Why Are There So Many Different Churches?

Pastor Jim French

St. Luke's Cambridge

pastor.jim.137@gmail.com

One of the most frequent objections to the Christian faith is the seeming lack of unity. Why are there so many different “flavors” of Christianity? Why can't Christians who preach peace and love seem to get along?

These are all very valid questions, and admittedly the history of the Christian Church is a tarnished one. People professing to represent Jesus Christ have committed some unspeakable acts. Historically the Church has rarely (if ever) met the standards Jesus expects of his Church and unfortunately today's Church is no different.

Christians in all walks of life have a responsibility to be an example to the world. Jesus says that we are to be the light of the world and we are to represent him to a broken and hurting humanity. Jesus was/is perfect and without sin, but the same cannot be said of his Church. His Church is made up of imperfect people who make mistakes (who sin) and fall short of his standard. Because Christians are imperfect humans we sin and sometimes do the very things Jesus has told us not to!

There have been many (too many) church splits in the past 5 centuries. But the wonderful thing I see is that God is bringing his people together – uniting them as one people (John 17:21) as we put aside the less important issues that have divided us for centuries. Although we may disagree on our preferred worship or music styles and other minor issues, most importantly we are united under the headship of Jesus Christ. There is much more that unites us than divides us because we agree on the basic tenets of faith: The Trinity; The Inerrant Word of God (The Bible); The virgin birth of Jesus Christ; his sinless life; his sacrificial death on the cross for our redemption; his resurrection from the dead; and Jesus as the only means of salvation. These truths are the truths that bind us together as Christians.

The Church is filled with sinners who know they need a Savior. We are not perfect, just forgiven. For those of you who have at some time in your life been hurt by the Church I ask your forgiveness. We are flawed people who sin and make mistakes. Please do not blame or turn away from Jesus because of the imperfections of his people. If you want to see the perfect Christian life don't look to me or any other Christian – look only to Jesus Christ. He is the only one who ever lived the perfect Christian life.

Pastor Dick Brookes

Coila Church: Cambridge, New York

dickbrookesusmc@gmail.com

We live in a world of multiple choices. Think about food: Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Indian… Or how about

music: classical, country, jazz, rap…Or a favorite football team: Jets, Giants, Patriots, Broncos… Living in a free society allows us to pick what we like and not deal with what we don’t like. And all of us have our preferences. It stands to reason that the same would apply to churches.

For most people the questions usually asked are:

1. What’s the pastor like? Is he/she interesting to listen to? How long are the sermons?
2. What’s the music like? Is it contemporary or traditional? Is it too loud? Is it any good?
3. What are the people like? Are they friendly/accepting/judgmental?
4. What do they have for children and teens?
5. And perhaps most important – what do they believe? In particular what do they believe about _________ (you fill in the blank).

If you study the history of any or any denomination, you will find the reasons why it was founded. In the protestant tradition, churches/denominations were often founded because there was a need for “spiritual renewal.” In other cases, people found a particular issue – like Baptism, or the “right” form of church government – that became an issue. In many of these instances the question revolved around a particular interpretation of the Bible – or particular passages in the Bible.

In my 40 plus years of ministry I have watched churches “split” over issues of doctrine, practice, or particular issues; and in many instances a pastor has left one church and taken with him a group of people to form another “better” church.

For those who observe all of this, the question is often raised, “Why can’t these Christians get along with each other? I thought they were supposed to love each other and be united in what they believe?”

I believe there are some legitimate reasons for a “new” or “different” church to be started.

1. There are times when a specific doctrinal understanding in the Bible becomes so important to a group of Christians, that they cannot remain in a church that does not affirm that doctrine. An example might be the issue of Baptism. Should people be sprinkled or immersed? Should infants be baptized or dedicated?

2. There are matters of practice. This usually has to do with the interpretation and application of Biblical truth. For example: should a divorced person serve in a position of church leadership? Can women be ordained to ministry as a senior pastor?

3. There are matters of ministry. Should a church be built for believers or to attract non-believers? Does preaching Biblical Doctrine build a church or does a more “seeker-sensitive” approach reach more people? Should a church grow by planting churches, or should it simply keep getting physically larger so that it can become a “full-service church?”

Then there are some illegitimate reasons for starting new churches.

1. The Personality Trap

When a pastor becomes popular, he often gains a following who believe he can do no wrong. If he gets too much opposition in one setting, he can take the “faithful” with him and start another church. This is never healthy!

2. The Angry Response

I know of churches that started because a conflict got so heated that one side decided to leave and start a “new work.” Rather than seek to reconcile, or even part ways after trying to resolve the conflict, this type of situation is motivated by anger, resentment, and often outright hatred.

3. Immaturity

Similar to number one above, there are young, charismatic pastors who have a great popular appeal, but have neither the knowledge nor the experience to justify the large following they have. When this type of pastor starts a church, it is usually very superficial and will in time develop monumental internal problems.

Jesus said, “I will build my church…” and one of the marvels of that promise is that He chose to use fallible human beings to do so. In the final analysis, local churches come and go – you can’t go back to the Mediterranean Basin and find any of the churches Paul planted; but you can go virtually anywhere in the world and find God’s people meeting together as “the church.” Sometimes it is in large mega-churches and sometimes it is in secret cells or small groups, but God continues to use US to do His work in His church.

