QUOTES OF THE WEEK - June 2-12, 2013

"QUOTES I'VE READ THIS WEEK"

 

Some of us like to read and others of us don't.   I love to read and learn and therefore I read a fair bit but there is so much out there to read, some good, some bad, some terrible.   
I can't get to it all and maybe you feel the same way.   Sometimes there are memorable or important things a book says but you don't have time to read it all.    From time to time,   I'd like to share with you some quotes from some of what I'm reading.   Perhaps it will spark your thinking on a subject or cause you to enter into a discussion or perhaps even pick up the book and read it.    In any event I hope that "Quotes I've Read This Week" will be a blessing and a challenge to you and in a small way help build up the Church of Christ.


The more people who report to you, the more people who can be upset with you. The more people who listen to your message, follow your tweets, and read your stuff, the more people who can fire shots at you. This is one of the irrefutable laws of leadership: the broader your influence flowing down, the more frequent the complaints can flow back up. Don’t be surprised by the fiery trials. Don’t be startled by opposition. Don’t let the ugliness of manipulation, the weakness of passive-aggressive behavior, and the cowardliness of retaliation took root in your soul.
(Blog Post of Kevin DeYoung one of my favourite young authors)
Kevin DeYoung's blog address:  http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/

 
The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.    (2Chronicles 15:2)


As future leaders of the church, now is the time to deal with the past.
Paul Nyquist  The Post Church Christian

When discussing the artificiality of small group experience:
"But what happens when people start confessing safe sins is that everyone in the room starts concealing their real junk."
Carson Nyquist    The Post Church Christian


 When you're drowning in a culture of Christianity that approves of everyone, people will look for more.  Why? Because cheap Christianity, with low expectations, is virtually meaningless.
Carson Nyquist    The Post Church Christian

 

 

The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men—men of prayer.

—E. M. Bounds


As the English writer, G.K. Chesterton, put it, “Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it had a God who knew the way out of the grave.” We should rest in knowing that our God has us securely on a trajectory that’s getting us nearer to our destination, though it may appear to some that we’re moving away from it."
Fred Antonelli

Strangers who shout religious dogma are a turn off.
Carson Nyquist    The Post Church Christian

An authentic portrait of the church ...  It is a growing place, filled with imperfect people who seek to follow Jesus but sometimes fail.

Paul Nyquist    The Post Church Christian

 

In our desire to touch a hurting, dazed world, what is out of bounds?   Where do we cross the line and abuse our freedom in Christ? ... The path is not clearly marked in Scripture. ...  But this does not mean Scripture is silent here.  It speaks.  But it instructs us through principles not rules.

Paul Nyquist    The Post Church Christian

 

Gazing Upon The Awesome

The Jones family with Dad, Mom and the two kids loaded up the station wagon to head out for a vacation to Yellowstone National Park.    Yellowstone is a geological hotbed with hundreds of geysers and hot springs.    None more scenic and popular as the geyser known affectionately as "Old Faithful."

"Old Faithful" is the most visited of all the geysers for a simple reason:  It is faithful.    It is not the tallest geyser or the most beautiful, but it is the most faithful.    You can count on "Old Faithful" to erupt every eighty minutes.

Arriving just after a previous eruption, the family had plenty of time to find a good spot from which to view the next eruption of "Old Faithful."    The U.S. National Park Service has built a boardwalk that encircles the geyser.    There are benches on one side and on the other side you can stand.    That is if you want a shower when the geyser erupts.    "Old Faithful is the very centre of attention.

As the time for the eruption got closer, more and more tourists joined the Jones family, settling on the benches or on the boardwalk.     Latecomers stood behind.    Many had their cameras and video recorders - trained like weapons on the famous hole in the ground.

There was great anticipation as steam began rising from the opening in the earth.    At first there was a little sputtering of water.    "There she goes," exclaimed one observer who thought he was in the know.    But then the sputtering ceased.    Was that it?    Was that all there was.    A moment later the geyser sputtered again.     Swoosh,  a fountain of hot water streamed towards the heavens a hundred feet high.

All around the geyser jaws dropped, eyes popped.    A sense of amazement and wonder filled everyone gathered around "Old Faithful" as the geyser sent cascading waters higher into the air.    The crowd was spellbound, awe-filled, as dancing water performed its magic for a minute and then quietly returned to the earth as its water supply was depleted.    But in another eighty minutes its subterranean plumbing would be filled again ready to burst forth towards the sky as other onlookers witnessed its majesty.

Watching such a display leaves people with a sense of awe, a worship-like quality.    They are amazed at such a display.    There is a sense of amazement and wonder at the awesome display of nature.    Viewers witness something powerful, something wonderful, something beyond themselves.

One Dad said to his kids, "Did you see that? Amazing, wasn't it?"

A little boy replied to his sister, "I can't wait to tell Johnny when we get back home."

Another shouted, "Hey, Grandpa, did you see that?"

