METHODISTS AND MONEY. #24, Blogging through the Articles of Religion

Article XXIV - Of Christian Men's Goods

The riches and goods of Christians are not common as touching the right, title, and possession of the same, as some do falsely boast. Notwithstanding, every man ought, of such things as he possesseth, liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability.

In the early days of the Christian movement in Jerusalem, believers “had all things in common, sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.” (Acts 2: 44, 45)

By the end of Acts 4, donating 100% had become the norm in church culture.  Lay people did it.  Even up and coming preachers like Barnabas liquidated their assets and handed the money over to the apostles (Acts 4: 34-37).  Once giving at that level became the tradition, it stopped being about God to some some church-folks.  Giving became about how holy they LOOKED to everybody else.   

In Acts 5, a Christian couple, Ananias and his wife Sapphira, sold some land, and contribute part of the proceeds to the church.  Only, Ananias and Saphhira lied.  They said that they were contributing all of the money---- just like Barnabas ‘n’em*.

*’n’em also ‘nem = unauthorized contraction for “and them”

Long story short, God was pissed.  He struck husband and wife dead.  D-E-A-D.   But not because they gave less than 100%.  God was angry abot the lie, not the amount of the gift.    Peter said, “While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” (Acts 5:4)

“While it remained, was it not your own?”   

Yes it was.

“And after it was sold, was it not in your own control?”

Also, yes.

Barnabas. Ananaias.  Sapphira. And let’s not forget Lydia. 

In Acts 16, a successful businesswoman named Lydia became a Christian convert.  She gave moral and material support to Paul’s missionary work, but she didn’t sell her business or sign the profits over to the church.

The moral of the stories is: A congregation can pool its financial resources up to and including every dime each person makes, but they don’t have to.  God’s fine with any one in any congregation who opts out of direct deposit.   You don’t forfeit your salvation by declining to forfeit your check. 

(That said, I can’t think of one example since Acts 4 of religious collective economics that’s worked long-term.  It usually ends with an investigation, or gunfire.)

The church doesn’t own your money. 

But then again, if you’re a Chrisitian, neither do you.

Stewardship

The key word for Christians and money is STEWARDSHIP.  Stewards exercise authority over their Master’s goods for purposes defined by their Master.  For followers of Jesus, money is a gift that God gives us to use for godly purposes.   

Based on Jesus’ parables on stewardship, John Wesley preached a sermon called “The Use of Money.” The message presented “three plain rules” for godly stewardship of money.  The three rules are inseparable.  They’re effective only when considered as one comprehensive rule:  Gain all you can; save all you can; give all you can.

Gain all you can gain but not at the expense of life, health, mind, or the good of our neighbors.

Save all you can by avoiding expense that feed gluttony, vanity, pride, the desire to impress others, and sensuality (indulgence of any senses: taste, smell, sight, etc.). 

Giving begins with the tithe.  Begins.  Wesley himself lived off close to 10% of his every increasing income and gave away the rest.    Giving begins with the church.  Begins.  Wesley didn’t give exclusively to his church. He probably gave more to the needy individuals who crossed his path than he formally contributed to Methodist or Anglican activities. 

Now go back to Acts 2.

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. (verses 44, 45)

The first church’s budget was something like 100% charity and benevolence. 

The Biblical background of Article 24 calls on the church to minimize its overhead while maximizing our generosity.   

 “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10). After the Christian has provided for the family, the creditors, and the business, the next obligation is to use any money that is left to meet the needs of others. (Charles White, “What Wesley Practiced and Preached About Money” )

Wesley preached that every Christian should:

 First, provide things needful for yourself; food to eat, raiment to put on, whatever nature moderately requires for preserving the body in health and strength.

Secondly, provide these for your wife, your children, your servants, or any others who pertain to your household.

If when this is done there be an overplus left, then ‘do good to them that are of the household of faith.’

If there be an overplus still, ‘as you have opportunity, do good unto all men.’ In so doing, you give all you can; nay, in a sound sense, all you have.

All we have.

All I have.

All you have.

Let us pray.

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Miles Chapel CME Church in Fairfield, Alabama;  executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO);  and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Subscribe to my personal blog  www.andersontgraves.blogspot.com .

Email atgravestwo2@aol.com

Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

Follow me on twitter @AndersonTGraves 

#Awordtothewise

You can help support this ministry with a donation to Miles Chapel CME Church.