As the saying goes, “If you are looking for the perfect church and find it – don’t join it – you might ruin it!!” The fact is, there are no perfect churches and since there ARE a lot of them; find the one that best suits you and become a part of it – who knows; perhaps you’ll make it better!!

All of us struggle at one time or another with the questions of life. Who am I? Why am I here? Where is God when it hurts? In the monthly series “Pastor's Forum” your local Cambridge pastors answer some of life's most challenging questions from a Christian perspective. You can read earlier Pastor's Forum articles at http://pastorsforumcambridge.blogspot.com/.

Why Did God Allow Jesus To Be Punished For Our Sins?

Pastor Jim French

St. Luke's Cambridge

The Bible teaches us that when Jesus was nailed to the cross at Calvary, God placed the sins of the world upon him. Every sin that was ever committed; every lie, every murder, every rape that every occurred, God placed the penalty for that sin upon Jesus. In God's eyes, it was as if Jesus had committed each of those sins personally.

How could God do such a thing? How could he place the sins of the entire world on one single man? Is God some kind of sadist that he would torture Jesus for things he didn't even do? If God is a God of love how could he do that?

On the surface God's punishment of Jesus for our sins looks grossly unfair. There seems to be an apparent contradiction between God's love and his punishment. However we need only dig a bit deeper to resolve this apparent conflict.

To fully grasp Jesus' work on the cross we must first understand that Jesus is God. Although we cannot understand it, God has existed from all eternity as 1 God in 3 persons. God the Father is God, Jesus is God and Holy Spirit is God. Each person of the Trinity, although an individual is completely and totally God.

Jesus, as God, willingly, even joyfully accepted his mission on the cross. He chose to come into his creation and die on the cross to free us from our sins. God the Father did not punish Jesus for something he did not do, but rather Jesus chose to take our sins upon himself. God, in the person of Jesus Christ, chose to become sin for us and die to pay for our sins. His act upon the cross was an act of great mercy and love as he allowed sinful man (us) to crucify him.

Pastor Dick Brookes

Coila Church: Cambridge, New York

Most of us have a fundamental understanding of justice which usually works like this:

If you break a law, you need to:

1. Be found guilty for breaking the law.
2. Receive punishment for breaking the law.

We first learned this as children. When we disobeyed our parents, we were confronted by one or both parents, told what we did; then we were usually given a chance to either defend ourselves or apologize; then we received some sort of punishment.

When we are children, we spend a lot of time being “disciplined” because it seems that we are “good” at breaking the rules. The goal, of course, is to teach us the fact that breaking the rules has consequences, and when we grow up; those consequences are bigger than a spanking, not having dessert, or going to our rooms. Consequences for adults who face legal system can involve a lot more including large fines, community service, or even time in jail or prison.

The same is true in our relationship to God. God has established a standard by which we are to live. This standard is based upon his own character. The nature of God’s character is called “Holiness.” Or to put it in human terms – “God has no moral imperfections at all.” That is the basis upon which God established the “Law.” The reason God says, “Thou shalt not steal.” is nor because “not stealing” is a good idea and benefits society; but because God is not a thief.” When we disobey the law, we offend the character of God.

The problem we have, is that we are incapable of being HOLY - living our lives without any moral imperfections. In fact, quite often when we fail to keep the law, or find ourselves to have a moral failure, we often respond by saying: “Well, nobody’s perfect!!” That is certainly true, but the reality is, that is what God expects! When people come to realize that God’s expectation for us is “moral perfection,” the natural response ranges from frustration to desperation – “What HOPE do I have of ever being acceptable to God, if He requires me to be morally perfect? I can’t do it!!”

If we were in a room with a 20 foot ceiling, and I told you that you would receive 1 million dollars if you could jump and touch the ceiling, what would you do? You might jump in the air for fun, but basically you would say, “That’s not possible. Why should I even try.”

Meeting God’s standard of HOLY LIVING is impossible. In fact, not only is it impossible to live a Holy life on our own, it is impossible to “think” as a Holy man or woman. The reason is the reality of sin in our lives.

The good news is that before God even created the universe, He knew that this problem would exist. He decided to provide a solution to it. He would send his Son to be found guilty for all or our sin, and then receive the punishment for our sin (death) so that anyone who would put their faith in what Jesus Christ did for them, would be found NOT GUILTY, and their sentence to DEATH would be removed. This is the heart of the Christian Gospel. What we could not do for ourselves, God did for us. Jesus Christ was found guilty on our behalf and took our punishment so that we might no longer be condemned by God.

The first eight chapters of the book of Romans give a detailed account of this truth. I commend it to your reading.

All of us struggle at one time or another with the questions of life. Who am I? Why am I here? Where is God when it hurts? In the monthly series “Pastor's Forum” your local Cambridge pastors answer some of life's most challenging questions from a Christian perspective.

Why Do Christians Say Jesus the Only Way to God?

Pastor Dick Brookes

Interim Senior Pastor

The Coila Church

It sounds arrogant, doesn’t it – “Jesus is the only way to God!” So let’s get right at it!

