NUMBER THREE, 2019
In this issue 3
Growing Up with Grace: A Swindoll Family Conversation
6
How to Prepare for Easter
8
A Good Man or the God-Man? The Case for the Deity of Jesus
charles r. swindoll Robyn roste
insight for living ministries
Q&A 13 How Can a Church Impact Its Community?
steve johnson
Beyond the Broadcast 15 A Miraculous Resurrection
Insights is published by Insight for Living Canada, the Bibleteaching ministry of Charles (Chuck) R. Swindoll. Chuck is the senior pastor-teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Texas. His international radio program Insight for Living has aired for more than 35 years. We hope this publication will instruct, inspire, and encourage you in your walk with Christ. Copyright Š 2019 Insight for Living Canada. All rights reserved. No portion of this monthly publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture passages are taken from the NLT. Unless otherwise noted, photography and illustration by Tim Schellenberg. IFLC is an autonomous ministry and certified member of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities. Printed in Canada.
Growing Up with Grace A Swindoll Family Conversation by charles r. swindoll
Cover and artilce Images: Biel Morro on Unsplash
Recently, three generations of Swindolls sat down to chat about grace. This is a conversation between Chuck, his daughter Colleen, and her son Austin. *** CHUCK: I wrote The Grace Awakening to say, in effect, “Everybody, take a deep breath, and give everyone the room you would like to have in your life—to be and to do.” How you rear your children may be different from how your neighbours rear theirs. The entertainment you enjoy may be different from what they would choose. Neither is sinful, just different. When you’re a legalist, though, you’re looking through a tiny radius, like a toilet paper roll...and that’s the most dreadful way I can imagine to live one’s life! COLLEEN: I’m often asked, “What was it like growing up in a pastor’s home? You must’ve had all these rules.” But I really didn’t. You never said, “Colleen, you have to do this or that because of what people will say about me.” CHUCK: I often would say, “Don’t do this for my sake. You’re not maintaining your purity so your dad will have a good reputation. You’re doing that for your benefit. When you compromise, you hurt yourself. There may be ramifications that fall back on me, but that’s not your concern. Your main concern ought to be you and your walk with Christ.” That kind of grace allows people to grow up! Now, obviously, when you and your siblings were small, we had rules, but they were basic-to-life rules…They weren’t numerous, tight, little, nitpicking rules. At home or anywhere else, when we make non-essentials essential, we quickly enter the realm of legalism. Cynthia and I agreed, if it’s not essential, let’s not make a big deal about it. Now, you’ve also got to determine, “What’s essential?” Is it because Scripture states it as such...or just because you’ve always believed it?
AUSTIN: In other words, are we focusing on what the Bible says or what we want it to say? CHUCK: You’re exactly right. Into any situation, we bring the roots of our lives. The way I was raised naturally came from my original family. The way Cynthia was raised naturally came from hers. We had to learn to ask, “Why do we keep saying our children must do such-and-such?” I remember years ago, Colleen, all you kids wanted to sleep outside. I said, “No, no, no! You’ll get bit by spiders. Somebody might crawl over the fence and kidnap you. Or, you’ll get cold.” Your mom pulled me aside and said, “What’s wrong with letting them sleep in a little tent out back? What’s the big deal?” She developed a rule I will never forget, and I love her so much for teaching me this: “Unless we have to say no, let’s always look for ways to say yes.” And you know what? It worked. I loosened up and you kids had a blast (and nobody ever got bit!). COLLEEN: I made some of my best memories in that yard! CHUCK: I know it! You slept outside, and I thought, They lived to see the sunrise! No spiders bit ’em. The snakes didn’t crawl into their tent. They didn’t set the house on fire. COLLEEN: Well...That did happen on the patio, but I’ll leave that out! CHUCK: Yeah, what I don’t know doesn’t concern me! COLLEEN: One thing I want to emphasize is that, in the non-essentials, we give grace and let go of our lists. But even if somebody has committed a sin, we should give grace! Christ invited those living sinful lifestyles to come to dinner and sit and talk
with Him. One thing I love about Austin is that he hosts Bible studies and invites people who believe all kinds of weird things. AUSTIN: Jesus said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do” (Mark 2:17). If we ignore people who have an atheistic world view or struggle with some addiction or have a smorgasbord of questionable issues...if we don’t demonstrate grace to them, how are we replicating the grace Christ showed? He modelled the message we’re to model! CHUCK: And I don’t think Jesus sat there with a harlot and talked about how she ought not be a harlot the whole time they were having their meal together! Same for a man who was ripping people off financially. AUSTIN: Legalists focus on consequences. Someone who has that weight dumped on them can’t focus on why something is wrong or right. In our family, through generations, there’s been an emphasis on principle. Mom and Toban would often say, “Think about whether it’s right or not instead of thinking
