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Songs for Sunday, January 26, 2025 @ Christ Community Church

Sunday’s coming, and that’s good news!

Have y’all ever gotten something stuck in your mind that you just couldn’t get unstuck? Of course you have – everyone has experienced this at some point and time. For me, it is the key verse from John’s sermon last week, Romans 12:15:

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

It’s simple. Straightforward. Clear. As John explained to us, this verse is really only four words in the Greek, essentially “rejoice — rejoicers, weep — weepers”. We, those of us who are saved and have been adopted into God’s family and grafted into His church, are to be there for our brothers and sisters, hurting when they hurt. That’s what family does, right? It should especially be so in the family of God.

As I have pondered on that verse (really simmered or stewed like a crockpot), it has had me thinking on why it is to be this way. And essentially, I have arrived at the conclusion that it stems from us extending grace to others as Jesus has extended grace to us.

One Scripture that came to mind is from the Sermon on the Mount right after Jesus gave us what we call “The Lord’s Prayer”. Look at Matthew 6:14-15:

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

This is not saying that we earn God’s forgiveness by forgiving others. If that were the case, we’d have no hope because humanity as a whole is not a forgiving people but rather quite selfish and self-serving. No, what Jesus is saying here is that the way we forgive is based on how we have been forgiven. If we understand that our sin put us at odds and enmity with Jesus and that He reconciled us to Himself and showed us love while we were still sinners, we will have an appreciation for that love and forgiveness that will show in how we forgive others.

This isn’t some theory on my part or some great epiphany. Jesus explained it similarly to Simon the Pharisee after the woman came in and washed Jesus’s feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with costly perfume. When Simon (and Jesus’s own disciples) were critical of the woman’s wastefulness with pouring out very expensive perfume on Jesus’s feet, Jesus told them that the woman’s sins “which are many” had been forgiven which was why she “loved much”, and He clarified that the one who has been “forgiven little, loves little” (Luke 7:47).

If you are saved, you know that you have been forgiven MUCH because your sin — no matter how the world might view it — is a LOT, and definitely more than our sinless Savior should’ve had to bear on the cross. We deserve the cross, not Jesus. We deserve death, not Jesus. But because of His great love and richness in grace and mercy, He forgave much, loved much, and gave much. That kind of forgiveness, love, and grace changes folks’ lives. If you are saved, you have received this from Jesus and cannot help but extend it to others.

Simon didn’t get it. He thought he had some earthly status as a Pharisee. But when you look at the other gospels, you get, as Paul Harvey would’ve said, the rest of the story. Matthew 26:6 doesn’t call Simon a Pharisee; there he is referred to as “Simon the leper”. You don’t have to read a lot of the Bible to know that folks typically kept their distance from lepers. They were considered unclean. Folks would walk on the opposite side of the road to keep from touching one. They surely wouldn’t touch one, much less go to his house for supper. Long story short, Jesus wasn’t at Simon’s house to honor him but because Jesus had compassion on those no one else did. Jesus was a friend to sinners. He ate with tax collectors. He showed compassionate care to those the world had thrown away. No one was lining up at Simon’s door because Simon was unclean, untouchable, and unmistakably ostracized from society. Yet he looked at that poor woman weeping at Jesus’s feet and had the audacity to remark how pitiful it is that Jesus would let her touch Him (when anyone passing by could’ve remarked how pitiful it was for Jesus to go in Simon the leper’s house).

Simon didn’t get it.

Do we?

That woman had received a lot of grace because she’d committed a lot of sin.

That woman had experienced greater love from God who not only forgave her sin but would go on to die on the cross her sin deserved.

That woman had reason to weep sorrowfully over her sin against a holy God but had more reason to weep out of rejoicing that her sin was wholly forgiven by God and show love to Him in return.

What about us? Do we get it?

Look at how Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God.

God has shown us grace and comfort because He loves us. We have the opportunity to show that grace and comfort to others. And this is sorely needed in a world today that seems like the rejoicing is getting more seldom and weeping is ever increasing.

Thankfully, Sunday’s coming. There is a coming Day when Jesus will return and gather His people to Him. The last tears of sorrow will be cried and wiped away by His nail-pierced hand. Death will be abolished. The sad things of this earth will come untrue. As the old hymn says, “What a Day — glorious Day — that will be!”

Until that day, we will gather and read God’s Word, sing God’s Word, and hear God’s Word preached. That’s what we’re singing about this Sunday: telling what Jesus has done for us. And as we do so, we will have brothers and sisters who are rejoicing about this or that. Rejoice with them. Assuredly there will be those with much to weep about. Weep with them. You have been given much grace and love. Christ Community family, it’s time to extend that grace and love to others.