You can help support Rev. Graves’ work by visiting his personal blog and clicking the DONATE button on the right-hand sidebar.

Support by check or money order may be mailed to 

Miles Chapel CME Church

P O Box 132

Fairfield, Al 35064

YEAH BUT DO THEY UNDERSTAND? Blogging through the Articles of Religion. Article # 15 ,part 1,

Article XV - Of Speaking in the Congregation in Such a Tongue as the People Understand

It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the custom of the primitive church, to have public prayer in the church, or to minister the Sacraments, in a tongue not understood by the people.

An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?  (Jeremiah 5: 30-31)

There are two reasons to talk: (a) You want to be heard; or (b) you want them to understand.

When you want to be heard, it doesn’t matter that your point has already been made.  You’re still going to stand up and repeat the previous point because it’s your turn to talk and you want to be heard.

When you want to be heard, you choose your words for the sound you like  hearing come out of your mouth.  Your audience may be confused.  You might not make sense. Heck, you might not even understand the meaning of half the words you use.  So what? You sound good.

But there are consequences.

Between the 4^th and 16^th centuries, the Catholic Church outlawed re-translating the Bible from Latin into the local language.  The Church declared it a crime punishable by death for a layperson to own, possess, or read a Bible. It was 1969 before the Catholic Church officially allowed mass to be conducted in a language other than Latin.   For all of those centuries, the Church wanted to be heard, but it didn,t really want the people to understand.

And that is how anti-Semitism became common in a religion founded by Jews.  That’s how doctrines, traditions, superstitions, and atrocities that obviously contradict our own sacred text became so historically celebrated that, we’re still trying to unravel ourselves from their legacy.  Church leaders who wanted to be heard but didn’t want the people to understand are the reason that the Dark Ages were so dark.

As Jesus said to the Pharisees, we commit terrible errors when we don’t know the Bible nor the power of God. (Matthew 22: 29

God wants the people to understand.

In the Old Testament, Ezra the scribe was the leading academic expert on the Law.  In Nehemiah chapter 8, Ezra gave a 3+ hour reading of the Pentateuch (the first 5 books of the Bible).  Ezra thought it all needed to be said, but he realized that it would be difficult to understand all at once.

So, the scribe assigned group-teachers to disperse throughout the crowd, read back scriptures during Ezra’s lecture, and make sure that every resident of Jerusalem understood what the Bible said. All of this happened during Ezra’s reading---- in real time.

Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law; and the people stood in their place.  

So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading. (Nehemiah 8: 7, 8)

It’s not that hard to be heard.  It’s takes a lot more effort to make sure that the people understand what they hear.   To make sure that the people understand, you have to give them the same access to the Word that you have.  You have to push them to read, to question, and to not just take your words for it. 

If you believe that you degree or title entitles you to unquestioning obedience, then you think waaaayy too much of yourself, because Jesus didn’t even profess that status.

When a lawyer questioned Jesus, the Lord didn’t respond, “Don’t you know who I am?”  Jesus replied, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”  (Luke 10: 26)

Jesus wanted him to understand.

At 12 years old, Jesus dominated a scholarly discussion with the premier theological minds of the Jewish Temple school.  But, when He went out in the boondocks to teach, he used metaphors about planting and reaping.  When He  taught to urban crowds, he talked about servants working in a master’s house.  When He evangelized fishermen on the Sea of Galliliee, He showed them where to get their biggest catch ever and then talked to them about becoming spiritual fishers of men.

Without condescending to anyone or dumbing down the text, Jesus used language that the people understood.

If at the end of your time on the platform the people can say “He sho’ did preach,” but they can’t say what they learned, then you were heard, but they didn’t understand.

If at the end of your time in the spotlight, the audience is impressed with how smart you are and all that you have done and achieved, but they don't have new information or methods to improve their lives; you were heard, but they don’t understand.

As a member of the congregation-audence, you may prefer to be entertained than to be taught so according to your own desires, because you have itching ears, you heap up for yourselves teachers who turn your ears away from the truth and aside to fables (2 Timothy 4: 4).  But, that's not what God wants for you.

A church that wants to be enabled and entertained but not taught is “a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God.”

God wants His people to understand His Word.  

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Miles Chapel CME Church in Fairfield, Alabama;  executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO);  and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Subscribe to my personal blog  www.andersontgraves.blogspot.com .

Email atgravestwo2@aol.com

Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

Follow me on twitter @AndersonTGraves  
#Awordtothewise 

You can help support this ministry with a donation to Miles Chapel CME Church.

