Reflections on Lumos and the Church

by Jennifer Shih

Can you remember your teenage years? What was it like? How did you spend your time? Who did you spend most of your time with? Who made the biggest impact on you and who were your influences? Was it your parents? Maybe it was your siblings, classmates, a teacher or a youth group pastor/leader? Likely all of these people have made some impact on you, whether they had positive or negative influences. Perhaps the older people in your life made a positive impact on you because they provided you guidance and mentoring. Maybe classmates did not have the best influence on you. How did the people in your life affect and shape your identity?

Everyone has a different testimony of their teenage years. My teenage years came to an end about 10 years ago, but I can still remember the people who made a big impact on my life and why. Through middle school, it was my after school tutor who would patiently help me through Algebra in the public library. She stands out because she went beyond just helping me with homework but took an interest in mentoring and guiding me through those awkward middle school years, and this happened usually over KFC wedge fries or McDonald’s soft serve ice cream. In high school, much of my influence came from friends and my school community because they were the people who were prominent in my life. Many of those years were marked by people-pleasing, and striving to fit in and trying to be popular among my peers. Looking back, I wish that I had known Christ in my growing years or had the benefit of going to a Bible-teaching church, hearing God’s Word preached weekly. If I had been saved by the Gospel, I’m sure that I would have avoided a lot of heartache and wandering in darkness and sin.

It is a fact that young people can be easily influenced by the community and culture around them. And too often teenage years can be wasted pursuing worldly things and building an identity and foundation on superficial and fleeting things. One of biggest blessings that the youth at Lighthouse Bible Church has is the opportunity to grow up in the community of a local church, and the benefit of learning from older men and women what it means to follow Christ. Also, vice versa, one of the biggest blessings and responsibilities of the older members of the church is to walk alongside younger men and women, helping them grow in their faith and modeling for them godly character. This is the way that God has instructed the church to work together, as written in Titus 2.

Over this year, I have been really encouraged to see how the youth are really excited about Friday night Bible studies and our many youth retreats – because they get to learn from God’s Word and spend time with one another. Josh and Cesar have been leading the youth through studies on Romans and 1 John, respectively, and in small groups it’s been a really sweet time learning, growing, and praying together. The youth staff have the opportunity to meet more often with the youth, but you don’t have to be on staff to make use of the opportunity to get to know the youth. Each member of the church has the opportunity to make an impact in their life, and it can happen even over a conversation on Sunday. Keep in mind – the Lumos youth can be really energetic and excited about life or more quiet and shy – but in either case, they have an eagerness to learn and grow in their faith. If you haven’t had a chance to get to know them – I’d encourage you to stop one of them on a Sunday and ask them about their weeks, hobbies, likes, and dislikes, and what they’ve been learning. Or you can even talk about that Sunday’s sermon and share prayer requests. One of the practical goals and challenges we’ve come up with in my small group is to get to know the church better in order to practice loving the church better. So chances are, if you haven’t had the chance to introduce yourself to the youth – they might come to you on a Sunday and ask for an introduction!

Praise God for Lighthouse Bible Church and the work He is doing in the life of the church!

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)

The Honor Of Motherhood: Application For Guys

by Elder Johnny Kim

This past Mother’s Day, Pastor Patrick preached a fitting sermon entitled, “The Honor of Motherhood” (you can listen to it here). On a day when Mother’s are honored for a whole host of reasons, the Mother’s Day sermon pointed us to what God’s Word has to say about women and the honor that comes to them for pursuing Godly motherhood just as He intended. For all the current mothers, mothers-to-be, and aspiring mothers listening to the sermon, it was no doubt both encouraging and challenging to hear, and will certainly continue to be a challenge as they seek to apply the truths they heard into their lives.

Now for the guys who were listening, the Mother’s Day sermon may have presented a different sort of challenge. Aside from the blessing and enlightenment that comes from hearing any of God’s Word preached, some of the guys might have been wondering about the implications of such a sermon for our own lives. Is there any practical application that a guy can live out in light of a sermon about motherhood? What does this type of sermon specifically mean for guys in terms of how we might need to change? What follows are but a couple points of application that I would encourage all guys to consider in response to the truth about the honor of motherhood.

