Tag: Christ

We Cannot be Sinning Christians

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

Imagine a convicted felon who has received a pardon, and the court has expunged his record. That person is no longer identified by his or her past crimes. If someone asks if they have ever been arrested, they can say “No.” And they can say this without being a liar because the record of their arrest and conviction has been expunged. What they CANNOT DO is choose to continue to engage in criminal activity. If they refuse to accept their new found position in society as a law abiding, free citizen, and instead choose to commit criminal acts, their continuing crimes will cause them to be arrested and convicted. And although their past crimes have previously been expunged, the prosecutor can use those past crimes to show a pattern of continuing behavior, and to ask the judge to enhance their sentence after conviction. That’s exactly what Satan wants to do to us.

1) Introduction

We live in a world where even those who claim to follow Christ have forgotten God’s command to “Be holy.” (1 Peter 1:16) Many churches have allowed the culture around us to dictate what is acceptable, instead of allowing God’s word and the Holy Spirit to guide.

To be honest, God’s people have always struggled with this in some way. Jesus recognized it among the Jewish religious leaders. Paul had to deal with it in his day, particularly in the Corinthian church. It has been this way throughout Christian history, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Church needs to address it today.

2) Following Jesus is more than saying a prayer

Not all who claim to follow Jesus are Christians. In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus gives a very somber warning; that on judgement day there will be many who call out, “Lord! Lord! Look at all that we did in YOUR name!” Jesus’s response will simply be “Go away. I have no idea who you are.” Good works, even when supposedly done in the name of Jesus, are not a guarantee that we are following Him, especially when we have refused to obey his commands.

Matthew 13:24-30 warns that even among the righteous there will be those who claim to belong to Christ, yet in the end they will be uprooted, separated from the righteous, bound and thrown into the fire. Why?

3) Do you want to be defined by your sin, or by Jesus

What do you choose to define you? Your desires or Jesus? It’s pretty simple, those who do wrong will NOT inherit God’s kingdom. (1 Corinthians 6:9)

If we allow our sin to continue to define us, then have we truly repented? Too many people who claim to be Christians have accepted the lies of Satan under the fallacy that, “God created me this way, therefore I can’t (or don’t need to) change.” If I’m honest, I have to admit that I have tried to hide behind this lie. We mostly hear this argument from those in the LGBT lifestyle. However, before we condemn them, let’s take a look at 1 Corinthians 6:8-10.

“Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers. Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.” (NLT)

Paul mentions several sinful behaviors here. Paul also mentions those who worship idols, thieves, the greedy, drunkards (we’d probably also include the drug users), abusers, and those who cheat people. Let’s make one thing clear, sexual sin is sexual sin. Too often I have witnessed Christians condemn LGBT, then in the very next breath they’re lusting after a member of the opposite sex. Many times these people are married. It’s still SIN.

How many times have we gotten angry and attempted to justify our lashing out at someone? Or maybe we’ve attempted to justify cheating others, or the government. Many attempt to justify greed by saying things like “God wants to bless us.” Thieves often claim they deserve what they’re stealing, because it’s owed to them. In Romans, Paul includes gossip in a similar list. How often have we participated in gossip, claiming that we’re “just sharing a prayer request”, or “passing on information.”

For every sin, we can create a multitude of excuses. While we all may have a tendency toward certain behaviors that God calls sin, we always have a choice. We can choose to lean into those tendencies, or we can lean into Christ.

Accepting the excuse that “I was born this way” to justify sin denies the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. Let me say that again, justifying any sin with the excuse that “this is just who I am,” or “God made me this way,” denies the power of the Holy Spirit to transform us.

4) God has called us to be HOLY

After going through this list of sinful behaviors, Paul continues in verse 11 reminding the Corinthians that some of them were once guilty of one of more of these sins. But now they are clean. Their records have been expunged. They have been made HOLY. They have been made right with God.

If we go down to verse 20, Paul reminds them that we were bought with a high price. That price was Christ’s death on a cross. So we must honor God with our bodies.

I go back to the example of the convicted felon who has been pardoned. He has a choice. And you and I have a choice. So I ask again, what defines you? Your sin? Or Jesus

5) Invitation

By His grace we can choose to ask for and accept His forgiveness, and receive the pardon that He is so eager to give us. We can choose to be identified as a child of God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we can reject our tendencies toward sin and allow Him to guide us into a new identify in Christ Jesus.

YOU are invited to accept Jesus, and begin your relationship with Him. And you don’t have to wait for a church service. You can do it right now, wherever you are.

There are no magic words, or special prayer required. It’s simply acknowledging to God that we have sinned, asking for, and accepting, His forgiveness. Accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you, and to change you.

I thought marriage was suppose to be permanent

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

I was discussing this idea of marriage being a permanent commitment the other day when I had a thought. Ephesians 5:21-33 came to mind.

In this passage, we find instructions to husbands and wives what it takes for a marriage to work. The key appears to be found in the word “submit.” Verse 21 kicks off this passage with the command to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Bottom line: It takes both people submitting to each other and to God.

