Menu
Apostles’ Creed–HOLY SPIRIT–Part 10
Where am I needed to serve in the church?
Children’s Ministry: Sherry needs your help in children’s ministry. We are now regularly running over 100 children during the 11:00 worship service. We need you to get outside of your comfort zone, take up an uncomfortable service of love and gentleness, and help minister to our children. It’s a well-established fact that most people come to salvation while their hearts are tender as children. We want to minister well to our kids and help those dedicated workers that are already in place. What is needed:
- Assistant teachers that can periodically fill in
- A few good men. Some of our more rambunctious classes need a stern male hand to keep order, so the teacher can teach. The horse play can get out of hand and is too much for one teacher to handle.
- An end-of-service-kid-wrangler to help Sherry, and others, gather and check out the kids. When it’s time to go, each and every child must be checked out to make sure everyone is accounted for. This can be chaotic, and we need some extra hands right at the end of the 11:00 service.
Musical Worship Ministry: Katie and the musical worship team need tech help. They need people willing to rotate duties of preparing and presenting the song lyric slides. For a tech oriented and careful person, this is an immediately needed area of service.
Greeter Ministry: Vanessa needs help welcoming people at the door and handing out song sheets. Her substitute list is short at the 9:30 service (2nd and 4th Sundays) and 11:00 (1st and 3rd Sundays).
Please pray about these needs and speak to a church leader about jumping in to help!
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, The Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he arose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit …
Do you believe in the Holy Spirit? The earliest Christians included this belief as essential to Christianity because it is essential. The work of God cannot be accomplished only by the power and charisma of people. Only by the power of God can the work of God be accomplished. In this way God gets the glory instead of us!
I was raised in a church tradition that minimized the work and power of the Holy Spirit by seldom speaking about the third person of the Trinity. Little was said of the fruit of the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, or directly asking for the power of the Holy Spirit to be at work in the church. As stated in the Apostles’ Creed, believing in the unseen Holy Spirit is a matter of faith. I have had to grow in my faith over the years to see the absolute necessity of the Holy Spirit from the work of regeneration in salvation all the way to the seal of hope that we might one day enter eternal life in the Kingdom of God.
The Holy Spirit is the gift of God’s real and abiding presence bestowed in a special and continuous way during the age of the church. The ministry of the Holy Spirit to individual believers, and to the church jointly, is complex, multifaceted, and far too much to cover in a newsletter article.
I strongly encourage you to read “The Mystery of the Holy Spirit: Discover the Work of the Living Spirit of the Living God” by R.C. Sproul. This is the most clear, balanced, and compelling explanation of the ministry of the Holy Spirit I have read in a short book. Chapter six is invaluable in explaining the work of regeneration by the Holy Spirit in bringing us to salvation and spiritual life. It is by the work of the Holy Spirit that we are born again (John 6:23).
The ministry of the Holy Spirit is spoken of continuously throughout the New Testament. You cannot faithfully or truthfully speak about Christianity without struggling to understand, believe, and then actively seek the work of the Holy Spirit in your own life.
First, I will focus on Jesus speaking about sending the Holy Spirit to continue the work of salvation after the ascension of Jesus. The key chapters here are John 14-16. I encourage you to carefully read them. In these chapters we first find that the Holy Spirit abides with those who believe. The Holy Spirit is sent from God as a Helper and a Spirit of Truth who abides (remains or dwells) with us. This means the presence of our merciful, wise, and gracious God is always with us. The presence of God is with us and in us through all the turmoil and struggle of this life. What hope to know that God has not forgotten us but remains always with us to minister to us in so many necessary ways.
Second, Jesus says that one way the Spirit will help us is by teaching and reminding us of truth (John 14:26). This ministry of the Holy Spirit is also called illumination. It is only by the work of the Holy Spirit that a person can authentically believe what they understand from the Bible. One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is faithfulness. God gives us the ability to believe what we thought was foolishness before. By this work, we respond and act in obedience and boldness for Christ.
Third, the Holy Spirit bears witness about Jesus (“He will bear witness about me” John 15:26-27) and guides us into truth (“He will guide you into all the truth” John 16:13-14). The Holy Spirit always brings glory to God by turning our hearts toward Jesus. If you don’t understand what you are reading in the Bible, or the love of Jesus has grown cold in your heart, it’s time to ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand or stir up again a true love for Jesus in your heart. It’s the Holy Spirit that will pursue you and keep reminding your heart about the mercy, truth, and holiness of God. The Holy Spirit is the one that will convince you of the truth revealed in the Bible.
