“To Hell with the Forgiveness …” or the Jesus Way

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I know the title may sound shocking-but I believe it fits the cultural climate in which we are living. The late Timothy Keller brings this thinking out in his watershed book “Forgive, Why Should I and How Can I?”

We see the results of unforgiveness and the horrific results daily playing itself out right before our eyes through media, in our institutions, communities, cultural clashes, countries, churches, and in our homes.

What is at the root of the awful atrocities happening in Israel with Hamas, could it be deep seeded hate going back centuries between brothers Isaac and Ishmael? Will there ever be a diplomatic solution to remove the bitter roots running through the generational lines? Not unless true forgiveness happens.

And the more our world moves away from Biblical forgiveness the more hate will grow as an uncontrollable cancer poisoning and destroying souls in its path.

Keller builds his case for forgiveness on Jesus’ parable of the Unforgiving Servant, Matthew 18:21-35.

You remember how the master called for his worker’s debt of what would be in our day $400 billion dollars – more than the gross national product of 80% of the countries of the world today. Can you say, “that is a big debt!”

But when the servant pleads for mercy he is forgiven – That is amazing grace!

Yet, Jesus goes on to show how when the forgiven servant was owed $5.00 from another he would not forgive him the debt and sent him to prison. When the master found this out he said to the man:

“You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you? And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.”

Jesus adds –

“So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Jesus parable brings us back to the “Simple Gospel” where we find ourselves with a debt of 400 billion sins that are forgiven by Christ’s work on the cross to all who receive His mercy and grace. But when we choose not to forgive others an offense, so minute compared to our debt before a Holy Father God, it shows we don’t understand the enormous debt paid for us.

Keller shows how the early church lived this forgiveness out in a Roman culture where they were victims of horrific abuse and persecuted, they were the hated minority. And as a result of their forgiveness the Gospel of Jesus transformed an entire culture in a few hundred years.

If ever followers of Christ are needed as agents of forgiveness it is now. How we need to get back to truly seeing the weight of our sin, the price of Christ’s forgiveness, resulting in His bride spreading the healing fragrance of forgiveness to a bitter and angry world.

I challenge you to pick up and study Timothy Keller’s book. He does an amazing job showing how forgiveness and justice must work together as well.

Here are two more great books on forgiveness that you should add to your library:

“Total Forgiveness” by RT Kendall

“Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better” by Brant Hansen

 

 

 

Slice of Life: Letting Go and the Gift of the Found Coins

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Blog written by Patty Spykstra

After the July’s Men’s retreat in Colorado, Tim and I had a few days before flying back to South Africa. What joy we had watching our kids ride in the Littleton Criterium and what fun to later cheer on the professional bikers from all over the world. Then on Sunday we worshipped, shared communion, and bid goodbye to loved ones.

Our return flight was one delay after another, we finally landed in Cape Town two days later, grateful the local taxi strikes were in negotiations. Traveling between the US and SA can be an emotional and spiritual transition from one culture to another culture and this time a bit of a physical strain due to my back.

Back at Oceans Retreat Center 19 Zimbabwe boys and their coaches greeted us. I was thankful that one worker was able to spend a few nights on campus, and I knew the worker lived close by. The taxi strikes disrupted transportation for so many. Fires were intentionally set to keep people from leaving townships and blocked roads prevented food deliveries. School were closed for a few days. Wages were lost. The poor were impacted the most.

Since our return, new homeless faces wander Fish Hoek and at night often line their cardboard beds just outside the retreat center. Load shedding continues to impact the country and at its worst-means no electricity for up to 10 hours a day. The recent wind and rainstorms are the worse in a long time to hit Cape Town. Shacks were lost, lives were lost. Tim read about a farm destroyed by flooding-now no crops will be harvested, and no work available for thousands. No work means no money and food shortages are predicted.

Since our return to SA, the devastation and the plight of the poor have left me struggling. I usually see the hope, but this time things weighed heavily upon my heart. The needs are so many and the loss too much to bear at times. Oceans as a non-profit does what it can in tangible ways with donations of food, bedding, blankets, funding and encouragement to those we support. Yet in the big picture sometimes it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference. I was tired, weary and feeling the weight of the burden. Perhaps you have had those moments? Days? Weeks? Months? Jesus says in John 10:10

“I have come to give you everything in abundance,

more than you expect-life in fullness until you overflow.”

