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Radical Love

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Here are the notes from the New Testament Challenge Message at Cityview this weekend on Radical Love.

The Big Idea: Radical love flows from a gracious and just God.

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.  He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matthew 5:44-45

radical:  1) arising from or going to a root source
2) departing markedly from the norm or the culture

3) favouring or effecting fundamental or revolutionary changes

4) slang:  wonderful

1.  Jesus describes radical love as a product of knowing Him.

“A new command I give you:  Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciple, if you love one another.”  John 13:34-35

“My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.”  John 15:12-13

2.  The Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7 is not another “law” from which we try to gain acceptance from God if we perfect it.  Rather the Sermon on the Mount is descriptive of the lifestyle that flows from a person being transformed (blessed) by Jesus Christ. As Jesus concludes the message the nature of this life becomes more clear:

Ask the Father for good gifts… Matthew 7:7-12
Enter the narrow gate for life… Matthew 7:13-14

Good tree bears good fruit/entry into
the Kingdom of heaven via knowing Jesus Matthew 7:15-23
Wise builder puts Jesus words into practice Matthew 7:43-48

3. The Sermon on the Mount does give us insight on what hinders us from loving people radically.

A.  Contempt for people, the bearers of God’s image.  Matt 5:21-26
B.  Lust, a desire to use people for selfish ends.  Matt 5:27-30
C.  Building throwaway relationships.  Matt 5:31-32

D.  Making throwaway promises, words.  Matt 5:33-37
E.  Vengeful justice-seeking.  Matthew 5:38-42
F.   Smallness, limiting love to those who love us.  Matt 5 43-48
G.  Desiring the applause of people over the applause of God.  6:1-18

H.  Valuing financial security over the works of God.  6:19-24
I.  Worrying over the stuff of earth over the kingdom of God.  6:25-
J.  Using other people’s failure as reason to elevate ourselves. 7:1-6

4. Jesus creates a window for us to see examples of Radical love:
A.  Seeks out a person who we have heart when we realize it.

B.  Interacts with people with out using them for selfish pleasures.

C.  Values people and seeks to maintain covenants even when tough.

D.  Speaks clearly and sincerely about one’s intentions.

E.  Gives people more good than they deserve.

F.  Pursues the highest good possible even for enemies.

G.  Doesn’t mind doing good without earthly recognition.

H.  Treasures what is close to the heart of God and invests in that.

I.   Trusts God with the details of life in order to realize God’s
Kingdom and righteousness.

J.   Recognizes one’s own desperate need from God’s mercy and
grace and humbly participates in His healing and restorative work
in another person’s life.

5. Jesus is The Source for Radical Love:

10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.   God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.   1 John 4:10-17

The Ministry of Forgiveness

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Here are the notes from my talk today to Pastors/Staff at the Westcoast Baptist Association Prayer lunch.

The Ministry of Forgiveness

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  Colossians 3:13

If I were to write a book on The Minister and Forgiveness here is a rough outline of my chapter topics:

1.  The Minister receives forgiveness from God.

2.  The Minister gives forgiveness to people.

3.  The Minister receives forgiveness from people.

4.  The Minister models and teaches the forgiving life.

5.  The Minister conveys the forgiveness of God.

Jesus has set the work of forgiveness into the center of our prayer life.

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”  He said to them, “When you pray, say:

“‘Father,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come.

Give us each day our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins,

for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

And lead us not into temptation.'”

Luke 11:1-4

Matthew 5:23-24

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Our capacity to minister fruitfully in the Gospel depends on our continuing experience of the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.  1 John 5:5-10

The ministry of forgiveness requires us to lead people wisely, firmly, and with respect to reorder their  relationships in Christian community.

5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent-not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10 If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven-if there was anything to forgive-I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. 2 Corinthians 2:5-11

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”  22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”   John 20:21-23

In the ministry of forgiveness the church practices the ministry of healing prayer that accompanies confession.

