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Construction Zone
A farewell letter to our dear Evangel Baptist family…
All across the Metro Detroit area, road construction is backing up traffic, creating noise pollution, and wreaking havoc on seemingly everyone’s schedules. Just a few weeks ago, I cringed as I read an all-too-familiar sign: “Construction Zone – Detour Ahead.” With a sigh, I pulled off the highway into the wild unknowns of yet another detour. Frustrated by the delay, I anxiously glanced at the clock, checked my phone, and wondered if I would ever arrive at my intended destination. 
Have you ever been forced into a detour only to find you’re heading in a totally different direction, away from the place you actually planned to go? Sometimes on the journey of life, God graciously interrupts our plans with a dramatically unexpected change in direction. I like to plan out all the details of life and presuppose how, I think, He will work out His grace-construction plan in me. But quite often God takes us through a series of unanticipated turns along the roadway that land us in an entirely different location. And it’s all part of His plan in constructing you and me into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ – whether or not we understand it all.
During the last seven months God has brought some unexpected turns in our journey on the mission of Jesus. And just a couple weeks ago, God brought us to a destination that we had certainly not drawn up in all our plans or projections. As of Sunday evening, October 6th, North Park Baptist Church of Grand Rapids overwhelmingly called me to serve Christ as their senior pastor. Pending some final details, our last Sunday here with all of you will be November 10th and I plan to preach my first sermon as the senior pastor of North Park Baptist Church on Sunday, November 24th.
Our hearts are full of joy in God’s direction and grace, yet the joy is mixed with sorrow. Our now impending departure from you is deeply bittersweet. Over the past three years we have grown close to many of you in the love of Christ. We have worked with you, loved ones, in the trenches of ministry in so many ways: mission trips, retreats, camps, outreach events, conferences, evangelistic meetings, visitation, worship leading, communion services, Christmas concerts, and youth gatherings. You joined with us in welcoming and dedicating our dear little Everlynn and have cared for our son, Hudson, with much love. I count it a deep privilege that you gave me the opportunity to regularly preach God’s Word, be ordained as a minister of the Gospel, lead some of your children to faith in Christ, and even baptize some of you as believers. We sincerely love each and every one of you and will greatly miss you.
We want you to know we are not leaving Evangel for any negative reasons, whatsoever. I believe in the mission and vision that God has given Evangel and stand in complete alignment with how Pastor Ken Pierpont is leading you to be on the mission of Jesus Christ, so that you can more effectively reach the Downriver Area with the Gospel. I call you to follow Pastor Pierpont and the other leaders of this church as they, together, guide you down the path of change for the sake of the Gospel. I wholeheartedly believe these unexpected turns in God’s roadway for us and for Evangel Baptist Church are deliberate and ordained by the mind of God – through His grace – in order to produce in us greater Christ-likeness to the glory of God. We request your prayers for all the details of our soon-coming transition and want you to know that you will remain in our thoughts and prayers for many years to come.
“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” ~ Colossians 2:6-7
Love in Christ,
Pastor Michael, Stephanie, Hudson, and Everlynn
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Two-Faced Faith
I will never forget that beautiful summer day when I saw cascades of bright light invade the auditorium through the rear center door of Friendship Baptist Church…
There in the middle of the light was Stephanie Anna Clayton, dressed in glorious white. From my anxious position at the front of the altar, I could see her radiating smile and sparkling eyes shimmering like diamonds behind the veil. Our eyes locked together and we never lost our gaze. As she drew closer and closer, my heart began to beat faster and faster. Could this be real? It seemed like an amazing miracle.
Stephanie’s Bridal Procession at Friendship Baptist
And then, suddenly, she stood before me in all her beauty. Her eyes stared deeply into mine as we joined hands, shared communion, declared our vows, and embraced for our first kiss (yes, it was amazing). She became mine and my last name became hers. Today, by the mercy of God, our gaze is still locked together and our love grows richer each day. Like a multivalent oil painting on a fresh canvas, God is brushing new strokes and bright colors that are forming into a beautiful portrait of love, ordained by His grace.
God’s Look of Love
In a close parallel, God in Christ brought each of us into a beautiful love relationship with Himself. He chose us in Jesus Christ before the world was even formed (cf. Eph. 1:4). He brought us into His family by the immeasurable and amazing kindness of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace (cf. Eph. 1:5-6).
Christ the Son poured out His life on the Cross so that we could receive His life in exchange for the eternal death we all deserve (cf. Eph. 1:7; 5:25). The Spirit sealed the relationship and gives us a sure and certain hope of final redemption, when we shall see the Lover of our souls face to face (cf. Eph. 1:13-14; Rom. 8:14-25). And God the Father looks at us with complete and unending love, more certain than the rising sun.
Cold Shoulder
But we look away. We get distracted. We move on to the “important” things of everyday life. And Jesus Christ is left in the dust of a past-tense relationship that we hope will work out in the end but don’t really care about right now. We show up at a church building to look at Jesus, focus on His face, marvel at His grace, and maybe even give some money towards His mission. But as soon as we walk out the door we look away. Again and again and again.
