Elder’s Corner: Are you “in” or “out”?

For the last three weeks I have been building a “lean to” shed addition onto my machine shed. This was not very good planning on my part as the temperatures were in the teens several days. One particular day I was putting metal on the west side of the building. I had to take my gloves off to be able to pick up the screws to attach the metal. The wind chill was exactly that-- “cold”! All the while I could hear the furnace running inside the original building. 

I kept thinking how warm and toasty it would be if only I was inside. I started to think about church to take my mind off how freezing cold I was getting. Then God sent me the illustration. I willingly left the warmth of the building to put metal on the new building. I thought about my friends who used to come to church but have willingly left the warmth of the fellowship of other believers. I also thought about those friends who are on the outside looking in—those who weren't brought up in church, those who have never been introduced to Jesus. I know I couldn't wait to get back inside where it was warm when I was on the outside. 

As this New Year is almost here I hope my friends who left the warmth of God's fellowship will return and those who have never met the One who loved them enough to give the gift of His own Son at Christmas will join the warmth of fellowship on the “inside”. A New Year --a New Start that You Will Never Regret!

Alan

God Revealed #2: The Greatness of our God

"It is a subject so vast, that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity; so deep, that our pride is drowned in its infinity... But while the subject humbles the mind, it also expands it. Nothing will so enlarge the intellect, nothing so magnify the whole soul of man, as a devout, earnest, continuing investigation, of the great subject of the Deity of Jesus Christ" (Charles Spurgeon, The New Park Street Pulpit, p. 1).  

Scripture plainly teaches that Jesus is one person with 2 natures: 100% God and 100% man (see http://eugenechristianchurch.blogspot.com/search/label/God%20Revealed). Jesus is called God by numerous individuals: Isaiah (Isa. 9:6), Paul (Tit. 2:13), Peter (1 Pet. 1:1), Thomas (John 20:28); and John (1 John 5:20). God the Father even called Jesus God (Heb. 1:8). “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (Col. 2:9).

Jesus Himself claimed to be God. In Biblical cultures for a person to be “a son of” makes Him “equal to.” In John 5:17b-18 Jesus says, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working. For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.” (See also John 10:30-33)

As God, Jesus is all powerful. The wind and the waves obey Him (Matt. 6:26). He walks above the raging seas ((Matt. 14:22-33). Therefore, when the storms of life overcome us and we start to sink in the waters of despair, Jesus can lift us up and calm the storms (Matt. 14:31).

At times making a living can seem impossible. We look at all our bills and wonder how we could possibly survive with the little that we have. Yet Jesus, our all powerful God, took the little which a young boy had, blessed it and multiplied it to feed the multitude with extra to spare (Mark 6:33-44). God wants to provide for you, but will you give Him all that you have, allowing Him to bless and multiply it like He did with that young boy?

Jesus has the power of life and death in His hands. He caused the blind to see (John 9) and He enabled the mute to speak (Matt. 9:33). He enabled the crippled to walk (Mark 2). And He caused the dead to rise to life again (John 11). I don’t know what physical aliment you are currently suffering from, but our God, Jesus Christ is able to deliver you. On the other hand, maybe His deliverance  will be to give you the strength as you rely upon Him to see you through (Heb. 13:5; Jam. 1:2-4).

Jesus has the authority to do things which only God can do. It is foolish to believe that a man can forgive our sins. Mankind doesn’t have the authority. Yet Jesus does (Luke 5:20-24). And He wants to forgive us of ours. Regardless of what we may have done in the past, forgiveness is available. We don’t have to live with regret, guilt or shame any longer; Jesus offers you a new life (2 Cor. 5:17; Rev.  21:6). 

Jesus is the Creator and Sustainer of life (John 1:3). It is amazing to consider that even when Jesus became a man in the form of a little baby, lying in a manger, He held the universe together in His hands. Thus, Jesus has the power to create anything and everything for us as Christians. With Him all things are possible (Luke 1:37).

Jesus claimed to be Yahweh/Jehovah. This is seen on several occasions when Jesus called Himself the “IAM” (John 4:26; 8:24, 58-59; 13:19; 18:4; Greek Matt. 14:27; Mark 6:50; Luke 24:39).

This is a clear reference to Yahweh/Jehovah in the Old Testament (Ex. 3:14). His intention of claiming this can easily be proven by the response of those who heard Him. “At this they picked up stones to kill Him” for claiming to be God (John 8:59).

The title Yahweh/Jehovah points to His eternal and unchanging nature (Mic. 5:2; Heb. 13:8). The world around us is constantly changing yet Jesus remains the same.

When your work seems to be shaky, unemployment lurks in the future, or you are having a difficult time providing for your family, God’s got your back. He will provide for those who trust in Him. He will grant you guidance to see in the dark. He offers you grace and truth to overcome your past. When you go through moments of delight or seasons of distress God remains the same. Even when the whole world seems to be crumbling around you, He will not crumble. Nothing can separate you from His love. He is still on His throne.

That is the greatness of our God, Jesus Christ. What better place to entrust our lives to than in the loving hands of Jesus!

More of Him, less of me,

     Matt

Matt's Matters: Resolutions

Every New Year millions of Americans make new resolutions about how their life is going to be different, somehow better than the year(s) before. Typical resolutions vary from improving one’s health, time management, financial situations or relationships.

New Year’s resolutions are good things. Resolutions tend to come as a result of remembering what has happened up till this time. Even if this past year was the worst year of our lives, all of us have things we can be thankful for.  I’m thankful for the people of Eugene. The warmth and hospitality of this community is unlike any other.

Resolutions come as we review what has happened over this past year, all of us can find areas which we would like to see improve.

A man spent over 3 hours enduring the long lines, rude clerks, and insane regulations at the Department of Motor Vehicles. After this he stopped at a toy store to pick up a gift for his son. The man brought his selection—a baseball bat—to the cash register. There the clerk asked, “Cash or charge?” “Cash,” the man snapped back. Then apologizing for his rudeness, he explained that he had spent the afternoon at the motor vehicle bureau. So the clerk then asked sweetly, “Shall I gift wrap the bat, or are you going back there?” :) Maybe this is an area where we could use a little improvement.

Resolutions require us to refocus our lives. When one refocuses their life they think about what is most important. Life is unpredictable. We don’t even know what will happen today, much less next week or next year. The truth is that no one can predict the future. Life is short. We need to resolve to make the most of the time which we have.

Many will make New Year’s resolutions only to give up within the first week.  For this reason many will avoid making resolutions in the first place.  However, the odds of one achieving something which they are actively working towards are higher than someone who never attempts to make the change. Therefore, I encourage you, instead of making a resolution, to make a bucket list. Think strongly about what you would like to accomplish in life. God promises us that if we delight ourselves in Him, He will give us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4).

Over the next five weeks, we at Eugene Christian Church are going to be working with one another to make 2014 the best year ever. Thus, I want to encourage you to join us as we seek to make this New Year soar.

In His service,

        Matt