“I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus speaking in John 14:6

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Peter speaking about Jesus to the Jewish leaders. Acts 4:12

Here’s the problem – no other religion provides a solution to the basic human problem. It doesn’t matter how GOOD people appear to be, eventually everyone has a dark side and it usually gets discovered. As a pastor, I can tell you about funerals I have performed for “wonderful people” – except for the stories their children and spouses told me or what the person who had died had already told me.

Someone once said to Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God!” Luke 18:18-19

Most people believe if they are good enough God will accept them, and usually being religious, or sincere, is the measuring stick they assume God will use. But Jesus made it clear, the goodness is not defined on human terms, it is defined by the very character of God – in other words – moral perfection!

So here’s the question: are you GOOD ENOUGH according to God’s standards? If you’re honest, you will say, “Well, of course not, no one is perfect!” And you would be right.

So how do imperfect people become acceptable to a perfect God?

The answer is – someone else has made a way for you to be made perfect in the sight of God. When Jesus died on the cross, he died for you and your imperfections. All those things you have thought and done which you know are wrong, but you always hoped no one would ever find out about – God already knows about them. And He will hold you and me accountable for all of them. But when Jesus hung on the cross and died – he took all of your imperfections – what the Bible calls sins, - and he took them to the grave, and then left them there when he rose again.

The best other religions can do is make you look good on the outside for a while; but eventually the guilt and emptiness will return. God says, “Place you faith in My Son, and what He has done for you and I will accept what HE did on YOUR behalf. “Everyone who calls on the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved.” Romans 10:13

You can do that RIGHT NOW!!

In Christ’s service,

Pastor Dick Brookes

Interim Senior Pastor

The Coila Church

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pastor Jim French

St. Luke's Church

jim.french.137@gmail.com

Aside from being controversial, this is one of the most important of Jesus' claims. If Jesus really is the only

way to heaven everyone needs to know! But with all the different religions in the world how can Christians possibly claim that their way is the only way?

The first thing we need to understand is the claim to be the only way to heaven came directly from Jesus' lips. HE said HE is the ONLY WAY. In John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me.” And in John 10:9 he says, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” These claims to exclusion (to be the only way) are what Jesus said. The reason that Christians believe that Jesus is the only way to obtain salvation is because he said so!

But why would a loving God be so narrow minded as to make only one way to heaven? The simple answer is that only one path is sufficient (only the God/man Jesus can pay the penalty for our sins because only a perfect God/man could do so) and since Jesus restores our relationship with God he is the only path that is needed. (If you have built a bridge strong and wide enough to accommodate all who want to cross the river, why build another?)

As Pastor Dick stated so well in his article, Christianity is the only religion that solves our problem of separation from God. It's the only religion that provides forgiveness for our sins. Most other religions rely on “doing good” or being “good enough” to get to heaven. But that begs the question: “How much “good” do you have to do to qualify? How good is “good enough” to gain acceptance into heaven? The Bible says that “...all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.” (Isaiah 64:6). Even our best works fall short of God's standards.

Jesus is the only way to heaven because only God is able to solve the problem of our sin. Christianity is the only religion where the God's great love provokes him to enter into his creation and become a part of it to save us. You see, it's God's work that reconciles us to Him, not ours.

That's why we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ for our salvation, because only his perfect work on the cross is our bridge across the river.

Pastor Jim French

St. Luke's Church

jim.french.137@gmail.com

Does God Send Natural Disaster?

Pastor Dick Brookes

Interim Senior Pastor – The Coila Church

There is no doubt that the Biblical record provides numerous references to natural disasters that God did send as judgment against sin – the flood of Noah’s day and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah are perhaps the two that most people can quickly think of.

But are ALL natural disasters “sent by God?” That is a more difficult question. Many of the examples of God sending destruction on earth were with a specific cause and effect intent – i.e. man sinned…God sent judgment. However, not all such events are “clearly” sent for such purposes. Scripture does not teach that EVERY tornado, hurricane, or earthquake; are to be signs that sin is being judged.

We are told that when human history reaches its end, there will be an increase in catastrophic activity as a sign that we are reaching the end of human history. In Romans 8:19-21 we are told that all of creation was thrown “off kilter” by the sin that entered the world in Genesis 3; and that the “groaning” of the universe for a day of restoration is the undergirding theological principle behind what we understand as “natural disasters.” The created universe is in many ways like a newborn child. At times it is beautiful and a great joy to experience; but every once in a while it’s selfish, willful side erupts and we realize that even our beautiful child has been affected by sin – so too the creation when it “let’s off steam.”

The “nagging” question however, is not whether God sends natural disasters, but how we find God in the midst of them? Where is God when a classroom of children is wiped out by a tornado? Where is God when a flash flood wipes out part of a family? Where is God when a tidal wave rips through Bangladesh? Where is God when a drought devastates part of a continent?

As a young pastor, I tried to provide answers to these questions. Now after 40 years of ministry, I realize how foolish I was to try and how infinitely incapable I am of answering these soul searching questions that demand a response, and yet yield no satisfactory answers – at least within the limits of our own human understanding.

The closest I can come is to say that somewhere between the magnificent nature of God that is BEYOND our ability to understand, and the unfathomable value of what it means to be a human being created in the IMAGE OF GOD lies insight which provides hope.

