In reading some of John Wesley’s notes regarding prayer, I have been reminded this week of many parallels between a mother’s love and the love our Heavenly Father pours into our lives. Wesley makes the following comments on Jesus’ statement to Nicodemus in John 3:8, “So is everyone who is born of the Spirit”:

When one is born of God, born of the Spirit, how the manner of his existence is changed! The Spirit or breath of God is immediately breathed into the newborn soul. The same “breath” that comes from God also returns to God. As it is continually received by faith, so it is continually rendered back by love, prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. Love, prayer, and praise are the breath of every soul that is truly born of God. By these, spiritual life is not only sustained but increased day by day.

The eyes of his understanding are now open, seeing the One who is invisible. He clearly perceives the pardoning love of God toward him and all His exceeding great and precious promises. His ears are now opened, and the voice of God no longer calls in vain. He knows the voice of his Shepherd—he hears and obeys the heavenly calling.

All his spiritual senses being now awakened, he has a clear communication with the invisible world. He now knows what the peace of God is: joy in the Holy Spirit and the love of God that is poured out in the hearts of those who believe. The veil is removed; there is nothing between the soul and the light, the knowledge and the love of God.

May we grow into spiritual maturity as responsible members of the church family—bearing the likeness of Christ and finding our places in the “family business.” We were born again for this!

My dear brothers and sisters, I’m proud to be your pastor!

We worship to gain strength for the mission. We worship to discover grace amid the sinfulness of our lives. We worship to praise God as the source of our being and our future. We worship to discern the power of the Spirit with which to live rich, full Christian lives in mission.

Worship is mission. The purpose of worship is to help persons discover the mission to which God is calling them and the power to live that mission in the world. It is as we worship God, as we hear the gospel preached, and as we share the sacraments that we discover the mission to which God is calling us.

Worship is grace. Worship is the breath of God. When we worship, we feel God’s grace surrounding us, permeating our life—our very being. We discover a sense of peace, confidence, and assurance. We know that our sins are forgiven and that we are made new through the grace of God.

Worship is praise. We worship to praise God, not because God needs our praise. We would be arrogant to assume that. But in our praise of God, we discover who we are and whose we are. And as we make that discovery, we find that we are God’s mission people. It is through our praise of God that God helps us discover the mission God has for us.

Worship is power. We worship to discover power for the week to come. We worship to launch the week ahead, to have a sense of confidence, hope, and inspiration for the days before us. We worship to discover power so that we can live fully in God’s mission.

God invites us to live lives of mission, grace, praise, and power. This is a mission field. This is an age of mission. The church’s worship has always been at its best in a mission field, whether in the first century or the twenty-first century. In a churched culture, the worship is bland and boring, stifling and stuffy, indifferent and “inside.” It is in a mission field that the church discovers worship as mission, grace, praise, and power.

God invites our best in life, in mission, in worship. To be sure, God receives our worst and forgives. God constantly invites our best and calls to forward the mission.

Let’s worship Him with our best!

Today we say, “Thanks for a job well done!” to David Scott, who has served so admirably in recent months as our interim Student Minister. I am grateful for David’s wisdom, diligence, and grace. His travel schedule as a national missionary has dictated the timing . . . or was it the Lord’s hand?

Today we are pleased to announce that next Sunday morning the Minister to Students Search Committee will be presenting Bryan Love “in view of a call” to serve in that role with our ministerial staff. Bryan and Tamara are a delightful couple who are committed to the Lord, called to His ministry, gifted and effective. You will enjoy hearing his testimony next Sunday morning and will have an opportunity to participate in the process of his calling.

Today the Church Council announces a Sunday morning format for worship and Bible study that will commence on September 9. The strategic planning process has led us to provide additional opportunities for Bible study, new options for worship, and an early start for those who prefer one. Here’s what the Sunday morning schedule will be this fall:

  8:00 a.m. Early Bible Study (only adults)
  9:00 a.m. Classic Worship (traditional in Sanctuary)
10:15 a.m. Family Bible Study (classes for all ages)
11:30 a.m. Celebration Worship (contemporary in Great Hall)

The goal is to reach people we’re not currently reaching with the gospel; the hope is to provide new opportunities without taking away anything that has been helpful. Your staff is solidly behind the new format and we are working hard to make it happen. We will definitely need your help, your enthusiasm, and your influence.

Tonight, Mark Cook, our College Ministry Intern, will be teaching at 6:00 p.m. in the Great Hall as the “Questions Jesus Asked” series continues. Mark has been a blessing to our college students, as well as to our entire congregation. His expertise and efforts to move us forward in the area of communications have already made a huge difference; there will be more to come! I wanted more of us to have the opportunity to get to know this fine young minister and am thankful for his willingness to “take my text” tonight.

This is “last call” for this round of www.chataboutjesus.com training! Real-time translation to share Christ with seekers around the world for one hour a week is the opportunity. Email Molly Farmer (mollyf@fbcplano.org) if you want to participate. Training will be on Sunday, May 6, 4:30-6:00 p.m. in the Great Hall.

Fishing!

My favorite Brad Paisley song aside, fishing is exactly where our hearts should be today. When Jesus called His first disciples (and that is what we are, isn’t it?), this was His invitation to them:“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:17). We cannot claim to be His disciples unless we are following Him; when we follow Him, He makes us (literally, “creates us to be”) fishers of men.

The Carlisle translation: If we’re not fishin’, we’re not followin’!

You might have a boat and fishing poles and rods and reels and a freezer full of bait—but fishermen fish. You might subscribe to twelve fishing magazines and have a shelf full of fishing books and a file of contour maps of Lake Lavon, but fishermen fish. We might meet Sunday morning and night, and Tuesday morning and Wednesday night to talk about fishing, but if we’re not fishing, we’re not fishermen.

