by Pastor John Kim

While I will be addressing the DTR2 series, I will intersperse it with some other thoughts, especially since I have been doing some reading of biographies that has stimulated quite a bit of reflection about various issues.

In reading the 2 volume biography of D. Martin Lloyd-Jones by Iain Murray, I am struck by how straightforward and blunt Lloyd-Jones was, especially when he first started out as a preacher. I have always been challenged by preachers who fearlessly proclaimed God’s truth, who did not seek man’s approval but God’s alone. John MacArthur has obviously been a lifelong living example of that to me, along with my college pastor Chris Mueller, who invested in my life ever since my junior high days. So if you are wondering where all the blunt approach comes from, you can chalk it up to my upbringing.

But here is the issue that I wanted to address in this post. Where would you rather be on a given Sunday? For some people, attending church is a chore, almost a burden, if not a downright pain. You can tell on just some of the looks on people’s faces, whether they are asleep, disinterested, doodling, or just have this pained look as they glance at their watches every few minutes, just counting down until the long-winded pastor gets done. Is it no wonder that many churches don’t have much vitality and attendance is low? Here Lloyd-Jones addresses this issue in an early sermon in July 1927:

“People complain about the dwindling congregations and how the churches are going down. Why are people ceasing to attend places of worship? Why is it, that last Sunday night I noticed that, while the places of worship in Cardiff were only sparsely attended, the trains coming from Porthcawl and other sea-side places were packed out. Why did these people spend their day at the seaside and in other places rather than in the House of God worshipping? Well, the answer is perfectly plain. They obviously prefer to be at the sea-side and feel that they get more benefit there than they do in the chapels and the churches. Now it is no use arguing with people like that, it is no use our telling them that they really do not get greater benefit there, because they honestly believe that they do…what I feel like saying to these trippers is this: If you honestly believe (and remember it is your responsibility) that you derive greater benefit by spending your day in the country than you do by attending a place of worship, well then, go to the country. Don’t come here if you honestly feel that you could do better elsewhere. Unless you feel that something is being offered or equal, well then, in the name of Heaven, go out into the country or to the sea-side. The church of Christ is a church of believers, an association of people banded together by a common belief and a common love. You don’t believe? Well, above all, do not pretend that you do, go to the country and the sea-side. All I ask of you is, be consistent. When someone dies in your family, do not come to ask the church in which you do not believe to come to bury him. Go to the sea-side for consolation…” (Iain Murray, D. Martin Lloyd-Jones: The First 40 Years, p. 138)

This almost sounds too harsh to say but you have to understand that in the context of knowing the tremendous blessings of being a part of God’s church, it is foolish to try and soften the language in hopes that people will “get” it. The local church was designed by God to be the institution through which the kingdom of God is to be both experienced and spread to the rest of this world. We have been given the riches of heaven and the opportunity to enjoy genuinely loving relationships with people in serving one another so that we might be a light to this world and point people to the Savior. But a church that is nominal in its passion for the things of God is ultimately useless. A church becomes nominal only because the individuals in it become nominal. So the question comes down to this – are you a nominal believer? If so, don’t be a hypocrite. Don’t go to church if you don’t really believe that it is a priority to do so. Don’t pretend to be a member if you really don’t see the value of participating in the life of the body of Christ. Don’t act like you care to be here on Sundays when inside your heart you would rather be at the beach, or watch a Laker game, or write xanga entries about how you idolize your car, or whatever else you would rather do. There are those in our midst who would rather pursue the things of this world, whether it be riches, fame, or the approval of man in any number of ways. But the Scriptures are clear – those things which are not of God are not able to provide what only God can. And so what Lloyd-Jones says makes a lot of sense – be consistent. Do what you would rather do. But don’t count on the church then to be there to help you in your time of need. Rather go to the place where your heart is and let them try to help you. You can’t have it both ways.

The point is that if you really have experienced the grace of God in your life, you would then treasure the things of God, and your participation in the local church would be a reflection of that.

I can already anticipate the rebuttals that would come in response to this. “John, you’re too harsh.” “Aren’t you being judgmental?” What, do you want us to give up our jobs or education and live at the church?” If your line of thinking is anything like this, you simply don’t get it. It really comes down to your heart.

Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The church is an institution that will go on through eternity. Is your heart for the church?

If you are struggling with this issue, just start with the question, “Do you love Jesus?” Because if you say you do love Jesus, you would love being His bride, which is to be part of the church. If you don’t love being His bride, you need to really ask yourself then whether you really love Jesus.

If you say you love Jesus, then you will show it through your loving obedience to His commands. And His commands are not burdensome.

Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

So where would you rather be this Sunday? Go there. If you say you would rather be at church, then make sure that you really mean it. If you don’t mean it, don’t come. But don’t expect anything from the church.

Think about that before you come to church this Sunday.

by Pastor John Kim

I’m sure that many are intrigued by the issue of dating but I wanted to go back and review a few thoughts from the first DTR series before we address some of the more current issues.

1. DTR w/ God – Defining the relationship with your God.

This is the the relationship that is most foundational and primary. Without having a right relationship with God and pursuing righteousness daily, there is really no hope of having a successful dating relationship. It is all too easy to see many “Christians” even “pray” for a dating relationship when there is no other indication of a discipline for the purpose of godliness. It is frightening to see men who have absolutely no intention of providing spiritual leadership try and pose like they actually care about someone when in fact the only person they care about is themselves. There are ladies who would do likewise in looking for someone to place security and significance, when only God can truly provide those things. Without having defined your relationship with God, you can only expect a hollow relationship that will inevitably reveal itself for what it is: a fraudulent pursuit of self-fulfillment at the expense of another person’s heart and even body.

2. DTR w/ Family – Defining the relationship with your family.

There are many who have unhealthy family relationships, whether with their parents or with their siblings, or even with extended family members. There needs to be a clear sense in which a Christ-centered focus is given to addressing family relationships so that there is no doubt as to what defines the family relationships. Only God can provide the true framework for proper marriage and parenting relationships. So, for many who have not had the opportunity to grow under a God-centered home, it is a challenge to address the realities of home life and consider how they are relating to their parents and other family members. This can be somewhat tricky in that there is a fine line between honoring parents and then having to decide whether to obey them regarding a dating relationship, especially when you see that their world view is not really one that seeks God’s glory first but rather their own. But it is only with much prayer and humility that you can move forward in this issue regardless of the state of your family relationships. But, at the same time, you can’t afford to neglect addressing your family without having repercussions down the road.

3. DTR w/ Church – Defining the relationship with your church.

It is amazing to me to see how cheaply many people treat the role of the local church in their lives. There are many who even question the validity of the concept of the local church, justifying their lack of involvement by saying they are part of the universal church. The lack of genuine accountability and discipleship is one of the major contributing factors to problems in dating relationships and it really goes back to the fact that many have not defined what it means to be an active participant in a local church. I would go as far as to say that if someone was not vitally involved in a local church and in solid accountability that they have no right to subject someone to a whimsical farce of a relationship that is narrowly centered on an individualistic mindset. These relationships will lack the resources of godly wisdom from older men and women (not peers) that comes from being involved in a network of relationships founded within a local church setting.

4. DTR w/ Your Spouse – Defining the relationship with your (future) spouse.

For those who are single, you must consider that one day you will have to face your spouse and answer for how you conducted yourself before you got married. There are many who have much to regret because they failed to save the best for their spouse. Many have even ridiculed the idea of saving your kisses for your spouse, thinking that is old-fashioned or just plain unrealistic. But I would submit to you that the more you save in the present, the less you will regret in the future. And your future spouse will bless you for it! But for those of you foolish enough to think that you can play Russian roulette and get away with it, think again. God takes your purity seriously, in body and in heart and mind, and you cannot expect to think that there are no consequences that you will have to face in the future. You cannot presume on God’s grace to simply disregard future consequences. If you really desire to be a blessing to your future spouse, consider that person, even if you don’t know them now, and define what you would bring to them as a wedding gift, the gift of your life.

I know that when we had the first DTR series, it did not address a lot of practical dating issues so much as it addressed foundational issues. But one of the greatest blessings that I have been privileged to hear is that someone actually came to know Christ through the DTR series! That was probably the best result out of a dating message that I have ever been able to witness! God was so good to bring someone to salvation through a dating series of all things.