I’ll bet you’re thinking that there is no way I am going to bow down and submit to anyone. But please hear me out. Also, please read the passage for yourself in its entirety.

Back to this word, submit. Most people, especially men, are very familiar with verses 22 and 23, where wives are told to submit to their husbands, and the husband is the head of the wife. But, men, did you actually read all of those two verses? Wives are told to submit to their husbands as to the Lord. And that the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church.

Now, a little further on, we see what all this really means. Guys, are you truly willing to love your wife as Christ loved the church? Are you willing to give up your life for her? You see, gentleman, you need to give your wife a reason to trust you enough that she will feel safe submitting to you.

Wives, can I ask, are you respecting your husband? Do you behave in a way that helps them to trust you so much that they are encouraged and willing to love you as Christ loved the church? Do you encourage him? Do you pray for him?

So we are back to this idea of submitting to each other. What exactly does this mean? Well, I’m glad you asked, because I have a few ideas. Pray for each other, and pray with each other. Communicate. This means talking to each other. Work together to come to solutions to problems. Be faithful. Lift each other up. Look for opportunities to show love. Encourage each other. Make your home a safe and loving environment.

Submitting to each other does NOT mean accepting abusive behaviors. Abuse, of any kind, should never be tolerated or accepted. The same goes for unfaithfulness. These are unacceptable behaviors. They have no place in any relationship. And they definitely have no place among God’s people. Nowhere in scripture do I find a command to remain in such situations.

Finally, in verse 33, we read that each man must LOVE his wife, and the wife must respect her husband. So give each other a reason to love and respect each other.

Bottom line: It takes both people submitting to each other and to God.

Barabbas

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

I preached this sermon today.

In Matthew 21 we read about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The crowds spread palm branches, and their coats, on the road in front of Him. They shouted, “HOSANNA! HOSANNA! Blessed is the King who comes in the Name of the Lord!” The week is off to a great start.

But, as we know today, the religious leaders, Sadducees and Pharisees, hated Jesus, and had been looking for some way to get rid of Him, even murder. And Judas just happens to come along and offers to betray Jesus.

Let’s fast forward to Jesus standing before Pilate.

During Passover the governor always freed a prisoner chosen by the people. At that time a well-known terrorist named Jesus Barabbas was in jail. So when the crowd came together, Pilate asked them, “Which prisoner do you want me to set free? Do you want Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate knew that the leaders had brought Jesus to him because they were jealous. While Pilate was judging the case, his wife sent him a message. It said, “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man. I have had nightmares because of him.”
But the chief priests and the leaders convinced the crowds to ask for Barabbas to be set free and for Jesus to be killed. Pilate asked the crowd again, “Which of these two men do you want me to set free?”
“Barabbas!” they replied.
Pilate asked them, “What am I to do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah?”
They all yelled, “Nail him to a cross!”
Pilate answered, “But what crime has he done?”
“Nail him to a cross!” they yelled even louder.
Pilate saw that there was nothing he could do and that the people were starting to riot. So he took some water and washed his hands in front of them and said, “I won’t have anything to do with killing this man. You are the ones doing it!”
Everyone answered, “We and our own families will take the blame for his death!”
Pilate set Barabbas free. Then he ordered his soldiers to beat Jesus with a whip and nail him to a cross. Matthew 27:15-26 (CEV)

Now, Pilate was not stupid. It was obvious to him that the Jewish leaders were trying to kill an innocent man. So he tried to give the people an out. But the Jewish leaders, when offered Barabbas, they knew exactly what they were doing as they stirred up the crowd. Jesus was actually a common name at the name. Barabbas was no more a proper surname than Christ was. So the choice given to the people was “Jesus, called ‘Son of the Father,’” or “Jesus, called ‘the Messiah.’” We know that ultimately Barabbas was released, and The Messiah took his place on the cross.

We don’t know read anymore of Barabbas, after he was released. And we are left to wonder what happened to him? Did he stick around, and watch from a distance? Did he wonder why he was being set free? Did he ever realize the significance of Jesus, the Messiah, taking his place on the cross?

What was the significance of Barabbas, in the account of the crucifixion?

1) Barabbas represents evil.
The people were given a choice between the evil of Barabbas, and the goodness of the Messiah. They chose evil over good.

Which son of the Father will we choose to be like? The fake, who is a son of the Father in name only? Or the real Messiah, who does the will of the Father, even knowing that it would lead to an agonizing, brutal death?

2) Barabbas represents each one of us.
Barabbas was guilty of murder. He was a criminal who had been sentenced to death. We are guilty of sin. Our sin condemns us to death (Genesis 3:17-19, 22-24).

3) Christ took Barabbas’ place on the cross.
There were three men sentenced to die. It would appear that the plans for a triple execution had already begun. Why not simply add a fourth cross? I don’t believe that the crucifixion would have the same meaning in that case. By Jesus, the Messiah, taking the place of Barabbas, it shows that He died in place of, Barabbas. He died for Barabbas.

