Peacemaker Chapter 9: Take One or Two Others Along

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Editor’s Note: You can listen to the class and download the handout.

But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that “every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” (Matthew 18:16)

Matthew 18:15-20 has been the framework by which Christians have sought to maintain peace within their churches, looking to Christ’s perfect teaching as the guide for resolving everyday conflict. Let’s get into how this process is laid out, step-by-step.

The Matthew 18 Process

“A general principle taught in Matthew 18 is that we should try to keep the circle of people involved in a conflict as small as possible for as long as possible” (p.186). What Ken Sande is apt to point out just a few sentences later, “This is one of the great blessings of belonging to the church: Whenever you cannot handle a problem or conflict on your own, you can turn to the body of Christ for guidance and assistance.” This process Jesus commands us to follow if we are in conflict with another cannot be fulfilled without the local church being involved. Yet another reason vigilante Christians are a misnomer.

Step 1: Overlook Minor Offenses

Remember that conflicts are opportunities to glorify God, and not burdens. Sometimes it is not worth going through and overlooking small issues if it is not detrimental to them or other people in the church. We also need to remember that our rights are not inherent, and cannot claim them in times of conflict. We must be ready to give them up for the sake of love for the one who initially hurts us and also for those in our churches as well.

Step 2: Talk in Private

If you sin against another, it is your responsibility as a Christian to go to the other and ask for forgiveness. If they commit sin against you that cannot be overlooked, it also is your responsibility to deal with the issue and get to the point of true reconciliation. If it’s a material issue that cannot be overlooked as well, it would be good to negotiate and come to agree on a solution together. You are almost always biased in favor of yourself in conflicts of material issues, so it would be wise to seek godly advisors to help you see your faults and respond in a fair and biblical manner with the other. If this cannot be done, we move to step 4.

Step 3: Take One or Two Others Along

To bring an outsider/reconciler into your conflict requires discretion on both sides. This person must be a man/woman who is a spiritually mature adult who can help you both come to a deeper clarity for both sides and lead to a peaceful resolve, which is what Paul instructs in Galatians 6:1 (Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted). The best mediator would be one who knows both of you, as they will seek to be faithful to God and caring for both parties. If the other person is not so sure an outsider is necessary, it would be good to appeal to them based on what Matthew 18 as well as 1 Corinthians 6 teaches, and also bring out practical benefits to doing so (would not cost money, save time, and not be made public).

Another way an outsider can be involved is by your being active in bringing him/her in, even if the other does not agree to it at first. This may push the other person to want to deal with the conflict more than before. If they still persist, involving an outsider that person respects may be key, and you can go to them and let them know what the issue is in a general sense, not getting too specific until you and the person in conflict can meet together with them.

What do reconcilers do?

A reconciler’s “primary role is to help you and your opponent make the decisions needed for peace” (p.191). They can also offer counsel in how to handle the problem at hand (Matthew 18:17; 1 Corinthians 6:1-8), calling for repentance on either or both sides if any ungodly attitudes are expressed. They could also be given permission by both sides to render a course of action to take that must be followed if a decision cannot be made. They can be the ones who can let the leaders of your church(es) know how the issue came to a standstill and go from there.

What if my opponent is not a Christian?

If this is the case, agreeing on an outside reconciler ahead of time would be best, so that a resolution can take place, and a solution can still be made, provided the other person is not against that and is willing to hear out what the third party has to say.

Step 4: Tell It to the Church (Church Accountability)

When all is rejected and the other person is still not wanting to come to peace on this issue, only then should the leaders of your church(es) be made aware of the situation and help is desired from them. The church has the authority of Christ behind them (Matthew 18:18-20) in dealing with sin, which will be binding on their member who is in conflict (or if both are members of the same church). Disobedience is not allowed, unless what they instruct is clearly in violation of Scripture (Matthew 23:1-3; Acts 4:18-20; 5:27-32). At this point, if one or the other or both parties are not willing to resolve this issue, those who know them are obligated to bring up this issue with them lovingly but firmly, calling them to repentance and reminding them of the danger of coming to God’s house while in conflict, leading to an absence of worship towards God and true fellowship with one another.

