E-pistle for September 8, 2006
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E-pistle
Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation September 8, 2006
"It Seemed Good to the Holy Spirit and to Us"
(Acts 15:28)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
A few years ago, the St. Louis Football Cardinals flew south to Phoenix. Millions
of dollars later, the Rams have trekked over the Rocky Mountains to fill the void in our
football fan's hearts . . . and in our empty, new stadium.
Football, perhaps as much as any other sport, illustrates the Biblical principle
submission. The word, of course, comes from Latin words combining the ideas
"to put" and "under." However, I'd like to suggest that submission also implies the
accepting an assignment which is a smaller part of the larger mission . . . as "sub-mission."
Football players illustrate this idea of sub-mission. Each man has an assignment
for every offensive play. Often the coach on the sidelines calls the play and the
quarterback relays it to the team in the huddle. When they break to go to the line of
scrimmage, the center knows whether he's pass-blocking or opening a hole for the
running back. The guards and tackles also know their assignments.
The tight end and wide receivers know whether they're blocking, decoying,
or running a pattern to catch a pass. The quarterback barks the snap count, knowing
whether he's scrambling, handing off, or passing. And the running back carries out
his assignment (his sub-mission) of running the ball, decoying, blocking, receiving,
or even sometimes passing.
The point is: every man is submitted to carrying out his assignment,
according to the play called by the coach and/or quarterback. These linemen,
receivers, and running backs are not sissy wimps being bossed around by some guy
who thinks he's Napoleon! They are functioning as a team, according to their
abilities and training . . . in the proper place, at the proper time, doing the proper task.
If each man carries out his assignment correctly, the play results in a touchdown,
or at least in gained yardage. Each submits to authority within the over-all structure of the
head coach's game plan. Some tasks are more glamorous than others. But it is essential
that each of the eleven men on the team does his part according to the coach's X's and O's.
Any Lone Ranger who runs around doing his own thing soon finds himself cut from the
squad, carrying his suitcase toward the nearest bus station.
Christian ministers and churches could learn some vital
lessons from this football team analogy.
Consider my text, Acts 15:28. "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us."
Pastors and churches, the order of submission is absolutely essential. First, it
seemed good to the Holy Spirit. Second, it seemed good to us.
The history of the churches at Jerusalem and Antioch, and of their ministers
Barnabas, Saul, Simeon, Licius, Manaen, and even John Mark, clearly illustrates
the Biblical principle of submission.
Barnabas is named as one of the original leaders of the Jerusalem church.
Alone, he had trusted and sponsored into the church fellowship their former deadly
enemy, Saul.
In Acts 11, believers were scattered throughout the world following Stephen's
martyrdom and subsequent persecution. Some Christians fled to Antioch, where
their evangelistic outreach produced a great number of new converts to the gospel.
News of the Antioch church's existence came to the Jerusalem church. Barnabas
was sent to investigate. He saw God's grace at work there, and he encouraged them to
continue. Many more people were added, so Barnabas brought Saul from Tarsus to
serve as co-pastor of the Antioch church.
After a year's ministry, the Antioch elders sent a special relief offering by
Barnabas and Saul back to the famine-ravaged church at Jerusalem. Following their
mission, they returned to Antioch, bringing with them John Mark, nephew of Barnabas.
The Antioch church continued to grow. Soon (Acts 13:1-5) the congregation
was led and served by a team of five prophets and teachers, in addition to the "intern"
John Mark. This pastoral team included Barnabas (apparently still the senior pastor),
Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul.
"As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, 'now separate
to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' Then, having fasted
and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." Acts 13:4,5.
So it was that Barnabas and Saul launched their first missionary journey,
accompanied by John Mark, Acts 13:4,5. Note that they were "called out" and "sent
out" by the Holy Spirit. The initiative was entirely God's; not the minister's, and
not the church's.
Barnabas and Saul . . . and all the other Antioch Christians . . . were under
submission to the Holy Spirit. They responded immediately and graciously to the
Spirit's call to His "sub-mission."
Contrast the reaction of the Antioch church with some fairly typical reactions
we hear today when a minister announces his resignation to accept another place of
service. Things haven't changed much since 26 years ago when I resigned my
position on a local church staff to come to the Christian Civic Foundation (now Freeway
Foundation). I heard these four attitudes expressed. Three are improper and
unworthy; the last one is proper and worthy.
1. "YOU DON'T LOVE US ANYMORE!" Some folks feel as rejected as an
unloved spouse, deserted for a younger more attractive person. Their
response is: since you don't love us anymore we hate you too!
Barnabas and Saul's leaving didn't mean their love had died. In fact,
I'm sure they loved them more than ever before. Humanly speaking,
they hated leaving their friends in Antioch, but they were submissive
to God.