What did Barabbas do? I’ll ask it again, “Did Barabbas ever realize the significance of the Messiah taking his place on the cross that day?” What did Barabbas do with his undeserved pardon?

4) Christ took MY place on the cross.
More than just taking the place of Barabbas, Jesus Christ took your place on that cross. He took MY place on that cross. He died for you. He died for me. He paid the penalty for my sin. Say it with me: “Jesus died for MY sin.”
Do YOU understand the significance of Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God, dying in your place; taking YOUR place in death?

What will YOU do with Your pardon?

Are your words dehumanizing?

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

How do you refer to a prostitute? Do we use words like lot lizard, slut, ho, or skank?

How do you refer to people who are gay? Are we using words like fag, homo, lesbo, or queer.

How about the person asking for money? “Maybe words like bum, lazy, derelict. Maybe even drunk, or addict.

What about immigrants; what words do you use to refer to them? Are words like wetback, rag head, and other derogatory terms a regular part of your vocabulary?

What about that person who just made a really stupid move and cut you off in traffic? Do we come up with words like idiot, moron and others, that if I said, or printed, my mother would wash my mouth out with soap.

I hate to admit it, but I have used many of the above words to refer to people. Did you catch that? Stop and think about if for a minute. These are people. Do terms like lot lizard, faggot, drunk, bum, or idiot make you think of a person? It’s all too easy to use these terms to refer to those we see as less than we are. And that’s just it. Using these words helps us to dehumanize the people in question.

What happens if we see these same people as human? Well, then we have to acknowledge that that prostitute is someone’s daughter, sister, maybe even someone’s mother. There’s even a good chance she may be a victim of human trafficking.

We then also have to acknowledge that the gay guy is someone’s son, brother, or uncle. He might even be someone’s father. Or the lesbian is someone’s daughter, sister, aunt, and just maybe mother.

The same thing for the person asking for money, or the person who cut you off in traffic, and the immigrant. And on and on it goes. They are people.

Why does it matter what words we choose to use? It matters because they are people. If we can ignore their humanity then it becomes easier to treat them badly. Dehumanizing others allows us to excuse mistreatment of others. I would venture to say that the atrocities of the past prove my point. Hitler dehumanized the Jews, those who held slaves saw them as nothing more than chattel to be bought and sold. Of course those are just two examples within the past 200 years, but there are many other examples. More current examples would be terror groups calling people infidels and killing them for not sharing their beliefs, or hate groups who picket funerals of those they deem less than godly declaring that God hates them.

The most important reason that it matters is because Christ died for them too. We can’t reach them for Christ if we fail to see and recognize their humanity.  What distinguishes His people is our love for others. How can we expect people to come to Christ if we who claim He is our Lord and Savior are unloving with our words? Their idea of God will be shaped, at least in part, by how His representatives act, as well as speak.

Challenge for 2015 – Happy New Year

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:17 NLTse)

Since May 2014 I have spent most of my time driving around the country. And I have become increasingly aware of something; people are very much self-centered. I’ve been guilty of this myself. We drive down the road, frequently cutting off other vehicles, oblivious to what others are doing, or are about to do. Why? So that we can get to the next stoplight a few seconds before the other person? Or we wait until the last possible second to get into the open lane coming up to a construction zone, forcing those who paid attention, and already got over, to have to let us, the inconsiderate drivers, in now that we have made it abundantly clear that our destination is obviously much more important than theirs is.

And let’s not forget about the Christmas season. When we proclaim “Peace on earth. Goodwill to men.” But we’ll run each other over to get a certain parking spot; or sucker punch someone to get that gift that our kids just have to have. And I have no clue how many close calls I had on Christmas eve trying to get from Dallas to Oklahoma City. I lost count after the first 50 people cut me off, or tried to come over into my lane… while I was still there… driving my SEMI.

Honestly, I’m not really all that jaded. Hopefully, my attempts at humor are evident. But, there is a serious side to this. Do I drive as though I represent Christ? When I talk to shippers, receivers, and others, do I represent Christ well. Do I drive courteously, even when the driver who just tried to cut me off, makes a point to then make sure I can see him flip me off? How do I respond when someone flips me “the bird?” How do I respond when I arrive at a customer and they begin yelling at me, or cussing me out because I’m late picking up or delivering? How should I behave in these situations?

I’ll leave you to search your own hearts, and spend time in prayer to answer those questions for yourself. But my challenge this year is to keep Colossians 3:17 in mind. Indeed, there are several passages of Scripture that remind us to do and say things either as representatives of Christ, or as though we are doing them directly for Him. I am reminded daily that I don’t work primarily for the company who’s name is on the side of my truck and trailer. I work primarily for God. I am supposed to be His ambassador, and representative. No matter what I do, or say, his Holy Spirit should be evident in my life. May I constantly remember to behave, and speak, in a manner befitting a child of God.

One last thing…. I’d like to give a special shout out to the driver of the little sports car who made it a point to come around and flip me off… May God bless you, and may He continue to protect you… and all those around you.