You can help support Rev. Graves’ work by visiting his personal blog and clicking the DONATE button on the right-hand sidebar.

Support by check or money order may be mailed to 

Miles Chapel CME Church

P O Box 132

Fairfield, Al 35064

Of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation (Article V)

Article V - Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation

The Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation;

so that whatsoever is not read therein,

nor may be proved thereby,

is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith,

or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.

In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those

canonical books of the Old and New Testaments of whose authority was never any doubt in the church.

The names of the canonical books are:

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, The First Book of Samuel, The Second Book of Samuel, The First Book of Kings, The Second Book of Kings, The First Book of Chronicles, The Second Book of Chronicles, The Book of Ezra, The Book of Nehemiah, The Book of Esther, The Book of Job, The Psalms, The Proverbs, Ecclesiastes or the Preacher, Cantica or Songs of Solomon, Four Prophets the Greater, Twelve Prophets the Less.

All the books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive and account canonical.

Strictly speaking, the Bible isn’t A book.  The Bible is an anthology, a collection of (in this case) 66 different books, authored by dozens of different men, and written over the course of anywhere from 700 to 3500 years depending on which scholar you prefer to believe.

Some of the Bible’s authors were highly respected priests and prophets (like Samuel).  Some were seemingly random guys who professed a calling from God, came out of nowhere, did their thing, and then disappeared back into obscurity (like Amos).  Some Biblical writers were highly educated and well-connected (Luke and Paul for examples).  Some were near illiterate members of the 1^st century working class (Peter). 

With the exception of a couple of Paul’s letters in the New Testament, you can find some “expert” who will dispute the authorship and authenticity of every book in the Bible.   Some people sincerely believe that the entire Bible is a conspiracy of fiction put together by a Catholic committee.

But I, and my church, and millions of Christians like us believe that the Bible is the actual Word of God Himself, the Holy Scripture [that]  containeth all things necessary to salvation.

How can we (and you) trust our souls to the words of a disputed ancient anthology?

See what I did there?

I described the Bible in a way that implied that every element was unreliable.  I never offered any evidence for why the testimony of multiple writers would be LESS reliable than the testimony of just one.  But if you were iffy on the topic, you’d think that it was.

Now think for yourself.  Which is MORE reliable, the testimony of one witness or the corroborating testimony of 3 or 4 dozen witnesses?

We trust the Bible.  I stake the fate of my soul and the purpose of my life on the integrity of the Bible because the authors of the books of the Bible present a single, unifying theme.  There is a common mind behind all of their works.  (And some of these writers had never read the works of the others.)

But what about the time lapse between books?  

Yeah.  The dispute over the age of books has been a major source of skepticism.  Critics point out that the oldest fragments of the Old Testament only date back to the 2^nd century B.C. which isn’t that old for a collection that begins “In the beginning….”

Critics also note that the oldest fragment of the New Testament dates 125 A.D., that somewhere around 80-90 years after Jesus was crucified.  The criticism is that these can’t be eyewitness accounts.  The witnesses would’ve be dead.

I have a copy of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.  (No, I’m not rambling. Stay with me.)   My books says that Shakespeare died in 1616, but the earliest copyright on the book is 1980.    How can I believe a book dated 366 years after the supposed author of its plays died?

Because I know that my copy of Shakespeare is just a copy.   All the copyright date tells me is that the original stories were completed and circulating BEFORE 1980.

We don’t have the original manuscript of any of the books of the Bible.  The dates of our COPIES do not tell us when the Bible was written. The dates of the copies do tell us that the New Testament was completed and circulating well before 125 A.D.  The dates of the copies assure us that the Old Testament is OLDER than 2 B.C.

The early leaders of the Church poured over the books, testimonies, and evidence available in the first 300 years after the Resurrection and affirmed what the descendants of eyewitnesses had been affirming for centuries.  The 27 books of the New Testament and the 39 books of the Old Testament are the Word of God, just like the big red volume on my bookshelf is the words of Shakespeare.*

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:   20, 21) 

The arguments against the authenticity of the Bible as God’s Word are based on more assumptions, presumptions, and leaps of logic than even faith requires.   

The Bible on your coffee table may contain errors in translation, after all neither Jesus nor Moses spoke English.  (Actually nobody spoke English during the time the Bible was being written.)  So, in some verses there are legitimate questions about which English term best fits which Greek or Hebrew word.

