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God’s House

24 Mar
God’s House

We’re continuing through our study of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. We’ve been talking about how God has brought us all together in Christ.

Paul gives us more teaching.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household…

Ephesians 2:19 NIV

In this verse, Paul talks about the blessing that we’ve received as Gentiles in Christ. It goes beyond anything that could have been possible under the Law of Moses.

Ephesians 2:12 tells us that under the Law, we were foreigners to God’s covenant. We had no access to the promises of blessing given to Abraham.

But, in Christ we’re foreigners no longer. And he makes it even clearer. The word, aliens, in that verse, literally means a foreigner who lives next door to you.

That’s Good News to me as a Gentile believer. We’re not just “next door” to the promises. We don’t just get a little taste of God’s goodness. We’re all in.

Throughout Scripture, the Jews were called God’s people. There was always a distinction between them and the rest of the world. Now, that’s not the case in Christ. We’re now fellow citizens of the same kingdom.

We’re now a part of God’s household. That’s an important term. It’s not just family. You can be a part of the family and live far away. By using the word, household, it means we all live in the same house. You can’t get any closer than that.

At this point, it’s important to understand the house that we live in. In Christ, God created a new place of residence for all of us.

…built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

Ephesians 2:20 NIV

Here’s the foundation of everything we have in Christ. There are two parts to this foundation. First, are the apostles. I believe that Paul is referring to the ministry of the New Covenant. Everything is based upon the testimony and teaching of the early apostles.

But then, there’s also the side of the prophets. I believe Paul is talking about the prophetic writings of the Old Testament. That’s because the prophetic books speak more about the heart of God. As a Gentile, I’m glad that the Law is not a part of the foundation.

What we need to realize, however, is that these two sides of the foundation are not the most important parts. Christ Jesus, Himself, is the chief cornerstone. We need to understand that.

In ancient times, when a large structure was being built, they first needed a chief cornerstone. That was a block of stone that was a perfect cube. All of the angles had to be exactly 90 degrees. In that way they could line up all of the walls and know for sure that the building was level.

That speaks volumes to us as believers. Only in Jesus Christ do the Old and New Testaments have perfect alignment. I can’t possibly understand how to apply the Old Testament apart from the work of Jesus.

Too often, Christians try to set down a list of rules based on Old Testament Scriptures. What they end up with is a form of legalistic self-righteousness. Without an application of the work and teaching of Christ, I’ll be left with a dry, empty walk with God.

The Lord wants more for us than that kind of life.

In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Ephesians 2:21-22 NIV

His desire that that we walk by the spirit and not a set of rules. In that way, we can see consistent growth in our spiritual life. Along with that, the body of Christ as a whole is built up.

Question: Why does a spiritual walk bring more growth than following a set of rules?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on March 24, 2023 in Fellowship, Relationships, Spiritual Walk, The Church, The Gospel

 

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Unity in Christ

22 Mar
Unity in Christ

I’m currently talking about Ephesians, chapter 2. We’ve been looking at the peace that we have with each other in Christ. It’s the basis of our unity of the Spirit.

Paul explains why this peace was so important to Christ.

His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

Ephesians 2:15-17 NIV

Some people think that all Christ did on the cross was to take away our sin. Although that was a big part of it, Jesus did a whole lot more. This verse tells us another important aspect of the cross.

God’s purpose was to reconcile all of mankind to Himself. In order to do that, He had to do away with our hostility toward one another. He took all of that hatred with Him to the cross.

This is something that all believers need to come to grips with. All human hatred was put to death on the cross. Because of that, we are now all a part of one new body – the body of Christ on the earth.

When this verse was written, the biggest challenge was between Jew and Gentile. The Jewish people were called out by God as the conduit for the bloodline of the Messiah. Jesus Christ was born as a son of Abraham.

In Himself, Jesus had both sides of the covenant. He was both God and man. He was the perfect mediator to reconcile all of humanity to God. By doing this, He brings all people together under His Lordship.

He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Ephesians 2:17-18 NIV

This is the unity of the Spirit. Unity means oneness. We are all one in Christ Jesus. But that brings up some important points.

At one time I was attending some meetings in Texas. I got to meet with pastors from all over the USA. I remember one in particular.