only about the consequence.” I learned to think for myself that way. COLLEEN: And I want to interject something here. When Ashley and Austin grew up and moved out, I didn’t give them a list, “You need to do this or never do that.” I haven’t even looked at their social media pages, because I have my own life to deal with! They have to deal with their own lives. CHUCK: This is grace at its best: when you’re able to say, “They have their lives. And that also means that my attention needs to be on my life.” Only One should be in charge of everyone’s lives…His name is Jesus. If He wants me to do something, I need to be doing it. But the room He gives you, the breadth He gives you, that’s between you and Him! Follow Him. He gives you truth, and what does that do? It sets you free. What a great way to live! Listen to the full recording at reframingministries.com.
The Hidden Secret of a Happy Life SINGLE CD MESSAGE
What’s the most Christlike attitude you can exhibit? For ordering information visit insightforliving.ca or view enclosed flyer.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR EASTER by robyn roste
Image: Raw Pixel on Unsplash
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hile thinking about how to pre- the highest points for what God has done pare for Easter, I realized it’s an for me through Jesus. In thinking through how to prepare for emotional roller coaster. Easter is solemn because we’re acknowledging the Easter I’ve come up with five different ideas. ultimate sacrifice our Lord made for us. But 1. Set aside time to do a Lent or an Easter devotion it’s also joy-filled because we’re celebrating our redemption and Jesus’ triumph over sin 2. Read a book that will deepen my spiritual life and my understanding of and death. what God has done for me In the six weeks leading to Easter Sunday, many Christians observe the season of Lent, 3. Sing or read hymns and choruses about the cross which is a traditional time of remembrance and repentance. During Lent people cut 4. Fast and pray distractions, practice prayer and fasting, or 5. Meditate on the reason Christ had to die— repent and praise the Lord focus on charitable deeds. While I know I’m for His ultimate sacrifice This time of preparation helps us focus our forgiven and redeemed, to save me from myself This year, it’s this careminds and hearts on the I still wrestle with ful balance of guilt and reason Easter Sunday is feeling inadequate and relief I’m pondering. I’m such a celebration. For me, part of observ- need to be reminded of contemplating the injustice of being saved from ing Lent is acknowledging the truth. my sin without deserving my guilt and shame rather than ignore it by being busy or pushing it it in the slightest. If not for Christ’s willing death I’d be down to avoid dealing with it head-on. While I know I’m forgiven and redeemed, I still dead in my sins. If not for His Resurrection wrestle with feeling inadequate and need to I’d have no chance of eternal life. My hope is in the days leading up to Easbe reminded of the truth. “So now there is no condemnation for those ter I’ll come to a deeper understanding of His love for me and find refreshment and who belong to Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 Preparing for Easter helps me embrace renewal through His grace. the full meaning of the season and celRobyn Roste is the media and marketing manager ebrate Christ’s Resurrection with a clear at Insight for Living Canada. conscience. I’m both repenting for my lowest points of sin and expressing gratitude at
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GOOD MAN OR THE
GOD-MAN? The Case for the Deity of Jesus by insight for living ministries
"Who do people say that I am?" (Mark 8:27 NASB)
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esus asked this question two thousand because you are not of My sheep. My years ago, and the answers are still sheep hear My voice, and I know them, coming in: a rabbi who preached comand they follow Me; and I give eternal passion, a brilliant leader who touched life to them, and they will never perish; the hearts of thousands, a misunderstood and no one will snatch them out of My innovator who died as a martyr. His enehand. My Father, who has given them to mies said He was a devil, a rabble-rouser Me, is greater than all; and no one is able who deserved to die. His followers said to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I He was the Messiah, the Son of God who and the Father are one." (John 10:25-30) deserved to be worshipped. According to some theologians, Jesus Which view is true? Most opinions wasn't