“God Can’t Use Me”

“But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”? Exodus 3:11-12.

In Exodus 3 we read the famous story of Moses and the burning bush. There are times we all feel like Moses did that day. We view ourselves as inadequate for God’s purpose and plan for me. We are unprepared and unskilled. That’s when God tells him in Exodus 4:11-12: “Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”

God uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways for His glory. At first it may seem that that statement isn’t quite right and you may not believe it. After all aren’t only “super spiritual Christians” used by God?” You may be thinking, “I’m just a pretty ordinary guy or gal, what can God do with me?” Rather than thinking in terms of whether or not you have a seminary degree or extensive ministry experience I want you to go back to the Gospels. Remember the Apostles were uneducated and had no formal theological training before they met Jesus. They walked with Jesus for three years day and night, watching Him perform miracles and hearing Him teach them personally and as He taught others. Jesus is not concerned about titles after one’s name? Now before you stop reading, let me say this: college degrees are great and often necessary to compete in today’s world. God can use you whether you have a college degree or not if you are willing to be used of God for His kingdom. God took a shepherd boy and made Him King of Israel. God used a donkey after all to deliver a message. God uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways.

Jesus has one focus. He is completely focused on building his church, the hope of the world. That was true in the past, it is true today and it will be true in the future. One of the greatest privileges in all of life is when Jesus taps you on the shoulder and says, “Hey Marty, I have a critical role for you as I am building my church in this world. And I’ve been preparing you your whole life for it.” How do you say no to that? How do you say “I’ve got my own thing going on” or “check back with me in a few years when life is not so hectic.”   

I agree with Bill Hybels that the church is the hope of the world.The hope of the world is not government, academia, business, but the church because it is to the church that God has entrusted the message of salvation. Jeremiah 29:7: “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”

Discussion Questions:

  1. How can God use ordinary people for His purposes?
  2. Do you believe that you need to be extraordinary to have a passion for the lost? Why or why not?
  3. What can you do this week to be more available to be used by God?

Ground Rules

“Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?” – Acts 6:1-4

There are unwritten rules that people have been following for centuries. In 2017, we have many such rules that everyone knows need to be followed. They are seen as necessary for our well-being and are common to all. It is both irritating and frustrating when people break these rules: things like cutting in line at a restaurant, or talking during a movie, or people who block the fire lane while they run into Walmart real quick. Then there are safety rules like don’t drive through red lights or not following too close to the car ahead of you. As a pastor, I try not to break the rules, unless following the rules hinders my ability to reach people with the love of Christ.

Jesus broke the traditional rules on a regular basis. Touching lepers, gathering grain on the sabbath, healing on the sabbath, talking to a  Samaritan woman, letting a prostitute wash His feet with His hair to name a few. Then there were the tax collectors. The tax collectors in Jesus’ day were reviled because no one likes to pay money to the government, especially when the government is an oppressive regime like the Roman Empire.  Tax collectors in the Bible were Jews who were working for the hated Romans. These individuals were seen as turncoats, traitors to their own countrymen. Rather than fighting the Roman oppressors, the tax collectors were helping them—and enriching themselves at the expense of their fellow Jews. Yet there was Jesus, eating with them. This was a no-no.  This was ignoring rule number one. Ignoring rule number one and most others got Jesus into a lot of trouble with the rule keepers.

But it just wasn’t the rule keepers. Think about it from the perspective of Jews living when Jesus walked the earth. I doubt we can imagine the shock waves these rule breaking actions sent through the people of that time. But we are talking about the Son of God. Yes, Jesus broke some societal taboos. But His rule breaking demonstrated that He looked beyond culture to people’s hearts. Whereas the Pharisees wrote people off simply because of their profession or their past, Jesus looked past all that and saw their need. Jesus is usually breaking some rule – cultural, social, even religious – when he is offering the most grace.

Which raises the question, can I love people, really love people, if I’m not breaking the rules?

Would I have second guessed Jesus when He went to a tax collector’s house? Am I more afraid of breaking the rules or failing to love people?

Loving people is messy. Sometimes, in order to love someone with the grace-upon-grace love of Jesus it means breaking the rules. People are dying, literally, as they wait for us to break some of the rules in order to love them and by loving them point them to the cross. The question should always be before us. Do we love our rules more than we love our fellow Christians or those far from the heart of God? 