The canvas of our lives so often looks like this: Sunday-in, Sunday-out, now let’s go do what everybody else is all about. Most of us would not say we don’t love Jesus Christ – we enjoy looking at Him and loving Him occasionally and sometimes even passionately. The big experience of a “worship concert” emotionally excites us… and we love looking at Jesus when everybody around us is doing the same thing. Relevant conferences, mission presentations, or rallies get us pumped-up to passionately pursue Jesus.
But then we go home, turn on the screen and watch violence-riddled or sex-soaked movies as if Jesus doesn’t care.
And our Savior and Lover is still looking at us with eyes of unending love, yet we choose to look away so that we can go and play.
Cosmic Killjoy?
Now don’t misunderstand me. God is not a cosmic killjoy wanting to rain down on our parade. Actually, it’s quite the opposite; God wants us to enjoy life to the full – experience true joy and love and peace even in the midst of a fallen world.
Furthermore, I’m not one of “those guys” who goes around yelling, “If you listen to contemporary Christian music, wear shorts above the knee cap, have a television in your house, go the theater, play euchre, or watch PG movies…then you better question whether you’re really saved – you need to be afraid of hell fire!”
What’s wrong with this riff? First, styles of music, cultural clothing preferences, and the subjectivity of television or movies are all personal choices that believers need to make individually. God’s Word does not give dogmatic, specific mandates for music, clothing, or entertainment. Instead, God makes it very clear what He does hate and the guidelines Christ-followers should follow in the grayer areas of life across all time and culture. Second, the motivating heart of the Gospel is not fear but faith, hope, and love. A Gospel that incites fear in people without the balm of grace is misplacing God’s love and merely manipulating behavior.
But don’t miss this: Loving Jesus Christ is the only way to true happiness. If you say you love Jesus but love what Jesus hates, you are missing out on the love and life He offers.
Two-Faced
Many, many people in North American evangelicalism are living a 2-Faced Faith: we act like we love Jesus Christ more than anything this world has to offer, but as soon as we walk out of the church building we check to see if the next horror movie is in Redbox or who won the VMA awards.
If you find yourself laughing at and enjoying violence among human beings – who are all sacred image-bearers of God – than you need to ask yourself if you really love the God you claim to know.
King David, the Psalmist, wrote, “The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. (Psalm 11:5)
Violence and immorality always go hand-in-hand, and God hates both. If you have no check in your conscience or tinge of remorse, if you can freely enjoy violence, profanity, horror, and sexual immorality, then you need to question whether your know the God you claim to love.
The Savior and Redeemer is looking at you with eyes of love and He is calling for total love rooted in genuine belief, not two-faced faith that only shows up on Sundays and Wednesdays.
Jesus Christ echoed the central cry from the Father’s heart when He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38). Every part of your life is to show your love and display your Lord, because your life in God is rooted in your love for God and God’s love for you.
Jesus is longing for us to love what He loves and hate what He hates so that the world will see His life in us. When we love what Jesus loves and hate what Jesus hates then we will be displaying a single face – an accurate picture of Jesus – to our friends, family, and co-workers… instead of a two-faced lie. And we will experience the true love, life, and joy that come through abiding in the love-relationship God offers to all who believe.
You see, obeying Christ is not a maintenance plan to keep His love but an expression of the love that has changed your life (see Galatians 5:6). Our life in God is rooted in our love for God and God’s love for us. The more you love and believe in Jesus the more you’ll want to follow His words and mirror His actions…and He’ll show His life through your life. So let’s return to God with focused love by reveling in His unending love, refocusing on loving Him through joy-filled obedience, and by reaching out to others with His love.
Jesus: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
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Christianity on Steroids
Have you ever awakened early with the sole purpose of seeing the first exquisite glimmers of daylight? Well, I remember one morning I decided to begin my day of work with an extended view of the beautiful sunrise. Looking forward to those sweet, yellow and orange hues, I awoke just in time to enjoy the bright dawning of the sun before a long day of landscaping. Yet as I peered out of my bedroom window at the first shaft of light on the eastern horizon, I heard some clanging noises coming from the dark, damp annals of our basement room. This was a noise I had heard consistently, even quite incessantly for more than four years, but today it prompted me to walk down two short flights of stairs to speak with the one making all the racket.
Sweat and Steel
As I approached the door to the basement, the noise grew louder. I heard a “swish” and a boom, then a grunt followed by a deep sigh. Finally I arrived where I found my brother sprawled out on a bench as he pumped hundreds of pounds of solid iron. Through the dim light of one bare light bulb one could easily see he was sweating profusely. His veins bulged from under his torn muscle shirt and his tendons seemed to twitch at every breath. He was the picture of physical strength and fitness.
As I stood there looking down at my “little brother” who now was not so little at all, I kind of got jealous. Who wouldn’t? The guy was tossing up over 275 pounds on a bench press and he only weighed 165 pounds!