She was a black pastor from the deep south. We had a good talk. I told her about my church, which looked like the United Nations on Sunday mornings. I asked what the different ethnic groups were in her church.

She gave me a strange look. Then she explained to me that where she comes from it doesn’t work like that. Sunday morning is the most segregated day of the week. Whites go to the white church, blacks go to the black church; and the same is true for Hispanics, Asians, Brazilians, etc.

Please hear me. I do understand that sometimes language and culture play a part in why certain groups will meet together. I’m fine with that.

However, there’s no excuse for allowing racial bias and prejudice to play a part in how we worship. As a matter of fact, I question whether you can truly be called a Christian if you’re prejudice against another group.

Listen to how the apostle John put it.

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.

1 John 2:9 NIV

John is clear that you’re not walking with Christ if you’re harboring hatred. That’s because Christ put that hatred to death on the cross. So, if you still hold on to it, you haven’t let the cross do its work.

John says it even clearer later on in his letter.

If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

1 John 4:20 NIV

We need to allow the Holy Spirit to work this unity in us. We must see ourselves as one with all who submit to Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.

Question: How does the unity of the Spirit affect your daily life?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on March 22, 2023 in Fellowship, Power of God, Relationships, The Church, The Gospel

 

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Jesus Christ is Our Peace

20 Mar
Jesus Christ is Our Peace

We’re continuing through the book of Ephesians. I’ve said that this letter starts the section of Scripture dealing with the church as the body of Christ. At this point Paul begins to dive into this subject.

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men) – remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:11-13 NIV

Here the apostle starts by pointing out the wall that existed between Jew and Gentile. He tells us that it wasn’t just a matter of semantics. There were physical differences.

It wasn’t just the labels of Jew and Gentile. You were either circumcised or you were not. That can translate into our world as well.

People have placed these invisible walls between blacks and whites, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, as well as a host of other “opposites”. This section of Scripture speaks to all of these issues.

Paul makes it clear that without Christ there was no hope of reconciliation. The gap between the two groups was too great for us to bridge in our humanity.

But now…everything changes in Christ. Because of the blood of the Lord, shed on the cross, we can come together. We have been brought closer to each other in Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.

Ephesians 2:14-15a NIV

This passage of Scripture is rich in meaning. It should be one that we memorize and apply daily. The truth is that Jesus Christ is our peace.

Now that’s a word we really need to understand. Too often when we read the word, peace in the Bible, we give it our modern definition. We think, peaceful, calm and quiet. That’s not what the Greek word means in this verse.

The main definition for this word, peace means that you’re not participating in a war. The secondary meaning is that there is harmony between individuals. It’s all about getting along with others.

This tells me that my ability to live harmoniously with others rests securely in my relationship with Christ. He is the peace between me and others. That’s especially true in regard to those who are very different than me.

That’s what being a part of Christ’s body means. I am in Christ. You are in Christ. Therefore, we are one. The color of our skin, our ethnicity, our experiences and our backgrounds don’t matter. God has made us one new person in Christ Jesus.

The fact is that in our humanity we were raised with many different biases. This verse calls them the dividing walls of hostility. Throughout my life, I’ve been taught to mistrust and look down on certain types of people. This is the baggage we all carry.

This needs to be laid aside at the cross. In Christ this “old man” needs to die. I now live as a new person. I am one with anybody who calls Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior.

Jesus took all the hatred and mistrust to the cross with Him. It was nailed there and now we can take on His peace. We can walk in unity with anyone who He brings across our path.

This is the true path to peace. It’s only found in Christ Jesus.

Question: How has your treatment of others changed since coming to Christ?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on March 20, 2023 in Fellowship, Power of God, Relationships, The Church

 

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In Heavenly Realms

10 Mar
In Heavenly Realms

Ephesians is one of those books that regularly gets misapplied. There are Scripture passages that get taken out of their context and bring frustration when they don’t work “as advertised”. I’m going to look at one of these in today’s post.

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus…

Ephesians 2:6 NIV

This is an incredible truth. Christ did the work, and now we have complete access to the presence of God. Here, the apostle Paul is continuing to show us the incredible work Christ accomplished for us on the cross.

I keep repeating the fact that this letter emphasizes how we’re to serve God corporately. My calling is not as an individual, but as a part of the body of Christ on earth. This is important to understand.