If we’re not fishin’, we’re not followin’!

Don’t miss my point: Fishing is not only the natural result of following Jesus, but fishing is the most fun there is! We were “made” to fish! Fishing is where the fellowship you seek is found; it is the pathway to joy; it is how we experience the fulfilled life God wants us to share with Him.

Ready to go fishing? My friend, Drew Dickens, serves as President and CEO of Need Him Ministries. (Check him out at www.NeedHim.org; www.DivineTension.com and see what you think.) Think of Drew as the consummate fishing guide who simply loves to fish! Drew has personally invited First Baptist Church of Plano to go fishing. Specifically, I have agreed to lead us in being “the pilot project” in an effort to be on the leading edge of “digital evangelism training” to design a process that many seminaries and evangelical ministries will be utilizing. The best part is we will learn to fish by fishing!

Last week, seventeen of our deacons and I committed to fishing one hour each Sunday using www.chataboutjesus.com. We’ll each take an hour between 6 a.m. and midnight to log on and converse with seekers around the world using state of the art real-time translation software to introduce them to Jesus. They will be prompted by the Holy Spirit to call; we’ll be empowered by the Holy Spirit to share what we know about Jesus from personal experience. When they meet Him, the Holy Spirit will do the “saving”; we are called to fish.

Want to go fishing? In the next few weeks, those who sign up to chataboutjesus will be invited to participate in a special training opportunity. Contact Molly Farmer at mollyf@fbcplano.org if you’re ready to jump in the boat with us.

“Gone fishin’ . . . instead of just a-wishin’”!

UPDATE: Training scheduled for Sunday, May 6 - 4:30-6:00 p.m. in the Great Hall

Here’s a hint from “the end of the Book”:

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5).

Guess what—He’s already started . . . with you and me!

Therefore, if anyone is IN CHRIST, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17).

It is the Crucified and Resurrected Christ Jesus Himself who is seated on heaven’s throne, interceding for us and waiting for us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come—on earth as it is in heaven.”

Last fall, Dr. Kent Parks made the following statement: “Prayer is rebellion against the status quo.” As a result, you aren’t surprised that our rebellion against the status quo of the Hulu people of Southeast Asia (their status is “lost without Jesus”) is a 40-day period of prayer. Did you know that’s why I send a Pastor’s Prayer Prompt several times each week to many of our church members? It is through prayer that the status quo of our friends and neighbors (their status without Jesus is “lost” just as certainly as the Hulus’!) might be changed.

The “new things” God is doing through First Baptist Church of Plano will only be effective in changing the lost status of our neighborhoods, state, nation and world as we pray fervently for God to make us new day by day. As you pray for Him to rule every aspect of your life and your church, pray for these “new things” to which He has led us:

-the lives being changed through Mark Cook, our College Ministry intern;
-the work of the Student Minister search committee as they close in on God’s person to lead that vital ministry;
-the ongoing search for our Contemporary Worship leader, who will assist in beginning that new service of worship;
-the new leaders required by this fall’s new Sunday morning format for Bible Study and worship as new options for reaching new people are made available;
-the person God has prepared you to lead to know Him.

Are you willing to let God lead you through “unexplored territory”? What’s new with you? What should be?

You and I are tiny. Miniscule. Transient. Microscopic. A momentary and infinitesimal blip on the time line of the universe. A seemingly undetectable alliance of dust particles held together by the breath of God.

The sum of our days is like a vapor—our accumulated efforts like chaff in the wind. Among us, even the richest of the rich owns nothing. The strongest of the strong can be felled in one faltering heartbeat. We are fleeting mortals. Frail flesh. Little specks.

Today we celebrate the fact that God raised Jesus from the dead. Sorry to repeat myself—but that’s precisely why we are here . . . and it is a reminder that for those who trust in Christ, death is not the end! Louie explains it well:

Though we are transient dust particles in a universe that is expanding faster than the speed of light, the unexplainable mystery of mysteries is that you and I are loved and prized by the God of all creation. Simply because He wanted to, He fashioned each of us in His own image, creating within us the capacity to know Him. And if that wasn’t staggering enough, in spite of our foolishness and rebellious hearts, God has pursued us with relentless passion and patience, fully expressing to us His unfathomable love through the mercy and grace of the cross of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Today we celebrate the fact that God raised Jesus from the dead. If you have asked Him to be your Savior, you can trust Him for forgiveness and freedom from sin’s power over you. If you have asked Him to lead your life as Lord, you can count on Him to take you safely past death into life everlasting. If you have asked Him to fill your life, He will transform and empower you to fulfill His purpose. You were made for this! Today, you have plenty to celebrate—“if” you belong to the Crucified and Resurrected One.

If not . . . you can! “Lord Jesus, save me and lead me!” is the prayer He promises to answer. You can trust Him—if you will.

Let’s celebrate the Risen Lord in ways that matter for eternity.

The first day of April is significant as a day of “surprises.” I’m referring, of course, to Palm Sunday and Jesus’ “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem. (Were you expecting “April Fool’s Day”?)

The day that Jesus entered into the holy city of Jerusalem all eyes were on Him. He entered in direct fulfillment of the prophecies and everyone knew it. The scene was electric. People were taking off their own robes to lay on the dusty road so that not even His animal had to tread on dirt. They were placing palm branches on the ground as a sign of a royal procession. It was the most honor Jesus had received in His thirty-three years on earth.

