Covering Our Shame

One thing that we all have experienced in some form or fashion in our lives is shame. Shame as a result either of something that we have done or maybe on account of something that has been done to us. This shame causes us to be fearful of what others may think of us and ultimately how God Himself may see us. Such shame can be paralyzing leading us not to form any close friendships or to constantly be worried about what will happen if our current friend discovers our hidden past. Will they still like us? Would that lead to their rejection? Should I even take such a risk? Shame can even keep us from going out of our house at times due to the fear that we will be exposed and humiliated. What can we do about such shame in our lives? How can we move past the feelings of shame that pretty much dominate and control us? This month, I want to explore the nature of shame with you as well as the good news that we have a God who covers our shame through His Son’s perfect sacrifice.

The Bible actually has a lot to say about shame. This really shouldn’t be surprising since it is such a major issue in our lives. We are told that originally with Adam and Eve that they were both naked and were not ashamed (Genesis 2:25). They had no reason to be fearful before God or one another. Neither one of them had done anything to be ashamed of. However, all of that changed when they both ate of the fruit of the tree God explicitly commanded them not to. Moses informs us that in the moment they disobeyed God that their eyes were opened and they were aware of the fact that they were naked (Genesis 3:7). Shame over their sin quickly set in. When God came to them, they went into hiding. They did not want to be seen by their holy God and face up to what they had done. To be exposed for the sinners that they now are. They probably felt dirty. Unclean. Humiliated. Yearning desperately to be covered.

And the couple did attempt to cover themselves up by making clothes out of fig leaves. But this obviously didn’t do the trick since they still hid from God. Their own efforts could not cover up their shame. How often do we likewise try to conceal our shame ourselves? Seeking to do as much good deeds as we possibly can, hoping that they may make up for the wrongs that we have done. Or devoting ourselves to religious service, again thinking that this might hide our shame from God and from others. But it never works, does it? The shame is still there. As much as you work to cover it, you continue to fear being exposed. You just can’t hide it. We are in need of someone else to cover us.

The good news is that we do indeed have Someone who can, and does for His children, cover the shame of sin. God didn’t leave Adam and Eve in their shameful condition. Instead, He comes to them and He covers their nakedness and shame with the skin of an animal that was innocent of their sins (Genesis 3:21). While they deserved to die on the spot on account of their sin, God killed the innocent animal in their place so that they could live and have the shame which resulted from their sin covered. This clearly is a picture of God’s putting to death His sinless Son in the place of repentant sinners. Where the penalty that they deserved on account of their sin was given to the Lord Jesus Christ instead, freeing them from a fear of punishment. Where God has declared the guilty innocent since He treated His innocent Son as guilty of their sins, freeing us from the need to feel ashamed before God. If you are in Christ, God no longer sees you for the sinner that you are but as righteous as His Son is. He has clothed you with His righteousness. It is like having the word “SINNER” stamped on your chest in big black bold letters but being given a pure white coat that says “THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST” and putting that on. Though the word “SINNER” can still be found on your chest, it is not seen by God because the coat with “THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST” covers it. The animal skins covering up the shame of Adam and Eve’s nakedness ultimately point us to Christ’s righteousness covering up our sin and shame.

We find another picture of God’s covering the believer’s shame in Zechariah 3:1-5 with Joshua the high priest. Satan is accusing him before God and the priest is clothed with filthy garments, probably representing his many sins that his life has been stained with. There more likely is a sense of shame for Joshua as he hears the devil pointing out his sin to the Lord while he stands there in his filthiness with nothing to say in his own defense. Yet we find the Angel of the Lord having his filthy garments removed and replacing them with rich clothes. God likewise removes the believer’s filthy sinful garments and replaces them with the righteous robes of His Son.

So when you struggle with shame over something that you have done, look to Christ to wash your dirty robes white with purity in His blood (Revelation 7:14). Find your covering in Him and what He has done rather than trying to cover yourself by what you do. Remind yourself continually that you have been covered by His blood and righteousness. There is no more reason to be ashamed.