Unfortunately, this translation misses the point of what Paul’s saying here. Reading this in the Greek, it actually says that God raised us up TOGETHER, and made us sit TOGETHER, in Heaven, in Christ Jesus.

That’s a mouthful. I think it’s important that I’m not seated in Heaven with Christ, but I’m seated in Christ. That makes all the difference. Why is that? I’ll let Jesus Christ, Himself answer this.

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

John 15:7-8 NIV

There are many believers who simply think they can “claim” the manifestation of this position, without remaining in Christ. If you read all of John 15:1-11, it should be clear to you that remaining in Christ is not something that happens by default.

This level of walk requires a lifestyle of intimacy with Christ through the Holy Spirit. The more time we spend in the spirit, the more of His Word we retain inside of us. This is what elevates our walk into the heavenly realms.

However, there’s more to it than just that. There needs to be a corporate intimacy with the Lord. I showed that by highlighting the words, together.

As a matter of fact, when I read the words, made us sit together, I get flashbacks to my childhood. When my younger brother and I would get into a squabble, my parents would step in and discipline us. Then, they would make us sit or play together – whether we wanted to or not!

In the above verse from Ephesians, I see the Lord doing pretty much the same thing. He makes us sit together in Him. It’s not up to me who I fellowship with in the body of Christ. If it were, I might have chosen a whole different group to surround myself with.

That being said, now that I’ve come to know those who the Lord has called me to associate with, I’m very grateful for these relationships. I would have never experienced the growth and encouragement of being with people very different from my limited world view.

Now, as a part of the church of Jesus Christ (not a denomination), I can progress together with others of like precious faith. That’s an important part of our spiritual growth. It’s the goal of our daily walk with the Holy Spirit.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:14 NIV

Being seated in Christ is a calling – “Come up here.” It doesn’t just happen by accident. It’s the result of a life dedicated to seeking and obeying God’s voice.

Question: How intimate are your prayer times with the Lord?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on March 10, 2023 in Power of God, Prayer, Prayer in the Spirit, Relationships, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Church, Word of God

 

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Cells in the Body

06 Mar
Cells in the Body

We’re continuing to go through the letter to the Ephesians. My last post talked about opening the eyes of our mind to see what God was doing in us. We need the understanding that only comes from the Holy Spirit.

Now Paul continues with the blessings of a mature walk with the Lord.

…and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Ephesians 1:19-21 NIV

This is what happens when we’re seeking and walking in God’s plan for our lives. We begin to see His power at work in us.

I’m not talking about a little glimpse of something now and then. This passage talks about the all-surpassing power of God. It’s the same power that was manifest in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

He was dead and buried for three days. And, yet, by the power of God, Christ was raised back up to life again. That’s the power available to each one of us.

Not only did it bring the Lord up from the dead, but it seated Him in His original place on the throne of Heaven. Christ has the highest authority over the entire universe.

Paul makes that abundantly clear. He mentions pretty much every office of authority you can think of. He includes any name you can come up with. There’s no authority above that of Christ Jesus. That’s true not only right now, but forever into the eternal future.

The important thing is to understand what the Lord uses this great power and authority for.

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Ephesians 1:22-23 NIV

Here we see the reason for this victory. We have to realize that it wasn’t for Himself. He didn’t need it.

Before all things, Christ was the Creator and Owner of Heaven and earth. Everything was under His rulership. He didn’t have to do anything to be made the highest authority – He was all in all.

The reason Christ had to go to the cross was for us. Humanity was given authority when Adam was created. Then, in a grand act of foolishness, Adam surrendered that authority to Satan. Jesus Christ, in His love and mercy, went to the cross to buy it back for us.

Now, the Lord is not just Lord of all. He is Head over everything FOR THE CHURCH. That’s the important point which we cannot lose sight of. His whole purpose in redemption was to restore us to our rightful place in Him.

That’s why Christ calls the church His body on earth. This is what Paul is emphasizing in this letter. It’s about what God wants to do on this planet through the church. It’s not about what I am personally.

I am one cell in the body. It’s not all about me. It’s about us. It’s who we are supposed to be in the world. We are the body of Christ.

More than that, He has made the church full and complete in Him. I have to realize that truth. I can’t be complete in and of myself. I need to be connected to the body. Any cell that cuts itself off from the body will eventually dry up and die.