Step 5: Treat Him as a Nonbeliever

If all this takes place and the other person is not willing still to reconcile, the church has divine authority by Christ: “treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17). It becomes a functional position for the church to take: “If a person behaves like a nonbeliever would—by disregarding the authority of Scripture and of Christ’s church—he should be treated as if he were a nonbeliever” (p.193). Treating them in this way (not by belittling them but by calling them to true faith and repentance in Christ by way of the Gospel) is biblical and effective in drawing them back in to the fellowship that this person once tasted. By not neglecting to focus on this issue with them, you show your hate and lack of care for them, superficially talking about random subjects when a grave issue is a potential for causing division in the church. We speak to them about their need for Christ so that they can realize their sin and come to Christ to deliver them from their stubborn unwillingness to reconcile. It also promotes holiness in the church, and a line that will not be blurred in who a true believer is and who is not, biblically speaking.

Is It Time to Go to Court?

Sometimes even if an issue is unresolved, dropping the matter and give up your justified claims (1 Corinthians 6:7-8). One final choice would be to go to court, after all other options have been exhaustively sought.

The World Needs Reconcilers!

Reconcilers are needed in this world to give a small glimpse of the greatest act of reconciliation known to mankind: the reconciliation of God and man found in Jesus Christ, the God-man who bore the sins of many on Himself to be the way back to God (John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 Peter 2:24, 3:18). When Christians are found living out the Christian life, and seek peace among the brethren, when we have already been given lasting peace by God Himself, it draws people to look in and be amazed at the wonder and the power of the Gospel. This is still an evangelizing opportunity for us to minister on a continual basis, leading others to praise our Father in heaven who made this available for His children.

Developing a Culture of Peace in Your Church

This is shown in the church when it has the following characteristics: vision, training, assistance, perseverance, accountability, restoration, stability, and witness. Pray that LBC will be an embodiment of these characteristics now, and that we would continually be seen as a church that practices what it preaches, for the sake of God’s glory.

Caring for Members through Church Discipline

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Editor’s Note: This post was originally posted on October 2, 2007 on the Shine the Light! blog. We have since incorporated all that content into the Beacon, and you can even find the original version of this post here. Pastor Patrick has kindly agreed to help take you on a bit of a tour of some of those articles, in the hope that you will be encouraged to explore that content yourself. Enjoy!

When the church came together on Sunday evening for our members meeting, it was amazing to look around and see how much the congregation has grown these past nine years. This meeting came just after the membership class where seventeen more individuals were being taught about being committed to the church. What an encouraging evening it was, especially when the microphone was passed and various people shared about how the church had been a blessing to them. Each time we gather together, I am more and more appreciative of our church family. God certainly has blessed us tremendously with wonderful relationships and a body of believers that strives to grow together in His Word.

At the membership class, as I was teaching about the importance of membership, I was once again reminded of the many churches that do not place an emphasis on church membership. I understand and completely support the idea of the autonomy of the local church, but I must say that it causes a bit of concern when I hear that a church does not have formal membership especially because this means that these churches most likely do not practice church discipline either.

One of the participants in the membership class shared that it was the fact that LBC practiced church discipline that kept her at Lighthouse. This may have been a shocking statement to me years ago, but today it is no surprise. Not only is the practice of church discipline prescribed for churches in Matthew 18, it helps preserve the holiness of individuals (which in turn helps preserve the holiness of the church). I often tell believers, if you are serious about maintaining personal holiness, you must go to a church that practices church discipline. It is no wonder that John MacArthur often attributes the enormous success of Grace Community Church to the fact that they practice church discipline. He once stated (and I’m paraphrasing), “By kicking people out of the church, you help the church to grow.”