Beyond this basic foundation there are the gifts given by the Holy Spirit, the beautiful fruit of the Spirit (which far surpasses any general virtue!), the comfort of the Spirit, the creative work of the Spirit, and much more.
I believe in the Holy Spirit. Do you?
May the Lord pour out His Spirit upon the church as we walk in love and obedience to God’s will,
Pastor Vic
< This is part ten in a series of articles on the Apostles’ Creed. To learn more about the Apostles’ Creed read: “The Apostles’ Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity in an Age of Counterfeits” by Albert Mohler. >
Evangelism and Book Review
“In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;
yet do it with gentleness and respect.”
1 Peter 3:15
Later this summer the Billy Graham Evangelic Association (BGEA) is hosting an area wide series of meetings related to evangelism in the greater Fredericksburg area. This is an important occasion for Christian churches of various denominations to gather for a focus on seeking to reach our area with the gospel of Jesus Christ. The base of all this is being able to share the gospel personally with another person. Are you prepared and comfortable sharing with another person how they can believe in Jesus for salvation? Most people are not.
From late April to early May, churches around our area are hosting the “Christian Life & Witness Course.” This course has been taught to communities leading up to BGEA events for decades. Going through this three-week course will qualify you to serve as a counselor at the main events, but more importantly, will give you every day practical training in evangelism. We will be partnering with our sending church, Spotswood Baptist Church, for these classes.
Dates: April 18, 25, & May 2
Time: 7:00-8:30 pm
Location: Spotswood Baptist Church
No Sign-up Necessary
I will be there, and I urge every single person at Redeemer to consider attending this time honored and effective course in personal evangelism. Mark your calendars! See you there!
Book Review
God and the Transgender Debate: What Does the Bible Actually Say About Gender Identity?
Expanded and Updated Edition
By Andrew T. Walker
The issues related to sexual ethics and transgenderism are no longer something happening in some far-off place on the news. We are surrounded by these issues every day and it is absolutely imperative that we have a historically based, biblical, and compassionate understanding of these issues. I am urging every person in the congregation to read this book. As transgender thinking and life choices have burst onto the scene, books related to the problem have evolved. This is by far the single best short book on the LGBTQ debate, focusing on the radical end of this spectrum – transgenderism.
This book is written with extreme clarity and biblical accuracy of theology and tone by Andrew T. Walker, Associate Professor of Christian Ethics at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The book is a brief, but complete treatment of the issues. It begins with a historical review of how we have reached this place of extreme change in our culture so quickly. He next spends a few chapters clearly laying out a biblical sexual ethic and clarifying gender according to a biblical definition. From this base of theology and history, Walker then spends a few chapters addressing the Christian tone of compassion that must be in our hearts and in our words when seeking lost sinners. He makes a compelling argument for how exclusion, prejudice, or fear are incompatible with the gospel calling of Jesus. Walker does an excellent job putting truth first, then compassion, but keeping both balanced throughout. It’s right for us to strive after faithful biblical holiness and have a heart of true compassion toward those deeply in bondage to sin.
The last few chapters are very practical sections on how to talk about these issues with your children and teenagers. These chapters include a section on frequently asked questions and a glossary of terms defining the new vocabulary this movement has come up with to redefine gender and sexuality.
It’s not enough to just be angry over these issues, or to ignore them. We must hold our ground in holiness, but the commission of Jesus to reach the lost has not changed. We need to understand God’s good ways and teach them with compassion toward the lost. We need to help our children understand these issues that are hitting them every day.
May God help us to live in purity, not be ashamed of the gospel, and have compassion toward the lost enough to help those in need,
Pastor Vic
Servant Heart
“But I am among you as one who serves.” –Luke 22:27c
We skipped over Luke 22:24-29 Sunday for the sake of covering the Garden of Gethsemane in more depth and reaching the resurrection passage by Easter, but I wanted to speak to this important statement of Jesus here in the newsletter.
In verse 24 the disciples are arguing between themselves as to who is more important, or who is the greatest. Jesus steps in to instruct them and help them see how completely they misunderstand the kingdom of God. Jesus compares their argument and their attitude to the “gentiles,” or the unbelieving world. Unbelieving people work to exalt themselves, create power, and make themselves great. They then use this power to better their own situation at the expense of others. They often use other people for their own advancement, regardless of the harm it may do them. In this model the weak serve the strong. Peter writes about this in 1 Peter 5:2-3, how the world gets what it wants through compulsion, domineering, and for the sake of material gain. Every worldly king or dictator has followed in this pattern. Often the more complete the power the more likely the abuse of power. History is full of such examples.