Yet here is the greatest irony of Jesus’ magnificent entrance. Some of these were the same people who just a few days later were yelling, “Crucify Him!” How quickly the mob turned on their own king! It was as if all the fulfilled prophecies and all the miracles He worked were thrown out of the window like a discarded gum wrapper. Honor was replaced by hatred, a royal reception by a royal rejection. And why? Because He was not what they expected.

Jesus, instead of praising their thriving religious business, overturned their tables and chairs in the temple complex. Instead of endorsing the scribes and religious leaders, He chastised them. Instead of celebrating the temple, He predicted its downfall. And when Jesus wasn’t what they expected, they rejected Him.

Don’t we do the same thing? How often has Jesus not met our expectations and we pushed Him away? How often has He taken us down unexpected turns in life and we resented Him? How often has He challenged our sin and we ignored Him?

The question for us is not whether we will praise Jesus when everything makes sense. The question is, when He is not what we expect, will we still call Him King? (Jason Paredes)

Let’s worship the King . . . even when we are called to expect the unexpected!

Engaging the comprehensive message of the Bible is one of our church goals for 2012; another is to “develop a lifestyle of personal obedience to God’s Word.” Let me encourage you to contact Molly Farmer (mollyf@fbcplano.org) to be added to the growing list of those receiving the “Pastor’s Prayer Prompt.” When you do, you’ll be prompted on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of each week to read a suggested passage that will lead toward the next Sunday’s message, responding to God’s Word in prayer. You’ll receive updated prayer concerns related to serving others and sharing Jesus, as well. Make an appointment to spend a few minutes with your Heavenly Father each day. Let Him bless you; let Him lead you. Let Him love you!

As you consider scope and the specifics of God’s inspired Word, I thought this poem might be meaningful. These are the final written words of Julian of Norwich (from Ralph Milton’s book Julian’s Cell: The Earthy Story of Julian of Norwich):

Would you know our Lord’s meaning in all this?
Learn it well.
Love was the meaning.
Who showed it to you? Love.
What did God show you? Love.
Why did God show it to you? For love.
Hold fast to this and you shall learn and know more about love.
But you shall never learn anything except love from God.
So I taught that love was our Lord’s meaning.
And I saw full surely that before ever God made us,
God loved us.
This love was never quenched, nor ever shall be.
And in this love God has created everything that is.
And in His love God has made all things for our benefit.
And in this love is our life everlasting.
And all this shall we see in God without end—
Which Jesus grants us.
Amen.

Take a moment and consider the price you are willing to pay in response. We are called to be “living sacrifices.” These paragraphs from a Lenten guide have challenged me:

“But you, be on your guard! . . . You will stand before governors and kings because of Me, as a witness to them. And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations.” (Mark 13:9-10)

God’s grace is sufficient for us. We are saved by grace, through faith—not of works, lest any man should boast. Yet we are also called to “work out our salvation” with fear and much trembling. So, what is it? Should we be hard at work for God, or hardly working at all? Is our faith active, or passive; or perhaps actively passive, or passively active?

The truth is the work has already been done on Calvary’s Cross. Jesus paid it all, and what remains is the call for those who trust Him as Savior and Lord to be a witness by preaching the gospel good news about His saving grace and love toward us. We must remember we witness the gospel as our freely bestowed adoption by which we are made sons of God through Christ “alone.” We share the witness of the gospel as that satisfaction by which our sins are blotted out, making us no longer cursed and sentenced to death without hope and assurance of life eternal. We must share the gospel as our deliverance from a corrupt world, and the restoration of the believer’s soul from death to life.

Therefore, no matter the cost or persecution it will bring, we must be a witness and preach the gospel like a beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. (written by Gary and Sandy Smith)

What cost have we been unwilling to pay to share the Good News? The answer lies in whatever keeps us from telling others about Jesus. Here is the essence of the message Jesus proclaimed: “This is the time; God’s Kingdom has come in the person of His One and Only Son—the King of Kings. Turn toward Him, believing God’s Good News!” (Mark 1:15; Carlisle translation)

How do you handle interruptions? Bill Tinsley, in Authentic Disciple, comments on Jesus’ encounter in Capernaum in Mark 2:1-5 in a brief devotional he calls “Interruptions:”

“And being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying.”

Look how Jesus handled the interruption! He was overtaxed by the onslaught of crowds that would give him no rest. He had been constantly matching wits with the scribes and lecturing on important truths. But when He is interrupted by a group of men who literally “tear the roof off” to get their friend to Him, He stops everything and turns His attention to the paralytic.

Nothing is known of the content of the lecture. Even the gist of conversation prior to this moment has been erased. All that remains is the interruption itself and the events that followed.

Jesus turned the interruption into the most instructive event of the day. Much of what is known concerning Jesus comes through His response to interruptions: blind Bartimaeus, the crowd of five thousand, Zacheus, the Gadarene demoniac, a distraught father, a woman with twelve years’ hemorrhage. The list goes on and on. If Jesus’ life were stripped of interruptions, the world would be left with little knowledge of Him. He chose not to write His message in pen and ink in uninterrupted isolation. Instead, He chose to convey His message by the way He responded to interruptions.

How will you write His message today? What roof will you “rip off” in order to bring a friend to Jesus? Got any interruptions planned?

In 2011, your Community Outreach Garden ministry gave 1,725 pounds of fresh produce to hungry people in our community. Sixteen new gardening beds have been added (52 total) and at least seven are currently available. Sign up for yours today!

Through your gifts last fall, Dr. Lee Baggett of Manos Hermanos reports that you enabled them to “distribute 1,300 thick, warm blankets in the highlands of Jalisco, Nayarit, Michoacan, and Zacatecas states in central Mexico.”