Still another said, "Can we watch it again?"

With a sense of reverence people returned to their cars or the gift shop knowing they had witnessed something spectacular.

This is the dynamic that ought to be present when we come to worship God.    We ought to be amazed, to be in awe of the one who is beyond ourselves.    We ought to be in awe, spellbound, mesmerized by the life-giving, life-flowing, power of God.    To gaze upon the wonder and power of the majesty and power of God Himself.    I’m not talking about seeing lightning bolts come out of the cloud, but a sense of awe and wonder, a sense that we are in the presence of something, someone,  far bigger than ourselves.

Brothers and sisters - could it be that we have forgotten that when we step into God’s presence we step unto holy ground.    Could it be that we have brought God down to our level rather than rise up to His level.     Could it be that we have lost that sense of awe, the sense of wonder, that sense of the majesty, holiness and power of God and therefore our worship experiences are less than satisfying.

As one writer put it " Remember hearing as a kid the words, "No running in church?"   The sanctuary is a place of reverence.    Physically we may not be running when we meet God, but spiritually, emotionally, and mentally we are.   We "do church" as many "do lunch," casually and unprepared.   Our hearts and minds don't show profound awe and respect.   We don't anticipate God's presence or God's voice.    Consequently, we're unable to experience the presence of God that will stir our souls, change our lives, and satisfy our hunger for meaning."

Let me encourage you.    God wants to meet you.    He wants you to behold His glory and stand in awe of His person.    He wants you to experience His presence and majesty in such a way that it is life-changing, that it gives you strength for the journey, and exalts Him above everything else.

When you go to church this Sunday, know that He is there.    Prepare your heart to meet Him, to behold His glory, to be amazed at how awesome He is, at how vast is His grace and mercy towards you.     Stand in awe of Him and worship His majesty.


If there is one characteristic more than others that contemporary public worship needs to recapture it is this awe before the surpassingly great and gracious God.

— Henry Sloane Coffin
(This post was inspired by a story from and unknown source that I read about "Old Faithful")  

      "He Has Done Me No Wrong"

Heroes of the Faith

Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna

 

It is a fine February day in the year 155AD.   In the ancient city of Smyrna in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) the large excited crowds have gathered at the stadium for the Public Games.¹ Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna, one of my ancient heros in the faith, is facing certain death.

In the pluralistic world of the Roman Empire you could worship any god you chose but everyone had to pay homage to Caesar and proclaim "Caesar is Lord." Those who would not were considered "atheists."   At 86 years old Polycarp had been a humble, dedicated follower of Jesus since childhood.   His passionate love for Christ meant that he could bow to no other.   Tradition says that he had been personally mentored by the Apostle John.   He was a deeply rooted follower of Christ.

The crowds at the stadium begin to rally against Polycarp.   "Away with the atheists!" they shouted, "Let Polycarp be searched for!"    The Roman officials had been intent on arresting him for some time.    Panic-stricken friends had pleaded with him to flee, so to calm them, he agreed to withdraw to a small estate outside of town but his whereabouts was betrayed by a tortured young girl and the police came for him.    On the brief journey back to the city, his captors pleaded with the old man.    "What harm is it to say, ‘Caesar is Lord’ and to offer sacrifice to be saved?"

Polycarp was brought to the arena where, Statius Quadratus the proconsul, quizzed him before the crowd.    During the discourse Quadratus lost his temper and threatened Polycarp: he'd be thrown to wild beasts, he'd be burned at the stake.    Unwavering Polycarp put things in perspective, "You threaten me with fire that burns for a time and is quickly quenched, for you do not know the fire which awaits the wicked in the judgment to come and in everlasting punishment."    Quadratus then gave him the choice of death or cursing the name of Christ and making a sacrifice to Caesar.    Polycarp’s response was that of an unwavering follower of Christ.    "Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?"    He remained unshakeable and was bound to the stake and set on fire.

Polycarp’s greatest passion in life had been Jesus Christ.    In death, he would not be moved.    As the flames rose up all around him, he prayed his final prayer; "I bless Thee that Thou hast granted unto me this day and this hour, that I may share among the number of martyrs, in the cup of Thy Christ, for the resurrection to eternal life." ²

It is such unwavering faith and commitment to Jesus Christ that has so greatly impacted our world and yet at the same time has often  been so hated.  It is to such unwavering faith in Christ to which God calls us, even today.    We may never have to face death for our faith in Jesus as did Polycarp, but we live in a culture that is increasingly hostile to the Gospel and to he church of Christ.   I believe that in the very near future we are going to see increasing isolation, marginalisation and perhaps even open persecution of the followers of Jesus Christ in North America.   It is of paramount importance that we love Jesus supremely, above comfort, above ease, above all distractions.   God is calling you, and He is calling me, not to be Christian in name only but to be unwavering followers of Jesus. 

 

 

 

1 Olympic type athletic games

2. "The Daily Study Bible" -"The Revelation of John" vol 1, pg 94