Won’t you gather with us?

Here are our Scriptures & songs:

  • Scripture | Titus 3:1-7 —

1Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

  • Scripture | Galatians 6:14 —

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

  • Scripture | Revelation 1:17-18 —

17When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

I’m Thankful for God’s Forgiveness — Gratitude & Hope Challenge | November 12

These verses are a beautiful picture of God’s forgiveness and are good reminders for those who are saved to see what the “free gift of eternal life” is in light of the “wages of [our] sin” (Romans 6:23). We are going to briefly unpack these verses, and Lord willing, you will be moved to be thankful as well.

“He does not deal with us according to our sins nor repay us according to our iniquities.” This is a beautiful example of the otherness of God. I know that term sounds weird, but when we talk about God, it is important to remember that He is not like us. This otherness is really linked to His holiness, meaning that He is entirely set apart and above us in His worth, splender, and perfection. God is God, and we are not. 

Human beings deal with each other according to their sin and iniquity. If someone has wronged us or someone close to us, it is likely that we will forever treat them differently because of it. Even if we forgive, we are quick to let folks know we won’t forget. If we catch someone in a lie, they will forever be defined as a liar (even though we have been guilty of the same). The sin is a defining point for us because we don’t want to fall victim of it again. Yet God does not deal with US that way. 

That “us” is very important here because it is a distinction from how others are dealt with. This is not the us v. them where we make ourselves to be righteous (Romans 3:10-12). No, this is referencing the difference between those who have believed and put their faith in God and have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9) and those who have not (John 3:18). He does not deal with “us” according to our sin because Jesus has paid for our sin (1 Peter 2:24). Our sin does not define us because He defines us based on our relationship with Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; Romans 8:1). 

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him….” Here we see the otherness of God again. This is literally the 6,000 mile view, one that God sees easily from His vantage point that we might struggle with from ours. 6,214 miles above our vantage point is when the earth stops being the earth; that’s literally how high the heavens are above the earth. God’s steadfast love – His never-stopping, never-failing, never-giving-up, everlasting love – is astronomically greater than our human hearts can fathom or feature (Isaiah 55:8-9). 

This qualifies the “us” from the last section because the “us” is made up of those who fear the Lord – those who follow and worship Him, those who have been saved by Him (Psalm 25:12-14). It also builds on the last section specifically because it shows that God not only has decided not to “deal with us according to our sins or repay us according to our iniquities” because He has paid the penalty for them (2 Corinthians 5:21) but did this because He loves us (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:4-5). This love is foreign to us because in our sinfulness we want to repay evil with evil, sin with sin (Matthew 5:44-45, 1 Peter 3:9). God is different. He loved us and saved us from our sin when we were still in it – when we still deserved death and hell; that “demonstrates” how much higher His love is than ours (Romans 5:8).

“…[A]s far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.” I love the contrast of imagery between the atmospheric levels of love in the last section and the global stretch of His forgiveness in this one. It is really cool to see how God specifically created the earth in such a way that it illustrates this, too. If His love requires a 6,000 foot view, His forgiveness requires understanding of what infinity is. You see, if you set out westward here on earth, you will go infinitely west. West will never start being east, and vice versa. God infinitely removes our sin from us. It is gone. Period. Finito. Over with. It is finished.

When Jesus forgives, He can allow Himself to forget because when He saves us He will not lose us. The eternal life He gives is, well, eternal. The change He produces in people’s lives is continual because it stems from His love and faithfulness, not ours. So, He doesn’t have to deal with us “according to our sins” because they have been infinitely removed. They have been paid for and we cannot repossess them. He has the receipt and is not taking returns. 

This is good news. It is nearly incomprehensible for us because we know the weight and evil nature of our sin (Psalm 51:3-5, Jeremiah 17:9). Yet He loved us and became the propitiation (wrath bearing sacrifice that trades the punishment due our sin for the favor due His Son) for our sin (Romans 3:23-25; 1 John 2:1-2, 4:10). 

What about you? Have you experienced the forgiveness of God? Will you stand before Him and have Him see Jesus’s blood and righteousness or stand before Him in your sin? 

Thank You, Lord, for offering forgiveness and salvation through Your Son Jesus.

Thank You, Lord, for Your astronomical love and the way you help us to see what You have done for us.

All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).

This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!

I’m Thankful for My Wife — Gratitude & Hope Challenge | November 6

I’m thankful for my wife!

I say this a lot, but it is because I am blessed. Much to my regret, I have not always realized this and took it for granted for too long. Lord willing, I won’t forget — or let her forget it!