claiming to be God when He said, about Jesus fit into one of two categories: "I and the Father are one." He was simply Jesus was human or divine. Either He was saying that He was an ordinary human a good man or the God-man, a remarkable filled by an extraordinary power. Yet, if historical figure or deity in the flesh. You that was all He intended to say, why didn't may be near the edge of your own deci- He clarify His meaning when the Jewish sion regarding Jesus, weighing the views leaders threatened to stone Him for blason either side but uncertain which way to phemy? The rocks in their hands were lean. How can you find the answer to the hard proof of their understanding of His question—who is Jesus? statement: "For a good work we do not The Claims of Jesus stone You, but for blasphemy; and because A good place to begin is with Jesus’ own You, being a man, make Yourself out to be claims. What did Jesus say about Himself? God" (John 10:33). Jesus Claimed Equality with God If they had jumped to a wrong concluOne of Jesus' clearest self-identifying sion, Jesus had the opportunity to correct statements came in response to the Jewish them, yet He didn't. He was claiming to be leaders' direct question: "How long will you God because He was God! keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, What did Jesus mean when He said that tell us plainly" (John 10:24). Jesus called on He was one with the Father? The Jews underHis record to testify on His behalf: stood "the Father" to be their Creator who “I told you, and you do not believe; the had sovereign control of their lives (Deuterworks that I do in My Father’s name, onomy 32:6; Isaiah 64:8). Jesus wasn't implythese testify of Me. But you do not believe ing that He and the Father were the same
person (we'll discuss Jesus’ role in the Trin- them to a psychiatrist. They're delusional! ity later), but that He and the Father were of Without proof of His deity, Jesus’ claim the same nature. They were equal in rights, would be empty; worse yet, it would be authority, privileges, and power. So, in effect, lunacy. So to show the world who He was, Jesus was saying that He had complete and He performed deeds that only God could do. sovereign power over their lives—a claim • He raised people from the dead (Mark 5:41; John 11:38-44) that enraged the Jewish leaders. • He healed people (Matthew 9:35; 11:4) Jesus Claimed Divine Authority Throughout the gospels, Jesus declared • He performed miracles, such as calming the storm and feeding thousands of His deity through His claims of authority. people (Mark 4:35-41; 8:1-9) He announced, "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11), a title the Old Testament • He exorcised demons and defeated Satan (Mark 1:27; Luke 4:1-13) ascribed to God (Psalm 23:1). He claimed to be the judge of all people (John 5:27), a • He accepted worship (Matthew 14:33) task that only God performs (Joel 3:12). He • He gave authority to His disciples to do miracles (Matthew 10:1) called Himself the bridegroom (Matthew Each healing, miracle, or exorcism 25:1), a role God played with Israel (Isaiah 62:5). He forgave sins The Son proceeds from the that Jesus performed provided additional tes(Mark 2:5); only God can forgive sins. Of Father like radiance from timony that He was the glory. Although one is long-expected Son of course, the Pharisees God, the Saviour of the grasped the implication distinct from the other, it world (Isaiah 35:5-6). that Jesus was claiming is impossible for the one The Theology of to be God, and again they sought to kill Him to exist without the other. Jesus’ Deity For further evidence of Jesus’ deity, let's for blasphemy (Mark 14:64-65). Jesus put Himself on the same level as turn from the words and deeds of Jesus to Yahweh—the "I AM"—of the Old Testament the pen of the apostles. (John 8:58). He claimed to be Messiah (Mark The Deity of Jesus in the New Testament Paging through the rest of the New 14:61-64) and taught that the Messiah was not simply David's heir but David's Lord Testament, we see that the title of God (Luke 20:41). He assumed equal authority (theos) is explicitly attributed to Jesus with God (Matthew 28:18) and even encour- (John 1:1, 18; 20:28; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13; aged prayer in His name (John 14:13-14). Hebrews 1:8; and 2 Peter 1:1). In several pasFinally, He invited people to believe in Him sages, the authors refer to Jesus in ways that for salvation (John 3:16; 6:29; 7:38). In the can only apply to God. They write that He history of Israel, no prophet or king, priest is eternal (Revelation 1:17, compare with or rabbi had ever offered salvation in their Micah 5:2), yet there is only one eternal God name. It would have been blasphemous for (Deuteronomy 6:4; 33:27). Christ created all them to make such an appeal. Only Jesus things (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16), yet there made the seemingly audacious appeal of is only one Creator (1 Peter 4:19). Christ is present everywhere (Matthew 28:20), faith...because He was God. yet there is only one omnipresent God Jesus Did What Only God Can Do When people say they are God, we take whom we worship (Acts 17:27, 28). Christ