I was not feeling fullness or overflowing, I knew I had to trust and to let go. In myself I am not capable of meeting all these needs and Oceans Ministries simply cannot be the answer for every individual. Jesus says come to Him and He will give us everything in abundance. This promise from Jesus is not just for me, and you, but also for the poor and those in need. I was once again reminded to let go and focus on our Heavenly Father, to seek His help in every need for myself and others.

And then as if to spur on my act of letting go-this letter arrived from a mom and son who had been a part of an Oceans Kingdom Encounter. A portion of the letter is used with permission:

“We recently moved and while packing things up, we came across several jars/boxes of old coins-mostly pennies and quarters. We decided at that moment that whatever money we found around the house we would donate to Pastor Raymond to help feed anyone in need. Enclosed is a check for $135-our ‘found’ coins! Thank you for showing the Father’s love to many is SA!”

A coin is such a small amount compared to millions of dollars, yet these coins found all over the house made a difference. God is the One to provide in His timing and in His ways. He certainly wants us to do the best we can, yet we in and of ourselves cannot be the answer, He is. The timing of the letter, the check, and the act of obedience were an encouragement and reminder to Let Go Again and Let God. 

God takes every little bit we offer to make a difference. The $135 donated by a mom and middle school son was given because they knew the heart of the Father. They came to Him, received in abundance, and the response was to make Him know by giving the gift of the ‘found’ coins.

 

The Simple Gospel – From Groaning to Glory!

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Did you know groaning is a spiritual act? Yes, that’s right, there is a deep spiritual groaning that those who have come to experience the Simple Gospel will participate in.

Last week, torrential rains and gale force winds hit the Western Cape of South Africa. At the Oceans Retreat Centre the rains caused flooding and our water tanks to overflow. The winds left broken tree branches scattered throughout the property and 52 mph gusts caused a wall to come crashing down. It took several days to clean up the mess left behind.

But what we faced was nothing compared to the informal settlements that saw total destruction of homes and loss of lives. In an economy with food prices rising and well over 40% unemployment this was another major blow especially to the poor. Sometimes the only thing you can do is let out a sigh or a deep groan.

Lately, Patty and I have viewed too many funeral’s online of friends and those we knew from the churches we served in the States. Some have passed on way too young and others have battled chronic diseases that cut their life short. Again, more deep groans.

The same Holy Spirit that reveals our sin, brings us to a saving faith in Jesus, showed us our loving adoption by our Abba Father, is also sanctifying us, and has deposited in our souls a longing for the “Glory to Come!” (Rom. 8:18,30)

The Simple Gospel awakens us to the fact that we are pilgrims on a journey and this present world is not our home. Our spirit, sealed with the Holy Spirit, longs for the glorious home awaiting us for all eternity.

Notice Paul’s incredible words concerning this:

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our bodies.” (Rom. 8:23).

Did you catch that, even creation is “groaning” with us.

When our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned it brought not only death and decay to them, but also creation (see Rom. 8:20). So according to the Word the floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, extreme temperatures, etc. is the voice of creation “groaning-this is not how it was to be.” Creation also longs for the Day when Christ returns and makes all the wrongs right, restoring the sons and daughters to the Father without sin, sickness, and physical separation. This includes restoring creation to perfection.

The Simple Gospel shouts out that we can have hope that a glorious future is coming for the Father’s children (8:24, 28-37). This world is not our home “we are just passing through.” And this hope birthed in us by the Holy Spirit becomes a powerful testimony to a world in chaos. We who are anchored to Christ, through the Gospel, have this hope living inside us, a living hope, which testifies that Jesus Christ is our glorious hope. He is why we are able to stand in the midst of heartache, loss and uncertainty.

The suffering and pain around us and even in us should lead to a spiritual groan, which becomes our prayer, “Come Lord Jesus Come!”

The Simple Gospel – In His Step

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When I reflect back on our wedding ceremony I get a little pit in my stomach about the text we gave the pastor to speak on. Having done many weddings over the years I don’t think I have ever had as difficult of one as we gave him.