Hope for lost victim who have an eternal future which outweighs any pain they may have suffered here. Hope that provides those of us who remain that the goodness and holiness of God will overshadow whatever our limited understanding could grasp. And hope that in Jesus we find the bleeding, dying savior who is our ultimate source of identity when pain and sorrow take us to the brink of despair.

“What a friend we have in Jesus. All our sin and grief to bare.” –are not empty words; but the truth of a foundation upon which we can rest all of our unanswered questions and deepest sorrows.

Acts of God?

Pastor Jim French

St. Luke's Church

jim.french.137@gmail.com

When a tornado or an earthquake or a hurricane strikes it's natural to ask “Why God? How could a good God do this? Is this God's judgment?” Sometimes we even refer to natural disasters as “Acts of God” blaming Him for occurances that elude our understanding.

I've heard it said that Hurricane Katrina was God's judgment upon New Orleans for its sin and corruption. Indeed, with every new disaster we hear rumblings of God's judgment. Is God a God of judgment? Yes, the Bible makes that very clear. However, there is something else going on here.

I believe that natural disasters are not necessarily God's judgment upon the earth, but rather creation's reaction to the sin of humankind and God removing his hand of protection from us. The Bible tells us that mankind was given dominion over the earth through Adam and when he sinned not only did he and Eve fall, but all of creation fell too. “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it [Adam], in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” (Romans 8:20-22 ESV) There is a spiritual connection between the earth and humanity and with the increase of sin in the world, the earth reacts, often violently.

For hundreds of years the United States has received God's grace and protection because we were founded as a Christian nation built on Christian values. In the first 150 years of our existence we blessed and honored God in nearly every area of society. But in the last 50 years we have told him to leave our government, our schools, and our public forums and he has complied. God gives us free will and he will never violate it. So in accordance to our wishes he has, in many areas, left us. And when he leaves, his hand of protection leaves with him. We have told him that we no longer want or need him and he will give us what we ask for.

What is the answer to averting more natural disasters in our nation? God gives us the answer in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Are these natural disasters “Acts of God”? No, I don't believe so. Since we are ultimately responsible perhaps they should be more appropriately named “Acts of man”.

What Does It Mean To Be Saved?

“The ULTIMATE RESCUE!”
Pastor Dick Brookes

Interim Senior Pastor: The Coila Church

As tornadoes tore through Oklahoma this week, there were reports of people who were being “saved” from the wreckage. I have a friend who was a helicopter pilot for the Coast Guard and for years he was involved in “saving” people who were on sinking ships in the storms of the Atlantic Ocean.

“Saving” people is regularly the topic of news programs and articles in magazine. It usually involves someone being rescued from a potentially deadly situation. Some condition that traps you and perhaps enslaves you – such as the present horror of human trafficking.

“Salvation” is a central concept throughout the Bible. Israel was “saved” from its captivity in Egypt, Jonah was “saved” from being in the belly of the whale, the disciples were “saved” from the terror of a storm on the sea of Galilee, but the most common use of the term “saved” in the New Testament has to do with a different kind of rescue. It is a rescue that every human being needs; but which many either reject or are not interested in.

Years ago I had a visit at my home by a pollster from the Gallup organization. It was the first time I had ever had personal contact with a “pollster” and it was a very interesting experience. At the end of our conversation she asked me, “What do you believe is the greatest problem facing the United States today?” My immediate response was – “the economy.” She thanked me and went her way. But after she left I realized I had given her the wrong answer. The greatest problem in the U.S. or the world for that matter is sin! Sin traps people and enslaves them to lives that they hate. Every form of addiction, and every horrible character trait can be traced to this problem. Sin traps people and enslaves them. And whether that involves an addictive problem like drugs or alcohol or enslavement to selfishness and a mean spirit; it is something that ultimately destroys us from within.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ offers SALVATION – a RESCUE from the problem of sin. This is a free offer from God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ and it involves being saved on three levels:

First – we are JUSTIFIED by faith. That means we are saved from the PENALTY of sin. We are no longer headed for hell.

Second – we are SANCTIFIED by faith. That means that we are being saved from the POWER of sin in our lives. We are learning to access God’s power working through us to overcome our sin.

Third – we are finally GLORIFIED by faith. That means that when we die, we will be delivered from the very PRESENCE of sin. In God’s heavenly Kingdom, sin will no longer exist.

God’s salvation is the ULTIMATE RESCUE! Have your been rescued by God? Have you begun this wonderful journey of being rescued from the penalty of sin, the power of sin, and eventually the very presence of sin? It can begin today. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you WILL BE SAVED!!”

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Why a Savior?
 
Pastor Jim French

St. Luke's Church

jim.french.137@gmail.com

Jesus told us that he came into the world, not to condemn it, but that through him the world might be saved

(John 3:17). To all who would receive him he offers a restored relationship with God (John 1:12). Since Jesus claimed to be the world's savior we must then conclude that we need saving. One does not need a savior unless one needs saving from something.

The bottom line is that we are all in trouble. The Bible says that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, (Rom 3:23). We have violated God's commands and stand separated from him with no way to restore our relationship; and that's why we need Jesus to save us from eternal death. Only Jesus can save us from ourselves.

