witness

10
Jan
2020

The priesthood of all believers

Originally shared on the Electric Gospel on September 24, 2017.  This message was written as a contribution for a devotional booklet published in the 500th anniversary year of the Lutheran Reformation.

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“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).

All God’s People Are Priests

by David Sellnow

Harold stepped into the pulpit and addressed the congregation.

“I am not a pastor,” Harold said. “I never studied at a seminary. I’ve raised cotton, and now I work for an association of cotton growers. I am not a professional preacher or public speaker.  I don’t generally get up in front of other people and give talks.  So I’m rather nervous about standing up here this morning.  In fact, if I weren’t behind this pulpit, you could see my knees knocking!”

That was how Harold began his message on a Sunday when the pastor was away.  The church was a small congregation, far from any others of its synod.  When the pastor was traveling to a national meeting or other obligations, church council members would lead Sunday services.  Harold’s message on this day focused on words from the apostle Peter: “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).

“All God’s people are priests,” Harold continued.  “Priests have the right to approach God directly; we are welcome in God’s presence.  Through Jesus Christ we all ‘have access to the Father by one Spirit’ (Ephesians 2:18). When we were baptized, we became part of the priesthood of all believers in Jesus. That gives us the privilege of approaching God ‘with freedom and confidence’ (Ephesians 3:12), and also the privilege to proclaim Christ to the world.  We declare the praises of the Lord who brought us out of darkness and into the light, who rescued us from death and gave us life. We all share in that gospel mission.”

The Reformation reaffirmed the truth that all God’s people are equal members of God’s kingdom, a universal priesthood of those who pray and proclaim in the name of Jesus.  Martin Luther wrote, “If a group of pious Christians settled in a wilderness and had among them no priest consecrated by a bishop, and if they were to agree to choose one from their own midst to baptize, give communion, announce forgiveness and preach, such a man would be as truly a priest as he would be if all bishops and popes had consecrated him. This is why anyone may baptize and give absolution in case of necessity, which would be impossible if we were not all priests.”

Harold fulfilled such a role in his congregation in the pastor’s absence.  Each of God’s people fulfills a more general role of worship and witness in everyday life. God’s Spirit is with all of his people—all of his priests—as we come to him in prayer and go for him to others, with news of his grace.

Prayer:  Jesus our Lord, we praise you for what you have done for us. Embolden all of us as your people—a royal priesthood—to come to you for blessing and to speak for you, extending your blessing to others.  Amen.
Posted by David Sellnow
09
Jan
2020

To change a nation, you must change souls

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on July 3, 2017.

To change a nation, you must change souls

by David Sellnow

Blessings to you as we celebrate Independence Day in the USA.  Political turmoil has abounded in recent months.  For a holiday installment of The Electric Gospel, I thought I’d dig out a bit of a sermon I once preached on 4th of July weekend.  I’ll just post a snippet from the sermon here, but enough to make the point.
 
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There were two men from two countries.  Both men were married.  Neither man loved his wife.  In the one country, the divorce laws were very lenient. Divorce was a casual affair.  So the man in that country summarily divorced his wife and gave the matter no further thought.

In the other country, laws were stern and severe.  Divorce was almost unheard of; it was only rarely granted.  Only with strong proof of infidelity or deadly abuse could a divorce be obtained.  So the man in that country did not bother going to court.  He knew the law. He stayed married to his wife. But he never loved her or showed her any love.

Which wife was happier? Neither. One was unhappily divorced; one was unhappily married.  What would have made a loving wife happy in either country had nothing to do with the divorce statutes.  It had everything to do with her husband.  A change of heart and soul in him was needed, not just a different set of laws.

As we look at the country we live in, we see plenty of problems and moral confusion.  Some may think the solution is to legislate stronger city and state ordinances,  enact constitutional amendments, insist that the Bible’s commandments must be enshrined as the law of the land.  But you can’t change a nation’s character with laws any more than you can pass a law that makes a husband love his wife.  To change a person, you must change his soul.  The change a nation, you must change the souls of the people within it.

Whatever messes we see around us in society, the way to effect change is not merely through political action but spiritual activity.  We’re not going to save souls by picketing city hall or state capitols to try to force everyone in town behave as we would like them to behave.  Besides, if we’re honest, we each must admit that our own behavior isn’t pure and perfect either.  We ourselves have needed a Savior just as much as any of our neighbors need him.

Our calling in Christ is to get out and speak God’s truth.  His “word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart” (Romans 10:10).  The Lord “richly blesses all who call on him” (Romans 10:12). So we make it our mission to represent Christ as his ambassadors in the world, “as though God were making his appeal through us,” imploring people on Christ’s behalf: “Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).  And if the world around us puts pressure on us because of our Christian  confession, we take that all in stride, heeding what Christ’s apostle urged us:
  • “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. … Even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.  Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened. But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (1 Peter 3:9,14-16).
Posted by David Sellnow
30
Dec
2019

His healing grace

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on September 10, 2016.