Of course, it’s not that LBC gets a kick out of excommunicating members. It is actually the most painful and draining ministry for the elders. So why do we go through the trouble if it is so difficult? Here are some reasons:

Church discipline upholds the glory of God in His church. The glory of God is the chief motivation for any ministry at LBC. If the church allows sin to go unaddressed in the church, it defames the name of Christ since He is the head of the church. By practicing church discipline, God’s glory is magnified because His saints are dedicated to preserving His name.
Church discipline protects the holiness of the church. One of the most practical reasons for church discipline is to show the members that there are consequences to habitual, unrepentant sin. When members know that the church will confront them if they are unwilling to repent, it gives them additional motivation to make things right with God and others. It provides a level of accountability that cannot be provided in any other institution.
Church discipline is a ministry of care to the members of the church. It would be entirely unloving to see a brother or sister in sin and not do anything about it. This is one of the reasons why we refer to the discipline process as “member care” at LBC. This was an idea that was first introduced to us through the ministry of Mark Dever at Capitol Hill Baptist. When a member falls into unrepentant sin, the church lovingly is to appeal to that member to repent and return to good standing with God and the church. Through church discipline, the member can see how serious his actions are to God.
Church discipline serves as a witness to unbelievers that the church stands for holiness. When an individual’s name is announced to the congregation as having gone through the disciplinary process, it provides a great opportunity to preach the gospel and to explain to people the reason for practicing church discipline. In doing so, even unbelievers can get a sense that the church has been called to be holy as God is holy. What a lame testimony it would be for a church to preach the gospel and yet be full of members who allow unrepentant sin to defile their lives.
The Bible tells us to practice church discipline. If for no other reason, this should be motivation enough for any church. Since the Bible gives us set principles in Matthew 18 about this process and we see the outworking of these principles in the epistles, churches should seek to be obedient to God’s will and practice church discipline.

I’m sure there are many more good reasons to practice church discipline. It is a sign of a healthy church that it maintains formal membership and practices church discipline. I just don’t see how the leaders of a church can adequately care for their flock without membership, and I really feel it is an obedience issue to practice church discipline.

And of His Fulness Have All We Received

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From John 1:16

These words tell us that there is a fulness in Christ.

There is a fulness of essential Deity, for ‘in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead.’
There is a fulness of perfect manhood, for in Him, bodily, that Godhead was revealed.
There is a fulness of atoning efficacy in His blood, for ‘the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.’
There is a fulness of justifying righteousness in His life, for ‘there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.’
There is a fulness of divine prevalence in His plea, for ‘He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him; seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.’
There is a fulness of victory in His death, for through death He destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil.
There is a fulness of efficacy in His resurrection from the dead, for by it ‘we are begotten again unto a lively hope.’
There is a fulness of triumph in His ascension, for ‘when He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and received gifts for men.’
There is a fulness of blessings of every sort and shape; a fulness of grace to pardon, of grace to regenerate, of grace to sanctify, of grace to preserve, and of grace to perfect.
There is a fulness at all times; a fulness of comfort in affliction; a fulness of guidance in prosperity.

A fulness of every divine attribute, of wisdom, of power, of love; a fulness which it were impossible to survey, much less to explore. ‘It pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell.’ Oh, what a fulness must this be of which all receive! Fulness, indeed, must there be when the stream is always flowing, and yet the well springs up as free, as rich, as full as ever. Come, believer, and get all thy need supplied; ask largely, and thou shalt receive largely, for this ‘fulness’ is inexhaustible, and is treasured up where all the needy may reach it, even in Jesus, Immanuel-God with us.