Application 1: Pursue the Woman Who Pursues Motherhood

For those guys who are not-yet-married, the Mother’s Day sermon provides us with a picture of the type of woman we ought to pursue for marriage. We ought to pursue a woman who in her own life pursues the high calling of motherhood. While the ungodly man might pursue a woman primarily for her academic degrees, career accolades, and other accomplishments out in the world, we ought to value in women the same things that God values in them. After all, He is the one who created them, redeemed them, and gave them purpose according to His perfect plan. If God values motherhood, as is evidenced by the fact that He would use it as a means to restore and bless women (1 Timothy 2:15), then us guys ought to value it as well in our potential spouses. We should desire to marry a woman who exhibits a high view of motherhood and has every intention of being a mother, God willing. If you are a guy who routinely fails to make mention of motherhood when speaking about the important attributes of who you should choose to date or marry, this sermon should rightly elevate your view of motherhood, and you should recognize just how beautiful it is when a woman seeks after and fulfills that role. In the end, if we guys are truly seeking in our own lives to give God the most glory and to be obedient to His Word, then we shouldn’t be able to help but be genuinely attracted to a fellow sister-in-Christ who desires the same for her own life, especially when it comes to a desire for Godly motherhood.

Application 2: Make Decisions That Will Support a Woman’s Desire for Motherhood

Men are called to love and lead their wives out of a desire for their wives to be without sin and to mirror Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27). Husbands have a responsibility to ensure that their wives are living in obedience to God and His Word and living in a way that pleases and glorifies Him. In other words, husbands need to love and lead their wives toward what is their highest calling in the Lord: motherhood. From listening to the Mother’s Day sermon, we can understand that it can sometimes be a challenge for women to maintain a biblical view of motherhood and to strive for it in a God-honoring way. Externally, women face the pressures and influences of a worldly society and worldly thinking that would denigrate motherhood, while at the same time, internally facing the reality of their sinful nature with its selfishness, pride, and worldliness offering up every reason to put off motherhood. The last thing that our wives need is for us husbands to lead them into situations that might make it more difficult for them to pursue motherhood. Husbands, should you lead your family toward the purchase of a new home that can only be paid for with two incomes, leaving your wife with little time for motherhood? Husbands, should you consider accepting a less-than desirable job if it means a more stable income with health benefits for your spouse and family? Husbands, should you consider ditching your dreams of a Ph.D. or medical school so that you can start working now and your wife can start pursuing motherhood now? These are but a few examples of decisions husbands can make that will be either hurtful or helpful to our wives and their pursuit of motherhood.

There are plenty of other points of application that guys can make in response to the Mother’s Day sermon, but the thing to realize is this: the issue of the honor of motherhood is not only an issue solely for women to be concerned with, but one that concerns us guys and implicates us as well. If we truly desire to glorify God and to live out His truth in our own lives, then a high view of His Word should also lead us to a high view of motherhood. As guys, let us continually affirm our fellow sisters-in-Christ; in turn, having a high view of them as they strive for the honor of motherhood.

I Will Take Heed To My Ways

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Psalm 39:1

Fellow-pilgrim, say not in your heart, ‘I will go hither and thither, and I shall not sin;’ for you are never so out of danger of sinning as to boast of security. The road is very miry, it will be hard to pick your path so as not to soil your garments. This is a world of pitch; you will need to watch often, if in handling it you are to keep your hands clean. There is a robber at every turn of the road to rob you of your jewels; there is a temptation in every mercy; there is a snare in every joy; and if you ever reach heaven, it will be a miracle of divine grace to be ascribed entirely to your Father’s power.

Be on your guard. When a man carries a bomb-shell in his hand, he should mind that he does not go near a candle; and you too must take care that you enter not into temptation. Even your common actions are edged tools; you must mind how you handle them. There is nothing in this world to foster a Christian’s piety, but everything to destroy it.

