Are you For or Against?

I’ve been trying to elevate the value of sharing your faith at work, at home and at play over the last number of years.  So many of the core values in my teaching focus on this truth and I’m so pleased with the way you folks are obeying God’s direction by sharing what you know with those in your sphere of influence.  This church has grown solely because you have taken your faith to the streets instead of leaving it in the pew.

Today I want to bring some clarity regarding methodology and not just message.  I’ve made it very clear that the message is clearly established by God’s written word and cannot be tampered with.  You don’t get to adjust or tweak the message to fit your personal opinion or comply with our present culture.  God looks at adultery the same today, as it was when the scripture was written.  Sin is sin and doesn’t get less deadly with age. The message is that Jesus died for the sins of man and this truth is absolute and not adjustable.

The method on the other hand is just the way that we present the message and little is said to us about weather we should use books, tapes, CD’s or verbal exchange to communicate the message. We have permission from a creative God to present the message in many various forms.  Contemporary, or classic, country or corporate language is irrelevant.  Look to understand the language of the culture and speak to the people in that language.  If you are going to France to tell them about Jesus it might make sense to learn French.

One of the base values in my own personal ministry is the use of opportunity.  Here is my philosophy in message delivery.  If I have a half hour to speak I am going to spend 29 minutes telling of the wonderful and powerful plan of Jesus to give us eternal life.  If I feel assigned to I will share what I don’t like.  I’m not going to glorify Satan’s attempt to wreck my life but rather explore God’s plan to bless it.  I want to go on record as being for God and not predominately against people.

(Mark 9:38-40) “Teacher,” said John, “we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us.

How would others describe you?  Are you anti everything?  Are you anti-homosexual, anti-alcohol, anti-drug, anti-sin, anti-republican or anti-democrat, anti-government, anti-tax, anti-sex, anti-TV, anti, anti, anti?

Many who get misdirected in the Old Testament conclude God is against everybody but I believe as I search the scriptures I see Jesus is really more pro than anti.  Jesus is pro-God, pro-life, pro-love, pro-prayer, pro-forgiveness, pro-health, pro-neighbor and even pro-sinner.  I believe God is for mankind and for women kind as he did everything to rescue them.

I had someone in my office a few weeks back who was reading from a well respected author regarding women in ministry and this author was dead set against women in pastoral positions.  I don’t have a perfect answer for this issue but when I hear the likes of Joyce Meyer or Beth Moore and see the fact that they are leading women to Christ, I find value in that.  The Apostle Paul tells us also that there is neither male nor female in Christ.  My view however is not to be against the purveyors of this perspective.

Another pastor was dead set against any Bible but the King James edition and so he was having a bible burning party at church to burn every version other than king James.  I want people in the Bible.  Most people aren’t going to be theologians and don’t care if the verb used in Greek was past or present tense.  They need to meet Jesus and He can be meet in the NIV, the NASB, the ESV and even the Message paraphrase just like they can meet Him in a casual conversation with a simple man like me who shares what I’ve learned in my Bible.  Are you for the Bible or against a personal version?

I remember when we completed our men’s room and some brother in Christ, on syndicated radio, spent 30 days lambasting Christ’s Family Church, calling it the potty driven church and considered us lower than churches who preach sex from the pulpit.  The question is; did the body benefit from him being against us?

Are you for or against?  Do you spend energy attacking, chiseling away at your opposition?  Do you financially support those who spend their time being anti everything?  Do you ingest hours and hours of angry rhetoric identifying how fallen our world is?  We only have so much time folks and we need to use as much as possible to be for God not against Satan or mankind.  People who spend their lives against are viewed as angry, critical and judgmental.  The church has acquired a reputation of being against everything, but we are supposed to be for truth, for hope, for peace, for freedom, for life, for marriage, for family and for unity.  The world is a mess but Jesus is the solution.

(John 3:16-17) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Are you against your former church group?  Do you realize that by tearing away at part of the church you were formerly connected to, you are tearing away at the Body of Christ?  They’re not perfect but nor are we.  They’re not theologically accurate but I tell you regularly that we see in part and know in part.  Please stop being against the body and spend the majority of your opportunity to be for Christ.  I’m not anti-Catholic, anti-Methodist or anti Lutheran, I’m pro Jesus.

Jesus speaks plainly to us about this issue.  When we are heard speaking critical we are testifying to a spirit of bigotry and it damages our witness.  People who are searching for truth don’t need to “understand” all the lies; they just need to have truth placed before them.

(Matthew 12:25) Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.

For me, I choose to be for Christ not against a people group.  I want to join with those who like me are imperfect but in love with Jesus.

(Matthew 12:30) “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.

In a couple days you will be voting in the election again.  Are you for or against?  Our last national election I fear was more about people being against than for and we are faced with the consequences of that thinking.  Be pro-Christ.  Let’s get a new reputation of being for God at all cost.

The above notes are from Pastor Pasch's November 1, 2009 sermon.  To get a free CD of the complete message, contact Christ's Family Church @ 651-437-2340.