receives worship from people and angels beget. Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses (Matthew 14:33; Philippians 2:10; Hebrews say that beget means "create." In their view, 1:6), yet the Old Testament forbids worship- at some point in eternity past, the Father ping anyone other than God (Exodus 20:1-5; created a being that did not already exist and Deuteronomy 5:6-9). Because each of these filled that being with His essence. That being, characteristics can only be said of God, then the “son of God,” is not God but is indwelled Jesus must be God as well. by God and represents Him on earth. The Deity of Jesus and the Trinity The main problem with that view is if But how can Jesus be the Son of God and the Son is a created being, we should not God at the same time? Because Jesus made a worship Him. The Scripture consistently distinction between Himself and the Father, commands us to worship God alone and prosome people conclude that Jesus is not really hibits us from worshipping any created being God but a created being. To answer this issue, (Romans 1:24-25). The Lord says through we have to take a look at how the members of Isaiah, "I will not give My glory to another" the Trinity relate. (Isaiah 42:8). Jesus Himself rebuffed Satan's The Scripture identifies the Son, the Father, temptation with the admonition of Scripture: and the Holy Spirit as separate persons. Sev- "Worship the Lord your God and serve Him eral verses describe the special roles that each only" (Deuteronomy 6:13; Matthew 4:10). person in the Trinity plays. The Father elects Yet Jesus received worship as a baby (1 Peter 1:2), loves the world (John 3:16), and (Matthew 2:8). He taught that His disciples gives good gifts (James 1:17); the Son suf- should honour Him in the same way as they fers (Mark 8:31), redeems (1 Peter 1:18), and honour the Father (John 5:23). He received upholds all things (Hebrews 1:3); the Spirit worship without deferring any praise to regenerates (Titus 3:5), empowers (Acts 1:8), God (Matthew 14:33; 28:17; John 9:38). He and sanctifies (Galatians 5:22-23). even asked the Father to glorify Him with There are also many verses that describe His glory (John 17:5). how the Son, Father, and Spirit interrelate. How then can we understand this conThe Father sends the Son and the Spirit. The cept of "begetting" if it doesn't mean "creSon submits Himself to the will of the Father, ating"? Hebrews 1:3 sheds the theological reveals the Father, and speaks the words of light we need: the Father (John 14:7-26). In theological terms, The Son is the radiance of God’s glory the relationship can be described like this: and the exact representation of his being, 1. The Father begets the Son and is He sustaining all things by his powerful from whom the Holy Spirit proceeds, word. (NIV) though the Father is neither begotten The Son proceeds from the Father like nor does He proceed radiance from glory. Although one is distinct 2. The Son is begotten and is He from from the other, it is impossible for the one to whom the Holy Spirit proceeds, but He exist without the other. There never was a neither begets nor proceeds time when glory existed without its radiance. 3. The Holy Spirit proceeds from both Similarly, there never was a time when the the Father and the Son, but He neither Father existed without the Son. The two are begets nor is He the One from whom one, just as light and radiance are one. any proceed. An early church father, Athanasius, used The crucial issue is how to define the word, the metaphor of a fountain and stream to
explain this verse. One is distinct from the other, yet they exist as one. The stream flows from the fountain, yet the stream is the fountain in essence. Similarly, a word flows from a thought, yet the word is the thought in essence. John was following this line of reasoning when he wrote: "The Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1 NASB). As a stream is to a fountain and a word is to a thought, so Jesus is to God. He flows from God and is God. Hebrews 1:3 also says that the Son is the "exact representation of [God's] being" (NIV). In this respect, the Son is unlike us. Humans are created in the image of God, while Jesus is the image of God. There's a big difference. We may create a robot in our human image, but that creation is something less than human and never can be a person. If we "beget" something, however, it is necessarily the same as us. Our children are the exact representation of our humanness. They are humans. In the same way, the Father "begets" the Son. The Son is the exact representation of the Father's God-ness—He is God. What God creates is a creation; what God begets is God. The Deity of Jesus and Our Salvation For Christians through the ages, these verses have added up to only one conclusion: Jesus is God. The nature of this truth prompted Paul to say, Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the