Discussion Questions

  1. Are you a rule follower or a rule breaker? Why do you fall into either category?    
  2. How do rules and people’s expectations go togther?
  3. Do you believe you need to break rules to: Strengthen your relationship with God? Fight the battles Jesus fought? Experience the true purpose of your life? Boldly pursue your God given dream?

Burden Bearing

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2

Albert Schweitzer was one of the most famous missionaries of the modern era. He set up a medical clinic in French Equatorial Africa. A friend came to visit him. One morning, this friend Schweitzer and some others were walking up a hill. It was extremely hot. Suddenly the 85 year old Schweitzer walked away from the group. He made his way toward an African woman struggling up the hill with a large load of wood for use in cooking. Schweitzer took the entire load of wood from the woman and carried it up the hill for her. The rest of the group was surprised and concerned that a person of Dr. Schweitzer’s age would strain himself so they asked why he did it.  Dr. Schweitzer looked at the group, then pointed to the woman and said, “No one should ever have to carry a burden like that alone.”

Life does not become easy just because you are a Christian. We still have our burdens as you no doubt can attest to. People still hurt you, bosses still exist, tragedies happen to us or the people we love and you can still get tired and depressed. The world will tell you to “suck it up” or other some inspirational advice. But the truth is, we do not need to bear our burdens alone. 

The Bible has approximately 55 “one another” statements. One of them is “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2 ESV) The NIV version says “carry” while the NLT says “share each other’s burdens.” God encourages us to help bear one another’s burdens, to help one another overcome the pressure and challenges of life.

There is no instruction on what exactly to do or how to “help carry one another’s burdens.” (GNT)  But thankfully we have the Holy Spirit.  I think in the simplest of terms, bearing another’s burdens means not walking away. Bearing another person’s burdens means we ask questions and we go beyond the  “I’m fine” answer. Sometimes the thing to do is just be there, sometimes it’s offering prayer, or to take a task off their hands, or tell them that you care, or to take the time to listen. The Holy Spirit knows what is needed. When we bear one another’s burdens, we are showing others the love and compassion we have been shown and is an indication of what we are about and more importantly, who we are.

What better way to exemplify love to one another, than by helping each other, as we walk together in Christ.

Discussion Question:

  1. How do you define burden? How do you define sharing?
  2. What are the potential “benefits” of bearing one another’s burdens? 
  3. What can we do this week to lift the burden of someone we know?

The Prelude To Evangelism

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” – 1 Peter 3:15. 

It is difficult to watch the news these days. On inauguration day, Washington D.C. was flooded by the supporters of the new president. Throughout the weekend those supporters were replaced by unhappy protestors. With D.C. as the hub, both the support and the protest spilled over across the country. It’s not exaggerating to say that many Americans are sharply divided and our society has become more polarized and argumentative than ever. We need to find a way to tear down the walls that keep us from coming together and finding common ground. 

We have some of the same challenges when it comes to evangelism. These are tough times for the church with so many misperceptions and urban myths about the church. In this climate, we need new thinking and ideas in developing best practices of evangelism for the 21st century. God is still the only One who can save, but He still uses people and community to achieve His purpose. One of the best practices we can use today in the area of evangelism is pre-evangelism.

Your first question is most likely, “what’s that?” If “evangelism” is telling people about the good news, then “pre-evangelism” is what you do before you tell people the good news. Pre-evangelism is the tough work of tearing down objections and obstacles to people being receptive to the message of the gospel. Some people have walls in their minds and hearts that simply will not allow them to give an open ear to the claims of the Christian faith. It takes time, effort and a lot of prayer to scale those walls.  Pre-evangelism seeks to meet people where they are. When we do pre-evangelism, we may not be “sharing the gospel” with someone, but we are doing the necessary work of helping them clear hurdles that stand in the way of being receptive and really hearing the gospel.

I have said in church many times, people won’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Establishing relationships with people requires us to get to know them and to have a genuine interest in their lives. Conversations that consist of asking questions in order to learn more about them and then actively listening and asking follow-up questions is an excellent way to start a relationship. As we get to know people, we can then ask more personal questions along the lines of, “Do you believe in God?” or “What do you have faith in or believe in your life?” This can help lay the groundwork as we seek to share the good news with them when the opportunity presents itself or to invite them to church. 

