To my dear brothers and sisters of Grace Baptist Church of Dallas, Oregon,
As of today it has been 52 days since we last held corporate worship services at Grace Baptist. That is seven Sundays, including this coming Sunday. We’ve missed Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday, our planned Mission Conference and Banquet, and now Mother’s Day. We have hosted 2 Drive Thru Communion Services, and this past Sunday there were 20 who came through. It was rewarding for me to see those faces; pray with them; share a word; and give communion to each one. Everyone told me in effect, that they are missing you, the church family, and our gathering for worship. Many wonder; “When are we going to be able to gather again?” I’m glad you asked…
Yesterday our Elders met via phone conference and we decided that we will be targeting June 7th for our reopening. I was hoping for Mother’s Day—and I know for most of you, that you were hoping the same. But now, with the National mandate lifted, it is up to the states to decide when they will reopen? Many states have opened already. However, Governor Brown has just extended her “Stay at Home” order till July 6th, which I believe is a bit of an overreach of her powers. Hence, the protests in Salem last weekend reflect the people’s attitude that the Governor has gone too far. We will see what happens this coming month? Until then, keep praying that the Covid-19 virus will weaken and disappear as the warmer weather approaches. I do not want any in Dallas to be sick or die as a result of that virus, and especially anyone from our church family.
Just in case you are wondering, I will be at our church facility on Sunday and available for prayer and encouragement. Drive by and say hi! You may also call or text me on my cell phone at 503.586.6727. I’m available. My email is RJHilsinger@gmail.com. I’m praying for you as well. Until Jesus returns, we are to keep the faith and follow Him.
So what does it mean to “Follow Jesus”? Well, it implies a journey. Jesus never called anyone to sit still until He returns. He said, “Follow me.” The disciples heard Jesus’ invitation to follow Him and they left their nets, boats, family, trades, and began to follow. This implies movement. And this movement describes the journey we take in moving from our fallen sinful selves into the image of Jesus Christ. We are being transformed by His power day by day as we follow Him. Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple (a Christ-follower) must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me,” Mark 8:34. In other words a Christ-follower is not someone who simply “checks a box” and says, “I’m saved,” and then waits for Jesus to take them home. No, there is a journey as we follow Him each day. It’s a journey of transformation. So what are the things that God has given us to help us in this journey toward Christ-likeness? Let me share with you six things that will help you journey on toward Christlikeness…
1. Scripture will help you in your journey. You’ve heard it before, and you will hear it again that you need to read the word of God. Why? Because God’s word is transforming. It’s God’s love letter to you, and when you hear from your Great Lover—really hear His words and start to do what He says—it will change you. Jesus said, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them,” John 13:17. So we have to first know and then do, and we can’t do that until we get into God’s word. Paul says it this way, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work,” 2 Tim. 3:16-17. Without the word of God you can’t be equipped. We have to know the Word. So now it is one thing to get the Bible into people, but it is another to get people into the Bible. Let’s get into the Bible, see what it says, and then go do what it says. Read it; Reflect on it; Obey it. Don’t forget what James said, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says,” James 1:22. This is the number one tool God has given us toward transformation and His word does not return void.
2. The Spirit of God will help you in your journey. The Spirit has been given to us to lead us into truth, to show us the things of Christ, and to empower us to follow Christ. When we came to Christ we were baptized by the Spirit into the Body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13-14 says: “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. So we have become the body of Christ.” Now sometimes we think, I have the Holy Spirit, so I don’t need anything else, but we forget that “the body is not made of one part but of many.” So we can’t be spiritually full without the rest of the body for our spiritual experience. Paul says as much in 1 Corinthians 3:16 (NLT): “Don’t you know that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” We need to walk in the Spirit, but when we don’t, that it is the Body of Christ which can help us individually return to that walk. We are incapable of following Jesus in and of ourselves apart from the Spirit’s enabling. That’s why Jesus said, “Where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them,” Matthew 18:15. Don’t go it alone and isolate yourself. We need each other in this spiritual journey, and you can find the Spirit among His people.