name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11 NASB) These verses tell us that even though Jesus was God, He set aside the use of His divine attributes to take on human form, and in His human form, He died on the cross in our place. In that way, God sacrificed Himself for us. Yet, if God simply created a being, called it His son, and sent it to die for us, what kind of sacrifice would that be? No, God Himself became a man, felt our pain, touched our hearts, and died in our place. Conclusion At the heart of the doctrine of Christ's deity is God's loving self-sacrifice for us. Our salvation rests not in a man like us but in a God who became like us in order to redeem us from our sins. After Jesus asked, "Who do people say that I am?" He asked an even more significant question, "But who do you say that I am?" (Mark 8:29). The answer to this question each person must decide for himself or herself. Who do you say Jesus is? Is He your Lord? If you would like to speak further about your decision, feel free to contact one of our Insight for Living pastors. We would be delighted to encourage you along your spiritual journey. If you have questions, please contact one of our Biblical counsellors with your questions. Copyright Š 2009 by Insight for Living. All rights reserved worldwide.
Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS FREAGRAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ TANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS C SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANN 解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TAN осы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅG VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN UND ANTWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSE N PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS FREAGRAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOS ідповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS A ANTWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS RAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODP MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN UND ANTWORTEN SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK RAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS by steve johnson CEISTEANNA AGUS FREA NDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG веты PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVA QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN UND ANTWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN A Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS FREAGRAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ TANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS C SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANN 解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TAN осы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU ACWhen ATEBION SPØRSMÅLhow OG SVAR cooking. we discussed they FRÅG church can impact its community VÁLASZOK
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by having a gift-based, passiondriven ministry. To explain what that means and looks like I will share a personal ministry experience and what I learned from it. I leave the specifics of how it applies to your situation up to you. I was holding a membership class in the church I was pastoring and one element of that was to discover the SHAPE of the new people. The SHAPE of a person determines their function. Spiritual gifts Heart or passion Abilities Personality Experiences Ephesians 4:11-16 indicates that Christ— as the head of the church guiding, directing, and building it—gives people as gifts to the church. I believe the SHAPE of the people He brings into a church indicates how He wants a church to minister. Therefore, in the membership class we discussed what each person’s SHAPE was. As it turned out, the people in this small group had gifts for serving and a passion for the homeless and street people. Several in the group had experience and skills in
could serve in the church the idea of a soup kitchen came up and we decided to try it. One of the first things I learned from this experience is that if a church is going to impact its community, the church leadership needs to understand the SHAPE of its people so ministry can be gift-based and passion-driven. The soup kitchen started small with this group of new church members leading it. Because those serving didn’t have to be coaxed or cajoled, as is the case sometimes with other church ministries, they had a sense of ownership—it wasn’t someone else’s passion that they were wrangled into helping with. This reiterates Ephesians 4:12, which says the pastor-teacher’s role is to equip God’s people to do His work, not to do all the work themselves. As the pastor I was freed to simply to show up at the soup kitchen, give thanks for the food, and minister to the people who came for lunch. As word spread the number of people who came for lunch grew, as did the number of days the soup kitchen was open. The rest of the church saw what was happening and many others wanted to participate.