How anxious should you be to look up to God, that He may keep you! Your prayer should be, ‘Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe.’ Having prayed, you must also watch; guarding every thought, word, and action, with holy jealousy. Do not expose yourselves unnecessarily; but if called to exposure, if you are bidden to go where the darts are flying, never venture forth without your shield; for if once the devil finds you without your buckler, he will rejoice that his hour of triumph is come, and will soon make you fall down wounded by his arrows. Though slain you cannot be; wounded you may be. ‘Be sober; be vigilant, danger may be in an hour when all seemeth securest to thee.’

Therefore, take heed to thy ways, and watch unto prayer. No man ever fell into error through being too watchful. May the Holy Spirit guide us in all our ways, so shall they always please the Lord.

3.14p

Weekly Links (6/7/2013)

“Faith is not a blind, irrational conviction. In order to believe, we must know what we believe, and the grounds on which our faith rests.” (Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology)

by Stephen Rodgers

There’s some really good resources this week, so let’s skip the hype and get straight to them:

  • The June 2013 edition of Tabletalk is available from Ligonier, on the subject of “Faith and Repentence.”
  • Speaking of Ligonier, they’re giving away a couple of really great resources.  The first is Richard Phillips’ The Masculine Mandate (for Kindle or Nook). In addition to that, they’ve also made all 14 of RC Sproul’s Crucial Questions books free forever. You’re going to want all of those.
  • On top of that, the free book from Logos is CH Spurgeon’s The Saint and his Savior.
  • And in addition to all those great ebooks, the free audio book from christianaudio.com is Matt Chandler’s The Explicit Gospel.
  • And just in case you still needed content after all of that, the first No Compromise video is no longer lonely…because it has been joined by the second No Compromise video.  Want to see James White, Phil Johnson, and Carl Trueman hang out? Now you can.

Best. Month. Ever.

Pro Rege

 

Reflections from Sonlight

by Shelby Wong

June is right around the corner and we are winding down the year in Sonlight. In the blink of an eye, a whole school year in this ministry has come and gone. Through this time, I am very thankful to God for what he has taught me through the children I claim to serve.

When I first joined the Children’s Ministry, my main goal was to get kids thinking about God at an early age and to help them contemplate where their heart is behind the matter. I had just finished a year as a Teacher’s Aide at a private, Christian school and knew how much these little brains were capable of. Simply memorizing was an easy task for them. They are like sponges! They retain all sorts of information given to them. I thought it was time to take learning to the next level and start getting the kids to think about what they are learning. My goal was to get the kids to personalize what they learn. Boy, was I in for a surprise.

Even though this sounded great in theory, putting it into practice was another story. On Sundays, after serving in Children’s Ministry, I would go home thinking, “Did these guys really understand what the lesson was about? Do they see how this relates to God and to them personally? Why don’t they respond when I ask them about their sins? If we are called to minister to the lives of these children, shouldn’t I be trying to draw out the heart? Am I failing at teaching these kids?”

I was humbled to realize I was too focused on what they can show for themselves. I wanted them to be able to express where they see their sin, and what they can do to change. I was so caught up on the end result, or behavior modification, that I forgot God is the One who changes hearts in His own time. God is the One who sees to it that their hearts are changed. I am simply called to faithfully teach and support them by posing the right questions, answering their questions, and investing in their lives.

There are times, however, when we have wonderful conversations about the day’s lesson and expand it to our own lives. It is then that I get a glimpse of understanding their little souls. It is truly a blessing to serve these kids and interact with them as they teach me more than I can teach them. God doesn’t need me to be with them, and they certainly do not need me. However, He has called me to serve here and learn alongside these little souls. For this, I thank God.

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken

by Ji-Sub Chung

One of the more popular pieces of jewelry is a cross. We can see just how pervasive it is through its appearance on the necks of rappers, singers, waiters, actors, strangers, friends, family, and maybe even you. Each of these people may wear a cross for different reasons. Some may choose to wear it to show a spiritual side; others may wear it as a fashion statement or simple keepsake. In biblical times the cross represented something offensive – something the average person avoided talking about. So what implications does this have for us?