Somewhat inspired by my jealously, I fell to the ground and starting vigorously knocking out push-ups on the concrete floor. A few moments later as my face bulged from strain, I heard a chuckle come from the weight bench area. My brother now sat up with a grin on his face as he watched me press on with my undisciplined workout routine. When I finished my little round of exercises, my brother had one thought for me. He said, “You know Michael, I could easily compete in a body-building competition if I made one compromise. All I would have to do is take steroids for about six weeks and I would be in prime condition. But, you know what? Three weeks after I quit taking steroids, you know what I would look like?” To which I replied, “sure you would be huge!”
He responded, “Wrong. I would have already lost 50% or more of the muscle mass I would have gained in the six weeks of steroid use. That’s why you see body-builders running around in loose-fitting jogging suits when they are not in competition. They don’t want people to see they really are nothing more than fakes.” He then responded with one final thought that has never left me. He remarked, “It has taken much longer for me to build up muscle mass without anabolic steroids, but if I were to stop working out or lose the ability to do so, I would still have 90% or more of that same mass more than a year later.”
The Workout of our Lives
As I sat down on a pile of laundry, and pondered the lasting effects of body-building the “natural way,” I was reminded of Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. Here Paul admonishes the believers in the often undisciplined or disorderly church in Corinth to look at spiritual growth and maturity through the lens of a serious, professional athlete. This ought to get our attention:
“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore, I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”
Now listen here. Paul is not talking about “earning” our salvation through our works, but instead telling us, as already Spirit-regenerated believers in Christ, that we can gain eternal rewards and grow in Christ-likeness through the continual actions of Spirit empowered self-control and discipline. The question is, do you and I run the race of our lives and the boxing match of our days as if it is a real event? Or, do we actually swing our spiritual fists as if we are only in an imaginary fight? It takes serious endurance, strength, and discipline to complete a marathon. Certainly those who run do so for a tangible prize. In Paul’s day, they ran for the glory of Rome and a wreath of honor on their heads. Today, most professional athletes compete for the power of the dollar and honor among their peers. No doubt, there are some who, in the faith, compete professionally for righteous reasons. But nevertheless, all the accomplishments of any sports competition will fade and the satisfaction of victory rapidly slips away.
But for us who run the race of our lives for the Glory of the King, our prize is “imperishable!” Our rewards will never fade and never wane in their satisfaction! For they are not of this world, but for eternal dividends that calculate unto glory for our Lord. Therefore, our motivation for discipline should be all the stronger. This race we run as followers of Christ is the real and lasting event that truly matters for all eternity.
Real Strength
Thinking back now to the discipline of building muscle tissue, there seems to be something wrong with many “new” ways of becoming spiritually strong. Many of us have bought into a mentality that Christ-likeness can be gained at weekend conferences or quick evening seminars on spiritual growth. Yet lasting, godly maturity is often left unnoticed. People such as myself; think that if we can just have a few pick-me-ups here and a strong dose of spiritual steroids there, then we will somehow end up mature Christians. Yet, there seems to be a strong parallel between spiritual body-building and the physical realm of muscle tone.
Too often the tissue of our spiritual maturity is as lasting as that steroid-pumped bodybuilder three weeks after the competition. Because we do not develop consistent, disciplined patterns of prayer, Bible Study, worship, and service, we end up weak and flimsy Christians who rely on once-a-month doses to guard against the temptations of the flesh. It takes lasting and persistent resolve to develop lasting strength in our spiritual lives. If our desire is to display Jesus Christ and become more like Him every day, we need to do more than a few spiritual push-ups here and there. We are in need of something much more persistent. We need the kind of incessant desire to “be strong” as I saw in my brother early that one morning. We are going to have to be “clanging around making noise” when other people may still be resting, in order to develop the kind of spiritual growth that will result in one who is daily progressing in sanctification.
We will do much better in the workout as well, if we pump spiritual iron with people alongside of us. Perhaps for this same reason, body-builders flocked together in gyms so they can work off each other in their progress of strength. The church, the local community of faith, is like a workout gym, where we intentionally gather together to grow together in order to become more like Jesus together for the sake of the Gospel and the glory of God…
Flabby Suits or Steel Armor?
The time has come for us as disciples of the living God, to shake off faulty notions that are pressed on us by pop-the-pill Christianity, and decide to get serious with our Savior. As we dive into the riches of His Word and the strength of the Holy Spirit’s power, we shall truly make a difference in the world at large for the glory of God. Perhaps we also will be able to get out of our loose-fitting jogging suits and instead aptly handle a set of spiritual armor. May His glory be known and His power shown in and through our lives!
This article was originally written on 2/07/2009 by Michael J. Breznau in Dallas, TX.
For more muscle building sessions check out Galatians 5:16 and Hebrews 12:1-3.
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Chasing Love
With a big cheerful smile, my little eighteen-month old daughter began twirling around in the center of our living room floor… all the while watching her skirt flutter in the breeze.