1.27a

Weekly Links (5/13/2011)

The startling truth is that, if you stumble over Melchizedek, it may be because you watch questionable TV programs. If you stumble over the doctrine of election, it may be because you still use some shady business practices. If you stumble over the God-centered word of Christ in the cross, it may be because you love money and spend too much and give too little. The pathway to spiritual maturity and solid biblical food is not first becoming an intelligent person, but becoming an obedient person. What you do with alcohol and sex and money and leisure and food and computer have more to do with your capacity for solid food than where you got to school and what books you read. (John Piper, “By This Time You Ought To Be Teachers”. HT: Shepherds Notes via Vitamin Z)

by Stephen Rodgers

It’s time for another edition of the Weekly Links, and we’ve got some really good stuff for you this time around. So without further ado…

It’s a new month, and that means that Ligonier Ministries has a new edition of Tabletalk. This one focuses on The 11th Century: Conflict, Crusades, and the New Christendom. (WEB)
I stumbled across a new blog recently, from a relatively new group called the Biblical Counseling Coalition. It seems like a lot of good folks from other groups have come together in this organization, and their first article was penned by none other than Paul Tripp. (WEB)
This article from the Resurgence has been making the rounds, so I thought I’d post it here as well. It’s a great read for parents, and it’s entitled 5 Ways to Make Your Kids Hate Church. (WEB)
And since we’re on the theme, JI Packer’s work was recently highlighted on the 9Marks Blog on why people leave churches. Understanding what these articles say should give you some new thoughts on how to reach the visitors that come through our doors. (WEB)

That’s it for this week. Thanks for reading, and see you Sunday!

Pro Rege

Sonlight and Sparklers’ Resurrection Sunday Skit

by Abram Kim

I pray everyone enjoyed the songs and the skit that the Sparklers (preschool) and Sonlight (elementary) ministry kids performed this Resurrection Sunday. Every year the kids have some kind of performance. Usually it’s a simple song with body worship. But this year, I was hoping to step up the standard for our Children’s Ministry so I suggested to the staff a skit that portrays the gospel message, particularly highlighting the cross and the resurrection. We agreed, and what was produced was what you saw Resurrection Sunday.

The staff and the children took the past several Sundays to practice for this performance. It was challenging to work with the kids on this, but it was also a great opportunity to talk with the kids about the content of what they were practicing for, the cross and the resurrection. We hope that all we do in the Children’s Ministry would be centered on the core and essential aspects of the gospel. This is the message they need to hear, understand, and we pray would believe (place their complete faith in).

Special acknowledgements: Thanks to Tim Paik for the screenplay and music. Thanks to Keith and Kristyn Getty for those wonderful songs of the cross and resurrection morning. Thanks to Emily Kuo, Stephanie McAdams, and Grace Yi for costumes and props. Thanks to the LBC sound team for their help during the performance. Thanks to the parents for allowing the Sonlight and Sparklers staff to work with their children. Thanks of course to the Sonlight and Sparklers children for their participation. Great job boys and girls!

Peacemaker Chapter 8: Speak the Truth in Love

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Editor’s Note: You can listen to the class and download the handout.

Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. (Ephesians 4:15)

Our words either build up or tear down. It demonstrates the right use or the wrong use of our speech, specifically as it reflects the character of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who knew how to speak. Being called to speak truth to each other in love requires work, and preparation to be able to do so in hostile and not-so hostile situations. In this chapter, Ken Sande helps us toward building up while speaking up in a loving manner.

Bring Hope through the Gospel

Our common tendency when we see someone make a mistake is to correct them by pointing out what they did wrong. We make them aware of the standard they fell short of, hoping they won’t do so in the future. That is the mentality of bringing the Law to them. This is completely opposed to what is modeled for us by Christ and His Gospel message. As redeemed sinners, our lives are not to focus solely on the Law, but to remember the Gospel and let that influence and color the way we are with others in approaching them and gently restoring them.

To live lives of holiness, we must not only reflect the Gospel in our actions, but also in our speech. Every thing we do, we must do to glorify God (1 Cor. 10:31), not make God accept us by our efforts. That tends to bring judgment upon others, and that is not how the Christian life is seen: as one under judgment any longer. Now we have hope in the Gospel of Christ, who not only died, but rose again, and has promised His bride to raise us as well. We can now give hope not only to unbelievers in hearing the Gospel message, but also to believers, in reminding them of the hope we now have in Christ.