The 19th century poet and hymn writer Henry Francis Lyte had convictions about the cross. His conviction enabled him to have the confidence to say to Jesus that he had taken up His cross. To Henry Lyte the cross would have been much more than just a chic piece of jewelry. The hymn that Lyte wrote, “Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken” was not written on the basis of hollow beliefs. Throughout the hymn there are theological and practical implications bursting from the seams. Due to his weak health (many report him suffering from tuberculosis), several common themes shine through: a prominent focus on the brevity of life, the joy in trials, the comfort of God, the dependence on Christ, and the bliss of heaven.

So what kind of convictions come from the cross? The cross is a reminder of what the Savior saved us from. Christ did not sacrifice Himself for any merit that we had. We were dead in our sin (Ephesians 2), we were the ungodly (Romans 5:6), and we were bearers of a deceitful heart (Jeremiah 17:9). The cross reminds us that, like Paul, the only response we could have to the condition of our soul is “wretched man that I am!” (Romans 7:24). Then grace upon grace, we are reminded that it was Christ that washed, that sanctified, and that justified us out of our lives of sin (1 Corinthians 6:11). The cross also reminds us of the Savior Himself. Consider that Christ, the same glorious King that Isaiah saw in his vision of Heaven (Isaiah 6), submitted Himself to the will of the Father and did so to the point that “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). The Son of God willingly chose to be the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53). He chose to be mocked, derided, and insulted. He submitted Himself to the will of the Father. He lowered Himself to serve humans. He humbled Himself to die for us.

There is no end to the myriads of volumes that could be written about what the cross of Christ signifies to the believer. If we truly understand just how amazing the work on the cross was, then how could we ever run out of reasons to direct all glory and majesty and praise to Him? Our response should be to seek to praise Him, and praise Him not only through one or two things, but in all things. For Henry Lyte, hymn writing was one way to bring God glory. Is this not a natural characteristic of the Spirit-filled life that Paul describes (Ephesians 5:15-18; Colossians 3:16-17)?

Jesus, I my cross have taken, All to leave and follow Thee.
Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition, All I’ve sought or hoped or known.
Yet how rich is my condition! God and heaven are still my own.

Let the world despise and leave me, They have left my Savior, too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me; Thou art not, like them, untrue.
O while Thou dost smile upon me, God of wisdom, love, and might,
Foes may hate and friends disown me, Show Thy face and all is bright.

The hymn begins by heeding the call of Christ in Luke 9:23 by declaring “I my cross have taken.” What are the implications of this statement? This implies that to lose everything, to have nothing, and even to perish every fond ambition that this world has to offer in order to follow Christ are the richest of conditions. What else could we need or want (Psalm 73:25)? Therefore, what matters to us is not the world and its opinions. The world responds to our confession like they have with Christ: rejection. Though the world may darken our days, the Lord is ever brighter still. Let us then challenge the onslaught of trials and troubles for our response is joy (James 1:2).

Man may trouble and distress me, ’Twill but drive me to Thy breast.
Life with trials hard may press me; Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.
Oh, ’tis not in grief to harm me While Thy love is left to me;
Oh, ’twere not in joy to charm me, Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

Go, then, earthly fame and treasure, Come disaster, scorn and pain
In Thy service, pain is pleasure, With Thy favor, loss is gain
I have called Thee Abba Father, I have stayed my heart on Thee
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather; All must work for good to me.

The second half of Lyte’s verse may be a bit confusing. So to make more sense of the 19th century wording, a 21st century translation could be along the lines of “harm will not bring me grief while God loves; it would be no joy at all if that joy were mixed with anything other than You Lord.” Our confidence is not in our earthly position but in our spiritual placement. Our comfort is not from having our best life now, but earnestly seeking the return on the Lord (1 Thess. 4:18). We have confidence and comfort knowing that our Father has divinely appointed trials that would aid in our sanctification, what else is there to fear (1 Corinthians 10:13)? In light of this, we are each called to challenge our own soul to remember the work of the cross.