Through the annual Missions Offering, you gave $44,234.39 to further the proclamation of the Gospel here, not far from here, a long ways from here, and to the ends of the earth.

Because of your generosity in bringing food items on the first Sunday of each month, our partnership with the WillowCreek Food Pantry (on Avenue P) provides food to 1,500 people each week. According to WillowCreek pastor Roy Frady, 30-35 people came to know Christ each Tuesday in 2011 through this distribution.

Our project to provide a theological library for the Nazareth Evangelical Theological Seminary in Israel has reached its conclusion. Your gifts of $11,632.84 have now purchased and sent 143 requested volumes. The believers who are trained to plant churches are scattering throughout the Middle East and Africa to share Christ in predominantly Muslim countries.

Our efforts to stimulate a church planting movement among the Hulu people of Southeast Asia continue to bring encouraging reports. Next month, you’ll be invited to participate in 40 Days of Prayer for the Hulu people.

Dr. Kent Parks, our Missionary in Residence, made this statement last October: “Prayer is rebellion against the status quo!” Status quo is that everyone on this planet who has not trusted Jesus is perishing . . . and it is totally unnecessary! We have Good News, we have the resource and influence and opportunity to share it. Will you pray? Will you give? Will you share Jesus?

At 6:00 tonight in the Great Hall, Kent will present “A Window on the Muslim World.” From a lifetime of living among Muslim people in order to share Christ, Dr. Parks will help you grasp the significance of what God is doing and how you can help.

Kierkegaard’s metaphor for the experience of worship is that every worship participant actually belongs on the “stage” declaring their devotion to an “audience of One,” who is the Lord Himself. Those who serve in the role of “worship leaders” are assigned the task of “prompters,” who feed lines and cues to those on the stage with the hushed tones of “stage whispers.”

With that picture of worship, is it possible the tap on your shoulder could be from the Lord? That would be an experience, wouldn’t it? When our model for worship is the concert hall, the lecture classroom, or the theater, we can easily make the mistake of “occupying His seat.” What place will you give to the Lord as we worship Him together this Sunday? What will you prepare and present to Him as your “audience of One?”

It’s easy to sit in the wrong chair in our personal experiences of worship, as well. Our Father in heaven wants to share His heart with us each day. He wants to hear from you as you invite Him to lead in the most important and intimate details of your day.

As I pray for you, I pray that God will lead you to a daily time of meeting with Him—reading His Word and responding to Him in prayer. Because I desire that for us, I have developed a simple tool which is available to you upon request. “Pastor’s Prayer Prompt” is intended to simply prompt you to encounter the Lord. Each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, the “Prompt” will invite you to read and respond to a passage of Scripture that will prepare you for the next Sunday’s message. A rotating “short list” of prayer opportunities related to serving people in need and sharing Jesus with the lost will also be included.

My hope is that this simple, “one-page” email Prompt will be helpful to you as you develop a daily habit of encountering the Lord through His Word.

The initial “Pastor’s Prayer Prompt” will be sent to our active deacons beginning tomorrow; if you would like to be included, simply call or email Molly Farmer, Ministry Assistant to the Pastor, at (972)424-8551, mollyf@fbcplano.org.

This weekend Dedi and I are in Houston celebrating the 50th anniversary of Tallowood Baptist Church. I’ve not only been asked to bring greetings as the president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas—but to participate as a former member of the church’s ministerial staff. During our tenure at Tallowood (1984-1991), God worked in wonderful ways in our lives. Elyse and Collin were both born there, I completed my doctorate, turned thirty, and learned a great deal about the work of a great church. While there, my responsibilities increased regularly—missions, evangelism, outreach, discipleship on a church-wide basis were added to my primary role of pastoring single adults and their families. When the church voted to relocate, I became the staff liaison coordinating the process. I was always grateful for the opportunity to develop new ministries, but sometimes wondered what God was up to! The tasks seemed so varied and unrelated.

When God led us to pastor Valley Ranch Baptist Church in 1991, we quickly realized that God didn’t waste a bit of those Tallowood experiences. Multiplying Sunday School classes, adding worship services, purchasing property, raising funds, master planning a campus and constructing buildings—at every step, we realized how God had prepared us to fulfill His calling. Not a crumb fell from the table of His blessing over the years.

God is preparing you, as well. Nothing you surrender to Him will be wasted—He will redeem and multiply every bit!

Tonight, you have an unparalleled opportunity to be prepared. Our church’s Unreached People Group Ministry Team will be sharing “next steps” in our chosen journey of reaching the “Hulu” people together. Come at 6:00 pm and be introduced to these people who have never heard of Jesus. Learn the “safe” ways of discussing them and how we can go about “engaging” them. Begin to think prayerfully about church-planting movements and our role in sparking them. Take the time to pray specifically.

God won’t waste a minute you give to Him—but you have to give it to Him before you’ll ever know!

I’m grateful to the Church Council for implementing this process for envisioning our future together. Listening Sessions are planned as a part of the process we will follow each year as we establish priorities—it will get easier each time!

Some of the input reflected wonderful affirmation of actions that have been underway for some time now. Others were helpful in understanding possibilities for immediate improvements. Positive ideas for new and creative ways of achieving the goals and mission of the church were also brought forward.

The process continues—responding to the Holy Spirit’s input through the church. Major themes from the Listening Session?
>Enhancing our communication and technology using a wide variety of methods
>Beginning a new worship service featuring contemporary music to reach people we’re not currently reaching
> Increasing the vitality of our current worship service
>Adding Bible study opportunities that are not age-graded and may not be at our campus
>Updating and freshening up our buildings and site
>Considering the long-term viability of our current location
>Developing a ministry to reach college students

Those are some major areas that will be addressed in the days immediately before us. Pray for your Church Council as they formulate plans and take action to move us forward together.