This will radically change our natural approach in coming up to a person and engage with them about their wrong. You no longer come as one over and above them, but as one who comes alongside, knowing their own temptations to sin, and being honest about that with them, so that you gain a hearing. It opens up communication, and also needed correction, possibly for both sides.

By focusing on the power of the Gospel to save as well as change us, it will bring more people in to see us as channels of grace, and not hydrants of condemnation. The starting place is in your own heart first, and a continued sense of the grace of God that must be evident in your life, before you can extend that to others. If you have not received God’s grace, you cannot extend God’s grace to others, especially when confronting others in a gentle way.

Be Quick to Listen

Another way you can have effective communication is how eager you show another in listening to them. You are not known as a lecturer, but a listener, one who is not afraid to learn something from another brother or sister, and grow together as believers on the same journey towards Christlikeness. It opens up opportunities for some sharpening to take place, and that primarily comes about by listening to each other in where you need to grow. Below are some ways you can show your quickness in listening to others. By:

Waiting
Attending
Clarifying
Reflecting
Agreeing

The Tongue of the Wise Brings Healing

One final way to have effective communication is “the ability to speak to others in a clear, constructive, and persuasive manner” (p.170). Proverbs 12:18 is very applicable to this: “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Here are a few skills/habits that would be good to implement in your life when communicating with another:

Breathe grace
Make charitable judgments
Speak the truth in love
Talk from beside, not from above
Help others examine the desires of their hearts
Choose the right time and place
Talk in person whenever possible
Engage rather than declare
Communicate so clearly that you cannot be misunderstood
Plan your words
Use “I” Statements
Be objective
Use the Bible carefully
Ask for feedback
Offer solutions and preferences
Recognize your limits

Most of these suggestions seem possible for anyone to adopt and use, and rightly so, but to do it the way God intended it requires a recognition that He has already done everything that could make it possible for you to do it in a way that pleases Him. He gives you new life and new desires when you come to faith in His Son Jesus Christ and leave the sum total of your sinful life. He also gives you the desire to live faithfully the new life that comes out of believing the Gospel. It’s a life of grace and humility that will seek the others’ interests above their own, and want to honor the God who made that available to them in this life. All of these suggestions find its best form in the life of a believer, and God wants us to extend that in our speech with one another. We do not focus solely on finding the right words to say, but to have the right motive behind it as well. The Gospel can change a man or woman to now live under grace, in true restored relationship with God, and also in truly growing relationships with those around us. These suggestions come from a heart filled with godly repentance and godly desire, and we should pray wholeheartedly to God that we grow in this direction. May God draw us closer to that end, and our churches be filled with people who gently restore one another not only within the body, but with our Head as well.

Gray Issues Part 2 – Defining the Line

by Elder Peter Lim

Last month we introduced the discussion regarding “gray issues.” Some may wonder why the topic of gray issues even needs to be discussed.

Isn’t it just an individual’s choice where to draw a line and stick to it?
Isn’t it called “gray” because scripture is not so clearly black and white?

It would be a mistake to think that this issue is as simple as each individual so arbitrarily defining the line between right and wrong, not-sin and sin, light and darkness. To think so would indicate a clear lack of understanding of the link between the actions that we take and the heart behind those actions.

So why isn’t God’s word written more clearly for us?
Why doesn’t it draw more well-defined lines between sin and not sin?
If sin is so serious, wouldn’t God want us not to venture across the line?