This passage from Genesis 2 is when Adam awoke from the sleep God put him in and saw his bride for the first time. I love the phrase “at last” there because it communicates the worthiness and excitement that comes with his declaration. He had named all the animals and there “was not found a helper fit for him” (Genesis 2:21).

At last God parade something in front of him worthy of him. If you’ll forgive the pun, Adam’s reaction was “Woah, man!” He was excited and happy to meet his bride. It was a match made in Eden.

I can still remember the first time I laid eyes on Candice. I can remember the glint of the sun on her hair on the afternoon I asked her to marry me. I remember seeing her on our wedding day when the doors of the church opened. And I get to look over to my left and see my beautiful bride right now as I type this. Woah, man, I’m blessed!

If you are blessed to have a wife, let her know. It doesn’t hurt to do it on social media, but it is best to be done regularly and rightly in person. Recognize how God has blessed you with her, thank Him for giving her to you, and thank her for putting up with you as well!

Lord, thank you for Candice. Thank you for letting me spend every day with my best friend and for waking me up to realize the gift you have given me in her. Let Keri, Xander, and me tell her often that we love her and show her more than we say it. Help others who are reading this to be thankful for their wives, too, and move their hearts to tell their wives they are thankful as well as showing them. Amen.

All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).

This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!

Daily Wisdom Challenge — Proverbs 25

When I was reading through Proverbs 25, these verses jumped out at me because they highlight something of the nature of appetite and desire – and moderation. Essentially, too much of a good thing can be bad or bad for you.

Honey, for example, is a good thing. Everyone doesn’t have a sweet tooth, but think about how much a little honey can enrich something. Back in the time in which this was written, honey would have been a rare commodity. One would have to find a bees’ nest and be willing to risk being stung to get it. But to add it to food or drink would have been lovely and special.

Too much honey or sugar and your body gets out of whack. Too much for too many days and years and your body will stay out of whack. Gorging yourself on food and eating until you are ready to pop may seem like a good thing, but when it comes to the point where you are vomiting it up, the sweet becomes bitter and terrible. 

It is the same way with glory. Man, it feels good when glory get heaped upon you – when you have done something well and others know it. There is something about being noticed for something you have done really well at that is, well, sweet. The problem with our sin nature is that we can begin to crave that recognition and glory in the same way that one’s sweet tooth can cause them to crave desserts. Gorging on glory works different because you cannot make people recognize and heap praise on you, so you have to do more and more in order to be noticed. But when you call up glory for yourself it is not the same; as v. 27 says, it just is not glorious.

The only thing in the universe that we will never get our fill of is Jesus. The more we know Him, the sweeter the relationship is. You cannot gorge on Jesus because He is infinitely sweet and eternally good. Seek Him heaps glory upon Him and leaves none for us, but we won’t notice because the more we know Him, the more we want to make Him known. Making Him known is glorious and sweet.

For the month of October, we are answering the challenge John Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS, laid out — the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Each day, we are going to read through a chapter of Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month.

This fits with what we have studied in Colossians, specifically Colossians 3:1-2, namely that we should seek “the things that are above, where Christ is” and set our minds like a thermostat “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Imagine what a month meditating on God’s Word daily can do for us.

Won’t you join us on this #DailyWisdomChallenge and set your minds on Christ?

Daily Wisdom Challenge — Proverbs 20

For the month of October, we are answering the challenge John Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS, laid out — the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Each day, we are going to read through a chapter of Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month.

This fits with what we have studied in Colossians, specifically Colossians 3:1-2, namely that we should seek “the things that are above, where Christ is” and set our minds like a thermostat “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Imagine what a month meditating on God’s Word daily can do for us.

Won’t you join us on this #DailyWisdomChallenge and set your minds on Christ?

One of the greatest joys I have had while walking through the Proverbs in this #DailyWisdomChallenge is finding little gospel nuggets like Proverbs 20:6. I have to remind myself, still after years of knowing Christ and studying His Word, that learning Him is not an academic exercise or wisdom for wisdom’s sake (Ephesians 4:20-21). No, time spent in study of God’s Word is time spent with Him. And as we walk through it, Old Testament or New, it is Jesus we know more and more.

Proverbs 20:6 does not directly point to Jesus, but He is such a stark contrast to this rhetorical question that He appears. Before the question of “a faithful man who can find?” comes a statement: “Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love…”. That word translated “steadfast love” here is the Hebrew word hesed (or chesed depending on your pronunciation). It, like the NT word agape is used throughout the OT to describe the great love of God – His never failing, never giving up, eternal love that He has for His people. This is where the contrast comes in: the proverb states that there are “many” men who are proclaiming their own “steadfast love”. 