The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (1 Thessalonians 5:24, 28.)

Consider our second goal:

Loving God as a biblical congregation, we intend to engage our members with the comprehensive message of the Bible.

The Carlisle translation? Your pastor wants you to see the Big Picture of God’s Word through the generations.

I’m a map guy. I like to know what is around me . . . in every direction . . . for a long ways! If at all possible, I never return from a destination by simply reversing course. When I first move to a city, I try to take a different route to my office every day for the first month. As you might imagine, my “peculiarities” can be maddening to those who ride with me. On trips involving distance, some riders choose to doze, trusting the driver to know the way. Sounds like church, doesn’t it?

Back to God’s Word: When we examine only a few blocks of the journey at a time by studying verses or chapters, we often miss seeing the map. It’s impossible to “rightly divide” God’s Word in proper understanding if we don’t know “where we are” along the way. God’s Word—all sixty-six books—is actually an incredibly unified story. Written over a period of twelve hundred years by at least forty-three authors, the central character is Jesus Christ. It is His story and He fulfills its meaning.

This year, my morning messages will move sequentially from one key story to the next, encompassing the comprehensive drama that is the Bible. On two very special days, March 25 and August 26, Dr. Jim Denison, Theologian in Residence for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, will lead us in sweeping, inspirational overviews of the two “testaments.”

Don’t miss the big picture! God has a Word for you—and for the friend you bring with you.

You’ll immediately recognize that phrase as the first line of our church mission statement. Who decided that “loving God” is “the Great Commandment?” That would be Jesus! When asked, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment?” Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Jesus, of course, was quoting Deuteronomy 6:5.

We know “loving God with all” we are is the greatest commandment because we read it in God’s Word, the Bible. We know Jesus embraced the Great Commandment because we read His words in the Bible. Trick question: How can you love God with all you are? (Here’s a hint—consider meeting God in the pages of His Word, the Bible.)

The Bible matters to us because it is God’s Holy, inspired Word. It is His book and its purpose is to guide us in knowing Him, loving Him, and obeying Him. There is really no substitute for engaging God in the Word He has provided for us. Knowing about God or His Word is no substitute for obeying Him.

Consider the first goal of our church strategic plan:

Loving God as a biblical congregation, we intend to lead our members to develop a lifestyle of personal obedience to God’s Word.

As simply as I know how to say it, every member of our church needs to open God’s Word every day—asking God to show them what to do . . . and they need to do what He says.

When tempted, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 from God’s Word: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). God’s Word is our spiritual nourishment. If you are only “filling your plate” at the Sunday buffet by church attendance, you’re not only malnourished and unhealthy, you’re probably pretty irritable (not to mention dizzy and weak). If you are counting on someone else to “feed you” every spiritual meal, you’re either an infant or an invalid.

Our church will be as strong and healthy and growing as you are, dear brother and sister. This is the year we get into God’s Word—each one of us—each day. Let’s love Him with all we’ve got!

How do you know “God’s will?” First, you must know God; that happens only through personal faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord. Once you know Him, you must know life in Christ is a matter of following Jesus—walking with Him, step by step. As we obey Him, He shows us the next step to take in obedience. When we stray from the path or wander from Him, we must turn back toward Him through confessing our sin (disobedience, picking our own path) and trusting Him to forgive and restore us (1 John 1:9).

How do we know which steps to take? Henry Blackaby, whom I first met in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1976, has described the process this way: God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His ways, and His will. Each phrase is essential!

How can you listen to God to see which “next step” will be the step of following Jesus? Ask the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Jesus Himself, who lives in every believer) to speak to you through the words of Scripture. To do that, you’ll have to read it!

Ask the Holy Spirit (God’s very presence in you) to speak to you as you pray, pouring out your heart to Him and yielding your will to His. To do that, you’ll have to pray!

Ask the Holy Spirit (the power of the Sovereign Lord of the universe) to help you see your situation from His perspective. To do that, you must relinquish your own sovereignty!

Ask the Holy Spirit (the Comforter who leads us into all truth) to speak to you through other believers as you share your life in meaningful relationships. To do that, you must connect and invest in Christian brothers and sisters!

God’s will is more that planning to one day meet Him at the horizon. Walking by faith, following Jesus, living under the influence of the Holy Spirit—are all minute by minute decisions. Live that way for a week and you’ll be able to look back over the past seven days and realize you’ve been in the center of His will.

You won’t be surprised to learn that my preaching plans for 2012 are aligned strategically with the church’s goals—the Lord does that! One of our seven goals is “to engage our members with the comprehensive message of the Bible.” This week begins a trek through the major scenes of theological significance through the “Script-ural” drama of God’s Word. These stories of God’s mighty acts and saving words will help us “get the big picture” of God’s passion and purpose for us. Also planned for this year are two very special presentations of the Old and New Testaments in overview by our friend, Dr. Jim Denison, Theologian in Residence for Texas Baptists.

Because we need to find “our place” in the Generation to Generation story that is God’s work, another church goal for 2012 is “to lead our members to develop a lifestyle of personal obedience to God’s Word.” One way that goal will be addressed is through our times of worship and study on Sunday evenings. The series of studies I will begin this week at 6:00 p.m. in the Great Hall takes us through Mark’s Gospel by examining “The Questions Jesus Asked.” The purpose of the study is to initiate a conversation with Jesus—prompted by His questions to us.