I believe God chose to write it this way because our sinful tendency is to go as close to the line as we can without sinning without regard to the attitude of the heart. If God had written the bible as a list of dos and don’ts, people would Pharisaically obey the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law. Just like the Pharisees, we would think that we are righteous if we stop short of crossing the line into sin. Then we would forget that the law was given to people to help us see that we are sinners in need of God’s grace. That’s what Romans 7:7 is all about:

What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

What this means for us is that sin happens before we cross the “sin border.” That is, we shouldn’t consider ourselves to be safely in the “white” category before we cross the line into “black” territory. This is what Jesus meant when He said that one who hates his brother is guilty of murder. Murder is the sin border but sin happens before you get there when you harbor hate and bitterness in your heart. So before we cross over, we need to examine our hearts and interrogate our minds to discover the motivation why we would want to stay in the gray area. This examination doesn’t stop at our own hearts. We need to consider at least two other issues: not causing the weaker brother to stumble, and being above reproach to avoid even the appearance of evil. Hopefully we will examine each of these issues in more detail in future articles. An example here will help to illustrate the concept. I shared this illustration recently at church:

The king wanted to hire a driver for his daughter, the princess. He wanted to hire the very best driver since his castle was located high on a hill and the road leading up to it was a wall on one side and a cliff on the other. Three coachmen appeared before him for their interview. The first driver bragged that he can get within 12” of the cliff and not fall over. The second driver boasted that he can get within 6” without falling over. The third driver humbly said that he’s not sure how close he can get to the edge but one thing that he does know is that he will stay as far as he can away from it so that he doesn’t even get close to it. Of course the king hired the third driver. Now let’s add another factor: It’s always foggy and you can’t tell exactly where the cliff edge is. Wouldn’t you want to stay as far from the edge as you can then? Sin is often like that. You can’t see it coming until it’s too late. Therefore, why wouldn’t you want to stay away from it?

To summarize, if you say “If it’s not sin, it’s okay to do,” you are not being wise. If you say “If there’s no verse saying we can’t do this,” you are being a Pharisee. Let us be careful to make decisions that would reflect a desire to stay far away from sin and glorify Christ.

SC 2011 – Reflections #5

by John Yang and Joseph Ho

Editor’s Note: Pastor Patrick wanted to do a series here on the Beacon that encouraged the attendees of the Shepherds Conference to share their thoughts with the church. This is the third part in that series. And if you are interesting in listening to the messages, you can download them all for free.

From an overall evaluation, what was at least one thing that was encouraging to you from the Shepherds Conference?

The Shepherds’ Conference was a great encouragement to me because every attendee had a story to share. From salvation testimonies to ministry hardships, sermon reflections to serendipitous recounts of His recent goodness, the central theme in every conversation was Christ. Contrasting with a worldly climate all too often shrouded in the mundane and pointless, the fellowship at Shepherds’ was a refreshing dose of sincerity. (John Yang)

Besides all the teaching that I received, I was encouraged by the people who came to the conference from different countries. Hearing about their testimonies and God’s work in other parts of the world has stirred in me a desire to be more faithful to pray and participate in the MVP of our church. (Joseph Ho)

What was at least one thing from the messages that was particularly helpful or challenging for you?

And as can be expected from a conference for preachers, the speakers were all truly inspiring men with powerful deliveries. If I were to highlight but one, I suppose I can recount MacArthur’s last message. In essence, he examined how truth (the Gospel) ought to be preached. God, being creator, by default wields all authority (Job 38-42). He gave all authority in heaven and on earth to His Son, the Christ (Mt28:18-20). Who then entrusted that authority to the apostles (Mk 12:9; 1 Cor 2:16). That authority is then passed on to inspired Scripture, aka the Bible (1 Thes 2:13; 2 Tim 3:16). If then we exposit the inspired text faithfully, why do we preach as those without authority? We are scripturally commanded to preach God’s Word, this Gospel, with all authority (Titus 2:15)! Though we as heralds possess no authority, we proclaim a true message that is entirely authoritative. The challenge is thus two-fold: first, ground yourself so as to avoid mishandlings of Scripture, and second, speak courageously so as to not shame the divine truth you proclaim. (John Yang)

