Pastor’s Ponderings
“Serious Considerations”
The last few weeks in the Gospel of Mark have been very heavy. We saw Peter give one of the greatest testimonies when he answered that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Our Lord followed that proclamation with the first announcement that He would suffer and die. This did not set well with Peter, and he rebuked Jesus, only to be rebuked himself by the Lord.
Our Savior followed this with the solemn cost of discipleship: We must deny self, take up our cross, and follow Him. Saving our life means losing it, but losing our life for the sake of the gospel and the Lord means saving it.
He also spoke of the cost of the soul. Imagine gaining everything possible during your earthly existence but losing your very soul. What can we give in exchange for our soul? Jesus concluded by saying the evil and adulterous generation in which he lived would be ashamed of Him, and He, in turn, would be ashamed of them
Just typing those last four paragraphs was difficult. The last few verses of Mark 8 contain some of the greatest challenges in all of Scripture. It is easy to become a Christian, but it is difficult to become a true disciple of Jesus.
Yet Christ has called all of us to be His disciples. Have we forgotten the descriptions of the Christian life in 2 Timothy 2? Paul compares our lives to: 1) A parent and a child; 2) A teacher and a student; 3) A soldier and a commanding officer; 4) An athlete, and; 5) A farmer.
All of these “occupations” take time, discipline, and effort, and our Christian lives should, too! The solemn warnings of Christ can also be seen as precious promises as our lives become conformed to His, and, in turn, we live the abundant life He has planned for us all!
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Just a reminder that our morning and evening services (and our Wednesday services over the summer) are on our Facebook and YouTube pages @ Calvary Baptist Cleburne. The internet in our Family Life Center was spotty, so we stopped livestreaming our services, but we still record them and post them. I hope you will watch them, especially if you are unable to attend our services at this time. We certainly miss you when you can’t make it, but you can still be blessed by tuning in. It is not the same as being with us in person, but we hope to see you soon.
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We have been blessed over the past few months with some families and individuals becoming a part of Calvary Baptist Church. It is always good to see fresh faces, and it is wonderful when they partner with us.
But good people joining our fellowship are never a substitute for souls being saved. As one man noted, “We are to be fishers of men not keepers of the aquarium.”
How has our witness been lately? Have we lost our evangelistic fervor? Do we really believe in a place called heaven? Let’s remember that we are witnesses who are empowered by God to take His message to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
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Thank you again for the prayers offered for my wife as she battles multiple myeloma. Please read her article as she gives further updates concerning her progress.
It has been interesting as roles have changed. For the most part I have done the dishes and washed the clothes for the last several weeks. I have straightened the house (I’m not sure you call what I do “cleaning”), picked up laundry, and prepared many meals. Men, if you have a special person in your life who does this for you, treat them right!
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I reached a great milestone recently when I celebrated my 50th spiritual birthday on August 8. It brought some time of reflection as I asked, “Am I the person I should be after 50 years as a Christian?”
Reviewing my life was a difficult thing. While I am thrilled to pastor Calvary Baptist Church and thankful to be a part of such a wonderful group of people, I am disappointed in many areas of my life.
But I also know that God can take anyone, no matter where they are, and use them in His service. Therefore, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling!”
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I have asked from the beginning for you to pray for me and my family in five areas. Thank you for doing so, and please continue to plead with God that I would have:
1) Courage
2) Wisdom
3) Strength
4) Victory
5) Vision