I want to be complete in Christ. That means there are two things I need to look at. First and foremost, how is my relationship with Christ? That’s what saves me and places me in His kingdom.

Then, almost as important, I need to check on my relationship to the church – the body of Christ on earth. That’s where I receive the power, authority, and life I need to be victorious.

Don’t ever lose sight of those two basic truths.

Question: What’s the strength of these two relationships in your life right now?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on March 6, 2023 in Ministry, Power of God, Relationships, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Pleasing God 101

27 Feb
Pleasing God 101

We’re continuing our walk through the Book of Ephesians. The emphasis is on our corporate walk as believers. Paul now focuses on the defining characteristic of the church in Ephesus.

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

Ephesians 1:15-17 NIV

There are some things that need to be reinforced as we read this letter. Too often we miss important truths because we don’t know the purpose of the Holy Spirit in His revelation of Scripture.

This book was not written to baby Christians. At this point in the development of the church, the Holy Spirit is getting to some deeper issues. With the Scriptural foundation laid down in the book of Romans and the infancy of the Corinthian church behind us, this letter assumes a more mature walk.

Paul is writing to a church that’s walking in faith and exhibiting a true love for the saints. This is what pleasing the Lord is all about.

That’s because faith and love are the two non-negotiable attributes in the kingdom of God. Why would I say that? It’s clear from God’s Word.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hebrews 11:6 NIV

Faith is more than just a head knowledge that God exists. You not only believe that He’s real, but that His way is the best way.

Of course, if you truly believe that God’s will is the right way to go, then you’ll seek it out. More than that, once you know His will, you’ll follow it wholeheartedly. That’s the only proof of a true faith in God.

That being said, faith alone is not enough.

…if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:2b NIV

This verse is talking about the agape-love needed in our Christian walk. This kind of love is not based in emotions. It has nothing to do with how you feel about someone.

This kind of love is a choice. It’s a commitment to treat people the way you would treat a friend. That’s the case whether you like them (emotionally) or not AND whether they’re present or not.

That means we don’t just treat them good while they’re standing in front of us. We don’t backbite and slander once they leave the room.

True love is a choice to walk with others in a way that positively affects their lives. It’s treating others the way we want to be treated.

Like I said, these are the two non-negotiable attributes. If you want to please God, you can’t just walk in one of these. You must have both faith and love operating in harmony.

It’s important to know that Paul was writing to a church that was showing the life of Christ in this way. Too often we want to “claim” every verse and promise we read in the Bible. Unfortunately, unless we’ve matured to a certain level, some Scriptures just don’t apply to us.

We’ll do well to remember this as we move forward in this book. Paul is writing to a church that’s beyond the baby stage of their Christian experience.

Paul was so impressed by their lifestyle that it became a part of his prayer life. Whenever he thought about the Ephesian church, he thanked God for the example of their faith and love.

That gives me something to think about. How do people see my life? Do they thank God for what they see in me? Or are they praying for God to change me and cause me to grow up? That’s a sobering thought.

We should all strive to be an example of godliness to those who are looking up to us. Allow God to have His way in bringing these qualities out in your life.

Question: To what extent does your life exhibit the faith and love that pleases God?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on February 27, 2023 in Faith, Relationships, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Ephesians Begins

10 Feb
Ephesians Begins

I recently finished my series on the Gospel of Luke. I have been systematically going through the New Testament in the order that the Holy Spirit revealed it to the church.

I started with the four foundational books – James, First Thessalonians, Galatians and Mark. The next thing on the Holy Spirit’s agenda was to inspire books that dealt with our personal walk with the Lord. These books include Second Thessalonians, First and Second Corinthians, Romans, and Luke.

After that, the Lord gave us books dealing with our corporate walk. We need to understand life as a church. These epistles are Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.

The end of the book of Acts finds the Apostle Paul standing trial at Rome. This was his first Roman imprisonment. It seems that he had his own apartment while under house arrest.

It was during this time that these books were written. They are also called the prison epistles. It probably gave Paul a lot of time reflect on what it means for the body of Christ to be a living organism. We are not just a social organization.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:1-2 NIV

It’s always important to see how these writings begin. It tells us what to expect and who it’s written to. So often we don’t apply Scripture correctly because we lack this knowledge.