Two seminars that I found really helpful was “Transforming Truth” by Bill Shannon and “Counseling with Care” by John Street. I learned that counseling, coupled with sound theology and doctrine, transforms lives. John Street led a Bible study on 1 Thessalonians 5:14, where the apostle Paul admonishes the church of Thessalonica to encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with them all. Dr. Street emphasized that the apostle Paul used the word “brethren” to address the church, meaning that this command was given to every member of the church. Also, the ministry of mutual encouragement and care ought to be the responsibility of every church member to one another. John Street also emphasized the danger of using mainstream pop psychology and human wisdom in Christian counseling. Through His Word, God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), and besides this solid Rock, every human idea no matter how sweet it may sound, is merely sinking sand. At the end, John Street shared a personal story which happened when he was doing a seminar on Practical Theology in a church in Cologne, Germany. A senior lady approached him at the end of the session and confessed an unimaginable 70 years of life that was filled with sexual abuse, abandonment, and physical pain, and how as a teenager, in one instance, she was overcome by bitterness and anger and put her own newborn to death. Imprisoned by the memories of the past, she asked John, “Is God punishing me?” John helped her to be freed with fear and guilt by simply leading her to understand Romans 8:1, where we read, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” John Street explained to her that even the apostle Paul, a murderer of Christians, was able to receive the full forgiveness of sins through Christ’s death on the Cross, she too has been fully forgiven. This was a powerful example that illustrates what Jesus said John 8:32, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (Joseph Ho)

What was at least one lesson that challenged you in regards to your service at LBC? How will you take this and apply it to ministry here in San Diego?

There is nothing mystical about the Shepherds’ Conference. Everything that is offered there (good teaching, passionate fellowship, and free food), is also available here at LBC. Though Shepherds’ was truly a precious time of fellowship and teaching, the Spirit that unites the attendees of Shepherds’ is no different than the Spirit that indwells any genuine believer. That said, if you think Shepherds’ sounds amazing, a good place to start is with the person sitting on your right on any given Sunday – just turn to them and say, “so what did you think of the message?” (John Yang)

I know one area that I can grow is to be a more biblical encouragement to the brothers in my small group. During the sharing time, I am often tempted to chime in personal opinions that are wrong and worldly. I know that in order for me to be able to encourage and care for others by more biblically, I need to be well-versed in the area of basic systematic theology. Two of the books I got from the conferences are Robert Reymond’s and Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theologies. I pray that I may continue to strive together with other faithful men at Lighthouse, “Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) (Joseph Ho)

All They That Heard It Wondered at Those Things

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Luke 2:18

We must not cease to wonder at the great marvels of our God. It would be very difficult to draw a line between holy wonder and real worship; for when the soul is overwhelmed with the majesty of God’s glory, though it may not express itself in song, or even utter its voice with bowed head in humble prayer, yet it silently adores. Our incarnate God is to be worshipped as ‘the Wonderful.’ That God should consider His fallen creature, man, and instead of sweeping him away with the besom of destruction, should Himself undertake to be man’s Redeemer, and to pay his ransom price, is, indeed marvellous! But to each believer redemption is most marvellous as he views it in relation to himself.

It is a miracle of grace indeed, that Jesus should forsake the thrones and royalties above, to suffer ignominiously below for you. Let your soul lose itself in wonder, for wonder is in this way a very practical emotion. Holy wonder will lead you to grateful worship and heartfelt thanksgiving. It will cause within you godly watchfulness; you will be afraid to sin against such a love as this. Feeling the presence of the mighty God in the gift of His dear Son, you will put off your shoes from off your feet, because the place whereon you stand is holy ground. You will be moved at the same time to glorious hope. If Jesus has done such marvellous things on your behalf, you will feel that heaven itself is not too great for your expectation.