I don’t know about you, but any time I go to proclaiming my excellence or how good I have something or can do something is right about the time that I am humbled (or humiliated). For many to profess their own steadfast love is recipe for a letdown. That is the reason for the question about who can find a “faithful man”. 

Human beings are not capable of “steadfast love” on their own. Our love is all too often the opposite of steadfast. If agape is “unconditional love”, our human love is conditional. Sadly, our love for our own selves outweighs our love for others. Our love for comfort outweighs love for others. Our love for our own honor and what we deserve or feel entitled to outweighs our love for others. I could keep going, but I am guessing you get the picture. 

The “steadfast love” of God is different. He is kind of defined by His “steadfast love” as it is part of the way He introduced Himself to Moses in Exodus 34:6 – that He is a God who is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness”. We see that identity solidified in the NT in 1 John that “God is love” (1 John 4:8) and that He shows us His love by sending “His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him” (1 John 4:9). His love motivated Him becoming the “propitiation” – the wrath-bearing atoning sacrifice – for our sins (1 John 4:10). And, if we are to be capable of that kind of love it is because “He first loved us” (1 John 4:19)!

You may have experienced hurt from someone who proclaims love for you and disappoints. It’s a pretty common thing. People fail at this, even people who have experienced the saving love of God in Jesus. You may have been – or are now – at a point when you found yourself asking like Proverbs 20:6 who can find “a faithful man”. Rest assured, Jesus is the “faithful man”! He described this great love Himself on His last night with His disciples before He was crucified for our sin: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down His life for His friends” (John 15:13).

Thankfully then, in Jesus we can turn the question in Proverbs 20:6 into a definitive declaration of God’s love and faithfulness. God proclaims His own steadfast love, and He is truly faithful!

Appendix III — Bible Passages Condemning Practices Related to Chattel Slavery and Modern-Day Slavery/Human Trafficking

Old Testament

  • Exodus 21:16 commands that anyone who kidnaps and sells a person, and anyone found in possession of the kidnapped person, is to be put to death. This law underscores the seriousness with which God views the crime of human trafficking and abduction, ensuring severe consequences for those involved.

16 “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.

  • Leviticus 19:18 instructs to avoid seeking revenge or holding grudges against fellow Israelites but instead to love them as oneself, emphasizing the principle of love and justice grounded in reverence for the Lord.

18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

  • Leviticus 24:17-22 establishes principles of justice and accountability for both Israelites and foreigners. It mandates capital punishment for murder and restitution for harm caused, following the principle of “life for life” and “eye for eye.” This passage emphasizes the equality of law and justice before God, ensuring fairness and protection for all within the community.

17 “Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death. 18 Whoever takes an animal’s life shall make it good, life for life. 19 If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him. 21 Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, and whoever kills a person shall be put to death. 22 You shall have the same rule for the sojourner and for the native, for I am the Lord your God.”

  • Deuteronomy 22:25-29 outlines laws concerning sexual assault and rape in ancient Israel. If a man rapes a betrothed woman in the open country, he is to be put to death, and the woman is not held responsible. This law emphasizes the severity of the crime and protects the victim’s innocence. If the woman is not betrothed, and she is raped, the perpetrator is required to marry her, pay her father compensation, and is prohibited from divorcing her. This law aims to ensure the victim’s welfare and dignity in a society where women’s security and honor were paramount concerns.

25 “But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. 26 But you shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no offense punishable by death. For this case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor, 27 because he met her in the open country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help there was no one to rescue her.

28 “If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found, 29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days.

  • Deuteronomy 24:7 specifies that anyone found kidnapping a fellow Israelite and treating them as a slave or selling them is to be put to death. This severe punishment is mandated to remove such evil from the community, underscoring the value of human life and the prohibition against human trafficking or slavery among the Israelites.

7 “If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the people of Israel, and if he treats him as a slave or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

  • Job 31:13-15 reflects Job’s commitment to justice and fairness towards his servants. He declares that if he has ever denied the rights or mistreated his male or female servants when they brought a complaint against him, he would have no defense when God judges him. Job acknowledges that both he and his servants were created by the same God, implying that they deserve equal respect and fair treatment.

13 “If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when they brought a complaint against me, 14 what then shall I do when God rises up? When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him? 15 Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?

  • Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven things that the Lord hates and considers an abomination: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are quick to run to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and someone who causes strife among brothers. This passage highlights behaviors and attitudes that are contrary to God’s righteousness and promote harm and discord among people.