I like to equate Jesus assignment on earth as a rescue mission. The human race was trapped in sin with no way to restore our relationship with God. Jesus mission was to restore that relationship with God through his death on the cross.

A few years ago an email floated around cyberspace that went something like this: There was a man who had climbed to the roof of his house to escape the rising waters of a terrible flood. The man prayed desperately that God would come and save him. A short while later the local police came by in a small boat and offered him rescue. The man declined saying, “No, God is going to save me.” Sometime later the police again came by in a larger boat and offered to take the man to safety. He once again declined saying, “No, I'm waiting for God to come and save me.” As the water threatened to wash the man to his death a police helicopter arrived dropping a rope-ladder to save him, but he refused to climb aboard insisting once again that God would save him. The water eventually swept the man to his death and he found himself immediately in the Lord's presence. The man looked at Jesus and said, “Lord, I'm confused. I prayed for rescue; why didn't you rescue me?” The Lord replied, “I sent you 2 boats and a helicopter, what more did you need?”

The point of the story is that each of us is the man caught in the flood. We need saving; someone to save us. We need a savior. But we also must make the choice to be saved. No one can force us to accept Jesus' offer of salvation. Each of us, on our own volition must make the choice to get in the boat. Each of us must choose to be saved by receiving Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. And he is the only way to be saved.

To be saved means that we are in right-standing with God; that our sins have been forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ and we can stand before God blameless because of what Jesus did for us on the cross.

Who is Jesus?

It seems like a simple question, doesn't it? Who is this man? Was he a simply a great moral teacher or God in the flesh? C.S. Lewis wonderfully addressed this question in his classic work, “Mere Christianity”.

Lewis wrote: “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic, on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg, or else he would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

Let's make this clear: Jesus claimed to be God, (John 5:18, John 10:30, John 8:58) and that means we cannot say he was simply a great moral teacher. As C.S. Lewis said so well, this would make Jesus either a lunatic or a liar, but hardly the a man who possessed the character of great moral teacher.

Jesus' claim to be God forces each of us to answer the same question he put to his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”. How we answer this question decides our eternity for each of us. His claim requires that we choose. “Who do YOU say that I am?” You see, each of us has to answer this question. Each of us must choose to believe who he says he is or not.

Who is Jesus? He is my friend, my brother, my Lord and my God. Before I knew him I was incomplete, but when I gave my life to him he changed me; he gave me himself and he gave me the gift of everlasting life. There is no greater gift than this and you too can receive this gift.

I would encourage you to examine his claim. If Jesus is the Son of God it makes all the difference in the world. You owe it to yourself to find out the truth.

Turn away from your old life and receive him as your Lord and your Savior. I guarantee you'll never be the same.

Pastor Jim French

St. Luke's Church

jim.french.137@gmail.com

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As a pastor, it is my deep desire and constant prayer that men and women would come to faith and become Christians. I have this desire for two reasons. First, because of my deep conviction that there is one God who has revealed Himself to us, and the way that He has done that is through His only Son – Jesus Christ. I am personally convinced that this is the only way that sinned-sick humanity can find its way home.

The second reason is my own personal experience. In 1965 I heard a professional football player share his story about becoming a Christian. It started when he was asked a question by a teammate about what he thought about Jesus Christ. That struck a chord with me, because until that moment I had been considering whether or not “Christianity” was the “right” religion. But at that moment, I realized that Christianity – if it were true – would be true because of who Jesus is. And that began a two year search for me which ended in my coming to know this Jesus in a deep and personal way. That was over 46 years ago, and the reality of His presence in my life has been constant from that day to this.

For many people religious discussions are similar to political discussions. In the final analysis, it all comes down to “your opinion” vs. “my opinion.” The difference, however, is that a discussion about Jesus Christ introduces an inescapable confrontation. And that confrontation has to do with the claims about Jesus, and that Jesus made about Himself. For many people Jesus is a “good person”, perhaps an “excellent role model”, possibly even an “insightful prophet.” But before you accept one of those options, consider the following statements:

“I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:9

“…apart from me, you can do nothing.” John 15:5

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which you must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Anyone who considers Jesus as he is presented in the New Testament CANNOT remain neutral – He does not give you that option.

As a pastor I am well aware of the barriers that Churches, Christians, and even some pastors create for man people who would like to believe. But if you are reading this, I must remind you, that when you die; you will not stand before a pastor, church leaders, or even a group of Christians – you will stand before Almighty God, and he will have only one question for you – “What did you do with my Son?”

His invitation to you is: “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.”

If I or any of the pastors of our community can be of personal encouragement or spiritual assistance to you, please don’t hesitate to contact any of us.

In Christ,

Pastor Dick Brookes

Coila Church: home- 677-7081

According to the New Testament, God came to earth in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches that Jesus is not a created being like the angels, but is the very Creator of the universe. The Gospel tells us that our Creator has become our Redeemer. The New Testament reveals that, in accordance with his Father's will, Jesus temporarily set aside his power and glory to become a tiny helpless baby. As He grew, Jesus worked in a carpenter shop, experienced hunger, got tired, and suffered pain and death like us. At age 30, He began his public ministry.