Tom Wolfe, who crafted the Universal Discipleship Pattern, has stated that when we are asked a question, our immediate thought response is the truth. We may speak a less-than-honest answer, Tom says, “But before we can lie, we have to determine what we believe to be the truth.”

Paul writes, “Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15, NIV-2011).

From Generation to Generation: throughout the pages of Scripture, among the families of our congregation, and to the peoples of the earth—to the glory of God!

Why do we exist? (Our Mission)

We live to bring glory to God
          as we obey the Great Commandment: Loving God;
          as we live the Great Commitment: Serving others;
          and as we fulfill the Great Commission: Sharing Jesus.

Who do we believe we are? (Our Values)

We are a biblical congregation; God’s word is the authority for what we believe and what we do.
We are a multigenerational congregation; God has called us together to be His family across many decades.
We are a missional congregation; God has a purpose for our church that extends outward for His glory.

What do we intend to do in 2012 to carry out our mission? (Our Goals)

These seven goals for 2012—merging our mission and values into action—have been adopted by the Church Council to form the basis for our ministry together this year:

Loving God as a biblical congregation, we intend to
     1. Lead our members to develop a lifestyle of personal obedience to God’s Word; and to
     2. Engage our members with the comprehensive message of the Bible.

Serving others as a multigenerational congregation, we intend to
     3. Celebrate the various generations represented within our congregation; and to
     4. Assist each generation in reaching its unique population.

Sharing Jesus as a missional congregation, we intend to
     5. Develop and implement a strategy for reaching the community surrounding our church location; to
     6. Enable our members to reach their own neighbors for Christ; and to
     7. Extend the Gospel to those who have never heard.

Every member of our congregation is invited to attend one of three “Listening Sessions” in the Great Hall from 9:00-11:30 a.m. on January 21, 28, and February 4 to discuss these goals and consider God’s leadership for 2012 and beyond. We’ll listen together for the Spirit’s guidance in how He intends for us to carry out His mission together. We belong to Him!

As we mark the Bibles in the church pews today, I wanted you to be able to mark your own copies of God’s Word as an aid in introducing people to Jesus. Use this “path” to help a friend “get on the same page” with God’s everlasting love and life.

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:9-10, 13)

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:11-13)

Begin praying on the first day of this new year for the next person you will introduce to Jesus. Let the Holy Spirit be your guide!

Pastor Phillips Brooks' carol "O Little Town of Bethlehem" is one of my favorites. The fourth verse begins with this prayer:

O holy child of Bethlehem!
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us today!

"Be born—in us—today?" Billy E. Simmons asks, "In what way can the Christ of Christmas be born in us? How in heaven's name can such a thing as this take place?"

Simmons answers with these thoughts—most appropriate as we worship Jesus on Christmas day:

As we trust Christ for salvation, he comes to dwell in our hearts. By faith we open our hearts to him, and he is born in us anew. We speak of this event as a new birth or as salvation, and it is surely both of these. But in a very real sense the Christ of Christmas is born in us when we trust him as our Savior.

As we are born anew, and as we become extensions of the incarnation because the Christ of Christmas has been born in us, so we should share the joy of Christmas with others. There are so many around us who do not know the true joys of Christmas . . .. How sorely our world needs to hear the true message! They can hear it only as we will allow Christ to live out his ministry through us.

The rest of Brooks' carol completes the thought:

We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Immanuel!

The Lord Jesus concluded his commission to us to bear witness to him to the peoples of the earth with this promise: "As you go, I'll be with you, for as long as it takes" (Matthew 28:20, Carlisle translation). We'll realize his promise and recognize his presence as we go and as we tell.

We celebrate the words of a grandfather before the Week Day School Christmas program last Tuesday night: “First Baptist Church has been so good to my kids and grandkids through the years—thank you!”

We celebrate the news that over 1600 Christmas cards—that you wrote—were delivered by your staff this week to our HomeCare families. Without a single stamp, there was first class delivery!

We celebrate the news that as of this week, all 146 books requested by the Nazareth Evangelical Theological Seminary have been funded completely—by you! God will use those volumes to train Arabic-speaking Christian leaders to share the Gospel with Muslims around the world.

We celebrate the news that the very first member of the Penghulu people group has “crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24). God will obviously use our prayers and partners to fulfill His purpose on the other side of the earth—when we let Him!

We celebrate the gracious, caring ministry of Dot and Leon Aduddell with the First Baptist family. Since January 1, 1996, Dr. Aduddell has faithfully served us in Jesus’ name. As was announced, his recent surgery has led him to the realization that the time has come to draw his service on the church staff to a conclusion. Today we gather after worship in the Great Hall to express our appreciation to these servants of the Lord. Please come and hug their necks and wish them the very best. They deserve it!

Every bit of that is “good news that will cause great joy.” These celebrations are possible because of Jesus, the Savior who has been born to us—and in us by faith. Will you share Him this week so that others might join in worshiping Him?

We simply can’t celebrate enough! For all these blessings and more, we say, “Thank you, Lord.”

When Isaac Watts introduced his song, “Joy to the World” to the Church of Scotland in 1719, Thomas Bradbury was highly critical. He called Watts’ songs “whims” instead of “hymns” and accused Watts of thinking he was King David. At least he acknowledged the fact that Watts had based “Joy to the World” on this Scripture:

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises!
(Psalm 98:4)

Until Watts came along, most of the singing in British churches was limited to the Psalms of David, translated into poems that rhymed and set to rhythms for singing. Robert J. Morgan writes,

As a young man in Southampton, Isaac had become dissatisfied with the quality of singing and he keenly felt the limitations of being able only to sing the Psalms. So he ‘invented’ the English hymns.