16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, 19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

  • Micah 2:1-2 pronounces a woe upon those who plot evil and carry out wicked deeds, particularly those who covet and seize property, oppressing individuals and their families. The passage condemns those who exploit their power and wealth to unjustly take away the possessions and inheritance of others, highlighting God’s judgment against such actions.

1 Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil on their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in the power of their hand. 2 They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away; they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.

New Testament

  • 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 warns that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. It lists several behaviors that are incompatible with God’s kingdom, including sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, theft, greed, drunkenness, verbal abuse, and swindling. This passage underscores the importance of living a life that aligns with God’s standards of righteousness and warns against practices that lead away from His kingdom.

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

  • Galatians 3:27-29 teaches that those who have been baptized into Christ have clothed themselves with Christ. It emphasizes that in Christ, distinctions such as Jew or Greek, slave or free, and male and female do not define one’s standing before God, for all believers are united as one in Christ Jesus. Furthermore, it affirms that if believers belong to Christ, they are also considered heirs according to God’s promises made to Abraham, highlighting the unity and inheritance shared among all who are in Christ.

27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

  • Galatians 5:19-21 outlines the works of the flesh, which are evident and include various immoral behaviors and attitudes such as sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and similar actions. The passage warns that those who persist in such behaviors will not inherit the kingdom of God, underscoring the importance of living a life characterized by the Spirit rather than indulging in sinful desires.

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

  • Ephesians 5:3-5 instructs believers to avoid sexual immorality, impurity, and covetousness, emphasizing that such behaviors should not even be mentioned among them, as befits those who are holy. The passage further warns against filthiness, foolish talk, and crude joking, which are inappropriate for followers of Christ. It emphasizes that those who persist in such sins, including covetousness (which is equated with idolatry), will not inherit the kingdom of Christ and God, underscoring the seriousness of maintaining moral purity and reverence in one’s conduct.

3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

  • 1 Timothy 1:8-11 affirms the goodness of the law when used rightly, emphasizing that it is intended for those who are lawless, disobedient, ungodly, sinners, unholy, and profane. He lists various specific sins that the law addresses, including those who strike their parents, murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and others who act contrary to sound doctrine. This is aligned with the gospel of the glory of God entrusted to Paul, highlighting the law’s role in addressing sinful behaviors and upholding righteousness in accordance with God’s standards.

8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

  • James 5:1-6 delivers a scathing rebuke to the rich who have amassed wealth through unjust means. He warns them of impending judgment and calls them to repentance, highlighting how their ill-gotten gains have led to the oppression of the poor and deprived laborers of their just wages. He condemns their luxurious and self-indulgent lifestyles, contrasting it with the righteous who suffer under their unjust actions, noting that their actions bring condemnation upon themselves.

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

  • Revelation 18:11-13 depicts the lament of the merchants over the fall of Babylon, a symbolic representation of a corrupt and oppressive worldly system. The list of goods they mourn includes luxurious items and commodities, notably including “slaves, that is, human souls,” highlighting the extent of exploitation and commerce in human lives within this condemned system.

11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.

Appendix II — Bible Passages Discussing the Release of Slaves

Old Testament

  • Exodus 21:2 states that when a Hebrew slave is purchased, they are to serve for six years, and in the seventh year, they are to be released without payment, enjoying freedom.

2 When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.

  • Deuteronomy 15:12-18 outlines the regulations concerning Hebrew slaves. A Hebrew man or woman sold into servitude is to serve for six years, and in the seventh year, they are to be released with provisions and not sent away empty-handed. If the slave chooses to remain with their master out of love and loyalty, their ear is pierced as a sign of lifelong servitude. This law emphasizes compassionate treatment of slaves, reflecting God’s redemption of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

12 “If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. 13 And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed. 14 You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. 15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. 16 But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is well-off with you, 17 then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever. And to your female slave you shall do the same. 18 It shall not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for at half the cost of a hired worker he has served you six years. So the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do.

  • Leviticus 25:10 institutes the Year of Jubilee, occurring every fiftieth year, when liberty is proclaimed throughout the land for all its inhabitants. During this year, each person returns to their ancestral property and clan, highlighting God’s provision for restoration and freedom.

10 And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan.

  • Nehemiah 5:1-13 recounts Nehemiah’s response to a crisis among the Jews where some were forced to mortgage their properties due to famine and pay heavy taxes. Outraged, Nehemiah confronts the nobles and officials for exacting interest from their own people and enslaving their fellow Jews. He calls for justice, urging the return of seized properties and the cessation of oppressive practices, ultimately securing a commitment from the assembly to rectify their wrongs before God.