His Healing Grace

by Molly Peavy

A country of abuse, neglect, and unhealed hurts.  It didn’t take long for this aspect of current Chinese culture to imprint itself in our minds. Dogs and cats being beaten outside of our apartment, women in the market with hand-shaped bruises around their necks, our screaming neighbors … these memories cannot be quickly forgotten. Where once pride and honor were of highest priority, men beat wives and children and sons assault their mothers while fathers look on with amused expressions.

These sad images are all symptoms of a sickness, the sickness of souls … a sickness which pervades cultures everywhere on earth. Without faith, we are all born enemies of God, sinners sinking deeper into our condition. How could we expect love and compassion to rule when our Savior rules in so few hearts? Where will people learn of grace? Where will generosity or compassion be experienced? Not in Shanghai’s streets, crowded with the ignored unfortunate, not on the subway where seats are stolen from weary elders with heavy groceries, not in the neighborhoods where confused animals are hurt for amusement.

We felt horror and revulsion, much like Jonah must have felt with the Ninevites.  But we then realized that this could easily be us were we without the knowledge of the Lord’s loving forgiveness. The urgent need for his word became obvious. Hope for the downtrodden, forgiveness for the oppressors, reprieve for the wounded of body and spirit—our Lord has infinite riches to offer morally bankrupt human cultures. We were able to bring Christ’s healing word to our students and staff, and reprieve to an abused kitten, but there is still so much work to be done through prayer, offerings, and gifts of time and self. Let us all approach our mission in this world—wherever we may be—with the message of God’s healing love and grace.

  • Molly wrote this piece while she and her husband Doug were serving in Shanghai, China.
Posted by David Sellnow
27
Dec
2019

Confessing Christian faith

Originally published on the Electric Gospel on September 27, 2015.

In a theology course which included study of the ancient creeds of the church, I invited participants to write their own confessions of faith.  I’d like to share one of those confessional writings, which stated truths of the faith in a clear and thoughtful way.

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A Christian Creed

by Tim Walsh

I believe in God; God the almighty Father, God the perfect Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  These three persons are all God, and God all three of these persons – not one God wearing different masks, nor three distinct Gods, but one triune God, whose nature no one can understand.

This triune God, present from eternity, created everything out of nothing, and the world he made was entirely perfect – in his own words, “very good.” But humanity, the crown of his creation, rebelled against him, ruining the world that God had given to us. From that time, we have been by nature sinful. By our nature we seek to serve only ourselves, and as the first man and woman did, we flee from God at his approach, fearing his holy judgment. And because of this we deserve nothing more than death, for our rejection and hatred of the one who gave us life.

 

But God was not willing to see us separated from him for eternity. And so in his infinite love, the Father sent his beloved Son into our world. The Son of God took on flesh and was born from a virgin, and was given the name Jesus. In him full God and full man coexisted – not by a mingling of the natures, nor by some supernatural possession, or by dividing him into two halves, but together, in a way no one can understand. This Jesus, who was called Christ, lived a perfect, holy life, and he was unjustly executed to pay for the sins of all mankind. On a Roman cross he suffered the punishment that belonged to you, and to me, and to every other person who has lived or ever will. Jesus – God himself – died on that cross, and in his death he paid the price for every sin ever committed. And he did not stay dead! On the third day, he rose from the dead, and after appearing to his followers, returned to heaven forty days later. And I believe that, just as Christ was raised from the dead, so too will I be raised on the last day.

I do not believe any of this by my own choice. Indeed, if believing were left to me, I would surely be damned, for I am a wretched, ungrateful sinner. But through no merit of my own, God chose me to be one of his beloved children. He brought me into his fold by the work of the Holy Spirit, who inspired faith in my heart through the preaching of the good news of Jesus and the washing of baptism. I could never and would never have chosen him, but he chose me.

I do not deserve any of the incredible gifts that have been showered upon me by God. Every day brings blessing after blessing, and all I can do is praise God for his grace. Likewise, when sorrow and troubles come my way, I cling to the knowledge that the gift of salvation – the greatest gift ever given – is mine. No hardship can overshadow the joy that I take from this.

As one of God’s children, my life is not my own. I belong to my Father in heaven. I want to dedicate my whole life to him, just as Christ dedicated his life to me. In everything I do, I seek his glory, not my own. My every action, every step, every breath, is an opportunity to proclaim his name and the good things he has done.

This is what I believe.

Posted by kyriesellnow
24
Dec
2019

Emboldened witnesses

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on November 23, 2015.