But those mini-arguments aren’t what drive churches apart.  The big, looming question is:  Did God really deliver His Word through all those different dudes in all those different settings?

No.  No.

The question REALLY is, COULD God do it? 

Is it reasonable, rational, or logical to believe that all those texts by all those people are really the product of ONE supernatural source?

In other words, is the Bible too complicated to be Divinely authored?

In other, other words: Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?  (Jeremiah 32:27)

The answer already given is:  Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. (Jeremiah 32: 17)

If you believe that God is love, then believe the Bible that told you, God is love (1 John 4: 8, 16)

If you believe that Jesus lived, and taught, and defended the powerless, then believe the Bible that told you of Jesus.

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. (John 5: 39)

You embrace the parts of the Bible that bring you comfort and hope and make you feel good about yourself and the future.  Well then you don’t get to redact the other parts that make you feel uncomfortable and sinful and concerned about judgment for how you live.  

Same book.  Same God.  Same truth.

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. (Matthew 5: 17, 18)

The Bible is the Word of God, the testimony of Jesus Himself.  If you reject the Bible, you turn your back on aspects of Jesus that are non-negotiable.

Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”

When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? …”

From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.  (John 6: 60-66)

Don’t do that.  Hold to Jesus.  Hold to the Word made flesh.  Hold to the Word. 

Then Jesus said to the twelve,  “Do you also want to go away?”  But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life…” (John 6: 67, 68)

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Miles Chapel CME Church (5220 Myron Massey Boulevard) in Fairfield, Alabama;  executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO);  and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Email atgravestwo2@aol.com

Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

You can help support this ministry with a donation to Miles Chapel CME Church.

Support by check or money order may be mailed to 

Miles Chapel CME Church

P O Box 132

Fairfield, Al 35064

*To my fellow English nerds: I am aware that I open up a possible argument of whether or not Shakespeare claimed some of Bacon’s work as his own.    My point about copies and copyrights still stands.

ARTICLE 3: THE RESURRECTION

Article III - Of the Resurrection of Christ

Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again his body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth until he return to judge all men at the last day.

Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?--- Paul (Acts 26: 8)

Seriously.  Why?

Christians believe in God existing infinitely without beginning or end, in God creating everything from nothing, in God enabling salvation for all people in all times through the events of a single torturous day, in God knowing everything and being everywhere all at the same time.

But some of those same “Christians” think the Resurrection is too much to be taken literally.

So God can create a body and give it life, but He couldn’t put His life back into a body He’d already created?

Really? 

Even though He’d done that kind of thing before?

You see, Jesus’ resurrection wasn’t the first.

When a Zarephathan widow’s son died, the prophet Elijah brought the child back to life (1 Kings 17:17-24).   Elijah’s protégé, Elisha, resurrected a Shunamite woman’s son when he died from an apparent brain aneurism (2 Kings 4:20-37).  In 2 Kings 13:21 a dead man revived when he was dropped on the bones in Elisha’s tomb.

During the 3 ½ years of His public ministry Jesus personally resurrected at least 3 dead people, including one who’d been dead and buried for 4 days. (Luke 7:11-16; Mark 5:35-43; John 11:1-44)

Well before that first Easter weekend, God had well established a record of physical resurrections.

Yet, In 1 Corinthian 15: 20, Paul called Jesus the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  Colossians 1: 8 calls Him the firstborn from among the dead.

Not ”first” because resurrection had never happened before, but first because it had never happened like this.

Jesus’ resurrection, The Resurrection, was unique and precedent setting.

No one prayed over Jesus’ lifeless body.  No one touched His corpse, took His hand, or breathed onto His face.  No one dropped Him onto the bones of a prophet.  No.  His followers sealed Him in an empty, unused tomb and left.

Jesus got up from death all by Himself.

… I lay down My life that I may take it again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. (John 10: 17, 18)

When He carried our sins on the cross and the rest of the Trinity had to look away. 

Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15: 33, 34)

Jesus carried our sins to His grave---- and left them there. 

Having dealt with sin, Jesus proceeded to kick Death’s butt.

 “O Death, where is your sting?

O Hades, where is your victory?”

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15: 55-57)

The oneness of the Trinity remained and Jesus rose in the fullness of glory.

I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. (Revelations 1: 18)

Jesus’ resurrection wasn’t metaphorical or “spiritual.”  He really came back in His real body.  This point is so important that Jesus went out of His physicality to the disciples.