One of the sad things that I witnessed was that there were a good number of people who simply disregarded what was taught and made bad choices that resulted in some regretful consequences. I guess many must simply learn the hard way through experience, though this is not necessary. Some people have even said that it was best that they learned through experience, to which I would give a hearty – “May it never be!!” That’s the whole point of living by faith, trusting in God’s ways, even when you can’t see an immediate benefit, but knowing that He will keep true to His promises to make your paths straight (Prov. 3:5-6).

Well there’s the review. We’ll start tackling the preview soon…

by Pastor John Kim

Spring is now upon us and the topic of “Dating and Relationships” continues to be on the forefront of many who are single, and understandably so. I would like to address this issue again in a sermon series soon, but until we set the dates (pun intended), I will give some preliminary thoughts and entertain questions and comments.

Having a God-honoring, Bible-centered world view manifested in all areas of life is a challenging yet worthwhile endeavor to pursue since the consequences of failing to adhere to such will only result in conformity to the world and a self-serving agenda. I say this because it is all too evident in the practices seen in many well-intentioned individuals who resort to various strategies that would seem to be biblical at first glance but are filled with subtleties that might escape immediate notice.

While I do not wish to single out any particular individual or relationship, I will be addressing what I see as some very real and present dangers that are being thrown around the general Lighthouse scene. It is in reflection of such dangers that I wish to address them directly and raise a call for humble yet convicting evaluation of the heart and motivation of all who are seeking to pursue God-glorifying relationships that will hopefully one day turn in to Christ-magnifying marriages.

So let the DTR2 preview begin. Coming next entry…

by Pastor John Kim

As we prepare for Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, it would be helpful for us to consider why we celebrate these events. For many, these days represent nothing more than ritual and tradition — an excuse to buy a new outfit, to have a $50 brunch at some fancy hotel, or to look for eggs hidden in the bushes and dress up in costumes.

I recall going to the Czech Republic for the first time during the Easter Week and in Prague, there were stalls and carts filled with decorative eggs in celebration of Easter. When asked what Easter represents, the typical Czech had absolutely no idea, except that it had something to do with eggs. Now these eggs were beautiful and came in wonderful designs, but you are left to wonder, “So what are these eggs all about?”

It’s almost akin to Christmas and people getting hung up with mistletoe and eggnog and dressing up as Santa or the elves. Or Thanksgiving where it’s all about getting a turkey and dressing and gaining ten pounds. Or even Halloween, which originally stood for “Hallow’s Eve,” the celebration of a holy day, and it gets turned completely upside down into a celebration of demons and witches and other depictions of evil.

Why make a big deal of all this? For starters, we celebrate Good Friday because of the goodness of God that was displayed in what was a most extreme and violent event: the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. How could the brutul murder of the innocent Son of God be considered good? Because of what was accomplished. It was His death that took the place of my own, not simply the physical death, but to face the wrath of God that was to be poured out in judgment of my sin. Jesus took my place on the cross. When He cried out, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” we must consider the absolute agony of what Jesus had to go through, to feel the very wrath of God poured out on Him where there was a very real sense of the break of fellowship that takes place when sin enters the presence of God. God cannot accept it or allow it to go unpunished.

2 Corinthian 5:21 states it so clearly, “He [God] made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Good Friday is good because the righteousness of God is now imputed to us through Christ so that His goodness stands in our place as our righteousness. We have absolutely no goodness or righteousness that we can generate on our own to merit standing before God. We would be totally unacceptable in His presence. But as our substitute, the Lamb of God was slain so that we might receive the goodness and grace of God through Him.

As we prepare to partake in communion this Friday, I hope that we can all take some time to meditate on the goodness of God shown through the sacrifice of His beloved Son. It was a dark day, the darkest day of all history, when the Son of God was subjected to the cruel torture and excruciating pain He suffered on the cross for us. But thank God it was not left to end at the cross, for the third day would approach and the Resurrection of Christ would take place to show that sin and death had been conquered once and for all. Not only can we experience His goodness in the forgiveness of sins, but we also have the incredible and unbreakable promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

by Pastor John Kim

The pursuit of sanctification for the Christian brings at least two things to mind: the glory of God and the abhorrence of sin. The glory of God should weigh heavy on our hearts and minds as we consider that it is God alone who deserves glory as the Creator, and all of creation was designed for the purpose of glorifying Him since all things were made by Him and for Him and exist only because of Him.