Who can be astonished at anything, when he has once been astonished at the manger and the cross? What is there wonderful left after one has seen the Saviour? Dear reader, it may be that from the quietness and solitariness of your life, you are scarcely able to imitate the shepherds of Bethlehem, who told what they had seen and heard, but you can, at least, fill up the circle of the worshippers before the throne, by wondering at what God has done.

1.26p

LBC Weekly SPARK – May 6, 2011

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Dear LBC Family and Friends,

I hope you are doing well and walking in the Lord. As most of you know, this past Sunday we celebrated our 12th anniversary at Lighthouse. Looking back on over a decade of ministry, God truly has been faithful to carry us through the years. Some of our experiences as a church brought us great joy. Many testified of having been saved during these years and were baptized at Lighthouse. Most of our children were born during these years. Many couples were married during these years. Some of our experiences were also very trying and difficult, but God has shown us tremendous kindness to allow us to minister in San Diego (and now San Jose!). By His grace, we have worked to reach the lost, equip the saints, and fellowship together in Him. As we heard many years ago, most church plants do not survive the first couple of years. Certainly we recognize that the longevity and growth of this ministry has less to do with our efforts and more to do with God’s. It really has been very exciting to worship together each week. I am incredibly thankful for all the relationships that have been built over the years. As God has shown us tremendous faithfulness, let us continue to be faithful to shine the light as a bright beacon of His truth and love.

In His grace,

Pastor Patrick

Here are the announcements for this week:

FRIDAY BIBLE STUDIES. Our regularly scheduled Friday night Bible studies will be meeting tonight at 7:00pm. The youth and singles meet at the church, and the collegians meet on-campus at UCSD. More information about our affinity groups and Bible studies can be found at the church website.
MEN’S BREAKFAST. Calling all men! We will be meeting once again this Saturday, May 7 from 7:00-9:00am for breakfast, fellowship, and prayer. All men are invited to attend in order to further study what the Bible says about manliness. Please bring a breakfast item to share. Juice will be provided. =)
TMS GRADUATION. Pastor J. R. Cuevas of LBCSJ will be graduating from The Master’s Seminary on Sunday, May 15, at 6:00pm, at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley. We are planning on having a small reception with refreshments afterwards. If you are interested in driving up to support Pastor J. R., please let Pastor Patrick know as soon as possible since we want to make sure we have enough food.
LBC BANQUET AND VISION QUEST. On Sunday, May 22, we will be having our annual all-church banquet at 4:45pm, at the church. Signups are now being taken by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz on Sundays in the foyer. The cost for the banquet is only $35/adult ($100 max/family). Children 0-12 eat free! Don’t miss this annual tradition as we look back on the Lord’s faithfulness to the church this past year. We will also use this evening to recognize our high school and college graduates, so you won’t want to miss it!
MEMBERSHIP CLASS. Our next membership class will be on Saturday, June 4, from 9:00am-12:00pm, and Sunday, June 5, from 1:00-4:00pm. Attendance at both classes is required. Please talk to Pastor Patrick for a membership application or for more information.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL. VBS will be from June 20-24, from 9:00am-5:00pm each day. The theme for this year is “God Always Wins!” and every year it is a very special time for our kids. Registration is currently open. Talk to Josh Liu for more information (liu.joshuac@gmail.com).
SUMMER MISSIONS. Please be in prayer for our summer missions teams as we prepare to go to the Czech Republic and Argentina this summer. The dates for the Czech trip are June 26-July 16, and the dates for the Argentina trip are July 6-21. There is a lot of work that needs to be done, so please keep the teams in prayer. Missions support letters are also available on Sundays in the foyer. Be sure to pick one up for each team! Also, please keep in mind that this year LBCSJ is doing the planning for the CZ Missions team. If you are planning on supporting both teams, please write separate checks. Argentina support can be made out to “LBCSD.” Czech support can be made out to “LBCSJ” and mailed up to San Jose. Thank you for prayerfully considering supporting our teams this year!

LBC Beacon

A Ministry of Lighthouse Bible Church