To effectively reach people with the gospel requires followers of Christ to live out our salvation with such joy, hope, and peace that the people with whom we come into contact daily can’t help but see Christ in our lives and want the same thing in their lives.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does pre-evangelism mean to you? 
  2. How can we be the kind of Christian unchurched people have never met before?
  3. How does the Christian’s hope, passion for life, strong purpose, or inner peace impact evangelism?
  4. What can we do better this week in the area of pre-evangelism?

Whatever It Takes

“And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” – Daniel 12:3.

At Northstar, we will do whatever it takes, short of sin, to find people far from God and lead them to life in Jesus. That’s one of our core values. and it’s the one that probably creates the most tension for Christians. It’s a value that is drawn straight from Scripture: “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” – 1 Corinthians 9:22-23. The idea that we will do “whatever it takes, short of sin to win the lost” requires some explanation or better still, some clarification. 

Anything short of sin means we will communicate in a manner that people can understand, especially those without a religious background. We will produce the type of music that people listen to. We will remove the myth of stuffiness and holier than thou that many people who have not been to church have. We don’t expect people to look or act like us. We will remove the awkwardness and uncertainty of meeting strangers. We will listen and we will address the questions they are asking, and the issues they are wrestling with. We will spend time with people who have a past and are dealing with serious issues, regardless of how much time it requires. We will love and serve people around us whether or not they ever become a part of our church. We will devote resources to missions locally and internationally to find the lost. We will always make room for someone else. We will go all-out when it comes to kids ministry to serve and help parents. We will find the lost rather than them finding us.

All that is quite an undertaking, but it is not an all inclusive list. Any option that is not against the law or against biblical teachings are on the table. We will do whatever it takes.

Having a passion for His people means that whatever you do in the body of Christ will be done in a way that Jesus would have done, and so you will be more effective in the kingdom of God.

Millions are looking for this and we have the answer, Jesus says clearly “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” So what we need to do is to find people who are looking for some answers in their lives and we can show them the answers by pointing them toward Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you define a passion for the lost? 
  2. How do we complement what God is doing? What is the human role in helping people come to God?
  3. Identify a particular person in a situation who has real needs that you can serve.

Right On The Money

“Here’s a scary thought: What if God called you to give beyond your comfort level? Would you be afraid? Would you try to explain it away or dismiss it as impractical? And in the process, would you miss out on a harvest opportunity for which God had explicitly prospered you in the first place?” – Andy Stanley, Fields Of Gold. 

“Why do pastors talk about money at church?” 

It’s a question I’m asked every now and then when someone finds out I’m a pastor. If I made a list of subjects that I would prefer to preach on, money or giving would not be high on the list. Money sermons can be awkward for everyone involved, from the pastor to the people listening. Even if you’ve given, or heard, a biblically sound money sermon that earned you a few “well-dones” or “attaboys”, you’ve probably also sat through, or given one, to be kind, that was below average. In full disclosure, I have been the speaker and the listener for both.   

So why do pastors talk about money? Is it meant to make people feel uncomfortable or guilty? The answer is no. Does God need the money? Again, the answer is no. There are several answers to that question, but let me simply say this: pastor’s should preach on money because they are communicating God’s Word. The Bible has a lot to say about money. The Bible references money and possessions more than 2,350 times. That must mean God thinks it’s pretty important. And if He does, I do as well.    

As a pastor, I understand the perception people have when money is preached too often. And I understand the struggle to give faithfully in difficult times. But I speak on money, giving and generosity because where you spend your money will set the direction of your heart. Billy Graham said, “If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area of his life.”  

Let me give you another way of looking at it: We can do deep spiritual dives and debate what we believe about the Trinity, the sovereignty of God, or whether the end times perspective is “pre-tribulation,” or “post-tribulation.” Discussions on these topics are a wonderful and a worthwhile exercise, but they don’t often have a practical application. But, how I earn, spend, give, and save money – that’s a much clearer barometer of my core beliefs and how much I trust God. Jesus said, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Matthew 6:21)  Systematically breaking down the book of Hebrews and understanding all the richness of this book is great, but it does not measure up to the action of emulating Jesus’ commitment to feeding the hungry. Periodic messages on giving and generosity are intended to strengthen our faith as we place a greater reliance on God, helps us invest in the things of God and not in the things of this world because it loosens our grip on earthly possessions and reminds us to focus on things that offer true eternal results.   