1 Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. 2 For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.” 3 There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.” 4 And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them 8 and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say. 9 So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? 10 Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. 11 Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” 12 Then they said, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised. 13 I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

  • Isaiah 61:1-3 declares the mission of the anointed servant of the Lord. He is empowered by the Spirit to bring good news to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to captives, and release those imprisoned. This passage foretells God’s plan for restoration, comfort, and transformation, symbolized by exchanging mourning for joy and despair for praise, ultimately glorifying the Lord through the transformation of His people.

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

  • Jeremiah 34:8-22 recounts how King Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem initially made a covenant to proclaim liberty to their Hebrew slaves, fulfilling the commandment to release them after six years of service. However, they later reneged on this covenant and enslaved them again. God rebukes them through Jeremiah, emphasizing that their actions profaned His name and broke the covenant made when He delivered their ancestors from slavery in Egypt. As a consequence, God declares impending judgment, including war, famine, and captivity by their enemies, as punishment for their disobedience and injustice.

8 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to make a proclamation of liberty to them, 9 that everyone should set free his Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should enslave a Jew, his brother. 10 And they obeyed, all the officials and all the people who had entered into the covenant that everyone would set free his slave, male or female, so that they would not be enslaved again. They obeyed and set them free. 11 But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves they had set free, and brought them into subjection as slaves. 12 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 13 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I myself made a covenant with your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, saying, 14 ‘At the end of seven years each of you must set free the fellow Hebrew who has been sold to you and has served you six years; you must set him free from your service.’ But your fathers did not listen to me or incline their ears to me. 15 You recently repented and did what was right in my eyes by proclaiming liberty, each to his neighbor, and you made a covenant before me in the house that is called by my name, 16 but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your slaves.

17 “Therefore, thus says the Lord: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, declares the Lord. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. 18 And the men who transgressed my covenant and did not keep the terms of the covenant that they made before me, I will make them like the calf that they cut in two and passed between its parts— 19 the officials of Judah, the officials of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf. 20 And I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their lives. Their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth. 21 And Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials I will give into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their lives, into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon which has withdrawn from you. 22 Behold, I will command, declares the Lord, and will bring them back to this city. And they will fight against it and take it and burn it with fire. I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant.”

New Testament

  • 1 Corinthians 7:21-24 advises bondservants (slaves) who become Christians to not overly concern themselves with their status, but if they have the opportunity to gain freedom, they should take it. Whether free or enslaved, they are encouraged to live for the Lord, recognizing that they belong to Christ and not to human masters. The passage emphasizes spiritual freedom in Christ as paramount, regardless of one’s earthly circumstances.

21 Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 24 So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

  • Philemon is a personal letter from the apostle Paul to Philemon, a Christian in Colossae. It addresses the return of Philemon’s runaway slave Onesimus, whom Paul had converted to Christianity during his imprisonment. Paul appeals to Philemon to receive Onesimus back, not as a slave but as a beloved brother in Christ, urging Philemon to forgive him and treat him with kindness. The letter demonstrates Paul’s advocacy for reconciliation and equality among believers, regardless of their social status.

Appendix I — Bible Passages Discussing the Treatment of Slaves or Servants

Old Testament

  • Exodus 21:2-11 gives regulations concerning Hebrew slaves: they serve for six years and are released in the seventh year. If a slave chooses to stay with his master, his ear is pierced as a mark of lifelong servitude. It also addresses the treatment of female slaves, ensuring their rights and dignity are protected within the household of their master.

2 When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. 3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out alone. 5 But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever.

7 “When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. 8 If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has broken faith with her. 9 If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter. 10 If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. 11 And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.

  • Exodus 21:20-21 specifies that if a slave dies immediately after being struck by their master, the master is to be punished. However, if the slave survives for a day or two, no punishment is required, as the slave is considered the master’s property.

20 “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. 21 But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.

  • Leviticus 25:39-46 distinguishes between Hebrew servants, who must be treated as hired workers and released in the Year of Jubilee, and foreign slaves, who may be owned as property and passed down as inheritance. It emphasizes humane treatment of fellow Israelites and prohibits harsh rule over them, reminding the people to fear God in their dealings.

39 “If your brother becomes poor beside you and sells himself to you, you shall not make him serve as a slave: 40 he shall be with you as a hired worker and as a sojourner. He shall serve with you until the year of the jubilee. 41 Then he shall go out from you, he and his children with him, and go back to his own clan and return to the possession of his fathers. 42 For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves. 43 You shall not rule over him ruthlessly but shall fear your God. 44 As for your male and female slaves whom you may have: you may buy male and female slaves from among the nations that are around you. 45 You may also buy from among the strangers who sojourn with you and their clans that are with you, who have been born in your land, and they may be your property. 46 You may bequeath them to your sons after you to inherit as a possession forever. You may make slaves of them, but over your brothers the people of Israel you shall not rule, one over another ruthlessly.