Suddenly, she paused and gently looked up at me with her big, sparkling brown eyes as if to say, “Am I beautiful, Papa? Do you love me and think I’m special?” Her two little fists held her skirt out so I could see the print on it, “Pwetty? Pwetty, Papa?” She softly squeaked.
I looked intently into her beautiful eyes…broke into a smile, picked her up, and swung her into my arms, gave her a kiss on her smooshy cheeks, and then said, “Yes, Everlynn, you are pretty and I love you more than any other little girl in the world.”
Even though she doesn’t quite know how to return the verbal exchange, “I love you,” she responded with more than words can convey with a warm, cuddly hug around my neck. She nestled her head next to mine. I could feel her take a deep breath…calm, content, loved.
Gone.
Meanwhile, on the very same night there was another daddy’s girl out on a stage at the VMA awards, in front of millions of viewers, frenetically vying for attention and screaming for someone to call her beautiful.
Miley Cyrus tried every move imaginable to mankind in order to get someone to look… and she did. Heads turned. Heads rolled. And most heads shook, at first, with disgust, and then with deep sadness. Gone was the rather innocent girl, Hannah Montana, who drew massive crowds of mimicking pre-teen girls. Gone was the bright, happy smile. Gone was the calm, content, and loving picture of Billy Ray Cyrus with his sprawling family in tow. Gone.
And somewhere there is still a little girl looking for love, hoping for peace, and waiting for a daddy to call her beautiful. The streets of Hollywood, New York, and Las Vegas are not the only strips of concrete where one-time little girls go wandering out to find love through showing off the square-footage of their skin. Every single city, town, and village across the globe is filled with little girls who need their daddies and mommies to call them loved and beautiful.
Now, don’t misunderstand me, I’m not pretending to know the inner-workings of the Cyrus family, nor am I claiming that Billy Ray doesn’t love his daughter, Miley. But what we all know is somewhere past all the spandex, glitz, gold, dance moves, and blaring music, is the heart of a girl who is still vying for attention and looking for love…on all the wrong stages.
Looking for Love
Perhaps some of you reading this article are still deep down inside that little girl who never heard her daddy say, “I love you.” Maybe you did hear your daddy say those words, but you always knew it was conditional – if you wore the right clothes, if you got the right grades, if you scored enough goals, if you said the right words, if you looked just right, and on the list goes. And so you’ve been in a mad race of chasing after love and never really finding it.
And right now, in this very moment, I want you to know this: God the Father loves you completely and unconditionally in Jesus Christ. There is real love: “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 HCSB). Even if every kind of human love has failed you, God’s love for you does not hinge on the basis of what you say or do – His love is complete in Jesus, and He wants you to receive His love today.
Showing Real Love
But maybe you’re a dad like me, but for you, your daughter isn’t eighteen months old; she’s eighteen years old or maybe even thirty-eight. When was the last time you looked directly into her eyes or called her on the phone, simply to say, “You are beautiful – inside and out – and I love you…nothing will ever change that.”
Dads, let’s show and tell our daughters they are “pwetty”, beautiful, and unconditionally loved simply because of who they are, not because of what they can do, say, sing, or wear.
Millions, maybe even billions, of little girls are left without a loving daddy or mommy. It is time for you and me to step in and love like God loves. Step across the bridge and share God’s love with someone who’s been chasing after love and has continually come up empty-handed and hurt. Christ’s real, lasting love can radically change hearts, lives, and families…it even changed mine.
Finally, amid all the criticisms and argumentation about the VMA awards, let’s not forget that prayer is the most important action we can take… let’s pray that Miley Cyrus (and the many others like her) will come to know the wonderful depths and riches of God’s love in Jesus Christ and be radically changed into a woman of faith rather than just an object of fame or shame.
Michael J. Breznau 8.27.2013
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Fortune Cookie Theology
We all have done it. If you haven’t, you must have been born on Mars or the Moon. This past Sunday afternoon I did it again and I’m sure it will happen yet another time in the not too distant future. As many good Christians (tongue in cheek) do on Sunday afternoon, my wife, Hudson, and I, along with our dear friends from India decided to go to “King Super Buffet.”
Yes, you guessed it: one of those gigantic Chinese buffet restaurants that seems to have every sort of grade B and C and D food product available from Costco and GFS. This place was particularly crammed tight with people because it just so happened to be Father’s Day. After we finished packing ourselves with all the decadent mounds of fried, deep fried, oven fried, and grease bathed chicken, beef, pork, and other items of questionable nature, we all took a deep breath as we got ready to swallow the only healthy item on the table – fortune cookies!
I passed them out one by one and everybody cracked them open to see what piece of the future they were holding in their hands. Those who got really great “fortunes” raised their eyebrows and said things like, “Wow…it’s just a fortune cookie… but you never know.” Or, “that is amazing; this is a really good one.” For the rest of us, we just rolled our eyes and remarked at how silly the whole idea was, and how they were nothing but randomly printed pieces of paper thrown in stale cookies.