Paul makes it clear who he’s writing to. He addresses this letter to the holy and faithful in Ephesus. We need to understand this.

At this point, the Holy Spirit inspired books that gave a foundation for the faith. He then gave books that taught us how to live out our personal walk with Christ. Paul is assuming that the readers are applying these principles.

So often we read Ephesians and simply try to “confess and claim” all of the wonderful promises it contains. The sad thing is, we don’t realize that there needs to be a foundation of faithfulness before we can walk in the truths of this book.

I need to know how to walk faithfully before God as an individual before I can begin to walk faithfully with others. I think that’s where many problems originate in the church. I don’t know how to walk rightly before God, so it breaks down my relationships with fellow believers.

The next thing I see is Paul pronouncing a blessing over them. He prays grace and peace upon them in the Lord.

Grace is the Lord’s favor upon us in response to our faith. We trust Him, and even though we don’t deserve it, God blesses our lives.

Peace is another important concept. The Greek word used here comes from a root that means to join. It’s the word we use as the opposite of war. You need at least two people in order to have peace. Paul will explain this to us further on in his letter.

As we go through this letter, we’ll learn a lot about God’s grace and peace to us. Of course, we’ll also learn about the spiritual war that we’re a part of. Hopefully you’ll come along with me on this journey.

Question: How does your personal walk with God affect your relationship with others?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on February 10, 2023 in Faith, Fellowship, Relationships, The Church

 

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The Burdens of Christ

18 Jan
The Burdens of Christ

We’re continuing through the Gospel of Luke. As we do, we’re now at the crucifixion of the Lord. This is one of the most important events in all of history.

But, before He ever went to His cross, Jesus told us that we each need to carry our own cross. What does that mean to us? I believe that the events surrounding His crucifixion, give us some insights.

As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

Luke 23:26 NIV

The first thing we see is that in His weakened state, the Lord was physically unable to carry the full weight of His cross. So, a man named Simon was made to carry it.

Nobody volunteers to carry a cross. He had to be forced to do it, and it wasn’t even Simon’s cross.

We may not want to do it, but carrying our cross is a choice every believer has to make. It’s a daily decision. It’s not some situation that we find ourselves in.

I’ve heard some women say about their husband, “You’re my cross that I have to bear.” That’s absolutely not what’s meant by carrying the cross. It’s all about a daily choice to deny the flesh and follow the leading of the Spirit.

However, there’s more to the story that we need to see.

A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ‘

For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

Luke 23:27-31 NIV

This section of Scripture shows the compassion of Jesus Christ in a powerful way. The Lord is too weak, physically, to carry His cross. Someone else has to bear the weight for Him.

Yet, at the same time, we see Him spiritually strong enough to bear the burdens of others. There are crowds of people following Christ to the place of His execution. Jesus looks at them and shows His concern for them.

Any other person in that place would be worried about themselves.

“I’ve got my own problems. Yes, weep for me. Show me your support of what I’ve done. Encourage me to do what I have to do.”

But, through all of this, Jesus shows that His focus is not on Himself. He’s doing this for others. For the crowd watching, as well as for you and me. He showed in this instance that there was no self-centeredness in His makeup.

He looked at these women and had compassion on them. He saw their future. Israel was going to be attacked and destroyed. All of its people would be scattered across the world. He was bearing the burden of that knowledge.

We need to follow his example. Yes, there are things we’re going through and battles that we’re fighting. But that doesn’t excuse us from ministering to the needs of others.

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2 NIV

We’re not told to help others only when everything’s going great for us. That’s not the example Christ laid down for us. We’re to help one another even when it’s not convenient.

Allow the Holy Spirit to work through you. Let Him strengthen you, not only for your trials, but in order to be an encouragement to others.

Question: How have you helped others while going through your own trials?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on January 18, 2023 in Ministry, Relationships, Spiritual Walk

 

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Leading by Serving

26 Dec
Leading by Serving

What do you think is the best path to leadership in the kingdom of God? There was a principle of leadership that Jesus had to get across to His disciples. After all, they were going to be leading the church after His ascension.

We’re continuing our study through the Gospel of Luke. At this point we’re viewing the Last Supper before Jesus goes to the cross.