Soul, then know thy full salvation Rise o’er sin and fear and care
Joy to find in every station, Something still to do or bear.
Think what Spirit dwells within thee, Think what Father’s smiles are thine,
Think that Jesus died to win thee, Child of heaven, canst thou repine.

Haste thee on from grace to glory, Armed by faith, and winged by prayer.
Heaven’s eternal days before thee, God’s own hand shall guide us there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission, Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days,
Hope shall change to glad fruition, Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

Think about the Spirit that dwells within you, think about the love that the Father has for you, think about the Savior that died for you. In light of this how sweet do the delights of eternal paradise seem? Let us actively look forward to His return with full faith and propelled by prayer. Furthermore, the Lord will return soon and unexpectedly (1 Thess. 5:2); so let us keep firm in our earthly mission while “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Matthew 9:36-38). Let us await with joy the culmination of the work of the cross in the eternal presence of our King.

The proper question then is not if you wear a cross or not. Rather, the question is: have you taken up your cross and left all to follow Him? If you have, then you need to live like it for “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). The Christian cross is the symbol of the gospel. It shows the sinful heart, the holy God, the righteous punishment, the perfect Sacrifice, the infinite grace, and the eternal home. The cross needs to sink into our everyday thoughts and practices and if a piece of jewelry or hymn lyrics help you remember the cross so be it. May the glory of the cross permeate through your thoughts and actions for as long as you live.

Let Him That Thinketh He Standeth Take Heed Lest He Fall

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From 1 Corinthians 10:12

It is a curious fact, that there is such a thing as being proud of grace. A man says, ‘I have great faith, I shall not fall; poor little faith may, but I never shall.’ ‘I have fervent love,’ says another, ‘I can stand, there is no danger of my going astray.’ He who boasts of grace has little grace to boast of. Some who do this imagine that their graces can keep them, knowing not that the stream must flow constantly from the fountain head, or else the brook will soon be dry. If a continuous stream of oil comes not to the lamp, though it burn brightly to-day, it will smoke to-morrow, and noxious will be its scent. Take heed that thou gloriest not in thy graces, but let all thy glorying and confidence be in Christ and His strength, for only so canst thou be kept from falling.

Be much more in prayer. Spend longer time in holy adoration. Read the Scriptures more earnestly and constantly. Watch your lives more carefully. Live nearer to God. Take the best examples for your pattern. Let your conversation be redolent of heaven. Let your hearts be perfumed with affection for men’s souls. So live that men may take knowledge of you that you have been with Jesus, and have learned of Him; and when that happy day shall come, when He whom you love shall say, ‘Come up higher,’ may it be your happiness to hear Him say, ‘Thou hast fought a good fight, thou hast finished thy course, and henceforth there is laid up for thee a crown of righteousness which fadeth not away.’

On, Christian, with care and caution! On, with holy fear and trembling! On, with faith and confidence in Jesus alone, and let your constant petition be, ‘Uphold me according to Thy word.’ He is able, and He alone, ‘To keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.’

3.14a

Weekly Links (5/31/2013)

LIE: This is such a minor, insignificant sin! It’s not really a big deal in God’s eyes.
TRUTH: Every sin is a horribly offensive to God. Sin is the sum of all evils, the opposite of all that is good, holy, and beautiful. Even the smallest of my sins required the death of the Son of God. There is no such thing as a minor sin. Every sin is cosmic treason.

LIE: I’ll give into sin this one time, then I’ll be done with it. I just need to get it out of my system.
TRUTH: Every time I give into a sin it becomes more difficult to break the power of that sin. Sin has a way of sinking it’s barbed hooks deep into my heart. I can’t simply sin and then walk away from it unscathed. The more I give in to sin, the more entangled I become. Sin always leaves scars.