Love in Christ,

Lee

Becoming Too Comfortable With An Uncomfortable God

I fear that we each, more often than not, have a far too comfortable view of God. We speak of Him so casually at times, like He is more of our best buddy than the very Creator and Lord of the universe. Our approach of Him lacks the reverence which He so much deserves. We treat corporate worship so routinely as if it is just something that we do rather than the very reason for which we were made and the awesome privilege of being in His holy presence with His holy people to proclaim His wonderful beautiful name.

When we look at God’s holy nature revealed to us in His Word, we do not find a God who we should be comfortable with. Who we can just carelessly approach or think that we can control. But One who should place us in constant amazement and in awe. Who should move us to continually exclaim, “Who is like this God? How marvelous He is.” Who very well may make us scratch our heads at times trying to figure Him out. A God who really cannot be figured out by our small human minds since He is so much unlike us.

After all, this is the God who told Moses to take off his sandals because due to His presence there, the man currently stood on holy ground, leading Moses to hide his face in fear to look at the apparition (Exodus 3:5-6). Who thundered with peals of lightning from the top of Mt. Sinai warning the Israelites not to get near Him (Exodus 19:16-25). The thrice holy God who caused the prophet Isaiah to shake far more than the thresholds of the temple when He appeared before him there. And when the prophet finally gains enough composure to speak, all he can utter is “Woe is me. I am undone!” and recognize his great sinfulness (Isaiah 6:1-5). Likewise Peter, after a miraculous catch of fish orchestrated by Jesus, falls down before Him and exclaims, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord,” being astonished at this with his companions (Luke 5:8-9). The disciples later actually wind up becoming more fearful of the One who calms the storm than they were of the storm itself, prompting them to ask, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (Mark 4:35-41). Even the soldiers who come to arrest Jesus find that they cannot stand in His holy presence when He utters the divine “I Am” (John 18:6). 

In light of all this, how can we treat such a God so casually? To not be wowed at Who He is every time we think of Him? He cannot in any sense of the word be considered “boring.” Not a God which we could ever tire of if we keep in mind Who He actually is. That in essence has to be our problem. We have forgotten His greatness and His might. We have grown too comfortable with an uncomfortable God.

This is not a God to be taken lightly. He did not take too kindly to Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, offering up the type of fire they desired for the altar of incense in exchange for that which He commanded them (Leviticus 10:1-3). Who refused to let Moses enter the promised land on account of his disobedience (Numbers 20:10-13), struck down Uzzah for just touching the ark of the covenant which symbolized for the Israelites His holy presence (2 Samuel 6:5-7), ensured that Ananias and Sapphira’s lie to Him was their very last (Acts 5:1-11), and, in love, showing grace and mercy crushed His own Son for the salvation of the sins of those who place their trust only in Him (Isaiah 53). 

And yet how often do we think or act as if we can bend this God to agree with our wills rather than submit our will to His? To treat Him as some sort of cosmic bell hop who will deliver our every whim or wish. I cringe whenever I hear someone order Him to do something in Jesus’ name as if they control Him. (There is a difference between humbly asking something being resolved ultimately to accept His will whatever that may be and making demands upon Him as if He answers to us rather than us answering to Him.)

It is because we are so prone to forget God’s holiness leading us to think, speak, and approach Him so casually and imagine that we can control Him at times as to why I believe that it is so essential to be in the Word every day throughout this new year. Why once again we will be printing out a Bible reading plan that will take you from the first verse in Genesis all the way to the last line of Revelation in a year’s time. (Some of you may already be working your way through and if the plan we provide isn’t helpful for you, there are other plans out there. The main thing is that you are experiencing our great God through His inspired Word each day.) I do want to encourage you in your reading though to really pay attention to the God you encounter through it’s pages. You will probably be surprised at times. Astonished. Amazed at Who He is and what He has done. Let His holy character move and shape you. And may each of us take Him far more seriously and much less casually as a result.

Love in Christ,

Pastor Lee

What I Appreciated About Dr. R. C. Sproul

I was first introduced to the ministry of Dr. R. C. Sproul while in college by my pastor/mentor. His book, "Chosen by God," was very helpful for me as I struggled to understand the Bible's teaching on the doctrine of election and figuring how it all fit together. Later I read his "The Holiness of God" and was so encouraged with the biblical picture of the greatness of God that often has been watered down so much today. It very well could be part of what the Lord has used to spark a passion in my own life and ministry for the proclamation of God's holiness. I have benefited from many of his other books, commentaries, teaching series, and sermons as well. He has been helpful in forming my theological understanding in various ways.