Emboldened witnesses

by Yaffet Gabayehu

Are you prepared for the big game? Have you worked hard enough? Do you think you can handle typing the huge paper you have to do for your college class?  Are you ready to take on new adventures and all the challenges life has to offer?  At times we find ourselves asking questions similar to these in our lives – wondering whether or not we are prepared for the future.  It can be difficult know how to handle difficult situations, and we may even seek ways to avoid them when they arise.

For me, perhaps my biggest feeling of being unprepared is when it comes to teaching and sharing God’s word. It seems to me that it can be so easy to make a mistake or accidentally turn others away, or simply not know what to say when the opportunity to instruct others in God’s word arrives.  All of us are called to be Christ’s witnesses in the world, and many of you may have similar fears on your minds at times also. We are all are sinners.  We know make many mistakes and errors.  Each and every one of us has fallen short of the glory of God (cf. Romans 3:23).

God’s Word gives us many examples of persons who struggled with the idea of being unprepared to preach and teach his word.  We see how Moses feared speaking to Pharaoh and all the Israelites, as Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord.  I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant.  I am slow of speech and tongue” (Exodus 4:10). Moses feared that Pharaoh and the Israelites wouldn’t believe him or listen to what he had to say. Don’t we also find ourselves thinking like this in our own lives? That whatever we say or do will be denied by others? I know I have found myself scared and worried that I will not be able to speak to others, just as Moses was afraid … because I don’t know enough and I’m nothing compared to the pastors out there today.  Maybe many Christians have this same fear of speaking up.   But friends, we have a promise from Christ that gives us the hope and the strength to witness confidently to others.

Christ says, “You will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8), and we have received power from the Holy Spirit to trust this promise.  Jesus also promises he will be with us always and that he ultimately has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18-20).  We have the ability and responsibility to tell all people of Christ and his salvation, and Christ graciously gives us the strength to do so. When we are worried by the mistakes we might make or the daily sins we commit, or even afraid that we may not be well-prepared as witnesses of the gospel, we can go to Christ in daily repentance and see the love he has given us at the cross. Jesus paid the price we couldn’t, that we might live through him in everlasting life with him. He gives us the promise that he gave to his apostles, that we will receive power from the Holy Spirit and will be his witnesses to all the ends of the earth. When we feel like we aren’t prepared or ready for our witnessing work on Christ’s behalf, we can smile with great joy that Jesus himself has given us the promise that the Holy Spirit will be with us as we proclaim his word. We know what Christ has done for all people.  Out of our joy, and through the strength of the Holy Spirit who fills us, we eagerly want to tell the world this good news!

The Lord promised to help Moses speak to Pharaoh and the Israelites and to teach him what to say.  The Lord promised the apostles that his Spirit would enable their testimony.  We also can trust that Christ will be with us and his Spirit will work through us and guide us by the Scriptures.  So be bold in witnessing to all, telling what the Lord has done!

Posted by Electric Gospel
24
Dec
2019

Witnesses of the Ascended Lord Jesus

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on June 1, 2014.

Forty days after his resurrection from death to life, Jesus ascended again from earth up to heaven.  The following message was written when I had opportunity to serve as guest preacher for an ascension-themed service.  

Don’t Stand Around Waiting for Heaven to Happen
— Jesus Left Us Here for a Purpose

by David Sellnow

On the day of his ascension, Jesus was on the Mount of Olives with his disciples, and “he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight” (Acts 1:9).  His disciples “were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go’” (Acts 1:10-11).

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I wonder:  Like Jesus’ first group of disciples who stood staring into the sky after Jesus had ascended from their view, do we spend much of our time as Christians simply standing and staring up at heaven?  We have a tendency to see Christianity as a waiting process … waiting for the end of time, waiting for Jesus to return, waiting for heaven to become our home.  That is the end goal of our faith, but let’s not overlook what comes before that.  If Jesus had nothing else in his plans for us except heaven in the end, he could take us to heaven right now.  He could have taken his original disciples along with him up to heaven on the very day he ascended above the Mount of Olives.  But our Lord had something else in mind for them, and for us.  He wants us to be his witnesses in this world.  While we wait for the future glory of being with our Lord there, above, we have something important to do here, below.  We have a mission to our neighbor.  We have a mission to the world.

Let’s look at what was said and seen when Jesus ascended back to heaven and learn some lessons about our lives in the here and now.  First, Jesus said to his disciples, “Wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit”  (Acts 1:4-5).  Now, of course, the disciples already had the Holy Spirit – and indeed the Holy Spirit was very much involved in the baptizing that John the Baptist had done at the River Jordan.  But to these men, his apostles, Jesus had promised an additional, special outpouring of the Holy Spirit – giving them supernatural abilities.  They would speak in foreign languages (without needing language training) and would even perform miracles.  God’s purpose was to accentuate and punctuate the message they were speaking in his name, to call attention to their message with special demonstrations of his out-of-this-world power.  But the main aim of the Spirit was always in the message itself (not merely in the miracles).   Still today and every day we have the main power of the Holy Spirit with us – the power to change hearts when we share the word of Jesus.  When we go out in our day to day lives as witnesses for Jesus, we do so with confidence knowing we’re not on our own.  Jesus promised, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20), and also that “all Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16 CEV) – given to us by the Holy Spirit.  As we live our lives and speak about Jesus, we have the power of the Holy Spirit empowering us.  We can be bold and outgoing.  We need not be shy or afraid.