The Bible reveals God as the Creator of the universe. He is infinite, eternal, all powerful, all-knowing, personal, righteous, loving, just, and holy.  He created us in His image and for His pleasure. According to the Bible, God made us to have an eternal relationship with Himself. When God spoke to Moses at the burning bush 1500 years before Christ, He reaffirmed that He is the only God. God told Moses His name is Yahweh, (I AM). At the time of Christ, each worship service began with a recitation of the Shema. (George A. Barton, Jesus of Nazareth (New York: Macmillan, 1931, 39)). "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD." (Deuteronomy 6:4) It is in this world of monotheistic belief that Jesus entered into, ministered in, and began making claims that astounded all who heard them. Jesus is the central theme of the Hebrew Scriptures. Jesus came to this world in the form of a living, breathing human being. He is the One who satisfies and fulfills all the symbols and prophecies of Genesis through Malachi.

As we move from the Old Testament to the New, we find that one person, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, is the focal point of both Testaments. But if Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament, His claims should confirm that God is one Lord. When Jesus began his ministry, His miracles and radical teaching immediately drew huge crowds, creating a frenzy of excitement. As his popularity swelled with the masses, the Jewish leaders (Pharisees, Sadducees, & Scribes) began to see Jesus as a threat. Suddenly they began looking for ways to trap him. One day Jesus was debating with some Pharisees at the Temple, when suddenly He told them He is "the light of the world." It is almost bizarre to picture this scene, where a traveling carpenter from the lowlands of Galilee tells these PhDs in religion that He is "the light of the world.” Believing that Yahweh is the light of the world, they replied indignantly: "You are making false claims about yourself" (John 8:13 NLT). Then Jesus told them that 2,000 years earlier Abraham had foreseen him. Their response was incredulous: "You aren't even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?” (John 8:57 NLT) Then Jesus shocked them even more: "The truth is, before Abraham was, I AM." (John 8:58 NLT) Out of the blue, this maverick carpenter with no degree in religion claimed to eternal existence. Furthermore, he had used the I AM title (ego eimi), the sacred Name of God for Himself! These religious experts lived and breathed the Old Testament Scriptures that declare Yahweh alone as God. They knew the Scripture spoken through Isaiah: "I alone am God. There is no other God; there never has been and never will be. I am the Lord, and there is no other Savior."(Isaiah 43:10, 11 NLT) Since the penalty for blasphemy was death by stoning, the Jewish leaders angrily picked up stones to kill Jesus. They thought Jesus was calling himself, "God." At that point Jesus could have said, "Wait! You misunderstood me - I am not Yahweh." But Jesus didn't alter his statement, even at the risk of being killed. C.S. Lewis explains their anger: "He says ... 'I am begotten of the One God, before Abraham was, I am,' and remember what the words 'I am' were in Hebrew. They were the name of God, which must not be spoken by any human being, the name which it was death to utter."(C. S. Lewis, God in the Dock (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2,000), 157.) Jesus also used "I AM" for himself on several other occasions. “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12)

·​“I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6)

·​“I am the only way to the Father” (John 14:6)

·​“I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25)

·​“I am the Good Shepherd” (John 10:11)

·​“I am the door” (John 10:9)

·​“I am the living bread” (John 6:51)

·​“I am the true vine” (John 15:1)

·​“I am the Alpha and Omega” Rev.1:7,8)

Pastor Richard "Rick" Setzer

Associate Pastor at Jacob's Well Fellowship

resetzer@gmail.com

The question, “Who is Jesus?” is one that immediately strikes a controversy. No one wants to deny Jesus existed, but many want to deny that he was anything more than just a good man or a prophet of God perhaps. The statistics are staggering as to how few ministers who call themselves Christian even believe the Biblical account of who Jesus is. Jesus is God! God incarnate, God in the flesh. He is the Son of God, born of a virgin. He is the only man who never sinned, living a perfect life and becoming the atoning sacrifice for sin. He raised from the dead, snatching life from death, victory from condemnation and he ascended to Heaven and sits on the right hand of the Father. Because men cannot understand the Trinity, that does not negate it! The whole Gospel hangs on these truths. Without them, we are still in our sin and still alienated from a relationship with a Holy God. But do you know something? Men will either believe these things by faith or not. The individual must become convinced in their own heart. Because of the sin of Adam and Eve, all mankind was tainted with the blemish of sin. Therefore, there was no man to bring salvation and forgiveness of sin. The person had to be sinless. That’s why the virgin birth is so central to the Gospel. I’ve heard people say that the virgin birth is not necessary to the Gospel. It is not only necessary, but essential!!! The way to God is through Jesus. There is no other way, there are not many ways, there is one way.

Some have said that Jesus never claimed to be God. Scripture flies in the face of that error.

John 14:6

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

(KJV)

When Jesus said this, his audience knew exactly what he was saying. The Jews knew the way as the path to the Temple, up Zion’s Holy Hill. They knew the truth as the Tablets of Stone with the Law on them inside the Ark of the Covenant, and they knew the Life as representing the very presence of God upon the Mercy Seat. So Jesus had then said, I am the way to God, I am the Word and the Commandments of God, and I am the very presence of God. If that’s not speaking plainly, I don’t know what is.