2. "WHY ARE YOU LEAVING THE MINISTRY?" Some folks think God-called
ministry included only senior pastors and foreign missionaries. Their
idea of a legitimate "call" stops where THEY draw the line . . . "our
kind of ministry activity; our little boxed-in vision." So, when a minister
leaves their small-minded definition of God-called ministry, that "deserter"
is judged to be a backslider, out of God's will. Barnabas and Saul no
longer functioned as settled pastors of a local congregation; rather
they worked as itinerant evangelists and church planters. But they hadn't
"left the ministry" . . . just submitted to the Holy Spirit's prompting to
minister in a different way in a different place.
3. "EVERYONE NEEDS TO BETTER HIMSELF AND HIS FAMILY: HOW MUCH
MORE MONEY WILL YOU BE MAKING?"
Some folks operate entirely with a human mind-set, making their decisions
strictly on the basis of worldly wisdom. They read into the actions of others
those motives which would prompt themselves. Or, they judge a minister's
move as a step up the ladder of success, a promotion . . . proving that he's
"materialistic."
4. "THE HOLY SPIRIT IS LEADING YOU; WE REJOICE!"
Folks with this attitude are a blessing and a joy. Barnabas and Saul were
blessed by the Antioch Christians who, with prayer and fasting, laid hands
on them and commissioned them to go out into the fields of service. That
early church recognized Barnabas and Saul's sub-mission to the Holy Spirit,
and the church also submitted to God's will with graciousness and love.
My prayer is that we ministers will take time to teach God's word and by example model
the great principle of submission. Someday, each of us will be called to leave our
present place of service for the Lord . . . either by Jesus' return, by death, by retirement,
or by a call to another assignment. May we always be submissive, and may we carefully
teach our people the true joy of "sum-mission."
Don't Worry About It!
(Matthew 6:25-34)
I. Concentration (Observation)
1. "Worry" translates a Greek word meaning "to divide into parts."
It suggests a distraction, a preoccupation with things . . . causing
anxiety, stress, and pressure.
2. The word "worry" is used 5 times in this passage (vv. 25, 27, 28, 31, 34).
3. This passage teaches that God is good, all the time, (Matthew 5:45)
4. It also teaches that spiritual things must have priority over physical ones.
II. Meditation: Christians should not worry because . . .
1. Worry is not necessary (26, 28-30).
2. Worry is not productive (27).
3. Worry is not having faith in God (30).
4. Worry is not Christian, but pagan (32).
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God,
believe also in Me." (John 14:1)
III. Revelation:
1. Rather than worry, we should seek God's kingdom rule first, (33).
2. Rather than worry, we should seek God's righteousness first, (33).
3. When we prioritize spiritual things, God promises to take care
of ALL our physical needs. (Philippians 4:19)
4. Since worry is unnecessary, unproductive, "un-faithness," and
un-Christian, I need to eliminate it from my life.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Focus my attention upon God's kingdom . . . His rule and will in this
world and in my life. I must find, follow, and fulfill His destiny for me.
2. Commit myself to being in right relationship and fellowship with God
and with my fellow human beings.
3. Relax in secure faith, knowing that God cares and provides for me.
4. See that worry is a serious sin against God, because it sacrifices
today's peace and joy for tomorrow's troubles and dangers, (34).
Mere Bible Study
Dr. Curt Scarborough
Do you spend at least 10 hours each week in private devotions?
Not in sermon preparation . . . not in studying to teach a Bible class . . . not in
planning to lead a seminar or workshop . . . not in outlining an agenda for a committee
meeting!
I mean, do you spend this much intimate time with the Lord: abiding and
communing . . . reading the Bible and meditating . . . praying and listening . . . hearing
and journaling?
A number of ministers have chosen to join me in the Spiritual Mentoring program
of the Pillsbury College & Seminary. They have covenanted with me to engage in MERE
Bible study, under my personal tutoring. Here's how this program works:
1. A minister enrolls in the Spiritual Mentoring track, agreeing to
spend a minimum of 10 hours a week in disciplined private
devotions under my guidance.
2. The goal is to develop personal and practical outlines and notes
on a selected portion of Scripture; for example, many have chosen
to focus on the 260 chapters of the New Testament within a twelve
month period. The mentoring partner will write on at least five
chapters each week, selecting a few verses in each chapter and
using a suggested simply outline.
3. Every four to six weeks, the mentoring partner will meet with me to
review the work, to compare spiritual insights, to discuss revealed
truths, and to sharpen each other's ministry skills. (Romans 1:11-12)
4. At the end of one year, the mentoring partner in this example will
have produced a 260 page personal and practical devotional
commentary on the New Testament to use in his preaching and
teaching, to publish as a book, to preserve and pass along to his
family, and to serve as a resource for mentoring others.
Contact Dr. Curt Scarborough for more information on this Bible study program or
concerning more studies available at Pillsbury College & Seminary.
You can email <a href="mailto:drcurt@pillsburycs.org" title="mailto:drcurt@pillsburycs.org">drcurt@pillsburycs.org or you can call 888-737-3392.
A little boy watched, fascinated, as his mother gently rubbed cold cream on her face.
"Why are you rubbing that on your face?" he asked.
"To make myself beautiful," said his mother.
A few minutes later, she began removing the cream with a tissue.
"What's the matter?" He asked. "Are you giving up?"
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