Discussion Questions

  1. Do you believe how we handle our money is a indication of our theology? Why or why not?   
  2. Is the way we handle our finances an indication of our trust in God? Why or why not?   

The Not-So-Small Matter Of Groups

“So often, it’s others around us who can see where God wants to grow us even before we see it ourselves.” – James MacDonald.

We talk about small groups a lot at Northstar, and rightly so. When we look at the early church, we get a picture of small communities of people who followed Jesus together. The Book of Acts, especially Acts 2:42-47, gives us a great picture of the early church and the components of biblical community, both at the temple and in homes. 

These believers engaged in life together through teaching, fellowship, communion, prayer, miracles, radical generosity, and corporate worship. They spent time together eating, learning, celebrating, proclaiming the good news, and supporting each other. I want to make another push to get people who attend Northstar and have been hesitating to join a group, to take the plunge.  You won’t regret it.   

Small groups connect us to one another. They aren’t a new-fangled concept. As I said, they date back to the very beginnings of church thousands of years ago. In small groups, we get to form friendships, to know and be known, offer support and encouragement, and to grow closer to God. We get to ask big questions and wrestle with tough topics. Most importantly, we get to be together with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We aren’t meant to live life alone. We are meant to journey through it together.

Healthy spiritual growth is a deeply relational process. There are hundreds of moving stories that have been shared with me on the impact of small groups in people’s lives. 

Small groups are about life change. On Sundays, people listen to the message; in small groups, people talk about the message. Small groups allow the opportunity for the congregation to respond to the conversation started in the message. This conversation can change people’s minds and hearts. And that can change people’s lives.

Because all people are different and have different needs, we have a lot of different small groups. There are small groups that meet in homes and even at the church. Some are specific to men or women; some are for couples or singles; some share commonalities of life stage or geographic area. Others are a eclectic mix of people. Bottom line, we have a group for you. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the biggest advantage of being in a small group?  What are the obstacles to joining a small group.
  2. Do the obstacles of a small group outweigh the benefits?
  3. Pray about joining a small group.   

Give And Take: Be Refreshed By Refreshing Others

“Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” – Proverbs 11:24-25.

How do we explain what we see in this world? Terrorism, slavery, racism and hunger are all a part of the world we live in. Subconsciously, we probably ask ourselves this question on a regular basis. But consciously we rarely do, simply because we have enough in our lives that we rarely stop and wonder why. We’re tired. Stressed. Frazzled. We feel depleted. We wonder how or why we can guarantee that life will be pain-free or at least better. How can we be refreshed and find rest?

Proverbs 11:25 says those who refresh others will be refreshed. Jeremiah 31:25 says, “I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” The Bible speaks clearly about the value of refreshing others in the work of the Lord. Whether it is due to a personal difficulty or to a disheartening circumstance, there will always be the need either to refresh others or to be refreshed ourselves in our service for Christ. 

Paul commented on this in 1 Corinthians 16:18: ”For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.” In writing to the Christians in Rome, Paul again stated the hope that he with them may be refreshed in the Lord in Romans 15:32: “so that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will, and in your company be refreshed.”  His desire was that when he came to them, they would be refreshed. The ministry of refreshing others in the Lord is often a mutual blessing.

How can we refresh others so we too will be refreshed? How can we in a practical way be a refreshing influence to the Lord’s people? Perhaps it could be through being a good listener, or taking the time to pick up the phone, or tell somebody who is struggling that you are praying for them. Maybe it is buying some groceries or taking them to lunch. 2 Kings 4, the women of Shunem provided Elisha with a “home away from home” – a “get away” that refreshed him in the midst of his regular ministry. She was amply rewarded for her kind deeds to Elisha as you will see when you read the story. There is a multitude of means by which we can refresh one another in the Lord – all motivated by one main ingredient – love for the Lord and for His people.

Whether we are on the giving end or the receiving, as long as we are serving Christ, there will always be the need to be refreshed or encouraged in the Lord. Each day is an opportunity to spend time, talent and money to make life a little better for those around us.

The way to be refreshed is to refresh others.  Today I challenge you to refresh someone. The gospel was not designed to be hoarded; it was designed to be shared. 