He did not, however, neglect the Psalms. In 1719 he published a unique hymnal—one in which he had translated, interpreted, and paraphrased the Old Testament Psalms through the eyes of New Testament faith. Taking various Psalms, he studied them from the perspective of Jesus and the New Testament, and then formed them into verses for singing.

As he read Psalm 98, Watts pondered the real reason for shouting forth joyfully to the Lord—the Messiah has come to redeem us. The result, despite the now-forgotten criticisms of men like Bradbury, has been a timeless carol that has brightened our Christmases for nearly three hundred years.

As we worship together today, we are guided by the Holy Spirit to interpret the words of Scripture through the perspective of Jesus. Will our obedience to Him be mere “whim” or will our faithfulness make a difference for centuries yet to come?

Let’s take joy to the world . . . together!

Pastor Kimbrough came to Texas in 1879 and was the thirteenth pastor of our church. The Centennial Story of Texas Baptists (1936) describes him as “noticeably eccentric and rather dogmatic” and states that “He cared little for his personal appearance,” but had a “heart of gold and a tongue of silver and was a tireless champion of New Testament evangelism and missionary activity” (p. 106).

This story comes from Kimbrough’s days as a Baptist missionary in the mountains of North Carolina before he came to Plano:

He was accosted one day on a lonely road by two robbers who demanded his money or his life. He got down from his horse and took money from one pocket and placed it on the ground and also from the other pocket a sum which he put in a separate place.

Pointing to the first sum he said, “Gentlemen, this is my money. You may take it if you choose.”

And pointing to the other amount he said, “This is God’s money given by men, women and children for missions. You dare not touch it or the wrath of an angry God will rest upon you.”

The men took the money which the preacher claimed as his own, but, smitten with fear, they turned to ride away leaving the Lord’s money undisturbed, whereupon the Missionary called to them and asked them to wait while he passed the hat for a missionary offering. They halted their horses and placed all the money they had taken in the Missionary’s hat and rode hurriedly away.

I’m figuring out how to get my Bible to “stay put” between the handles of the roto-tiller!

I’m proud to be your pastor. (#36 by my count!)

The carol was written by Charles Wesley, in the eighteenth century. Charles knew something about waiting! Robert J. Morgan describes the situation like this:

It’s hard to imagine the difficulties faced by John and Charles Wesley as they traveled by horseback from town to town, facing mobs, enduring harsh conditions and severe weather. Here is a sampling from Charles’ journal as he pressed into Wales in 1748--

Wednesday, the 23rd. I was not to set out till past seven. The continual rain and sharp wind were full in my teeth. I rode all day in great misery, and had a restless, painful night.

Thursday, the 24th. I resolved to push for Garth, finding my strength would never hold out for three more days riding. At five (a.m.) I set out in hard rain, which consumed all day. We went through perils of water. I was quite gone when we came at night to a little village. There was no fire in the poor hut. A brother supplied us with some, nailed up our window, and helped us to bed. I had no more rest than the night before.

Friday, the 25th. I took horse again at five, the rain attending us still. The weather was more severe. The violent wind drove the hard rain full in our faces. I rode till I could ride no more; walked the last hour; and by five dropped down at Garth.

Charles’ primary purpose in going to Garth was to preach, but he had another motive as well. It was also to see Miss Sally Gwynee, whom he wanted to marry. Marriage required a regular income, however, and Sally’s parents were concerned about Charles’ ability to sustain a family with no regular source of finances. Charles published a little hymnal entitled Hymns for the Nativity of Our Lord, containing eighteen Christmas carols he had written, of which “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” is the best known.

The income from royalties more than satisfied Sally’s parents, and the two were married in 1849.

What are you waiting to see God do? What is God calling you to do as you wait? Will you let circumstances or resources get in the way?

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live,
but Christ lives in me.
The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,
Who loved me and gave Himself for me.
(Galatians 2:20, NIV)

As a teenager who sensed God’s calling to vocational ministry, I had the privilege of beginning a friendship with Dr. Vance Havner, whom I describe as “a prince of preachers from a previous generation.” We share a calling, a need to rise early to be with the Lord, and a love of walking—briskly. Dr. Havner’s prophetic voice came cloaked in a pastor’s heart; I was blessed by knowing him.

The following paragraph is Vance Havner’s perspective on Galatians 2:20, titled En-Christed:

Strictly speaking, there is only one Christian life and that is Christ Himself, but He lives it again and again in all who receive Him. The Christian is en-Christed and what possibilities that suggests! We all have received His fullness—His wisdom, His health, His love, His power—all of these are released in us according to His Word, His will, our need, and our faith. We are still personalities, not robots, and, to the extent that we trust and obey, we may have all we need to do His will as long as He wants us to do it. Some want more than is His will and many live with far less than they might have. Make it your prayer and pursuit that Christ may live in you to the fullest extent of His purpose for you.

The source of power in God’s house comes in a 2:20 plug—Galatians 2:20, that is. Are you connected? Do you dare?

I’m proud to be your pastor!

P.S. One final “Havner-ism, his inscription in one of the books he gave me: “Don’t just stare up the steps . . . step up the stairs!”

Carolyn Porterfield is a friend whose prayers for me are a great encouragement. Here’s a part of her pilgrimage that may make a difference as you “pick your path” and “watch your step.”

As a college senior, I was contemplating what I would do after graduation. Several options were open, but I couldn’t get a clear sense of where to go. My favorite aunt sent a card with a gift that I still use. Her gift was a Scripture verse that provided just the right words from God. I was assured of God’s leadership and counsel.

