we might not agree, or even if we are turned off by it, we have to consider it because Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, God incarnate gives that as His reason for why people don’t respond to the call to follow Him and produce fruit. They haven’t been chosen.

Clarification

Now when Jesus says this, I don’t think He is telling us:

  • We are to try to figure out who the chosen are.
  • We shouldn’t evangelize or call others to believe in Jesus. There is clear application from the parable we are to evangelize.
  • People aren’t held responsible for their actions. Clearly people are rejected in the passage because they have rejected God.

Instead, what I believe Jesus is doing is answering the age old question: Why do some follow God and do His will, while others don’t?

Questions for Reflection

  1. Why do you believe some follow God and do His will, while others don’t?
  2. How do you interpret Jesus’ reason?

Resources

Post adapted from my sermon: The Parable of the Wedding Feast

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Spread the Gospel Indiscriminately

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Evangelism, Pastoral, PracticalLeave a comment

Prison

God calls all people’s to come and follow Him. I believe we are the instruments God uses to extend that call. As we call others to follow Jesus, we shouldn’t discriminate. It shouldn’t matter if we think someone is good or bad, or if we believe they deserve salvation or not. Our job is to spread the gospel.

The Gospel Changes People

I once knew a guy who was selfish. He only did things that pleased himself. He disrespected authority, rebelling against the system. He hated others and did things to make people’s lives miserable. He was a racist, a liar, and cheater. He was someone who objectified woman.

But you know what? Someone shared the gospel with him. Through that person’s witness, Jesus saved him and changed his heart, so that he now follows Jesus. He now desires to live according to God’s Word and spread His gospel.

You know who that person is? That person is me. I am that horrible, terrible person God saved.

You Are No Different

My story is no different than yours. Each of us were at one time horrible, terrible people who only lived for ourselves. So we shouldn’t think God only saves those who are good because if that were the case, none of us would have experienced salvation.

You see, none of us are good. None of us are savable. But thankfully God doesn’t save those society deems good or savable. God saves all kinds and each of us are a testament to that.

We Shouldn’t Discriminate

So we shouldn’t discriminate as to who we share the gospel with. We should share the gospel with all people’s.

As we spread the gospel, people will respond. Many will enter the kingdom through our witness. Many will follow Jesus. The key though is that we are to spread the gospel indiscriminately, calling anyone and everyone to follow Jesus.

Question for Reflection

  1. Do you think some are too far gone to be save? If so, why?

Resource

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Two Reasons the Resurrection is a Necessity

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Practical6 Comments

Resurrection

Yesterday was Easter Sunday – the day Christians all over the world celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave.

But why? Why celebrate the resurrection? Why was it necessary? There are at least two reasons the resurrection is a necessity.

Two Reasons the Resurrection is a Necessity

(1) The resurrection was necessary to prove Jesus’ death actually satisfied God’s wrath.

In Philippians 2, we learn that Jesus is glorified. He is highly exalted and made to be our king because He humbled himself on the cross.

“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Php 2:8–11)

Jesus wouldn’t have been resurrected and made our King, He wouldn’t be exalted, if His sacrifice wasn’t sufficient and satisfied God’s wrath.

So Jesus’ resurrection was a necessity because it proves His sacrifice was sufficient to pay for our sins. Without it we are all still damned to hell.

(2) The resurrection was necessary because without it we couldn’t experience eternal life.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians,

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Cor. 15:20-22).

If Christ had not raised from the dead, then we wouldn’t either. Death is the end. Eternal life doesn’t exist. Heaven doesn’t exist.

Thankfully that isn’t true. Thankfully the resurrection happened, which means this world isn’t the end for us. Eternal life is to come. Life in a perfect world, ruled by a perfect King is to come. There is hope. There is something for us to look forward to.

Question for Reflection

  1. What reasons would you give for the necessity of the resurrection?

Resources

Post adapted from my sermon: The Seriousness of Sin and the Necessity of the Cross and Resurrection

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Learning to Teach from the Master Himself

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Family, Leadership, Pastoral, PreachingLeave a comment

Jesus Stain Glass

If there is one person who can teach us to teach others, it’s Jesus. He is a master teacher. A teacher whose teaching impacted and connected with the 1000’s who followed Him.

His teaching connected because He knew how to relate to His listeners. His parables weren’t chosen at random. Rather, they were purposefully selected for their teaching and relatability.

We Should Relate to Others with Our Teaching

Likewise, we should use scenarios that relate well to those we are teaching. While that statement is easy for me to write, it’s not easy to do. More and more I find, in our mobile society, many of us come from different background, grow up in different parts of the country, and are influenced by differing world views. All of which make it difficult to relate to others.

Even though that is true, we shouldn’t give up. Instead, we must ratchet up our efforts in getting to know those we are teaching. We must work to understand their background, their cultural customs, and their worldview.

Parents and Grandparents are Teachers Too

While we primarily think of Pastors, Sunday School Teachers, and Bible Study Leaders as teachers, as those who need to heed this advice, I also have another group in mind – Parents and Grandparents. You guys are teachers too. You teach your kids and grandkids on a daily basis.

As you all know and have experienced, even though you live in the same house, it’s not easy to relate to one another. That, however, doesn’t mean we give up in frustration. God has commanded us to teach our children and grandchildren. So instead of giving up, we have to work to relate to them.

The best way to get to know others is to hangout with them, ask questions, and listen. If you do that, you’ll be in a better position to not only understand their struggles and temptations, but you will know how you might relate biblical truth in a way that will impact them.

Question for Reflection

  1. Other than the ones I listed above, what are ways for parents to learn how to relate to their children.

Resources

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Sermon adapted from my sermon Those who Embrace Jesus Produce Fruit

5 Motivations to Call Others to Repent

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Evangelism, Pastoral, Practical1 Comment

Unashamed

I spent last week in Louisville, Kentucky visiting friends and attending Together for the Gospel. The time with friends and the conference was a blessing.

This years conference was subtitled Unashamed. It’s focus was evangelism. While it is a common tactic to make evangelicals feel guilty for not evangelizing the lost, I appreciated that that was not their tactic. Instead of focusing on guilt, they focused on the power of the gospel to make men alive in Christ.

Some motivations that stuck out to me where the ones Thabiti Anyabwile gave. He specifically provided five of which I have highlighted below.

5 Motivations to Call Others to Repent

(1) Repentance is for the joy of heaven, the church and Christ.

(2) Repentance is calling someone to see worth in God’s sight.

(3) Repentance is a call to gain heaven’s greatest pleasures.

(4) Repentance isn’t emphasis on do’s and don’t’s, but on seeing God as He really is.

(5) Repentance is a call to what God calls beautiful.

Question for Reflection

  1. What other gospel-centered motivations would you add to the list above?

Resource

If you would like to hear Thabiti flesh these points out, you can watch his message here.