But Jesus pivots in verse 26 – “But not so with you.” The way of Jesus Christ is not like the way of the world. Jesus’ way is a different way. Jesus tells us that the way to greatness is to be the least – to take the low place of service. Jesus teaches them that the leader is to be one who serves. This paradigm shift of servant leadership seems so backwards and impossible at first pass, but this is how Jesus lived among His disciples. It seems (v.27) that the person who reclines at the table and IS served, would be greater than the person on their feet serving the people at the table. But Jesus says, and demonstrates, that He is “among them as one who serves.”
Jesus specifically demonstrates this at the last supper table in John 13:12-17 when He washes the disciples’ feet. After their journey, the disciples are arguing over who is the greatest, and possibly over who should do the dirty work no one else wants to. Jesus then rises, puts a towel around His waist, gets a bowl of water, and proceeds to clean what needs to be cleaned. This washing has further spiritual significance, but it is not less than a real act of service to another person. In this passage Jesus specifically calls for the disciples to “do as I have done.” Jesus makes this point even more emphatically by stating that even as a servant, Jesus is still the master, and we will never rise above the place of Jesus our Lord. As we walk as disciples of Jesus Christ, we must live lives of real service to others. We cannot call ourselves Christians while demanding our own way, domineering others, insisting that they serve us.
The Christian life is a life of real and continuous service, where we choose to die to ourselves and serve the real needs of others. Paul writes of this so clearly in Philippians 2:3-4. Paul requires that we count others more significant than ourselves, that we do nothing from vanity, but always look to the interests of others. The remainder of the chapter continues the case that we should do this because it was the attitude of Jesus.
These verses force us to be introspective and honestly consider whether we live a selfish life. Are we looking to our own needs and desires? Do we consider the needs of others more significant than our own? Do we really see the physical needs of others then act to meet them in service? This is the way of Christ. If you would leave this world behind to follow Jesus, you must take the road of servant hearted love. Not service that gets attention. Not service that lines up with what you already wanted to do, but service that is truly needed. Service that is hard. Service that others won’t do because it’s humiliating or dirty, or humiliating and dirty! People were regularly shocked with how Jesus worked with and loved poor and diseased sinners in the streets. Our lives should be marked by this same genuine heart of service.
In verses 28-30, we see that the person who walks in humble discipleship to Jesus will one day be lifted up. The faithful will be assigned an inheritance in the Kingdom of God. This is future hope. This is what losing your life to gain it looks like.
God help us to turn away from selfishness and take up the servant heart of Jesus,
Pastor Vic
Ukraine
The unjustified attack of the Ukrainian people continues this week. Nearly 3,000,000 refugees have fled the country. Missile strikes and shelling of civilian apartment buildings, shelters, and hospitals continues with the death toll of civilians in the 1,000s. This would be a sad state of affairs to observe in any country, but Ukraine has an especially high percentage of protestant Christians – and among that a large group of Baptist evangelicals. Many of those suffering in this scene of war and devastation are directly our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is very important that we pray for them and give to help toward the relief of their suffering.
If you are not up to date with the situation, or feel like I do, that most news services do a very poor job of actually summarizing the situation in a clear way – consider listening to “The World and Everything In It” podcast for March 17. This will get you up to date and give you an increased burden to be involved. As you pray for this situation, I encourage you to pray along these lines:
- Pray that the Russian military would stop its attack. May something happen to stop the hostility.
- Pray for the courage, grit, and victory of Ukrainian soldiers as they employ US defensive systems to defend their freedom. May they be successful in holding back the spread of dictatorial communism.
- Pray for the safe passage of fleeing civilian refugees (elderly, women, children, etc.) into neighboring NATO countries.
- Pray for support mechanisms and charities that will help support these millions of people in the coming months.
- Pray for pastors, chaplains, and missionaries in the midst of this conflict, that they would be effective in ministering to the souls of people crushed by fear, anxiety and real physical needs.
- Come to the joint church prayer meeting tonight at Mike Patterson’s house to join others in asking for God’s mercy in this terrible situation.