Christ wants to prepare the Apostles for the challenges ahead. Part of this was to instruct them about the cross. He was going to suffer, die, and then rise from the dead three days later.

The Lord had given them the bread and the cup of the New Covenant. He then told them about how He was going to be betrayed. That’s an interesting place for this conversation to begin.

As they were sitting around the table, the disciples started to debate something among themselves. I’m sure that it got pretty heated.

Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.

Luke 22:24 NIV

This argument probably started with, “It’s obviously not me. I would never betray Him. After all, I’m closer to the Lord than any of you!” I’m sure that Peter, James, and John all thought that they were at the top of the list. That is, until Jesus shared His views with them.

Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.”

Luke 22:25-27 NIV

The Lord explains that the true path to leadership is through servanthood. That’s something that we have a hard time grasping in the church these days.

Jesus is our prime example. The disciples were arguing over who was greatest, right after Jesus told them about His body and blood being given up for them.

He is the Lord of all creation. But the path He took involved laying down His life – serving – all of humanity.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:5-8 NIV

I think that it’s funny the way we get into leadership in our generation. If someone wants to be a pastor or teacher, they go to a Bible college and seminary for years. Then they graduate and send their resumes to churches. A lot of them will get voted in and installed as pastors having never served in ministry.

I think that’s why there’s such a high burn-out rate in the ministry. We haven’t learned that the path to knowing your calling is service in the kingdom. Without being a true servant, there’s no way of understanding the needs of those you’re leading.

That was the path that Christ took. It hasn’t changed. The Father is looking for qualified servants to lead His people. Don’t ever look down on that season of your life. Enjoy your call to servanthood.

Question: How are you called to serve in God’s kingdom?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 26, 2022 in Leadership, Ministry, Relationships, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Watch for Stumbling Blocks

16 Sep
Watch for Stumbling Blocks

We’re continuing to study the Gospel of Luke. We’re now starting chapter 17. Jesus makes a comment that many people think is just a random exhortation.

That’s because of the way our Bibles were put together. Remember, originally there were no chapters and verses. They were added later to make it easier to find things. This is one of those places where they mess things up.

Jesus is continuing His same thought from chapter 16. He has just told the story of the rich man and Lazarus. This comment refers to that story.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves.”

Luke 17:1-3a NIV

The phrase, things that cause people to sin, actually means things that cause offense. It means things that could possibly trap you in anger and bitterness.

Going back to the rich man and Lazarus, we can see the connection. Everyday Lazarus was placed at the rich man’s doorstep. Everyday, Lazarus watched the lavish lifestyle that was lived out in that house.

Everyday he longed for the scraps that were carelessly thrown away, but he was denied from getting them. This means that everyday Lazarus was given an opportunity to be offended and become angry and bitter at God.

These offenses are not isolated incidents. By His language, the Lord makes it clear that they will come upon us regularly. Like it or not, you will be given the opportunity to be offended. It’s how you handle that temptation that matters.

Sometimes this word, offense, is translated as a stumbling block. The rich man was probably oblivious to the fact that he was laying down stumbling blocks, everyday, in the path of Lazarus. The implication is that Lazarus had to watch his attitude everyday.

That’s why the Lord said we need to watch ourselves. I don’t think Jesus is talking about us watching out to not offend people. He offended multitudes. His focus is that we don’t pick up bitterness and anger when given the opportunity.

“If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.”

Luke 17:3-6 NIV

The disciples were having a hard time with this. The Lord taught that if someone offends you seven times in one day, you must still forgive them. That means you have to release any bitterness and anger against them.

The disciples tried to sound holy to get around it. “We don’t have enough faith for that yet!” Jesus made it clear that you don’t need faith, you only need obedience to His word.

It’s good to see that the Apostle John grabbed hold of this truth. He wrote about it in one of his letters.

Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.

1 John 2:10 NIV

If you walk in the love of Christ, then you’re walking in the light. This verse literally say that in that case, you have no offense – no stumbling blocks – inside you.

We need to live free of bitterness. Release your offenses to God. Walk in forgiveness, the same forgiveness that was shown to you on the cross. Only then can you walk in the peace and joy of the Lord.

Question: How free are you from offense and bitterness?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on September 16, 2022 in Faith, Relationships, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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