Cookie Thoughts
Just as I swallowed the last crumb, I had a thought. So many times you and I treat God’s Word with a fortune-cookie kind of practical theology. Just like those who pulled out great quips from the cookies, we marvel at the one verse we found the “other day” that we really “liked”. Yet on the flip side of the cookie, we are also often guilty of just flipping the page when we read something we don’t like or that which doesn’t seem to jump off the page with relevance – or so we think. That sounds an awful lot like those of us who took one look at our cookie slip and tossed it in the garbage, while muttering about the ridiculous nature of even reading it.
The only problem with this picture is that the Bible is not a big fortune cookie with multiple fortunes to be enjoyed or tossed out according to our liking. Sure, fortune cookie slips probably belong in the garbage can. But do we essentially find ourselves doing the same thing with God’s Word? It’s hard when the Lord commands us to love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us. It’s hard when Christ promises not earthly pleasure and ease, but trials, tribulations and even death for the cause of His name. Still further, do we flip the page or “check out” when the Scriptures tell us that the world will hate us or that God chastises those whom He loves? I think it’s high time for you and me to take the Bible for all its worth, for it is the very Word of God. Every verb, noun, adjective, pronoun, adverb, preposition, and article – it’s no fortune cookie. It is the Word of Life.
What do you think? Let’s start a mission to find all the “hard” verses in the Bible for each one of us and then apply them. For real. Right now.
Here’s one for me to think about: “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Tim 3:12)
And here’s a little reminder of the inestimable value of each page of God’s Word: “All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim 3:16-17).
Originally written on June 23, 2010 by Michael J. Breznau
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Superman vs. Jesus
Just this past May, not more than 2 months ago, David Gonzalez, age 35, was busy remodeling an old home in Hoffman, Minn, that he had purchased for just $10,100. But while he was busy tearing out old insulation in the walls and ceiling of the house he uncovered what is considered to be the “Holy Grail” of all comic books: Action Comics edition No. 1. 1938 – the very first comic to introduce the Man of Steel, Superman.
Reports indicate the comic book had remained untouched in the home’s ceiling for more than 70 years. Only around 100 issues of this comic book are known to be in existence today, and a recent sale of an Action Comics No. 1 edition in near mint condition took in 2.16 million dollars. To further heighten the attractiveness of Gonzalez’s find for collectors, this past month marked another blockbuster film for Superman: Man of Steel. This was an incredible find, at an incredible time.
But the story goes on… while Gonzalez and his wife’s aunt (who had apparently come over to help work on the house) got into a dispute about her demand for a financial cut from the sale of the comic, they got into some sort of crazy tug-of-war match and accidentally ripped the back cover off the book, dropping it’s condition by at least 2 points and it’s value by more than $75,000… maybe a lot more. Ouch. That was an expensive argument.
The almost insane value of this classic comic book is shocking, but when I heard about the huge loss of value because of a silly argument it practically took the air out of my lungs. I threw my hands in the air and shouted, “how nuts!” Last month, Gonzalez’s comic book sold for $175,000. Not too shabby, but it could have sold for a lot more…
Crazy Worth
Could you imagine if you or I owned a classic comic book valued at $1 million?! I don’t know about you, but I would first get insurance on the item and then I probably could not help myself but show it off to everyone – if you came over my house you would have to see “THEE” comic book. I would probably subtly but proudly talk about its value and how it gained its worth and how remarkably unique and rare it was and on and on and on…
But why am I not that way about the immense, endless, and incomparable worth of Jesus Christ? You and I gasped at the story of this Superman comic book and its shocking value… maybe you (like me) imagined what you would do if you were the one who found the comic book. But why do we have dozens of Bibles practically coming out of our ears, containing the amazing story and worth of Jesus Christ, yet the Good news of Jesus rarely exits our mouths…especially when we’re around the unsaved?
A Puny Jesus?
Maybe it’s because we’ve lost sight of the full picture, the full worth, the full value, the crazy amazing work of Jesus Christ…. It is so easy to get focused-in on the value system around which the world revolves. We plink our pennies, save our dollars, and hope for the day when will be able to rest and relax with some of the personal treasure we’ve stored up for ourselves. And we can so easily lose sight of the immense worth of Christ and where real, lasting hope is found.
Maybe the size of our picture of Christ has slowly been shrunk down or whittled away to a more comfortable, manageable Jesus, who doesn’t call us to radical discipleship, innovative evangelism, or risky faith. Are we more excited about getting a raise on our job than going on a mission trip to reach someone who’s never heard about Jesus?
Sometimes it seems like you and I would be more broken-hearted and sick inside about the thousands of dollars lost on a completely fictional comic book, than we are about the thousands upon thousands of people who pass by our church building everyday without Christ, un-rescued, and still living in the domain of darkness, apart from Christ’s light.
So who really has more value and worth? Superman or Jesus?