I want to take this part of my response to the question “Who is Jesus?” to tell you who he is to me. He is my Lord, my Savior, my present help in the time of trouble. He is my God, my redeemer; he is my all in all. Without Jesus, I would be a sorry drunk, or be dead by now. He picked me up, dusted me off, forgave my sins and put my feet on the narrow way. He is the friend who sticks closer than a brother, he is my everything, and I Love Him!

Rev. Timothy A. Bohley

Senior Pastor Jacob's Well Fellowship

revstnc@aol.com

What is sin?

Sin, is an interesting word that most of us don’t like!  Websters Dictionary say it means…

A: transgression of the law of God

B: a vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God

You see God says in Romans 3:10-12 As the Scriptures say, "No one is good not even one. V.11 No one has real understanding; no one is seeking God.  V.12 All have turned away from God; all have gone wrong. No one does good, not even one."  

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard. (NLT) 

That standard is Holiness, Perfection, never doing anything wrong!  You may say sure I make mistakes like everyone else but I’m not a sinner…  I have never murdered anybody or committed adultery, robbed a bank, molested a child or stole a car or anything else you want to put in there… In fact you are probably thinking I am a pretty good person…  Go ahead, admit it…  Come on, be honest with yourself…  I use to think I was…   Remember; God knows what you’re thinking…  So like most of us we all believe we are a good person…  So now that we know what Gods standard are for being good let’s take a test to see how we measure up to 10 things God says are His standards for Holiness…

Have you ever told a lie?  Even a white lie? 

Exodus 20:16  Do not testify falsely against your neighbor and Leviticus 19:11  Do not steal."Do not cheat one another."Do not lie.

All us us,  GUILTY!  (NLT)

Have you ever stolen something?  Even the smallest thing…   Even if it was unintentional…  We all have done it…

Exodus 20:15 Do not steal.

All of us,  GUILTY!  (NLT)

Have you ever taken Gods name in vain?  Used it as a cuss word?  That’s called Blasphemy!  A very serious offence against God…  

Exodus 20:7  "Do not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name…

All of us, GUILTY!    (NLT)

Have you ever committed adultery?   You might say  “that one I’ve never done!”

Exodus 20:14 "Do not commit adultery  Jesus said in Matt 5:28  But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  Sorry ladies that includes you as well toward men…

All of us, GUILTY!  (NLT)

So far we if you have been truthful, you have admitted you are a lying thieving blaspheming adulterer at heart and you will face God on judgment day to pay for the sins you admit you have committed.. We have only looked at 4 of the 10 Commandments…  Believe me when I say all of us are guilty of breaking all 10 of Gods Commandments based on His standards… 

Oh yah,  You could say I’ve never murdered anybody!!  Ha I got that one.   1 John 3:14 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (NAS)   Sorry God has it all covered…

It sounds pretty bleak doesn’t it? 

           

But the Good News is God in His great love and mercy for us provided a way to have our slate wiped clean and be forgiven of every sin we have ever committed…   We were worthy of the punishment of death but God sent His Son Jesus to die on the Cross for your sin and mine…  Jesus took the punishment for our sins upon Himself and because of that He calls us to Repent, and turn from our sin and ask God to forgive us and accept Christ as Savior…  It’s really pretty simple…  I pray for those who are reading this that you will take to heart what God says is His requirement for Him to forgive us so that someday when we face death we will already have His promise of eternal life in us…   

  

Kurt Akin

Co- Pastor/Elder  Rolling Hills Christian Fellowship 

___________________ 

When I was 6 or 7 years old my mother took us grocery shopping at the local A&P. Sometimes Mom would give us a nickle to buy some candy but on this particular day, I had no money and Mom said no to my inquiry for candy.

I remember standing in the checkout line, smelling the fresh ground coffee and looking at the Life Saver candies just inches away from my eyes. As I gazed longingly at that multicolored package I could almost taste that wonderful sweetness. The temptation was too much to bear and since my mother was chatting with the checkout lady I reached over, grabbed the candy and quickly stuffed it in my pocket.

I thought I had gotten away with my crime and once I got home I opened the candy and began to enjoy my prize. However, Mom did not miss the fact that I was eating candy after she had given me a firm no. Finally, after a couple of failed attempts at a lie I confessed that I had stolen the candy from the supermarket.

Looking back, I really appreciate my mother's response to my little “innocent” larceny. She promptly packed me into the car and drove back to the store. I was going to have a little meeting with the manager. Mom was going to make me tell him what I had done. To say I was scared is to put it mildly.

I still remember being terrified as I looked up at Mr. Stiles and told him what I had done.  But Mr. Stiles reacted in a very unexpected way. He smiled at me and said, “Oh that's okay. It's just a little pack of candy. You can have it.” I thought to myself, “Wow! This is cool. I get the candy after all and I'm not in trouble.” But I had failed to consider the “Mom factor”. With one fell swoop my hopes for an amiable settlement to my little “faux-pas” was shattered. Firmly; without hesitation my mother said, “No. What he did was wrong. He cannot have the candy.” Then she made me give the candy back to the manager, gave me a nickle to pay for the candy and told me I was going to have to work off the nickle, plus reparation. Ouch! This did not turn out as planned.

