The week after Easter I finished a sermon series through the seven last sayings of Christ from the cross. I greatly enjoyed my study, the preaching, and the enrichment it gave me as I tried to focus a bit more on what Christ has done for helpless sinners. It even helped to have this done as I was once again able to participate in one of my favorite services - Good Friday at North Cincinnati Community Church. I wish they would record the service, but it consists of seven different men, each with a 3-5 minute time allotment, preaching through the seven sayings. I was greatly blessed to hear the other six men preach with power and unction in such a short time. That service was a blessed refreshment for me.
I am now in the midst of a sermon series through Colossians. In choosing this book as our next series I thought it would be good follow-up to the seven sayings series due to Paul's focus throughout the letter on the supremacy and preeminence of Christ. I have preached the book before, and so I was a bit hesitant to do it again. However, I believe it is the right book for the right time in the life of our church.
Now, onto what I find striking me lately - particularly in the last day or so. This morning a portion of my Bible reading had me in Hebrews 5. As I came to the end of the chapter the very last verse caught and held my attention.
But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish between good and evil. (5:14)
In many ways this verse relates to part of Paul's prayer in Philippians 1:9-11:
And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
I have been praying the Philippians text for my children lately. My desire is to see them grow in love and discernment so that not only will they know what is excellent, but approve it and celebrate it in order to live pure and blameless lives for the glory of Christ.
The reason why these texts struck a chord with me is the announcement yesterday of an NBA player about his "coming out" publicly. I didn't really mind the announcement, but the salivation of the press and the political correctness that followed has been nothing short of a deluge. There is a page on ESPN's site filled with a litany of positive reactions from people praising this "coming out," and not surprisingly, only one who spoke against it. In response to the announcement one commentator for ESPN was asked his opinion, and it eventually came to religion - particularly Christianity. Chris Broussard expressed that he believes what the Bible teaches - that homosexuality is a sin (just like any sex outside of marriage in any context), and did so in an extremely gracious manner (you can read accounts here and here). ESPN has apologized for his comments and stated how they are committed to diversity - except perhaps the diversity they find offensive. So Chris Broussard expresses an opinion - in answer to a question posed to him - that is contrary to the politically correct and INtolerant media/society, and he may now be in danger of losing his job.
This is an example of approving that which is not excellent. I don't want my children approving this. I don't want them approving of lying, cheating, stealing - anything that is against God's Word. I want my kids to be mature, to be pure and blameless, to be children who grow to be young men and women who stand firmly on the truth of God's Word. They will be called intolerant. They will likely be categorized as "haters." They will feel the pressure to cave in - but I pray that they will be grounded in Scripture and that they will see the example of standing firm lived out in their mother and father. God bless Chris Broussard for standing up faithfully and not approving what is not excellent.
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