Jonathan Edwards writes, “The end of creation is that the creation might glorify God. Now what is glorifying God, but a rejoicing at that glory he has displayed? The happiness of the creature consists in rejoicing in God, by which also God is magnified.”

The pursuit of sanctification is a pursuit of joy, not of drudgery. It is we, and not God, who make Christianity to be less than what God intended, which is a life full of happiness. But happiness is not something that can be generated with ourselves in the place of primacy. True happiness can only be experienced when God’s glory is my greatest desire and that life is not so much about me as much as it is all about God receiving the glory and the majesty and the honor and the praise.

John Piper writes in reflection of Jonathan Edwards these words:

“The love of God for sinners is not his making much of them, but his graciously freeing and empowering them to enjoy making much of him. As Edwards says, “God is their good.” Therefore if God would do us good, he must direct us to his worth, not ours. The truth that God’s glory and our joy in God are one radically undermines modern views of self-centered love. God-centered grace nullifies the gospel of self-esteem” (God’s Passion for His Glory, pp. 34-35).

To find our greatest happiness, we must seek the greatness of God. It is only when we strive to grasp the transcending glories of God that we start to understand the majesty and wonder of who we are dealing with, not some two-bit deity morphed out of some Greek mythology book but rather the Creator of the universe who in His super-abounding grace and mercy reached out to us in Christ and provided the way of salvation to save miserable souls destined for hell. Left to ourselves, hell is exactly where our free will takes us. We CHOOSE to go to hell because we CHOOSE to reject the glories of God and, in what Piper calls “the suicidal exchange,” we settle for the broken cisterns of created things.

This perspective really is something that we must consider. Sin is not simply just falling short of God’s standards of right and wrong. It is to want something less than the glory of God, which is utter folly. It is, as C. S. Lewis wrote, to settle for mudpies in the slums when you can have a day at the beach. It’s not that we want so much but that we settle for so little.

Romans 1:23 says that people will exchange the glory of the incorruptible God for the image of corruptible man and birds and animals and crawling things. This is sad but all too true. This can be seen in the lives of so many people, who make unbelievable choices to settle for anything and everything except God, that they would stoop to worshipping inanimate objects that have been fashioned by man!!

This is what sin is. It is to fall short of desiring the glory of God and settling for junk. It is to look at the Creator and see His loving heart and wisdom to guide us and reject that for the shallow “love” of the world and worldly thinking that only leads to destruction.

I would encourage you to consider the mindset of what drives you as a Christian. Do you take sin seriously? You will only when you are filled with the wonder of God’s glory and see sin as a suicidal choice to settle for something less. Don’t be a fool. Seek God’s glory. Then you’ll not only be holy but happy. =)

by Pastor Patrick Cho

In a tough road to the NCAA Final, the Florida Gators topped the Ohio State Buckeyes 84-75 in the men’s basketball tournament. Certainly this was a favorable outcome for me since I was in last place the entire tournament in our bracket competition until the final three games, and I predicted Florida would beat Ohio State in the final.

But I suppose the big question that arises out of it all is: Who cares? A week from now, hardly anyone will be talking about the NCAA basketball tournament. I’m sure the players and coaches will bask in their accomplishment for a while. Perhaps there will even be an ESPN documentary made for the Gators. And I’m sure there will be conversations about how the Gators rank amongst the all-time great teams. But in the end, it’s just a season of basketball come to an end. Sports fans will turn their attention to baseball and Barry Bonds’ chase for the homerun title, or some other item in the sporting world.

Praise God that the Christian life is more than anticipating short-lived excitements. There is a lasting hope and joy found in Christ that even the most exciting events of the world cannot compare with. The hymns portray this hope very well:

What a wonderful redemption! Never can a mortal know
How my sin, tho’ red like crimson, Can be whiter than the snow.
All that thrills my soul is Jesus, He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand In my blessed Lord I see.

Or…

Ev’ry joy or trial Falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial By the sun of love;
We may trust Him fully All for us to do-
They who trust Him wholly Find Him wholly true.

Stayed upon Jehovah, Hearts are fully blest–
Finding as He promised, Perfect peace and rest.