But even as Jesus was speaking to his disciples about the power they would have from the Holy Spirit to go out into the community, out into the world, they were thinking of something else.  They asked Jesus, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6)  The disciples of Jesus were still somewhat stuck in a view that was common to their culture.  They thought that the Messiah would establish Israel as his nation on earth and the people of God would live in peace and power there in Israel, separate from the other nations of the world.  We can be like that too.  We like to cloister ourselves in our small circles with one another as a Christian citadel, somewhere where we can feel safe.  But is that what Jesus has in mind for us as his disciples?  No.   We will find safety in his eternal kingdom at the end of time, but in the meantime Jesus wants us living our lives in the world, acting as influences on our neighbors in the world, reaching out and speaking out in his name.

Jesus said to his disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).  Notice the pattern which Jesus established.  First they would be his witnesses in Jerusalem – right where they were at that time.  Then their efforts would spread throughout their region – Judea.  Then to the next regional area – Samaria.  And eventually their message would be spread – not just by them but by word of mouth from person to person after starting with them – all the way to the ends of the earth.

So it is with us today too.   Jesus would say to us, “You will be my witnesses in your town or city, and in your state or region, and in the neighboring region, and to the ends of the earth.”  That doesn’t mean God expects each individual to become a world missionary and go to every place on the globe.  But he is commissioning each of us to be a witness to tell about Jesus’ love and forgiveness wherever we are living, all through our lives.  And through us one person after another will be influenced.  So every single Christian is a witness for Jesus in a constant, ongoing pattern of witness.

What will our lives look like if we are witnesses for Jesus?  I think sometimes we think about that in too complicated a way, as if you have to have a whole bunch of training or an official position as a pastor or teacher.  Certainly pastors and teachers do much outreach in the name of Jesus.  But when Jesus speaks of “witnesses” he means anyone who has seen, heard, experienced what the message of Jesus means and relates that meaning to someone else.  A good example would be a man whom Jesus had rescued from a plague of many demons.  He didn’t know much more about Jesus than that – that Jesus was the one who had saved his life. Jesus told him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19 CEV).

Being a witness for Jesus doesn’t have to be complicated.  You need not be an expert on every biblical doctrine.  You need not be a champion at Bible Trivia or know all the who’s who and what’s what of Bible history.  Certainly it’s good for you to read your Bible and become more familiar with the people and events detailed in the Bible.  But as a witness for Jesus the main thing is simply that you know Jesus himself.  You know that you are a sinner who so very much needed Jesus and needs Jesus, and that Jesus is so very much the Savior who has done for you everything you need.  And you simply live your life in acknowledgement of him, in confession of him.

On another occasion, Jesus said to his disciples, “All people will know that you are my disciples if you love one another” (John 13:35).   A compelling way we can give a witness to others about the kindness and love of Jesus is to be kind and loving toward the people around us.   People won’t want to know about our doctrine if it seems we care about doctrine more than we care about them.  People won’t inquire about our faith and religion if we don’t seem inquiring or interested in them as people.  But when faith in Jesus makes our lives come alive, when the hope of Jesus is evident in our lives, when the love of Jesus is overflowing from our hearts, we open paths to connect with others with the message of faith and hope and love.

Jesus’ apostle Peter urged us, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15).  If our lives express hope, others will have a reason to ask us why we are so hopeful, and we will have opportunity to speak about Jesus.  If our lives display peace and contentment, someone may ask us, “How do you stay so calm and positive?” and we will have opportunity to speak about Jesus.  If our lives show love—unfailing love, unflinching love, love that keeps loving even when people are unlovable—people will wonder, “Why?”  And we will credit Jesus, for only he can fill us with such love.

My friends, disciples of Jesus, you are witnesses of the life and love and power of Jesus.  His life is what gives your life meaning.  His love is what moves your heart to love.   And his mission – to bring people to know about love and forgiveness in his name – is your mission.   So as his disciples, let’s not just stand around waiting for heaven to happen.  Don’t think of your faith life as something that happens just in church when you’re saying prayers and singing hymns.  You are a witness for Jesus wherever you are, whomever you’re with.  Live your life as someone knows and trusts Jesus.   Simply let others see “how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19).  And your Lord Jesus—who is in heaven but holds all power on earth and in heaven in his hands—will be with you always, in all you say and do.

Posted by Electric Gospel