3. The Saints will help you in your journey. Christianity is a team sport—you can’t do it alone. We were designed to work together under the inspiration of God’s word and His Spirit. Consider how well an athlete could play football without a team. No matter what position he lines up at he will never prevail against eleven other guys by himself. Consider how well a choir sounds with only one person? It may be a beautiful solo—but there is no harmony to it. Or what about an orchestra with only one instrument? Same thing. So in the body of Christ, we were designed to complement one another with all of our various personalities, places, skills, and spiritual gifts. God has given us other believers in our lives to assist us on our Journey with Christ. That’s why Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” God uses us sometimes to “spur someone on to love and good deeds.” Spurring I imagine isn’t fun—but it seems to be effective. Ask a cowboy if spurs work? It does and it is needed if we are going to make some progress. Find someone in your life who is willing to tell you the truth and who you are willing to tell truth to. Then spur each other on.
4. Structure will help you in your journey. Most of us Americans love individualism and freedom to do what we want. We don’t want structure for the most part. But God has given us structure in order to help us discipline our unruly lives. Consider this; an athlete doesn’t have to practice. No, but he practices because he wants to. Why? So that he can be his best. So that he can contribute to his team. So that he will please his coach, etc. He doesn’t have to practice—he simply knows it is the only way he will ever be at his best. The same holds true spiritually. A Christ-follower is motivated to participate in spiritual disciplines for the same reason an athlete trains himself. The Bible says, “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come,” 1 Timothy 4:7-8. Structure comes in many forms: Bible reading; prayer; church attendance; Life groups; accountability; fasting; giving; silence; service; fellowship; journaling; chastity; stewardship; meditation, and others. These are the disciplines that provide structure to help us follow Jesus closely and consistently. He bids us to “come and die” when He tells us to take up our cross and follow. Consider the adage, “Live a little and die a lot (in Him) or die a little and live a lot (in Him). Which do you want? You need structure.
5. Service will help you in your journey. There is something about doing ministry and serving others in Jesus’ name that motivates our faith. It’s like we see the Kingdom up close and personal and in doing so we want to see more of it. People come to Christ in the midst of ministry. People commit to serving Christ in the midst of ministry. There is an enthusiasm that’s contagious when you get involved in Kingdom ministry. Something happens! Mother Theresa was once asked by a radio host what he could to help her in “her” ministry of serving the poor. Her answer was that he simply go out and serve the poor around him. He could serve, and as he did—it transformed his thinking and his life. There is need all around us simply waiting for us to exercise our God-given gifts, talents, and abilities in the name of Jesus. We don’t have to “sign up” somewhere in order to serve, or wait for an invite. Jesus said, “Go.” Our “going” can take us next door or literally around the world. The word is “Go,” not “Stay.” The greatest in the kingdom are those servants who serve the least, the last, and the lost. The church isn’t broken because we can’t meet together… we are simply deployed. Don’t become distracted but look for ways to serve in Jesus’ name. Service is the currency of influence in the kingdom.
6. Suffering will help you in your journey. We don’t like this one and we often pray, “Lord, please take this (cup) away from me.” No one likes suffering that I know, and I find myself complaining at times. Jesus rested in, “Nevertheless not my will but thine be done.” God’s will for us is that we would be conformed to His image, see Romans 8:29. In this world we will have tribulation (suffering) Jesus promised. But what is our attitude about it? Should we be above suffering as if God owes us a comfortable life? Should we be angry about suffering as if how could God allow this to happen to me? Should we be sad about suffering as if we are unworthy of God’s attention or anyone else’s? Or should we rejoice? What does the Bible say? It says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything,” James 1:2-4. The joy is from knowing that God will be using this to help make us mature, (Christ-like) and complete not lacking anything. I don’t know about you, but I want to be mature and complete. Can God do it without suffering? No, it simply doesn’t happen that way. Why? It’s a product of our fallen-ness. C. S. Lewis says, “We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Paul, who suffered much for the cause of Christ says this, “Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church,” Colossians 1:24. Let us suffer with Him who suffered for us so that we might continue our journey and become mature and complete not lacking anything. We will also see the Kingdom of God come and the Name of Christ be exalted in this journey toward Christlikeness.
In our journey ahead together we need to avail ourselves of Scripture; The Spirit; The Saints; Structure; Service; and Suffering. When we do, then the words of this hymn will ring true: “I’m pressing on the upward way, New heights I’m gaining every day; Still praying as I’m onward bound, “Lord, plant my feet on higher ground. Lord, lift me up and let me stand By faith on heaven’s tableland, A higher plane that I have found: Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.” –Johnson Oatman Jr.
Benediction:
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen,” Ephesians 3:20-21
Pastor Russ Hilsinger,
Grace Baptist Church of Dallas