  • Deuteronomy 15:12-18 distinguishes between Hebrew servants, who are to be treated as hired workers and released in the Year of Jubilee, and foreign slaves, who may be owned as property and passed down as inheritance. Israelites are commanded not to treat their fellow Hebrews harshly but to remember that all are servants of God.

12 “If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. 13 And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed. 14 You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. 15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. 16 But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is well-off with you, 17 then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever. And to your female slave you shall do the same. 18 It shall not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for at half the cost of a hired worker he has served you six years. So the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do.

  • Deuteronomy 23:15-16 commands that escaped slaves seeking refuge among the Israelites must not be returned to their masters. Instead, they are to be allowed to live freely among the Israelites in whatever place they choose, and they must not be oppressed or mistreated.

15 “You shall not give up to his master a slave who has escaped from his master to you. 16 He shall dwell with you, in your midst, in the place that he shall choose within one of your towns, wherever it suits him. You shall not wrong him.

  • Deuteronomy 24:14-15 commands fair treatment of hired workers, emphasizing that they should be paid promptly because they rely on their wages. Failure to do so is considered a sin before the Lord.

14 “You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns. 15 You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is poor and counts on it), lest he cry against you to the Lord, and you be guilty of sin.

  • Proverbs 22:16 warns against oppressing the poor to gain wealth or showing favoritism to the rich, asserting that such actions will ultimately lead to poverty.

16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.

New Testament

  • Ephesians 6:5-9 instructs bondservants to obey their earthly masters sincerely and with reverence, serving as if they were serving Christ himself, not out of mere external performance but from the heart. Masters are urged to treat their bondservants with fairness and kindness, knowing that they too have a Master in heaven who shows no partiality.

5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

  • Colossians 3:22-4:1 exhorts bondservants to obey their earthly masters wholeheartedly, not for appearance but with sincerity, as if serving the Lord Christ. It emphasizes that both bondservants and masters are accountable to God, who judges impartially. Masters are urged to treat their bondservants justly and fairly, recognizing their own accountability to their heavenly Master.

3:22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

4:1 Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

  • 1 Timothy 6:1-2 instructs bondservants to honor their masters, especially if their masters are believers, to avoid bringing dishonor to God’s name and teachings. They are encouraged to serve diligently, recognizing the mutual benefit and respect in their relationship.

1  Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. 2 Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.

Teach and urge these things.

  • Titus 2:9-10 advises bondservants to be submissive to their masters in all things, aiming to please them and not engage in arguments or theft. They are encouraged to demonstrate good faith, thereby reflecting the teachings of God our Savior in their conduct.

9 Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

  • 1 Peter 2:18-20 instructs servants to submit to their masters with respect, even when treated unjustly. Enduring suffering for doing good, rather than for wrongdoing, is regarded as commendable in God’s sight.

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

Songs for Sunday, July 31 @ Christ Community Church

Here are our Scriptures and songs:

  • Scripture | Psalm 30 —

1 I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3 O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
you restored me to life from among those who
go down to the pit.

4 Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.

6 As for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I shall never be moved.”
7 By your favor, O LORD,
you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.

8 To you, O LORD, I cry,
and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
9 “What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me!
O LORD, be my helper!”

11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

  • Scripture | John 1:9-14 —

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

  • Invitation/Preparation for Lord’s Supper | Behold the Lamb (Communion Hymn) —
    Scripture References / Inspiration for the Song: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 1:29, 1 Peter 1:19, 1 Peter 2:24, Revelation 13:8, Isaiah 53:5-7, 1 John 1:9, Ephesians 2:4-9, Ephesians 4:1, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Colossians 3:14, 1 John 1:7, Psalm 51:1-2, 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18, Luke 9:23-27, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, Philippians 3:10

If you have not been gathering, consider gathering with your church family again. We have a 10:00 Bible study where Jamie Harrison is walking us through the book of Revelation. If you are at-risk, this Bible study would be perfect for you so you can spread out (and even dip out the side door before the 11:00 worship gathering begins).

Thinking on Loss, Burnout, & Gospel Recovery

Disclaimer – This post is filled with feelings of lost. Understand that if you are looking for typical JKH writing, this is not it. This is dealing with intense feelings and will likely be updated as these feelings continue to be dealt with.

