A Story About Workers

"God's kingdom is like an estate manager who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. They agreed on a wage of a dollar a day, and went to work. ^3-5"Later, about nine o'clock, the manager saw some other men hanging around the town square unemployed. He told them to go to work in his vineyard and he would pay them a fair wage. They went.

"He did the same thing at noon, and again at three o'clock. At five o'clock he went back and found still others standing around. He said, 'Why are you standing around all day doing nothing?'

"They said, 'Because no one hired us.'

"He told them to go to work in his vineyard.

"When the day's work was over, the owner of the vineyard instructed his foreman, 'Call the workers in and pay them their wages. Start with the last hired and go on to the first.'

"Those hired at five o'clock came up and were each given a dollar. When those who were hired first saw that, they assumed they would get far more. But they got the same, each of them one dollar. Taking the dollar, they groused angrily to the manager, 'These last workers put in only one easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who slaved all day under a scorching sun.'

"He replied to the one speaking for the rest, 'Friend, I haven't been unfair. We agreed on the wage of a dollar, didn't we? So take it and go. I decided to give to the one who came last the same as you. Can't I do what I want with my own money? Are you going to get stingy because I am generous?'

"Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first."

You Are Free to Not Sin

Today's devotional in "The Call" focuses on the effect that the new birth has on our moral lives. The point is that when we are born again God effects in us the ability to stop sinning. This is the hardest thing for Christians to understand...If I am born again...why do I keep on sinning. We must remember...regeneration is the first step in a process, not the flipping of a switch.

Favorite line..."[God] has given you a new heart and that heart longs for the great pleasures of God, not the meager distractions of this world...Follow your heart and it will lead you to the God who longs to fill it."

The Call: Week 2

For those of you reading along in the devotional book this week we begin to examine Jesus' command to Nicodemus: "You Must be Born Again." You will notice the devotionals will shift a bit.

Last week was filled with stories of transformation that challenged us to respond to God's call to "Grow Up." This week we will look at the idea of "regeneration" or being born again. We will explore what this vital doctrine means and how this new birth functions in our lives.

We will look at these six ideas:
Monday - God Does the Work
Tuesday - New Life to the Dead
Wednesday - Through the Hearing of the Gospel
Thursday - The Freedom to Stop Sinning
Friday - An Appetite for Righteousness
Saturday - Overcoming the World

I look forward to you comments as we explore this core doctrine of our faith.

Elementary Divisions

In the sermon this weekend, Mike mentioned that elementary doctrines have played a role in dividing God's people over the history of the church. As he preaching on Heb 5-6, I couldn't help but explore that idea. Here's the text where I began...

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Take a look at these dividing doctrines from church history.

repentance from dead works...In 1483 a German monk named Martin Luther took exception to the way that the Pope and his representatives were selling forgiveness of sins. In addition they argued that people are saved not based on the works we do, but on the forgiveness offered freely by God's grace. Ever since the church has been divided into Protestants and Catholics because of this elementary doctrine.

faith toward God...In 1536 a pastor in Geneva, named John Calvin, articulated a view of God's grace based on the absolute sovereign choice of God. This understanding of how the doctrines of Grace function has divided the Protestant world according to Calvinistic and Arminian boundaries because of this elementary doctrine.

instructions on washings...The evangelical world is often divided on an understanding on the mode and method of baptism. Some believe that children should be baptized in order to counteract original sin. Others believe that only people mature enough to make a faith decision should be baptized. Some believe that immersion is the only legitimate way to baptize people. Others believe that sprinkling or pouring water are acceptable ways to perform baptisms. These "elementary doctrines" are serious fault lines that divide the Christian world.

laying on of hands...This phrase most probably refers to the ordination of people for the purposes of ministry. Consider the current debate that rages around the role of women in leadership in the church. Some believe that women should serve in any and all roles of church leadership. Others believe that God has reserved certain roles of leadership for men only. This one of the most divisive "elementary doctrines" in the church today.

resurrection of the dead and eternal punishment...Eschatology is the study of what happens at the end of all things. The church world is divided by an understanding of how the world will end. Pre-millinial...post-millinial...a-millinial...this "elementary doctrine" still divides the church.

I may be reading too much into this, but I found it very interesting that many of the major divisions from church history seem to be foreshadowed in this verse.

Day 1

Today we begin our fall kick-off series "The Call" at Eastview. For those of you who will be reading the devotionals, just a reminder that you should start with Day 1 of Week 1 today. You don't have to read it before church, but you can.

Since we have different small groups that meet every day of the week, we linked the devotional book to Sunday instead of the "group day." The week in the devotionals will run Sunday to Sunday. (Just like a calender does. I know...original!)

The theme of Week 1 is "From Elementary to Maturity." Here's a quote...

Becoming a disciple of Jesus will require radical life change...we are called to more. We are called to pray more. We are called to read our Bibles more. We are called to sacrifice more. We are called to love more. We are called to give more. We are called to know more. We are called to offer more. There are no "completed" Christians.

Each day of this week examines the story of a person in the Bible who was challenged to "more" in order to follow God.

I hope that through these stories God challenges you to do the same.