Sin is not a popular word in today's culture. We prefer less offensive terms like “He had poor judgment” or “He made a mistake”. Was what I did a sin? Yes, by God's standards it certainly was. But I was just a kid, right? True, but in God's eyes, sin is sin regardless of who commits it. I fell short of God's standards. I took something that did not belong to me and I lied about it. I committed a sin compounded by more sin.

You may wonder why it is that Christians make such a big deal out of sin. It's because when we sin we have missed God's standard and our sin separates us from him. That's why the Bible says God hates sin, because it separates him from those he loves.

In the Bible sin literally means “to miss the mark”. God has set a standard and anyone who does not meet these standards “misses the mark”. You see, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Rom 3:23) Sin has consequences, separation from God being the most serious.

All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's standards. But the good news is that God sent his Son Jesus Christ to accomplish what we could not; to live a perfect sinless life. For us to be forgiven of our sins we need only ask Jesus to take our sins, ask forgiveness and give our lives to him.

Looking back I have to say that my mother handled this incident exactly the way she should have. Her actions had a profound impact on me. Thank you Mom, but more than that, Thank You Jesus!

Pastor Jim French

Rector, St. Luke's Cambridge

pastor.jim.137@gmail.com

___________________ 

Today we live in a culture where the concept of sin has become entangled in legalistic arguments over right and wrong. When many of us consider "What is sin?" we think of violations of the Ten Commandments. Even then, we tend to think of murder and adultery as "major" sins compared with lying, cursing, or idolatry. The truth is that sin, as defined in the original translations of the Bible, means "to miss the mark." The mark, in this case, is the standard of perfection established by God and evidenced by Jesus. Viewed in that light, it is clear that we are all sinners. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 3:23: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." 

In light of this, it does no good to compare ourselves to others. We cannot escape our failure to be righteous in our own strength. This is by God's design, because only when we understand our weakness will we consider relying on the atoning sacrifice of Jesus.

Sin is mentioned hundreds of times in the Bible, starting with the "original" sin when Adam and Eve ate of the tree of knowledge. Often it seems as if sin is simply the violation of any of God's laws, including the Ten Commandments. Paul, however, puts this in perspective in Romans 3:20, when he says, “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin." 

God wanted us to recognize our sins. Even those who have not murdered or committed adultery will find themselves convicted of lying, or of worshiping false idols like wealth or power ahead of God. 

Tragically, sin in any amount will distance us from God. 
"Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear," says Isaiah 59: 1-2. "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." 

We must resist the temptation to act as if we are righteous, especially by leaning on our good works. 
"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives" (1 John 1:8-10).

The good news in all of this is that, once we recognize ourselves as sinners, we need only to repent and embrace Jesus to be forgiven. Jesus can forgive us because he died and rose again three days later in victory over sin and death. 

The Apostle Paul refers to this process of recognizing sin and being responsible for it as "godly sorrow." 

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death," Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 7:10-11. "See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter."

Pastor Richard Setzer Sr.

Associate Pastor

Jacob’s Well Fellowship

resetzer@gmail.com

___________________

In the discussion we might have about sin, the first thing we must do is recognize the reality and definition of it. The best place, I think, to find the definition is in the Word of God. Since it was God who first defined sin, let’s let His Word tell us what it is and how to deal with it.

In the Old Testament, the word for sin in the Hebrew is:

2403 chatta'ah (khat-taw-aw') or chatta'th (khat-tawth'); from 2398; an offense (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concretely) an offender: KJV-- punishment (of sin), purifying (-fication for sin), sin (-ner, offering). 

 

In the New Testament, the greek word is:

266 hamartia (ham-ar-tee'-ah); from 264; a sin (properly abstract): KJV-- offense, sin (-ful), or

264 hamartano (ham-ar-tan'-o); perhaps from 1 (as a negative particle) and the base of 3313; properly, to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), i.e. (figuratively) to err, especially (morally) to sin: KJV-- for your faults, offend, sin, trespass.

As we can see, sin is an of fence, missing the mark. But what mark? The answer is; the holiness of God, the state into which man was originally created before the fall, (the sin of disobedience in the Garden of Eden); when man and woman ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. 

 

If there is one thing that is sure, and we would all admit it if we were being honest (and if we’re not honest, that’s a sin-LOL), is that we are all sinners. We have all missed the mark, which puts us all in the same boat, if you will. Unfortunately, many do not want to own up to being sinners, and therefore, they cannot find the cure for sin. They will not even entertain the idea that they need a cure. The Bible tells us that “all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23) and that the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23) but that the gift of God is “eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23) The method to find forgiveness of sin is also given. What a miracle! The problem of mankind is delineated; it is sin. And the cure is also given; it is Jesus the Christ! Praise God!! Now the hard part: getting people to admit that they have missed God’s mark, falling short of His perfection and have sinned. Therefore, they need a Savior. And hallelujah, God provided that also. The answer is found in the book of Romans-

Rom 10:8-10

8 But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:

9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (NIV)

So, the answer to sin is Jesus. Why don’t you ask Him into your heart again, or for the first time and find the peace and joy that comes from being free from the penalty of sin? Amen

Pastor Tim Bohley

Jacob’s Well Fellowship

revstnc@aol.com