Nick’s Walk

John 15:1-8 English Standard Version (ESV) I Am the True Vine 15 “I am the the vinedresser. 2  he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, you are clean Abide you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that he is thrown away like a branch and withers; you abide in me, and my words abide in you, By this my Father is glorified, that you 

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10  There are three ways to look at grace and works and only one is biblical. Some seem to think that we are saved by our works. Such folks, even after coming to Christ, continue to work feverishly hoping to make themselves acceptable or worthy of salvation. Another group confident in the work of grace believe no work is required of the saved at all. The biblical view is that we are saved for good works.  The reality is that when you believe in Christ for salvation, you not only are declared right before God as Father, but you also begin to walk with God as friend. In addition to new birth, Jesus gives you new life: a life of joyful obedience and overflowing love. So when you hear Christ’s radical call to live sacrificially, you do not think, In the gospel I am free to flout his commands. Instead you think, In the gospel I am free to follow his commands. And the faith that God has graciously given to you begins to produce radical fruit from […]

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. John 14:12 How can we in the church best unleash the people of God in the Spirit of God with the Word of God for the glory of God in the world? Platt, David (2011-04-19). Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God (p. 3). Random House, Inc.. Kindle Edition. It’s great when we determine that we want to be a radical Christian, a follower and not just a fan. But our mission is a group mission. The Great Commission is addressed to the church. How do we we get those with whom we worship to buy into the Follower mentality? David :Platt suggests several things including examining the tyranny of “good” things. Churches are involved in a pile of “good things.” Churches provide a place for its members to refresh and renew. They provide good teaching, music, and programs. Church often meets in the nicest building any of its members see all week. Members often have calendars filled with church activities, […]

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers. Ephesians 4:11 After spending some days considering the question of fan versus follower, we return to the question of pastor. If we are called to be followers, what should we be looking for in a pastor. Let’s begin with the understanding that we expect too much from a single person whom we call to serve as pastor. We expect him to be a teacher, preacher, administrator, counselor, judge, and pastor. That’s not fair. It’s clear from the scripture that gifts are spread among the members of the body, all to be shared for the good of all. In no place in the new testament, is one person expected to have all these gifts. For one man to believe he is to do all these things on his own, robs God of the use of the gifts He has bestowed and robs the fellowship of the sense of ownership that comes with having a real participation in the ministry of the body. So what should we expect of a pastor. Obviously he should be a fervent follower. He should seek hard after Christ, in full realization of […]

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23 In the first part of Kyle Idleman’s  Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus The author explains the difference between fans and followers and emphasizes that Jesus calls us to be followers. I have quoted and borrowed from part 1 extensively for the past few days. Part two is less quotable. It can be summarized in two words, “So follow.” If it’s what Christ calls us to it’s what we should do. But how? Idleman compares the process to first love. Our first romantic love is designed to change us from self-centered immature children to adults who love passionately and put others first. We should follow Christ like a young lover purses his love. Idleman makes it clear that the call applies to anyone, in other words, everyone. There is no pre-qualification for following Jesus. Just look at the disciples He called.  Following Jesus, like romantic love, is a story of denial. It’s what separates the child from the adult, the real from the shallow. We are not the most important thing, the object of our […]

John 14:27 English Standard Version (ESV) 27  my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. let them be afraid. Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it (Matt. 7:13–14). Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” Matthew 7:21 – 23 It’s pretty scary to think that someone could go through life believing themselves to be a follower and finding out in the end they were just a fan. The bible teaches assurance of salvation, so how can we know that we are followers and not fans. We can know peace […]

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight (Acts 1:8 – 9). Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you (John 16:7). The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. (Romans 8:11 NLT). Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? (Gal. 3:3). I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses … For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:9 – 10). Perhaps the most prevalent symptom of the Fan Christian is the determination to “do it on our own.” Even if we can accept that salvation is a gift from God, we can’t accept that the follow up is not up to us. […]

Matthew 23 English Standard Version (ESV) Seven Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees 23 Then Jesus “The scribes and the Pharisees but not the works they do. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5  to be seen by others. For they make their fringes long, 6 and they the best seats in the synagogues 7 and the marketplaces and being called But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are And call no man your father on earth, for the Christ. 11  Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. 13 “But woe shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a hell as yourselves.16 “Woe to blind guides, who say, the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by heaven swears by him who sits upon it.23  you tithe mint and dill and justice and mercy and faithfulness. a […]