While there are many things that I appreciate about Dr. Sproul, the one thing that I would have to say that I appreciate the most was the fact that he never talked down to anyone in his teaching and preaching. What I mean by that is that he never shied away from using big theological terms or teaching difficult doctrines because they might be over people's heads. He labored instead to explain them in such a way that just about anyone could understand them. Like Martin Luther, he aimed at communicating in such a way that the simple maid in the congregation could understand as well as the learned scholar. He often would mention the Latin or Greek terms used in relation to a specific doctrine and explain the meaning of the word by the etymology of it. He appeared to delight in doing so. He certainly had a gift from God to make the complex comprehensible. This struck me in a day and age when pastors and teachers are even told not to use such theological language or go that deep in doctrine because the people in the pew won't be able to understand it. I hear many pastors claim that they themselves avoid ever using such theological terminology on account of the same reason. Then interestingly enough, have the same ones complain at how much their congregations don't understand of doctrine. (And then I think in my head, that kind of makes sense if you are not teaching them these things because you think that they can't handle it. But it appears that they never make such a connection themselves.)

Dr. Sproul thought that every Christian should have a foundational and growing understanding of doctrine, theology, and philosophy so he labored to bring seminary to the lay person. This is what led to his founding of the Ligonier Valley Ministry Center which would eventually become Ligonier Ministries. His Systematic Theology which he released a few years ago is entitled, "Everyone's a Theologian." He wanted to be sure that people's theology was right and that they correctly understood who God is as He has revealed Himself in His Word.

This is something that I strive to do as well though I have much work yet to do on it and am nowhere near as gifted as Dr. Sproul. I am thankful for his modeling of this and pray that more would not be afraid to go a little deeper in their teaching of theology but be sure to seek to communicate the deep truths of God in a way that people can understand. May God continue to use the teachings of R. C. Sproul beyond the grave. To borrow the words of the author of Hebrews in regards to Abel, "though dead, may he still speak."

In Christ,
Lee Smith

Why A Church Should Practice Discipline

One thing that is missing in many congregations today is the practice of church discipline. Some wouldn't dare think of enacting discipline on a member in sin. The very suggestion makes them feel so uncomfortable. As if to do so would be unloving or judgmental. After all, aren't we all sinners? Is what they are doing my business? However, historically it was thought that a church could not rightly be considered a church if did not discipline its members. As I continue to reflect on it, I wonder if a lot of problems in the visible church today stem from a failure to practice godly discipline of its members. While I have previously unpacked Jesus' specific step-by-step instructions pertaining to discipline, I want to look with you this time at a few reasons why a church SHOULD practice discipline, especially since many currently do not.

Jesus Commands Us To
Perhaps the most basic and simplest reason that a church should practice discipline is because Jesus commands us to. This is not something that He says is optional. He doesn't say reprove the brother if you are comfortable with it, if you feel like it, or unless you as a congregation decide differently. But if your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private (Matthew 18:15). That's a command with the condition that your brother is continuing in a certain sin without any repentance.

Jesus serves as the head of the Church so that means His word is binding. If Jesus says to do something, the church that wants to be obedient to His teachings will seek to do it. Regardless of how countercultural it may be though we should never be surprised that much of what Jesus calls us to be and do goes against the culture. It certainly will not be in agreement with the world's way of thinking. A major problem today is that the visible church has allowed itself to be more influenced by the world rather than the Word. The neglect of the practice of discipline is just one of several examples of this.

It is Loving
We need to remember too that discipline is an act of love. This is true for parents with their children. If you did something wrong as a kid or disobeyed your parents, you were disciplined, weren't you? That wasn't because our parents hated us but because they loved us and wanted our well-being. In fact, the book of Proverbs teaches that the parents who refuse to discipline their children HATE their children. He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently (Proverbs 13:24).