In Luke 24: 36-43, Jesus appeared (like Bam!) to the disciples while they were hiding out from the Jews.   But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.

Jesus wanted them to know that He wasn’t just a spirit of Himself, He was really, really Him.

So, He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.

But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?”

 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence.

Before Jesus, all of the people who had come back from the dead later died again.

But Jesus ?  Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. (Romans 6: 9)

So, if we are by faith joined to Jesus Christ, then we get to participate in the same unique resurrection process.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him. (Romans 6: 8)

Peter called Jesus the Author of life (Acts 3: 15).  By His death and resurrection, Jesus wrote us into His-story.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11: 25)

Like Jesus, our ultimate resurrection will not simply be a rising of the soul; it will be a resurrection of the body.

Our corrupt forms will be raised in incorruption.

Our dishonorable forms will be resurrected as glorious.

Our weak flesh will rise in power.

This made-for-death natural body will be a made-for-eternity, spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15: 42-44)

The eaaarrrrly Sunday mo’nin’ testimony of the empty tomb is where our hope and faith begin. 

This is why with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all (Acts 4: 33)

Jesus really, literally, physically died on the cross.  3 days and 3 nights later, Jesus really, literally, physically rose from the dead.  The 2^nd person of the Trinity, the Word of God, re-entered the mummy-wrapped body lying in another man’s tomb.  (Matthew 27: 57-60)

Approximately 33 years earlier, God formed an earthly body in Mary’s womb and made Himself the life in that body.  On Easter, God redeemed the earthly body He had worn those 3+ decades and walked the world again.  This time, though the body was perfect, like the original form made for Adam. 

Resurrected Jesus was the same Jesus who had walked and talked and eaten with his mother and siblings and disciples.    But, like Adam in Genesis 1 & 2, Jesus’ post-Resurrection body was without any taint of original sin or corruption.  As Adam and Eve could once walk safely in the direct, unfiltered presence of God (Genesis 3: 8), so now Jesus ascended bodily into the throneroom of Heaven.

And because He arose, if we have faith in Him, one day, we will, too.

Now that I think about it, that IS pretty incredible. Better yet, it’s pretty AWESOME!

---Rev. Anderson T. Graves II   (email:  atgravestwo2@aol.com )

Anderson T. Graves II is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Miles Chapel CME Church (5220 Myron Massey Boulevard) in Fairfield, Alabama;  executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO);  and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Subscribe to my blog at www.andersontgraves.blogspot.com  

Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

THE BEST BLOG I'VE WRITTEN----- THAT YOU'LL NEVER READ

A few nights ago while I was waiting for my students in the city jail, I wrote a draft for “The Word to the Wise” blog through the book of Proverbs.  It all just flowed out in a rush of scribbling in longhand. Now, I’m not bragging, but this piece was good.  Way better than what you’re reading now.  Eloquent, moving, inspiring. Re-reading the draft made me tear up a little. 

The next morning I started typing and cross-checking scriptures, and I realized something terrible.

My article was Biblically------wrong.  I had taken the scripture somewhere it wasn’t supposed to go.  To justify my points and conclusions I had taken some unjustifiable liberties with the Biblical text.  I had not encouraged sin or denied right doctrine.  But, what I had written was not what the Bible had said.

Now I must remind you that this draft was ------good.  One of the best I’ve ever composed.

I threw it away.

Preachers and theologians tend to be gifted in the use of words.  Therefore, we are accountable to the Giver of our gifts for how we use/ misuse the gifts He’s given.  

It’s easy to get caught in the flow of language and publish a beautiful and inspiring LIE about the gospel.   It’s so easy, and that’s why it happens so often.

Some of the “Christian” posters and quotes shared across the internet promote behavior that is so exactly the opposite of what the Bible says that I expect my screen to burst into flame.    Some of the “prophetic” declarations and decrees posted online must have been delivered by Martians because no angel would dare bring a message so contrary to God’s word. 

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  (1 John 4:1)

That’s a message not only to the audience but to the speaker because even a true prophet can speak falsely when he/she gets caught up in the moment.   In the 7^th chapter of 2 Samuel, David gets the idea to build a temple to God.  He asks the prophet Nathan for his counsel.

Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.” (2 Samuel 7: 3)     

Nathan’s reply was sensible and godly-sounding.  But, Nathan’s reply was WRONG. 

That was not what God had said.