The early believers residing in the ancient city of Colossae needed a bigger picture – a full portrait of Christ’s supreme value and worth. False teachers were promulgating various heretical ideas within the Colossian church, claiming that Christians needed to still follow the Old Testament ceremonial laws and extra-biblical regulations, that they needed to seek after some sort of deeper or special knowledge, that angels were to be worshiped as mediators to God, and that a select few could reach perfection as some sort of “elite” tribe of thinkers.
But more than all of these false ideas, these heretics were teaching a small, inadequate picture of Christ – that Jesus Christ was not really God-in-the-flesh, that He was not fully divine, that His value, worth, and work were not really incomparable and supreme. Therefore, the apostle Paul wrote to them (and to us) by the power and inspiration of the Spirit so that we could see a huge portrait – a painting as it were – of who Jesus Christ is and what He accomplished for us and for our salvation…
Let’s watch as Paul paints each brushstroke of this amazing portrait of Christ, the Son of God in Colossians 1:13-23…
Listen to the full audio message entitled “Superman vs. Jesus” (Colossians 1:13-23) by simply clicking on the play button below or by subscribing to our iTunes podcast. This message was originally delivered at Evangel Baptist Church on Sunday evening, July 21st, 2013, during the report service for our local teen mission program called Neighborhood Gospel Outreach.
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Mission Possible
By Michael J. Breznau (audio sermon player below)
More often than not, we are driven by a mentality that celebrates self-reliance. Learning how to maximize our human potential is the name of the game. We believe if we work hard enough and make the right kind of friends – we can have it all. The world is the oyster of the one who learns to take advantage of every opportunity, so many people say.
Achievements are gained by taking “the bull by the horns” and getting it done. Success is won by taking control of the situation and demonstrating superior leadership and authority. Power is received by sheer inner-strength and the will to win, so motivational speakers claim, sing, and “preach,” all for a mere $3,000-$10,000+ dollars at your local business event. It’s all about your potential “achievement quotient.”
Self-reliance and human potential are the name of the game – in the world system – but also very often in the church, as well. We approach the mission of the church (going and making disciples of all the nations) with the same mentality: “get organized, strategized, capitalize, and get it done.” All the while we miss the message of the Cross, the essence of faith, and the centrality of Christ.
Yet in the end, we have bought a lie rooted in centuries-old human philosophies and business ideologies that strip the Church of it’s power and distort the message of the Gospel: We think we can do it ourselves. All the while, mankind’s innovations and ingenuities get praise and God is denied his rightful glory.
God’s Strategy
So, if it’s not us in our own strength, then what is God’s strategy for accomplishing His mission? What is God’s plan for His mission?
Just like us, the Corinthians were attempting to accomplish the mission of the Church through human-centered plans and schemes. Yet Paul had a different approach that rattled their cages and ultimately brings true glory to God. Please take a look with me beginning in Acts 1:8; 2:37-42 (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Matthew 28:19-20) where we are going to look at our problem (1. We are driven to be self-reliant), God’s solution to the problem, (2. Only through God’s power can His mission be accomplished), and the application for us today, (3. Be God-dependent, not Self-Reliant)…that way he gets the glory!
Central Idea: God’s redemptive mission (the missio dei) can only be accomplished through the power and equipment of the One who enlisted us on the mission.
Only through the power of God, the Holy Spirit, can the people of God accomplish the mission of God.
Listen to the full audio message entitled “Mission [Im] Possible” (Acts 1:8; 2:37-42; 1 Cor. 2:1-5; Matt. 28:19-20) by simply clicking on the play button below or by subscribing to our iTunes podcast. This message was originally delivered at Evangel Baptist Church on Sunday evening, June 22nd, 2012, during the report service for our local teen mission program called Neighborhood Gospel Outreach.
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It’s Time to Go!
By Michael J. Breznau (audio sermon player below)
Here I was again, cold, alone, and in the dark; trying to get away from the sound by plugging my ears from the banging of metal hitting human flesh. Even though I could not see anything from where I sat huddled underneath the kitchen table, I tightly closed my eyes with the echo of every pounding blow. Why would they be doing this? I thought. Why would these people be so evil as to do something so terrible and gruesome to an innocent man? Oh please stop, please stop!
In utter desperation to run far away from this terror I scurried out from underneath the dining table, but before I could leave the room something made me pause in my little tracks. Maybe it was simply my five year old curiosity that made me look, but quite possibly it was something more significant, for there He was nailed to a cross made out of old, splintered wood. He had been whipped, torn, beaten and even spit upon! I saw that He was wearing a crown, but even the crown was made out of thorns that had pierced His forehead and now blood freely ran down His face. As my eyes welled up with tears and stark fear, I hopped into the comfort of my mother’s lap. And, this time I did not once again jump under the table, but instead fixed my young eyes on the whole scene that was being depicted for us on our little television set.
In the Midst of Despair
As I continued to watch with a sense of despair, I could not help but ask my mother why they were doing something so awful. She then explained to me that Jesus went through all this torture, shame, and ultimately death to save me and rest of the world from sin. As young as I was, I still knew that I had done many bad things, in fact the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I probably sinned everyday.