Practicing church discipline on someone who is in ongoing unrepentant sin as Jesus has prescribed is one of the most loving things that a church can do for its members. If we care about them walking rightly before the Lord and growing in holiness, we cannot keep quiet about their sin and the damage that it does for their witness. We would want to confront them and plead with them to repent for their own spiritual well-being.

Furthermore, we should desire to be disciplined ourselves as well in the case where we wind up in sin and need to repent. We all have our blindspots; areas in which we cannot see our sin. If we were aware of them, they would not be blindspots. At times, we each need someone to be as Nathan was to King David (2 Samuel 12). Yes, due to our sinful pride, we first may not be as accepting of a brother or sister's much needed confrontation and correction. We all have, as Paul David Tripp has called it, an inner lawyer that wants to try to justify us before God and others. But if we know the person loves and cares for us, then we should be more apt to listen to them, knowing that they have our best interests in mind. I for one am glad that God has given me brothers and sisters who will help me stay on track.

It Reflects God's Character
When the church practices discipline upon its members, it also reflects God's character. Proverbs 3:11-12 and Hebrews 12:3-11's commentary on it shows us that, as a loving Father, God Himself disciplines His children. The author of Hebrews goes so far as to say that if you are not experiencing God's discipline, than it indicates that you are not an actual child of His (v. 8). You are illegitimate. You don't belong to Him. And what is His purpose in such discipline? We find that in v. 10, that we may share in His holiness.

So if discipline is something that God does to His children, why should His church shy away from carrying it out as well? Do we not reflect God's character to a watching unbelieving world? What does it say about God's loving character displayed in discipline if the church fails to practice it? Or about God's holiness if the church doesn't confront any unholiness in its midst?

It is Protective
As we learn in 1 Corinthians 5, practicing discipline is protective of the church and her purity. That is one of the reasons why Paul gives such a harsh rebuke of that congregation for doing nothing about the man sleeping with his stepmother. He tells them to cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened (v. 7). A little leaven leavens the whole lump (v. 6). A member who is in ongoing unrepentant sin left unchecked is like a cancer to the body. If not dealt with, it will infect the whole. So, for the good of the holiness of the body, discipline must be practiced. And I have heard of cases where open continual sin was ignored and other members within the congregation also fell into gross heinous sins as well. Then the entire congregation could be described as anything but holy.

These are just a few of the reasons, gleaned from God's Word, why a church should practice discipline. I am sure that many more could be given and perhaps I will come back and add to this list at a later time. But for now, these should suffice. For a congregation to neglect disciplining her members is to be disobedient to Jesus' teachings, unloving, reflecting the world more than God, and dangerous for the spiritual good of the whole community. In keeping these reasons in mind, let's follow our Lord's wisdom and both be willing to practice such discipline as well as undergo such ourselves if necessary.

Love in Christ,
Lee
Soli Deo Gloria!!!

Praising in the Pain

One thing that I often encourage people to do after a loss is to come to worship the Sunday following it. That's because I firmly believe that one of the best ways to heal and work through your time of grief is to be with your faith family where you are called to take your eyes off of yourself and the situations that you are facing and place them on the God of all comfort who loves you so much that He sent His very own Son to live, die, and rise again for your salvation. I don't ever pressure anyone to do this of course and I certainly understand that some are not able to emotionally at the time, especially if the death of the loved one occurred just a few short days before Sunday. It can be very difficult for some people. But I do try to encourage it. And after this past Sunday, when my wife and I personally put my advice into practice, I can even more so attest to the need of being in corporate worship on the Sunday following a loss. On the need of being in corporate worship any week really, but especially when you are facing some sort of pain. And in this fallen world under the curse of sin, really who isn't?

Friday a week ago, we found out the surprising news that we were expecting. Then certain issues arose late last week leading us to the Emergency Room to discover that Laura had lost the baby. This is not the first time that we have had to walk down this road. Back in April, we experienced our first miscarriage. And anyone who has ever gone through this knows that it is a different type of grief. You are not just grieving the loss of a life but the loss of a life that you never knew. A life that you had anticipated to come to know and share so many special memories with. A life that you looked forward to seeing develop and who he or she would become. A life that you never got the chance to hold, kiss, read stories to, bandage wounds, give advice to, teach to drive, or walk down the aisle. I honestly don't know how anyone could make it through such grief without firm confidence in the sovereignty of God; that He is in control of all things and absolutely everything occurs according to His all wise divine plan. I know that we wouldn't!