Galatians  6:1-3

6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

James 5:13-20

13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.   NIV

In the ministry of forgiveness the minister of the Gospel sometimes may need to lead others into the process of forgiveness and healing by “leading from who we represent” to them.

“I am so sorry _______________ happened to you.  I believe what __________ did is wrong.  I wonder if you would forgive ___________ and enter into the freedom that Christ wants you to enjoy.  When you forgive you are not saying that ________ is OK or right.  Rather you are saying that ________ no longer owes you anything because of Jesus’s love in your life.  So could we enter together now into prayer and ask God to help you forgive and to enjoy your freedom in Christ?”

Forgiveness and Prayer Exercises of Examine

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know

my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.   Psalm 139:23-24

1. Ask God to search you and reveal any sin to confess to Him and to receive forgiveness.
2. Ask God to search you and to reveal any relationships and offenses for which you need to forgive.

Parent/s
Spouse
Children
Extended Family
Neighbours
Friends
Co-workers/Bosses
Church
Organizations/Businesses
People-groups
Countries
Governments

3. Ask God to search you and to reveal any relationships in which you need to confess your wrong and ask for forgiveness.

4. Forgiveness is a process we enter into in response to the Gospel.  Ask God for His grace to sustain you through the process.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10

8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Cityview New Testament Challenge 2009

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This Sunday Cityview begins a 13 week journey through the New Testament.  I am expecting God to do amazing things in our lives as we read and apply His Word together.  I hope you will be a part of the New Testament Challenge by doing three things:

1.  Commit to read the New Testament with us over an 83 day period.

2.  Join a Growth Group for encouragement and growth.

3.  Be a part of our weekly gatherings to explore the challenges God’s Word presents to our lives and how to meet them.

You can sign up Sunday on the Communication Card.

You can download the Cityview New Testament Challenge 2009 Guide.  This guide has the schedule for the readings, questions for your personal reflection after each message, and a weekly memory verse.  It is also packed with information about our Cityview Growth Groups and with other pages on how to grow in your faith.  Download the pdf and print it out as a booklet.

Raising Cross-Cultural Competance in Leaders for the Urban Multi-Cultural Church

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In 2003 I graduated from Golden Gate Theological Seminary with a Doctorate of Ministry.  Its been six years since I laboured through courses and my project, Raising Cross-Cultural Competance in Leaders for the Urban Multi-Cultural Church.  I recently made a digital copy of the project so I could publish it here.  I hope that it may be helpful to others in church and marketplace ministry who desire to increase the depth of their relationships and the fruitfulness of their  leadership across cultures.

Part 1, Raising Cross-Cultural Competance in Leaders

Part 2, Raising Cross-Cultural Competance in Leaders

Part 3, Appendix A, Developing a Christocentric View of the Disciple

Part 4, Appendix B, Cityview Mission and Values

Part 5, Appendix C, The Learning Needs of an Emerging Cross-Culural Leader

Part 6, Appendix D through O

Part 7, Selected Bibliography

cityview hosts Dave Ramsey’s Town Hall for Hope

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Town Hall for Hope with Dave Ramsey

Town Hall for Hope with Dave Ramsey

Cityview will be hosting Dave Ramsey’s Town Hall for Hope this Thursday, 23 April 2009, at 7 PM PT.  I believe this will be an informative and inspiring evening on the economy and your money.  Facing a recession when your finances are great can be tough enough, however facing it when your finances are awful can be devastating.  I want you to have your heart in the right place and to have a workable plan with money.  

 

Many in our congregation have already been helped with the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University and his book Money Makeover, so let me encourage you to take the time and listen in as Dave talks to Americans.  It’s sort of like listening in behind a closed door when one of your siblings got disciplined.  Sometimes that’s a great time to learn!  

The Cityview building and offices are at 4370 Sophia St., Vancouver, BC, V5V 3V7.