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David Scudder
DaveBethel at gmail dot com Sr. Pastor of Bethel Chapel Church
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Bethel's Youth Group > Musings from Bethel's young people Kensington Neighorhood House > Our Outreach to Kensington |
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Remember back a few days ago when Juniata was ravaged by a violent thunderstorm? It was on a Thursday night. With little warning we were hit with high winds, thunder, lightning, pounding rain, and even some hail. Then the lights went out! My daughter was driving down Aramingo Avenue at the time, and she related how eerie it was to drive block after block with no lights on at all. No street lights, no store lights, and not even any traffic lights. Suddenly the whole area was plunged into darkness.
There are few things as frightening as darkness. In 1925 Floyd Collins experienced the horror of complete darkness. He was exploring Sand Cave in Kentucky. When he was deep in the cave, his lantern went out. He crawled through the darkness until his foot dislodged a seven-ton boulder. The bolder rolled over his leg, trapping him. For several days Collins was stuck in a space 8 inches high and 12 feet long--125 feet below ground. It was pitch black. He couldn’t see a thing. When they discovered he was missing, they began a rescue attempt that lasted for days. During that time about 50,000 tourists came to watch the rescue effort. They ate hot dogs, and bought balloons from vendors who had come to the area. But the rescuers didn’t get to Floyd Collins in time. He died alone in the cold darkness. Towards the end he was heard crying out, “Get me out. Why don’t you take me out? Kiss me goodbye, I’m going.” It is awful to imagine what it was like for Floyd Collins to die in physical darkness. There is something worse, though. It is worse to LIVE in spiritual darkness. Spiritual darkness is that feeling that life has trapped you and you can’t see any way out. Problems are usually manageable as long as we feel like we have a plan that might solve the problem. Despair sets in, though, when we have run out of ideas of how to turn on the light. We can see no way to escape our darkness. There is a way. We don’t have to live in spiritual darkness. Jesus has turned the light on! He said, “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness” (John 12:46). We have an iron-clad promise from Jesus that we can find out how to solve life’s problems: “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12). We can experience this light when we turn to and trust in what Christ came to earth to do. Jesus boldly announced, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). If we want to live our lives in light instead of darkness, we must put our gaze on Christ. “For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). Where do we find “the face of Christ”? We will find it in the Bible. The good news of forgiveness and joy, “has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10). I am so glad that God has turned on a light in me that no storm can blow out. “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). If you feel like life has trapped you in darkness, there is a way out. This invitation from Jesus is for you too: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
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Have you ever felt like you would never get clean again? I was working with some roofing tar once and I got it on my hands and my clothes. I thought it would never come off. I scrubbed and scrubbed until my skin was almost raw. The clothes I had to throw away. But what about dirt on the soul? Have you ever felt like you would never be clean on the inside again? You’ve done something you are ashamed of and you can’t seem to erase the stain it has left on your life. Let me share a true story with you that should encourage you.
When we meet Jesus in Matthew chapter 8 He has just finished preaching what many believe is the best sermon ever delivered in the history of the world. We call it The Sermon on the Mount. Jesus made some amazing claims in that sermon. For example, He said He was the ultimate judge of the world (see Matthew 7:21-23). Could that possibly be true? Is there any way for Jesus to prove that He was as powerful as He said He was? Jesus wasted no time proving His power as well as His compassion. A leper met Jesus and humbly asked for healing. Leprosy was the most feared disease in those days. It was not only highly contagious, but it was a horrible thing to endure. It caused tumor like swellings all over the body. Often fingers, toes, ears and noses would eventually fall off. The sores also gave off a disgusting smell. Lepers not only endured great pain and suffering, they were also forced to live separate from all of society in leper colonies. What an awful and lonely life! This particular leper heard that Jesus was near so he approached Jesus and, “bowed down before Him, and said, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean’” (Matthew 8:2). Jesus not only instantly cured the incurable; He also reached out and touched the untouchable. Notice how Matthew describes it: “Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ And immediately his leprosy was cleansed” (Matthew 8:3). Imagine, Jesus was willing to give this man a human touch that he probably hadn’t had in years. That’s how Jesus loves to work. When anyone comes to Him and humbly asks for a miraculous cleansing of an ugly stain on the heart that just won’t go away, Jesus will remove it. Jesus can make us clean before God. The Bible calls it being justified: “to the one who does not work, but believes in [Jesus] who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness” (Romans 4:5). That is called the Gospel, or good news in the Bible. If you need some good news, seek Christ. If I can encourage you in any way, please let me know. Jesus wants to touch you too.