Lastly, consider giving toward Christian relief organizations that are on the ground and doing important work to support the flood of refugees. I recommend to Redeemer the work of Samaritan’s Purse and supporting their effort to continue operating a field hospital in Ukraine. All this work is done Jesus’ name to help those most in need. Below is a link to the Samaritan’s Purse webpage related to this crisis:
Samaritan’s Purse
“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19
Many newcomers to Redeemer ask, “Why are there so many FBI agents in this church? What’s going on!” The answer to this question is simple. Redeemer Bible Church was started with a base of people that formed through a workplace Bible study. Myself and three other Special Agents started a work-based Bible study close to a decade ago. We started small, but with a passion to reach our workplace with the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lord has brought so much of an increase that from that one study, two more local studies AND two churches have resulted from it! Every Wednesday morning at 6:15 am men gather to study the Bible and pray for each other in three different places, reaching three different audiences. Work-based Bible studies are an engine for sharing the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ to our friends at work. Being an open and unashamed Christian can be very difficult in the federal work force. There is a sense of forced secularization, or the constant secularization can lead Christians to be combative instead of winsome.
Below is a link to a video I recorded helping you understand how I, and others, conduct these Bible studies. It’s a plan God has blessed over and over again for years. If you know the people of your workplace need Jesus, consider venturing out in faith to start a group like this. With love, humility, and boldness go out with a missionary mindset of not standing by silently while those around you die in their sins. Don’t be a bitter, complaining, worldly, ashamed Christian. Follow the call of Christ to be a fisher of men! Let’s boldly and intentionally reach our workplace neighbors with the gospel.
YouTube
May the Lord help us to reach federal employees for Christ,
Pastor Vic
AC Judgment–Part 9
“When the Son of Man comes in all glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all nations, and He will separate the sheep from the goats. And He will place the sheep on His right, but the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’” –Matthew 25:31-34
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, The Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he arose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
The Bible records the story of the world. Its beginning with creation, the chosen people of Israel, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the spread of the gospel, and the founding of the church. However, the Bible does not only look backward, but also looks to the future. The Bible tells us about the beginning of the world according to God’s will, and about the end of the world according to God’s will. The study of the end of the world is called eschatology.
People have many different theories on how the world will end. Many in our day are convinced that the world will end through global warming. Some think perhaps through nuclear war, but Christians believe that the world as we know it will end when Jesus returns to judge the living (quick) and the dead. Christians have long debated exactly what the Bible teaches about when Jesus will return, and there is disagreement among genuine Christians as to the timing of that return. We’re not certain of the when, but we are sure of the how. The second coming of Jesus will be with glory, power, and majesty (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Jesus will bodily return to the earth. This is not a thing of metaphor or mythology. As He ascended to heaven, He will descend to judge the world.
Jesus Himself will be the agent of the judgment of the people of the world. “The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22, 2 Tim 4:8, 2 Cor 5:10). Those who believe the ministry of Jesus is about affirming sinners in their sin will be proven terribly mistaken. In holiness, and with perfection, Jesus will carry out ultimate justice upon sinners alive at His return and those who died before His return. Apart from the grace of Jesus toward those who have accepted His salvation, no one could stand. By grace through forgiveness, we will pass through the judgment. Only covered by the righteousness of Christ will we be seen as righteous. No life can withstand the perfect scrutiny of the perfect judgment of Jesus. Instead, we must receive forgiveness.
The Bible is clear that on the last day Jesus will separate the sheep (believers) from the goats (unbelievers). The sheep (believers) called by Jesus, who hear His voice and respond by faith will go into the everlasting glory of heaven. Those who do not believe in Jesus as the Son of God, and finally reject His salvation, will suffer everlasting torment in hell. We are pilgrims passing through this corrupt and fallen world, seeking a heavenly city. We are not going to have our best life now, nor should we expect it. For Christians, the best is yet to come.
Albert Mohler concludes, “These truths point again to the gospel, for no sinner in himself can find survival in this judgment. The only means of survival—the only means of acquittal or salvation—is the loving sacrifice of Christ, our defender and judge. Christians must live with urgency because we understand that in this present age God will use us to snatch some from the evil one. The reality of the eschaton, the last days, reminds us of the urgency of sharing the gospel, because the eschaton goes hand in hand with the declaration of Jesus Christ among the nations. Our understanding of the future fuels our actions in the present; thus, missions and evangelism are eschatological activities—focused and fueled by the knowledge of Christ’s coming.”
Thanks be to God for His mercy toward us,
Pastor Vic
< This is part nine in a series of articles on the Apostles’ Creed. To learn more about the Apostles’ Creed read: “The Apostles’ Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity in an Age of Counterfeits” by Albert Mohler. >