This morning, I woke up with high expectations for today. An Uber was scheduled to pick my family up from our hotel and take us to Passion City Church in Atlanta, GA; from there we would take in our first Braves game. It has been a beautiful day filled with laughter and sunshine. We heard a riveting example of John 1:14 at church. We shared in ridiculously large pieces of pizza and great tacos. Then, about halfway through the game, I was confronted by the enormity and finality of loss.

If one could add together the analogies of the feelings of being hit by a freight train and having one’s train derailed, you might get close to what loss feels like. And, as jarring as mine was, there are family members and friends much closer to the friend I lost than I, and my heart goes out to them. I pray for them in the aftermath of this loss that they will continue to feel more and more through the next few days, months, and years.

I had not talked to this friend more than in a few passing conversations on Facebook in a few years. Every time we saw one another, we embraced and were thoroughly glad to see each other. I kept up with him through social media. He did the same with me. Again, passing messages and participating in each other’s social media presences was the limit to our interactions for a few years.

We knew each other well when I was youth pastor at Duck Hill Baptist and he was a youth. We spent hours together each week. We talked about the Bible, movies, books, food, and life. We experienced joys together, and we experienced hurt and loss. When he was in trouble during his high school years and on through early adulthood, he knew he could call me and did when he needed me. We stood in ditches together with backward-facing cars in tall weeds. We stood together when parents arrived after the wrong place and time had been experienced. We rode together after vehicles had broken, even after our friendship began to feel a bit more distant. Then, he grew up, and I left Duck Hill. He grew up, and time and distance grew us farther apart.

I have reflected a lot on those years spent at Duck Hill, wondering where I went wrong. So many of those youth went their separate ways, and friendships began to become distant as well.

I was burned out at the end of my time there and did not realize it until I fully burned out in Picayune, moving back here hoping to leave ministry behind for good. There were so many battles fought during those Duck Hill years, so many foolish idols taking center stage instead of what was important. In the past, angrily, I have pointed the finger so many places, but the only blame I can place is on myself for being sidetracked by the idolatry of others and creating idolatry of my own. The fight initially took my focus, but I made it my focus all by myself. And a lot of kids I was responsible for discipling took on the fight themselves and lost a little in the effort.

God graciously redeemed my burnout and lit a fire in my heart that was never truly there in those Duck Hill years. I get to do all of the things that I actively did during those years. I get to lead worship, get to disciple, get to preach and teach the Word. But I do not get to fight any more. God has allowed me to get to make contact with many of those former youth from that era, including the friend that I lost. And I have gotten to reflect with some of them on how I feel like I failed them. But, now, I am thankful to begin to see how God has redeemed even my burnout. I am thankful I got to share that with my friend while he was alive.

I cannot un-live my past. But, praise God, He is redeeming my present and holds my future. I cannot un-lose my friend. But I can redeem the time I have with my friends.

If you are reading this and you were a youth when I was a youth pastor, I want to share with you what I was too foolish to understand then. I was never meant to be your primary example; I was supposed to point you to Christ. I was not supposed to be a role model of works-based theology but a living embodiment of preaching the grace of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone.

I find my older, present-day self thinking more and more of the value of Paul’s writings in 1 and 2 Corinthians, namely these two passages that follow here.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31:

“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’”

During those years at Duck Hill, I pridefully built up a workaholic persona that was “wise according to worldly standards” but foolish according to God’s. I prided myself on how much of the Lord’s work I could do in my own strength only to find out that the Lord deigned sometimes to bless my work with His strength and all of the other times I wasted by showing works over grace. I boasted how much closer to God I was than those who touted their idolatry only to make an idol of the fight itself. Thankfully, he has allowed me to be broken to the point of realizing that I am only “in Christ Jesus” because of His grace, mercy, and love. I no longer want to boast in my strength because “what is weak” has shamed me. I no longer want to boast in my wisdom because foolishness has shamed me. I want my only boast to “boast in the Lord” and Him alone.

The second passage is Jesus’ words to Paul (and what Paul learned through the experience), recorded in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:

“But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

I cannot go back and undo my past. And I do not need to. My weakness, foolishness, and, yes, even my failures have been a proving ground for the grace of God. He has proven that He is enough while I am not.

It is tempting to make a plea to reach out and help those who I may have led astray following my early pastoral example. But my strength now is still weakness. But, praise be to God, I can rejoice in the words of Christ – that His grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in weakness. Rather than pointing you to me for more foolhardy examples, I point you to Christ and boast in Him. I pray you are able to find Him.

If you are reading this and have no idea what I am talking about, that is okay, too. Sometimes I get to write to get my feelings out because it is the only way I can. This is one of those times. I pray that God can use this foolishness for His Kingdom.