LIE: This sin is part of who I am. I’ve always struggled this way and I always will sin this way.
TRUTH: Sin does not define my identity! I am a new creation in Christ. Christ has set me free from the enslaving power of sin. I absolutely do not have to obey the sinful passions that surge through me. I may have always struggled this way, but my past does not define my future.

LIE: I need to give in to this sin in order to be happy.
TRUTH: Sin never provides true happiness. It promises sweetness, yet ultimately delivers a payload of destruction, dissastisfaction, ruined relationships, and hardness of heart.

LIE: God wants me to be happy, therefore it’s okay for me to give in to sin.
TRUTH: God does want me to be happy. However, my happiness will only rise as high as my holiness. Sin ultimately erodes and destroys true holiness and true happiness.
(Stephen Altrogge)

by Richard Shin

  • It is no secret that we live in strange times. The cultural shifts in North America are tantamount, and we Christians must understand the tides more than ever. Mark Dever shares seven ways on how to survive a cultural crisis.
  • Summer is right around the corner. Trevin Wax links some articles on how not to waste your summer.
  • Tim Keller shares a few insightful words on exposing and correcting our character flaws to which we may be blind. You can find his article here.
  • Michael Horton at the White Horse Inn reflects on the Pope’s message that by doing good, even atheists can meet in Heaven. Yea. Clint Archer shares a similar sentiment.
  • At first reading of Acts 2-5, there is a tendency to treat the sharing of goods as an act of socialism. However, Art Lindsley shares why it does not promote this idea.
  • Here are some reflections from a new dad at age 47.
  • And speaking of fatherhood, Russell Moore shares a few thoughts on missing his sons’ birthdays.

Hope you have a great weekend.

Coram Deo

The War of the Wills

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Lately at Lighthouse, we have been engaging in some conversation about God-appointed roles in the church and home. Generally speaking, these discussions tend to revolve around gender. Is there a fundamental difference between men and women, or does God desire the complete equality of the genders even at an economic/functional level? While these discussions are important, we must not forget that the reversal of biblical roles is something that is going to be rebelled against at any level – not just between genders.

One arena where the assignment of biblical roles is constantly being threatened is in the home. But this threat is not merely between husband and wife. The battle for authority also rages between parents and children. I’m assuming that most people would agree that parents have authority over their children and are called to bring them up to maturity. However, practically it seems the roles are often reversed. Parents are constantly giving in to their children’s demands. Children are manipulative towards their parents and assume the place of authority in the home. Kids assert their wills to eat when they want, sleep when they want, play when they want. They fight to get their way at all costs. Strangely, we still call this parenting because the kids are generally taken care of – they eat, sleep, and have shelter. “Besides,” we reason to ourselves, “kids will be kids, right?” The sad reality is that even though kids are being watched after, “parenting” is not happening.

Colossians 3:20 states, “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” The Bible teaches that children are to obey their parents, and not vice versa. From infancy, children are going to test these limits and cross the boundaries. I’ll never forget the various ways our baby girl attempted to bend rules and flirt with boundaries. We would tell her not to cross a certain line onto the tile floor. So what would she do? She would come as close as possible to the line without crossing over. Sometimes she would put her hand on the tile wondering if she could get away with it if the rest of her body remained behind the line. Once, she even put a book on the tile and sat on the book as if to say, “Hey, at least I’m not technically on the tile.”

In the home, children are constantly going to fight to gain as much authority as possible. They will do this through flattery, manipulation, tantrums, and blatant rebellion. Every parent knows this frustration, but many do not seek consistently to correct it. Parents give in to their children’s will in order to keep them quiet, not cause a scene, or spare embarrassment, and time and again children win the battle for authority.

What is much needed in the home is a movement back to biblical priorities. Children need to be instructed in the ways of God to understand the authority of their parents. And that instruction needs to be promoted and supported by helpful reinforcement and healthy discipline. Children simply don’t have the knowledge, wisdom, or experience to assume the authority in the home (though they often think of themselves as more mature than they really are). This order, however, is not only necessary for the health of the child, but for the glory of God. Parents need to remember what is really at stake. When children are taught and trained to obey their parents and submit to their authority, it is pleasing to the Lord.