The Bible says in Romans 3:23 that “we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” And in Isaiah 53:6 it says, “all of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us turned to his own way.” In hearing this verse, it is quite clear to all of us that we simply cannot measure up to God’s holiness, or in other words, perfect-ness. We all miss the mark. So, I knew that I was a sinner but what was I supposed to do? If I tried to be really good, and not sin very much would that let me into Heaven?
As the movie on the crucifixion of Jesus came to a close, a man began to explain from the Bible that no matter if we have sinned just a couple of times, or if we did many evil and wicked things; we were all sinners in God’s eyes. In Romans 6:23a it says, “For the wages of sin is death…” So, according to God’s Word the only thing you and I deserve is death!
Words of Safety, Words of Hope
But, then when all hope seemed lost for this little brown eyed five-year-old, I heard the words of grace and hope. “But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8) I found that salvation from the wrath and fury of hell is not obtained by doing good works, religious deeds, or any other thing except simply trusting in Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. The Bible says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph 2:8-9) Salvation is a completely free gift directly from the hand of God!
The good news does not end at the point of Christ’s death on the cross of Calvary. For Christ rose again after three days of being in the grave and now sits at the right hand of God (Eph 1:20).
That day in early April, I found peace, power and eternal life through trusting in Jesus Christ. He came into my life and has made me a brand new person who is no longer is under the power of sin, but now empowered through the grace of God….
But What About Now?
For most us, we have experienced the “new birth” (if you haven’t, I invite you to trust in Christ today!), yet so often you and I fail to tell others about this Good News of Jesus Christ… We value our schedules, timetables, profit margins, and perhaps even sermon outlines more than the state of souls all around us! Just as I was so excited to tell others about Hudson the very moment he was born into the world, so you and I should joyously and unashamedly tell others about the New Life found in Jesus Christ alone!
Yet you and I (I’m in this boat too) fail in the mission, over and over and over again. We place other priorities over the priority of the one Great Commission we have all been given – the commission to GO!
So… If we have experienced this New Life, the new birth in Jesus Christ, then why don’t we GO? Should we go? If so, What’s the hold-up?
Christ’s Mission becomes Our Mission
In Acts 1:1-11 prior to Christ’s ascension, the state of the early followers, including the disciples, was much like that in which we find ourselves. Christ had risen from the grave, but they were still uncertain what their mission was to be. It was as if the battle plans had not yet been revealed to the soldiers. They thought, at that time, perhaps Christ was going to establish His earthly reign as the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant. Yet their surmising turned out to be off-base and when Christ ascended they stood frozen, gazing into the sky. It was as if they had missed the Commission altogether! But they had not, and tonight, neither are we… We are going to look at why we don’t go and what God’s mission is for us, His Church…
Please turn with me to Acts 1:1-11 to dig into this message about Christ’s mission… We were not commissioned to gaze into the sky, but to go as Christ’s witnesses into every corner of the earth.
Listen to the full audio message entitled “It’s Time to Go” (Acts 1:1-11) by simply clicking on the play button below or by subscribing to our iTunes podcast. This message was originally delivered at Evangel Baptist Church on Sunday evening, June 18th, 2011, during the kick-off service for our local teen mission program called Neighborhood Gospel Outreach.
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Stay on the Path
By Michael J. Breznau (audio sermon player below)
Staying on the path can be tricky business, especially when you are alone in surroundings that are dark, difficult, and potentially dangerous.
One late afternoon, I headed off to have time alone with just me, the mountains, and God… in the middle of Glacier National Park, MT. In my backpack I brought along just a few rations of food, a journal, my Bible, a headlamp, and a small survival kit. I hiked out from Logan’s Pass ranger station and out over the snowfields to the west, down a small valley, then up a ridge, then up another ridge where I could look down in the bright sunshine and see the surrounding peaks, and the way back to the Ranger Station. I had a great time reflecting on the summer of ministry, praying, and worshiping God.
As the sun began to quickly set below the ridges, the valleys soon flooded with darkness. I remember thinking, “hmmm… I should probably head back now before it’s really dark…. You know there are grizzly bears and hungry wolverines out here.”
But instead of realizing how dark it would become, I decided to stay up there on my picturesque ridge and enjoy the beautiful view of the stars…. Mmmm, not good. To make a long story a bit shorter, I nearly fell off two different cliffs trying to get back to the trail and I’m pretty sure I scared a bear of some kind along the way. Crazy…
Dark Days
We live in dark times. And God’s Word makes it clear that our surroundings and culture will only get worse and increasingly act out in depravity – in every form – in the days ahead. Yes, we are hopeful and prayerful for a spiritual awakening in the world.
Yet there is no mistaking it. When you and I walked out these doors, we are entering a world that is largely opposed to Christ and/or intentionally ignorant of God and His Good News. They don’t want to hear that sin deserves punishment. They don’t want to really be bothered by the notion of an eternity in either heaven or hell. They want to live their way and would be extremely irritated by anyone telling them what they are doing is wrong.