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This has become a hot topic lately because in a recent statement President Obama said, “We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation . . .” Really? The polls consistently show that almost 90% of Americans call themselves Christian. Does that mean we are a Christian nation--just because so many of us call ourselves Christian? Whether or not we are a Christian nation depends on how we define that term. What is a “Christian nation”?
Some nations are controlled by a church or an organized religious system. That is not true of this country. In the Bill of Rights the first amendment to our Constitution clearly states that America should never have a religion established by the government: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” This means that anyone is free to worship God or not worship God as they desire. In that respect we are NOT a Christian nation. If by “Christian nation” someone means that most Americas are following the teachings of Jesus Christ then, again, I would say that we are NOT a Christian nation. We have become an immoral and un-Christian people. If you are new to this country, please don’t think that the attitudes and actions by the majority of the people who live here are Christian. They are not. For example, movies and television shows often portray adultery and homosexuality as accepted and normal behaviors. They may be accepted and considered normal by many. Sadly, many sins are accepted and considered normal, but they are still condemned in the Bible, the book sincere Christians follow. If someone is saying that America is a “Christian nation” because it has a Christian heritage (or foundation), then on that basis, we can indeed clam to be a Christian nation. Our form of government was based on Christian principles, and it was established by many leaders who were openly Christian. Of that there can be no doubt. John Jay, a governor of New York and the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, said in 1816, “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty…of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” George Washington, our first President, wrote in 1752, “Let me live according to those holy rules which Thou this day prescribed in Thy holy word….Direct me to the true object, Jesus Christ the way, the truth, and the life. Bless, O Lord, all the people of this land.” He also said, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.” Andrew Jackson (our 7th President) said, “That Book (the Bible), sir, is the rock on which our republic rests.” Because of that foundation, no nation in the history of the world has enjoyed more blessings than America, and the only thing that sets America apart from every other country in the world is our Christian heritage. Our government was based on Christian principles, and yet everyone is free to worship as they please. We have the most powerful military ever known to mankind, and yet we have never used it to conquer and keep other lands in subjection. America sends billions of dollars of aid to other countries every year. More people choose to move to America than to any other country. Yes, America has always had problems, but America has done more good in the world than any other country. Why has our government worked so well for over 200 years? It's because our government was founded on the Christian belief that men tend to be evil—especially those who have power over others. This is why there are three branches in our government that are supposed to keep each other from getting too powerful. Our founding fathers agreed with what William Pitt said in 1770: "Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it." President Ronald Reagan warned us, “Let the Fourth of July always be a reminder that here in this land, for the first time, it was decided that man is born with certain God-given rights; that government is only a convenience created and managed by the people, with no powers of its own except those voluntarily granted to it by the people.” Government is not the only thing that works better when God's truth is acknowledged. Our individual lives work better, too, when we admit our own tendency to evil. Even the great Apostle Paul felt that way about himself: “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all” (1 Timothy 1:15). Realizing our own sinfulness shows us our need of a Savior. When we trust Christ's death on the cross as the total payment for our sin, we ourselves can be called a Christian—not because we belong to the right religious system, not even because we always act like Christians, but just because we are trusting in what Jesus did for us on Calvary. That makes us Christians, followers of Jesus Christ. I hope you have been set free from sin’s punishment and its hold on your life. “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). At Bethel Chapel Church we celebrate that freedom every Sunday.
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Generally, when we say someone is a missionary, we mean they have left their homeland to share the good news about Christ in a foreign land. Missionaries are able to do this because individuals and churches give them regular financial support. Roger, a friend of mine, is a good example. He has been in Hong Kong for the past 19 years, and our church helps to support him. He and his wife had all six of their children in Hong Kong. Roger and his family stayed in Hong Kong as British rule ended and the Communist Chinese rule began. He has learned the language, taught the Bible, planted a church, and even helped produce a Chinese study Bible that is being used in the underground church in China today.