Laura and I discussed whether or not to attend worship this past Sunday morning. (God certainly has a way of testing us pastors for us to see if we will listen to our own advice and follow our own teaching. I believe that this was one of many moments that the Lord has given me to do this.) The emotions of this loss were more raw than the last one. We found out about the first miscarriage the Tuesday before whereas this one was just two days prior. Along with the shock and disappointment still being processed, we had the painful weight of experiencing two miscarriages now within six months time. That's pretty heavy but not as heavy as some others have been called to bear. However, we followed my advice and we both were glad that we did. God used corporate worship that morning to help our hearts begin to heal and strengthen our faith in His goodness to us in spite of what we were experiencing.

Singing through "Oh, He's a Wonderful Savior" was so needed for me. While our status in a sense changed within a week, Jesus Christ remains our wonderful Savior. That hasn't changed with either one of these two great losses! He still went "to dark Calvary, dying our death on the tree," still "never leaves us alone" and "gently cares for His own." With an uncharacteristic quivering and almost breaking of my voice, I belted out the beautiful truth of "what a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear." All because of God's great grace, Jesus was still my friend and elder brother. We still had Him and He is enough to comfort us in our lowest moments; moments such as we were going through at the time. The message that morning reminded us that God loves us, not because of who we are or anything that we have done but because of Who He is. Oh, how I needed such a reminder that morning! God's giving and taking away was not a sign of the absence of His love for us but of His love for us. While I certainly don't understand or pretend to understand why God chose to allow us to get pregnant twice only to bear each child for about 5-7 weeks, I know that all that He does is in love for those He has both chosen and purchased to be His children in His Son.

You see, what I experienced in worship that morning was a blessed reminder of the very character of the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our affliction (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). I said in a sermon not too terribly long ago that we need to not focus on our trials so much but instead focus more on the God of our trials if we want to handle them well. If we are to "let endurance have it's perfect work" as James commands us in light of the various types of trials God ordains for us to go through (1:4), then we need to think about God's character, His goodness, and mediate on the promises that He has given us in His Word. As the Casting Crowns' song puts it, "If your eyes are on the storm, you'll wonder if I love you still. But if your eyes are on the cross, you'll know that I always have and I always will." Had Laura and I stayed home that morning to grieve, we would have more likely kept our focus mostly on the loss and pain that we were experiencing but everything in the worship service would not let us do that. Instead, it moved us to "turn our eyes upon Jesus and look full into His wonderful face" and that's what helped us begin our healing. Being directed to Him constantly and consistently in corporate worship. Paul David Tripp has said it so well, "Corporate worship is designed to take your eyes off you and have them filled with the beauty of the grace and glory of God" and "Corporate worship is meant to take your eyes off the ugliness of the fallen world and open your eyes to the awesome beauty of your Redeemer."

Oh, and I can't close without mentioning another crucial element in corporate worship that morning that the Lord used to minister to our broken hearts. The love and support of our church family! The hugs, kind words, "I love yous," and prayers of those who really are brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers to us! Those whose lives we have been blessed to be a part of. Who we knew were grieving with us. That itself was a great encouragement which we would have missed had we just remained at home. We need each other far more than we realize and God has been so wise to place us into the body of His Son, the church. I'll never understand (trust me, I have heard the excuses) how many can neglect one of God's greatest means of grace and growth.

Let me encourage you, the next time that you are tempted to skip out on corporate worship on account of pain that you are going through (whether physical or emotional), to still come. You may not realize just how much you may need that time with God's people praising Him in the midst of your pain. How comforting it is to be directed away from the trial to the Savior. We needed that this past Sunday morning and will need it again next Sunday morning and the one following that and so on. Thank God for our weekly time together with the saints to worship Him. May we not take it for granted but participate fully each and every week!

Love in Christ,
Lee
Soli Deo Gloria!!!