Nathan, a genuine, sincere, called, and anointed man of God had misrepresented God’s Word.   When he checked the Word later that night, God showed Nathan how he’d gone awry.  (2 Samuel 7: 4-16)

What is a prophet, preacher, theologian, writer, blogger, emailer, texter, tweeter, or random Christian copying and pasting online supposed to do when you see from the Word that the thing you’d said is not right with God’ Word?  What can you do when you already put it out there and you don’t wanna look stupid in front of your audience?

You can get over yourself, and you tell the truth.

Nathan marched back to King David’s palace and said, “Umm, David.  About that thing I said that God said about the thing you said you wanted to do for God------- Yeah, I was wrong.”

According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.  (2 Samuel 7: 17)

Sometimes you have to throw a line out of the sermon.  Sometimes you shouldn’t share that cute-sounding quote.  Sometimes you have to throw away a heartfelt composition. 

… let God be true but every man a liar. (Romans 3: 4)

All of us, especially those of us who are called to expound on God’s Word, have to be careful.    We must not let saying what SOUNDS GOOD must take priority over saying what IS RIGHT.

---Anderson T. Graves II

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is the pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church

Call/ fax: 334-288-0577

Email us at hallmemorialcme1@aol.com
Friend Pastor Graves at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

If you want to be a blessing to this ministry, contributions may be made by check or money order.

Mail all contributions to :

Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road

Montgomery, AL 36116

THE BEST BLOG I'VE WRITTEN----- THAT YOU'LL NEVER READ

A few nights ago while I was waiting for my students in the city jail, I wrote a draft for “The Word to the Wise” blog through the book of Proverbs.  It all just flowed out in a rush of scribbling in longhand. Now, I’m not bragging, but this piece was good.  Way better than what you’re reading now.  Eloquent, moving, inspiring. Re-reading the draft made me tear up a little. 

The next morning I started typing and cross-checking scriptures, and I realized something terrible.

My article was Biblically wrong. 

I had taken the scripture somewhere it wasn’t supposed to go.  To justify my points and conclusions I had taken some unjustifiable liberties with the Biblical text.  I didn't encourage sin or deny true doctrine;  but, what I wrote was not what the Bible had said.

Now I must remind you that this draft was gooooood.  One of the best I’ve ever written.

I threw it away.

Preachers and theologians tend to be gifted in the use of words.  So we are especially accountable to the Giver of our gifts for how we use or misuse our words.  

It’s easy to get caught in the flow of language and publish a beautiful and inspiring LIE about the gospel.   It’s so easy, and that’s why it happens so often.

Some of the “Christian” posters and quotes shared across the internet promote behaviors that is so exactly the opposite of what the Bible says that I expect my screen to burst into flame.    Some of the “prophetic” declarations and decrees posted online must have been delivered by Martians because no angel would dare bring a message so contrary to God’s word. 

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  (1 John 4:1)

That’s a message not only to the audience but to the speakers because even a true prophet can speak falsely when he/she gets caught up in the moment.  

For example, in the 7^th chapter of 2 Samuel, David got the idea to build a temple to God.  He asked the prophet Nathan for his counsel.

Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.” (2 Samuel 7: 3)     

Nathan’s reply was sensible and it sounded godly.  But, Nathan’s reply was WRONG. 

That was not what God had said.

Nathan, a genuine, sincere, called, and anointed man of God had misrepresented God’s Word.   When he checked the Word later that night, God showed Nathan how he’d gone wrong.  (2 Samuel 7: 4-16)

What is a prophet, preacher, theologian, writer, blogger, emailer, texter, tweeter, or random Christian copying and pasting online supposed to do when you see from the Word that the thing you’ve said is not right with God’ Word?  What can you do when you've already put it out there and you don’t wanna look stupid in front of your audience?

You can get over yourself, and you tell the truth.

Nathan marched back to King David’s palace and said, “Umm, David.  About that thing I said that God said about the thing you said you wanted to do for God------- Yeah, I was wrong.”

According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.  (2 Samuel 7: 17)

Sometimes you have to throw a line out of the sermon.  Sometimes you have delete that cute quote.  Sometimes you need to throw away a heartfelt composition. 

… let God be true but every man a liar. (Romans 3: 4)

All of us, especially those of us who are called to expound on God’s Word, have to be careful.    We must never let saying what SOUNDS GOOD take priority over saying what IS RIGHT.

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a pastor, writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Call me at 334-288-0577
Email me at atgravestwo2@aol.com
Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

To hear sermons, read devotions, and learn more about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme@blogspotcom.