The path of following the way of Jesus is dark, difficult, discouraging, oftentimes lonely, and sometimes dangerous. Let’s face it. If we’re all honest with ourselves before God, we’ve all been tempted (many times over), to give in to the temptation to veer off the path. The advertisements to dive into “what everybody else is doing” are all around us. And they seem so enticing… so fun… so satisfying…so right now.
So how will we stay on the path… when the way is dark, lonely, and dangerous? This is the question we must face, just like the young follower and pastor, Timothy.
In Timothy’s day, wide-spread persecution against Christ-followers was rapidly mounting. The social climate across the Roman Empire had turned against Christianity – even the word “Christian” was used as a derogatory term for those who followed “the Way” of Jesus. The church in Ephesus was undoubtedly embroiled in the assaults and persecutions now sweeping across the region. In this extremely difficult climate, many people were probably being tempted to return to the old way of life or adopt a syncretistic blend of the “approved” Roman religions along with the way of Jesus. Can you imagine trying to pastor a young congregation with these sorts of issues?
For the young pastor, Timothy, it seems fear had begun to set in (2 Timothy 1:5-9). Life on the path of Jesus had become increasingly difficult. The spiritually weak, confused, and immature may have been exiting the faith and reneging on their commitment to Christ. Other leaders in the church at Ephesus may have started to pressure Timothy to veer off the path of the radical Gospel of Jesus Christ, because it was too risky, too dangerous, and Paul (the man who founded the church in Ephesus)… well, he was locked up in a tiny, dank prison cell in Rome. You can almost hear the fear and anxiety rattling around in Timothy’s head. The whole church may collapse. Total loss may come…
Therefore, Paul wrote to passionately exhort Timothy to remain firm in the faith, bold in the Truth, and confident in the power of the Gospel of Christ…. So that he would stay on the path.
The Bigger Idea…
It is interesting though, in Chapter 3 of Second Timothy that the main concern is not the social climate, but how Timothy will stay on the path of faith in Truth in the midst of a chaotic and difficult society….
The parallels are striking. Today, the social climate has turned against orthodox Christianity. To stand for the clear basics of God’s will on issues like sexuality, marriage, family, the sanctity of life, and the Gospel, is considered bad publicity and contrary to political-correctness. We currently have numerous elected government officials who have essentially laughed in the face of God’s Word when it comes to the parameters God has set for His gifts of marriage and sexuality. And many – even in the wider Church – have applauded them for doing so! The social climate has largely turned against God and His people.
Yet the real issue is not with what everyone else is doing, but with us. How will we stay on the path… when the way is dark, lonely, and dangerous? This is the question we must face, just like Timothy. So please turn with me to 2 Timothy 3….
Listen to the full audio message entitled “Stay on the Path” (2 Timothy 3:1-17) by simply clicking on the play button below or by subscribing to our iTunes podcast. This message was originally delivered at Evangel Baptist Church on Sunday evening, May 20th, 2012, for our annual High School Grad Night service.
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Invisible People
By Stephanie Anna Breznau
Once a week, my amazing husband watches the kids while I go out by myself for a few hours to run errands. I’m certainly blessed to have a husband who cares so much about me and enjoys helping with our kiddos.
Recently, on one of my excursions I decided to stop by our local Salvation Army. My goal was to get in and get out, and score a bunch of kid’s clothes for cheap. As I was perusing through old and dusty clothing, I heard right next to me, “Excuse me? Excuse me!”
I turned and there stood a little, elderly lady looking up at me. She probably only reached to my shoulders, thick glasses covered sparkly eyes, her white hair was covered in a tan scarf, and she tightly clutched her worn purse. I turned to her and smiled, asking how I might help her.
She smiled back and showed me a t-shirt with ducks on it – apparently it was from the Peabody Hotel. She asked me, “Have you ever been to the Peabody Hotel in Memphis?” I told her I had not and she continued on with her story of visiting the hotel, how fun it was (though expensive), and how she loved the duck pond in the lobby. I started noticing different ladies walking by, peering down their noses at her in disdain, perhaps at the volume with which she was telling her tale, or maybe at the old fashioned quality of her clothing. Although, at first, impatient to be interrupted from my search, God pricked my conscience that she was more important than any measly “deal” I was to find that day.
So I relaxed and decided to enjoy my conversation with her and she started to reveal more of herself to me. She talked about her fur and video tape collections, her daily trips on the bus, how her husband died years ago, and of living alone. After her short but eager vignette, she thanked me for listening to her, gave me a coupon for another nearby thrift store, and continued on her way.
Invisible people… I was reminded there are people like her everywhere, but to how many of them do I give the time of day? I want my heart to always be tender toward those who God puts in my path. I could have just passed her by, just like all the dusty clothing on the racks.
Instead, by God’s grace, Jesus opened my eyes to the hurting and needy around me. As I left the store that day I couldn’t shake this thought: I need to see the invisible people – the people Jesus sees and cares about even when no one else does.
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27)
Help me be like You, Jesus. Give me Your eyes so I can see the people that are invisible to everyone but You…