You may be wondering what my friend Roger, who is a missionary, has to do with Father’s Day, the holiday we just celebrated. When Roger visited our church two weeks ago, he shared an interesting story about a father in China. It made me think about the fathers here in Juniata. Several years ago an avowed atheist started coming to Roger’s church. He began coming to Hebron Baptist Church in Hong Kong because his wife had accepted Jesus as her Savior. He was very skeptical about Christianity, and he only came to investigate what was his family was being taught. In fact, when Hong Kong was a British colony and Communism wasn’t accepted, this man was a leader in the Communist Party. As the months went by, Roger wondered what truth from the Bible would open this man’s heart and overcome the darkness and prejudice in his background. You would never expect a former leader in the Communist Party to attend church, would you? Yet here he was in Hebron Baptist Church every Sunday for six months. Why did he keep coming? He came because he loved his family, and he wanted to know what they were learning. The miracle happened on Father’s Day. Roger was teaching about the responsibilities that a father has to teach the Bible to his children. For example, the Bible says: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:5,7). When this Chinese father heard that message, he wanted to accept God’s truth for himself. Later, he explained that he wanted to know the truth so he could teach it to his own children. Today, this man, who used to be a committed Communist, is now a leader in Hebron Baptist Church in Hong Kong. The message about God’s forgiveness through Christ was powerful enough to change this Chinese father's entire life and world view. It was powerful enough to change my life, and it is powerful enough to change the life of anyone who opens his heart to God’s Word. That is what made me think about the fathers in Juniata. There are fathers here in Juniata who need to be changed, too. Many of them are so overwhelmed by life’s problems that they have little energy left to meet their children's needs. Without the changing power of the Gospel, many children here in Juniata are doomed to repeat the same mistakes that their own fathers have made. I am sure there are fathers here in Juniata who know they should be teaching the truth to their children, but they too are not sure what that truth really is. If you are a father, would you be willing to come to Bethel Chapel Church for six months just to hear to what the Bible says? Would you be willing to listen with an open heart to see if the Bible has the truth you are looking for? Once you have a confidence that the Bible is God’s truth, then you will have something life changing you can show your own children. Then you will be able to show them something that will guide them away from the hurtful mistakes that you have made. Hong Kong is not the only place that has missionaries. Juniata has many missionaries, too. I am one. Maybe God wants you to be one too. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). God’s power is still available.
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It amazes me that everyone doesn’t want forgiveness of sin, but I have met many people who do not. Why is that? Even though King David shows us in Psalm 51 that when we ask for forgiveness God’s way, we are forgiven. Period! At that point God declares that our sins are washed away and forever gone. Who wouldn’t want that? Even thought the Bible tells us that when God forgives us, He removes our sin “As far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). If that’s true, then who wouldn’t want God’s forgiveness? It’s free, forever, and complete.
Keep reading in Psalm 51 to see why some people reject God and His forgiveness. Even though God’s forgiveness is freely offered, it comes as a package deal. When God forgives us, He also changes us. Too many in our world don't want that change. They want to keep going their own way. They don't want God to change the direction and focus of their lives. Many years ago Wilber Reese wrote a poem called “Three Dollars Worth of God.” He uses some sarcasm to make his point. I would like to buy 3 dollars worth of God, please Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, But just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I don't want enough of Him to make me love [someone of a different color] or pick beets with a migrant. I want ecstasy, not transformation. I want the warmth of the womb not a new birth. I want about a pound of the eternal in a paper sack. I'd like to buy 3 dollars worth of God, please. The truth is that God will never give us just a little bit of Himself. When you have an encounter with the almighty, holy, creator of the universe, it is transformational. Actually, though, that is good news. When God changes us on the inside, we begin to WANT what He wants. “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it” (Psalm 37:4-5). In a sense then, a Christian does get to do what he wants to do. That’s because a Christian wants to please and follow the One who forgave all of his sin. Andrew Murray, a South African pastor in the 1800’s explained how God’s forgiveness changed him: “ May not a single moment of my life be spent outside the light, love, and joy of God’s presence and not a moment without the entire surrender of myself as a vessel for Him to fill full of His Spirit and His love.” Surrendering to God’s forgiveness is the beginning of great joy. As David put it, “Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing” (Psalm 100:2). Charles Spurgeon said, “None but God can give back this joy; he can do it; we may ask it; he will do it for his own glory and our benefit. This joy comes not first, but follows pardon and purity….” When you accept the package deal that comes with God’s forgiveness, then you will want to shout: “The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock; and exalted be God, the rock of my salvation” (2 Samuel 22:47). If you are interested in learning more about God’s forgiveness, I’d be glad to talk to you or send you some free information. You can leave a message for me at 215-533-4395 or write to me at DaveBethel@gmail.com.
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