In the years since, when I have come to significant times of decision, struggle, or stress, I turn to Scripture for help. A career move, recovery from burnout and betrayal, and wisdom in dealing with difficult issues have all been made easier because of God’s light given in Scripture. God’s word has never failed.

The psalmist says that God’s word is eternal. It preserves your life. It will help to keep you from sinning. Obeying God’s word sets your heart free. Knowledge and good judgment are formed when God’s word is in your heart and mind. Those who have God’s word will find peace and not stumble.

What do you face today? Where do you need light for the journey? “God, I am in need of light for my life’s journey. Please help me see your way for me as I read the Bible today. May the words I read become alive and real to me as I seek answers for the problems I face. As you show me the way, give me strength to obey.”

His word is our light and our lamp. Watch your step as you pick your path!

That is the official “Carlisle” translation of Acts 1:8, Jesus’ personal promise to every believer. Only His power, His presence, and His Spirit will do. Only the truth about Him as we have come to know Him by experience will suffice. Only our obedience is enough.

One of our traditions as a congregation is to celebrate this season of each year through a Missions Offering, making gifts that are over and above our regular tithes and offerings. Six annual offerings from six of our ongoing mission partners are listed on the special green and blue envelopes. As you prepare to give, I encourage you to ask the Lord to guide you—and then to do what He says. The Bible word for that process is obedience. As He leads you to an amount, ask Him to lead you in a direction. Here are a few notes about each mission partner for informational purposes (the list is in alphabetical order):

Baptist General Convention of Texas-the Mary Hill Davis Offering is used specifically in efforts to reach the 12,000,000 (that’s right—twelve million) lost people in Texas today.

Baptist World Alliance-this offering enables 222 Baptist conventions and societies around the globe to coordinate their work of evangelism and church planting, meeting human needs, theological reflection, and furthering religious liberty and human rights.

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship-CBF’s Global Missions Offering assists their mission personnel in projects in the U.S. and beyond.

Mission to Unreached Peoples-these gifts go to support the MUP organization as they seek to stimulate church planting movements among the 28% of the people on earth who have no access to the Good News today.

Southern Baptist Convention-the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board continue to transition as they seek to start Southern Baptist churches in the U.S. and abroad.

Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger-is distributed in Texas and around the world to provide sustainable nutritional assistance for people in great need.

The season of Mission Offering continues through year end. Gifts that are not directed will be distributed proportionately. Let’s give cheerfully so the world might know the grace of God!

In The Message of the Living God, Peter Lewis asks the question: “How can we know God?”

Woody Allen, in Love and Death, says at one point: “If God would only speak to me—just once. If he would only cough. If I could just see a miracle. If I could see a burning bush or the seas part. Or my Uncle Sasha pick up the check.”

There, I think, you have the mixture of timeless longing and trendy cynicism which characterizes much of the Western mind-set and personality today. Allen wants God—but on his own terms. And God won’t play. Allen wants God the conversationalist: “If God would only speak to me—just once.” God has, in fact, given him a Bible recording 1,400 years of speech, but a cough for Woody outweighs a covenant with Abraham or even a Calvary for Christ.

He wants God the conjuror (“If I could just see a miracle”) but gives no guarantees he’d do anything about it. He probably wants God the friend and God the therapist too, but all he has is human beings: commonplace, flawed, stubborn, exploitive. Like his Uncle Sasha, who always lets other people pick up the bill.

How then can we know God and how can we know that we know him, if not the Woody Allen way?

Of course, God has revealed Himself in creation, in history, and in our consciences. Because sin has marred creation, warped history, and distorted our consciences, we are not capable of knowing Him simply through those general forms of revelation. God has acted and spoken and sent His Son that we might know Him personally through turning to Him and trusting in Him.

Of all the ways God could have chosen to tell His story and to make His appeal, He has chosen us. We are His ambassadors to pass along what we have experienced. He loves through us; He leads through us; He speaks through us. We represent Him! We’ll either do that on the parking lot Sunday afternoon . . . or we’ll just pass out some candy.

Let’s make it count!

“Pray for the Penghulu people!”

. . . you hear something you’ve never heard before. In fact, now that you see it in print, you’re not sure you even heard it correctly! To say “Penghulu,” forget the way it looks and try saying it:

“pung (rhymes with “sung”) HOO loo”

Who are these people and why are we asked to pray for them? We’re about to find out! Earlier this year, our church formed a new ministry team and named it the “Unreached People Group Ministry Team.” Led by Kent and Erika Parks, members of our church who serve as our Missionaries in Residence, this team is charged by our church with the responsibility of leading us in reaching “unreached people groups” (UPGs): those who have never heard the Good News of Jesus.

Last Sunday night, our church approved a recommendation made jointly by the UPG Ministry Team and the church Missions Committee that FBC Plano “endeavor to reach the Penghulu people of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.” After months of research and prayerful consideration, our ministry team and Missions committee—and now through official action—our church feel we have been led by the Holy Spirit to reach the Penghulu with the Gospel.

This morning, Dr. Kent Parks—one of the world’s leading missions strategists, CEO of Mission to Unreached Peoples, and Lindsey and Katy’s dad—will be helping us understand how others have gone about this process and how we can take next steps in obedience to the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

As you pray with me for the Penghulu, know that I am praying for you. I am convinced that “on the way” to reaching these dear people for whom Jesus died, we will learn more about how to reach our immediate community, our neighborhoods, and everywhere between Plano and Sumatra. We’ll build new partnerships in the Gospel; we’ll also experience God Himself as we walk in obedience with Him.