What is encouraging for all parents is that it is never too late to start. Perhaps there is a pattern in the home of succumbing to the demands of your children. It isn’t too late to help your kids understand that greater structure, rules, and order are going to be implemented. Those rules will probably be tested, but with consistent application children can learn to submit to their parents and even do this with joy.

More than anything, we need to pray for the hearts of our children. Really what this comes down to is the manifestation of their sin nature. Children are little sinners doing what they are innately programmed to do. What they need is God’s saving grace to transform their hearts so that they can desire the things the Lord desires for them. Thankfully, the Lord often uses the spiritual example of godly parents. When things are difficult or frustrating with your children, persevere to show them patient, gracious, and loving authority. Lord-willing, they will see the example of their parents and will come to desire the same relationship with the Savior that their parents have.

Editor’s Note: Patrick was inspired by some previous articles by Al Mohler, and asked that the links be included:

Signs of Spiritual Maturity #11: Servant Mentality

by Elder Peter Lim

One of the things that people look for when they first attend a church is genuine care and community. They might even count the number of times that others initiate discussions with them and attempt to befriend them. Repeat visitors often judge a church based on how many people actually remember their names and maybe invite them to activities that will further integrate the newcomers into the community. These are not bad things of course and we all want them. However for the mature believer, their goal is not to be served, but to serve. Having this servant mentality was the point of Jesus’ instruction in John 13 as He exemplified this by washing His disciples’ feet. Both Galatians 5:13 and 1 Peter 4:10 mention how we are to serve one another. That was the purpose of spiritual gifts. Surely these thoughts are not new to any Christian. A mature believer who is visiting or looking for a new church to fellowship with will look beyond the surface and evaluate the hearts of the servants who are serving there. Here are some situations where immature and mature people behave differently (click to enlarge):

peter_table

Unfortunately, many have an entitlement mentality rather than a servant mentality. They would prefer to be served rather than to serve. Do you have an entitlement mentality? Take this quick test:

  • When groups of people are excused to stand in line at a banquet or wedding reception, do you get offended if your group is called to go last?
  • When the praise team is leading the church in worship, do you criticize the style of music because it’s not the style that you like?
  • When the sermon runs longer than usual, do you complain about the length rather than trying harder to pay attention (despite the difficulty) knowing that the pastor has worked hard at preparing the sermon and is passionate about this particular topic?

Few would admit that they have this entitlement mentality but these attitudes can be seen by their lack of service when opportunities are present. Spiritually mature believers consider it an honor to serve, rather than a chore. Of course it’s not a complete denial that service can be difficult, inconvenient, nor unpleasant. If serving was always fun, we wouldn’t need to be encouraged nor taught to do this by Jesus Himself. But this is exactly why this servant mentality is a sign of spiritual maturity; serving people is a desire of the heart despise one’s own selfish inhibitions because it reflects a heart which sees reality through God’s values rather than natural, fleshly values. His values call for us to humbly serve one another with no air of superiority over another because we are all fellow slaves. This makes us more like Jesus Himself since He came to serve rather than to be served.

When was the last time you actually served someone else at church? Is it hard to think of it? If so, it could be a sign that you are not taking seriously enough our calling as servants. In fact, the original Greek word for servant is actually better translated slave. Although it’s not popular in modern American society to call each other slaves, the Biblical understanding is that we are willing slaves of Jesus Christ. We serve Christ by serving one another and by serving His bride, the church. There are many opportunities to serve. To serve others, you can start by getting to know people more deeply so that you can find out how to help. To serve the church, you can look at our Sunday bulletins to see where the service opportunities are. One word of caution though, many opportunities to help are not glamorous. It may require much sacrifice on your part and faithful execution. Be careful what you ask for because you may end up getting it. Also, you may be challenged to stretch yourself in ways that you previously didn’t think you could. That is a blessing. Let’s make our church a living example of Christians who love to serve one another and labor hard for the Lord.