Discussion Question:

  1. What does it mean to be refreshed?
  2. How well do we use our time, talent, and treasure to refresh others? 
  3. How generous are we with patience?
  4. What can we do this week to refresh somebody in our life?

The Scarcity Problem

“The people rejoiced over the offerings, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord, and King David was filled with joy?” – 1 Chronicles  29:9. 

Imagine that two people are walking down the street. They both need oxygen to survive. But there is no worry about running out of oxygen.  Oxygen is not scarce. In fact, it is abundant. But if those same two people are scuba diving and one tank malfunctions, that changes the equation completely, doesn’t it? Suddenly air becomes a precious commodity. It’s scarcity makes the two people wonder if there is enough for both of them.   

Many people operate through the lens of scarcity. They are afraid of having enough money to enable them to live as they desire. And more importantly, will they have the money to provide for their family? The Great Depression in 1929 and all the downturns since then, have contributed to this scarcity mentality. The scarcity mentality contributes to “what if” scenarios such as “what if I lose my job” or “what if I get a chronic illness?”  People worry about running out of time, resources, and money.

All that could be true from a cultural, worldview. But as Christians, we should not look at life from a purely physical vantage point. Several weeks ago we talked about Jesus feeding the 5,000. (Matthew 14:13-21) The disciples viewed life through the lens of scarcity. From a practical standpoint the resources at the disciples disposal was pretty scarce compared to the need:  “But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.” “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered.” (Vs. 16-17)

A similar story is told in I Kings 17:7-16 where Elijah encounters the widow of Zarephath. She is about to run out of food, but because she submitted to Elijah’s request to feed him, her small amount of flour and olive oil never ran out.

If we view life through the lens of scarcity, we will always be fearful and anxious. We are human. We fail to remember what God has done and therefore what he is capable of doing presently. It is important to remind ourselves over and over how God has provided in the past.   

God is the greatest giver in the universe, and He won’t let you outgive Him in any way. The questions for us are: Do we realize that He gave His only Son for us, that He wants us to test His generosity, that we can trust a giving God, and that we will reap a great harvest if we sow generously? I believe it. Do you?

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you ever have a scarcity mindset?
  2. Americans are some of the wealthiest people in the world, but do you think Americans are generous with their wealth? Why or why not?
  3. What excuses do people sometimes make for not being more generous with their resources (time, money, and energy) toward others? What excuses have you made?

Is Giving Better Than Receiving?

“And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.” – Acts 20:25.

Imagine for a second putting a group of people in a room and asking them to debate whether it is truly better to give than to receive. It would be a spirited debate. One group may well suggest that regardless of income, studies show that those who spent money on others reported greater happiness, while those who spent more on themselves did not. The other side would probably look confused and say, “the giver is happier than the getter…I don’t buy it.  Surely some mistake. That goes against all our intuitions and instincts.”

It is more blessed to give than to receive when we have the option of doing either. That is because God’s ultimate goal for all of us is that we be saved and then become increasingly more like Jesus. Giving should be a delight when we realize that in giving we are acting like Jesus. One of the things that we strive for in the Christian life is to be more like Jesus. We love the Lord Jesus Christ, we see His grace at work in our lives, we see areas where we’re growing — but we also see those areas where we fall short of being like Jesus. Those areas will always exist, but when we give, we are following His example. We get to emulate the Lord Jesus Christ. We get to act like Jesus. Jesus gave the greatest gift that’s ever been given: Himself.

Paul reminds us of that in 2 Corinthians 8:9: “You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.”  When you give, you get to act like Jesus. Don’t take that for granted. I pray that we never underestimate the blessing of that, being able to be like the Savior through sacrificial giving. Because He who had everything gave everything, that we who had nothing might share everything with Him.

Giving in a right spirit is an act of worship. It is rendering Him a tribute of praise. It is saying. “You gave me everything and here is a small expression of my gratitude and praise for all your good gifts. It’s only a token, a sample of what I really feel, but you know the heart that lies behind it.” As David said: “What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me?” (Psalms 116:12).

Discussion Questions:

  1. Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Agree or disagree and why?
  2. Do you believe that giving yourself to God is the most important step in learning to become more generous? Why or why not?
  3. List some of the available time, talents, treasure, and things that God has given you. In what way could you give more in those areas?
  4. What is the greatest benefit or insight you have gained from this week’s message?