Food and help were abundant. In fact, I community measures a church by what it turned away helpers because we already does for the community. Maybe you’re familiar with the saying, had more than enough volunteers. How often does that happen in church ministry? “People don’t care how much you know A second thing I learned is that when min- until they know how much you care.” That istry is gift-based and passion-driven, church is also true on a community level. To paraleaders will neither have to beg people to phrase the saying, a community doesn’t serve nor will they have to compromise and care what a church does unless and until settle for an unqualified person just to fill a it knows the church cares as shown by what they do for the composition. The ministry Having a gift-based, munity. That’s how they will not lack supply passion-driven ministry measure our impact— because the believers they see us as irrelevant are passionate and will benefiting the local want to give as well as community earns a church unless we are helping the local community. be trained in order to credibility to share the The ultimate impact be involved. Their joy in gospel with its community. we want is to have people serving is contagious. Word of what the church was doing hearing the gospel and coming to Christ. Having a gift-based, passion-driven spread through the community both by word of mouth and by the local newspa- ministry benefiting the local community per. A businessman heard about it and earns a church credibility to share the goscame to me with food he had purchased pel with its community. Does that mean having a soup kitchen will for the soup kitchen saying, “I wanted to do this because you are the only church I draw hordes of people into your church? No, see doing something for the community.” but it will just show in a tangible way that you Regardless of what other churches were care about the people outside the church’s doing or not doing, this man’s observa- walls. And once they know you care, they just tion struck me. Churches tend to measure might care about what you know. themselves by their evangelistic outreach, by their preaching, or by the kinds of Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for things they offer believers. In contrast, a Living Canada.
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A Miraculous Resurrection
“Who moved the stone? That’s a question that any thinking person must wrestle with. And your answer will affect your whole life.” - CHUCK SWINDOLL In John 20, the Apostle carefully walked us through the images of the garden tomb like a tour guide introducing tourists to a fascinating site. By focusing on details, John brought deep meaning to the reality of Christ’s Resurrection. John used the Greek word blepo when he wrote that John (speaking of himself) “saw the linen wrappings lying there” (John 20:5, emphasis added). John peered into the cave and noticed the linen wrappings but didn’t recognize their significance at first. Next came Simon Peter, huffing and puffing from his run and eventually making his way into the tomb. Scripture says that Simon Peter also “saw” the linen wrappings, but this time the Greek word used was theoreo, from which is derived the English word “theorize” (20:6). Though Peter had a theory, he remained confused about what he was seeing. John, however, was beginning to see the light: he “went in, and he saw and believed—for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead” (20:8–9, emphasis added). In this instance, John used the Greek word horao, meaning “to perceive.” That
means John got it! The light went on in his head and in his heart, and in his own words, “he believed.” What glorious transformation awaits everyone who ultimately believes, as John did, the witness of the empty tomb! The shining light of Christ’s gospel is the hope of Resurrection for all who believe in His name. Two principles emerge from Christ’s miraculous Resurrection: 1. To live without faith in the Resurrection is to deny biblical evidence John clearly and compellingly laid plain the evidence of both the death and Resurrection of Christ. All who read his words must wrestle honestly with it. Do you believe his testimony? 2. To die without hope of Resurrection is to face a barren eternity How many people in your life do you know who have yet to hear the witness of God’s Word surrounding the Resurrection of Jesus? Ask the Lord to deepen your burden for the lost and increase your devotion to praying for those who have yet to believe.
“A Miraculous Resurrection” is from Chuck Swindoll’s series Exalting Christ...The Lamb of God. You can stream this message online anytime at insightforliving.ca/audiolibrary.
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PREPARE YOUR HEART FOR EASTER Our Easter page helps you better understand what really happened when Jesus died and rose from the dead, why there was no alternative, and why it makes all the difference today and every day! Visit insightforliving.ca/easter for articles, audio messages, and more to help you prepare your heart for Easter.