Patty and I both attended a Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp in high school and the theme was 1 Peter 2:21:

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.”

We both loved the “In His Steps” part but the whole context of the passage is about suffering, not the nicest theme for a marriage. Maybe we should have picked the “love chapter,” 1 Cor. 13.

But our journey of the Simple Gospel will indeed lead us to following in the suffering footprints of Jesus, to “be conformed into His likeness” (Rom. 8:29). I don’t know about you but I can identify with Paul when he says, “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out,” (Rom. 7:18).

Once again, we have the Good News of the Simple Gospel. The same Spirit who showed us our sin, opened our eyes to the gift of grace given to us in Christ’s death and resurrection, has given us faith to receive it. The same Spirit enables us to no longer be orphans, but rather sons and daughter of the King! And because of this adoption we can cry out “Abba Father” or my “Beloved Father.” This is the same Spirit who helps us to follow in the steps of Jesus.

This same Spirit is evident at the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. As Jesus came up out of the water the Holy Spirit filled Him up and the Father’s love was revealed by a shout from heaven. And after that fresh filling of love, Jesus was led into the wilderness for 40 days to fight temptation and to come out victorious to begin His ministry.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven He told His disciples that the only way to follow in His Steps was to wait for the gift of the Father. Don’t do anything until the Spirit comes upon you and fills you with courage through the Father’s love (Acts 1:8). Undoubtedly the book of Acts is a testimony to the Spirit filling weak followers with the power of Christ in them.

Warning: The Simple Gospel leads to a path of suffering. Our battle with sin, Satan, and the world will get intense. But we are offered the gift of the Holy Spirit-who testifies with our spirit-that Christ and the Father make their home in us and therefore “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us,” (Rom. 8:37).

 How do we live in the power of the Holy Spirit?

The answer: Die to self! Paul teaches that because of the gift of the Simple Gospel daily we can climb up on the altar and “present ourselves as living sacrifices…which is our spiritual act of worship,” (Rom. 12:1-2).

Dying to self is when we truly know our sinful hearts, know our weakness and inadequacies and cry out in prayer to the Father, “I can’t do this, I’m empty I need a fresh filling of your Holy Spirit.”

The Spirit is waiting for your cry!

The Spirit is attracted to and loves to fill the weakest of vessels who cry out to the Father for help.

And since the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us, He will fill you so that even in your weakness you are able to follow in His Steps! His glory and honor will enable you to encounter “joy unspeakable and be full of glory!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Simple Gospel – Sons and daughters of the …..

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Every spiritual awakening, revival, or reformation in church history has always had the following foundational elements of the Simple Gospel:

 A deep awareness of sin, a glorious rediscovery of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone, and a fresh awakening of knowing we are sons and daughters of a loving Father God. Reread those three elements once again and ponder the presence and evidence in your own life.

I want to be so bold to say that this is the goal of the Simple Gospel –that we find our true identity in knowing we are absolutely loved and adored by a Father in whose secure arms we can rest. When we recognize and receive this love we obtain a peace that passes all understanding.

I also want to be so bold to say this is the greatest need in our world today. I was recently listening to a counselor who exclaimed, “at the root of every addiction is rejection. And most often behind every rejection you will find a father wound!”

Go to any prison around the world and you will find this true of 90% of all prisoners. Observing the countless social issues impacting South Africa, where we live, linked to the poverty and racial divide is fatherlessness.

Look at the West, despite the wealth and privilege there is still an epidemic of addictions and teen suicide? If you dig deep enough you will find a breakdown in the home, unforgiveness, and father wounds.

Our enemy is strategic and his tactics have not changed throughout history. Break down the family-especially the love and acceptance of the father and you will open doors for bitter roots of rejection to take over. In that place of hurt the enemy will build a stronghold to manipulate and control our thoughts and actions. Even though secular experts may disagree, I strongly believe fathers were created to represent the Heavenly Father.

Recently Patty and I were watching an online church service across the ocean. Our daughter Anna was recently hired to work in children’s ministry and was being introduced to the congregation. After answering a few questions she concluded by sharing the story of how I would ask her every morning before she left for school, “Anna, who are you?” Her reply was, “A daughter of the King!” Anna continued that her hope was for each child to know and take to heart this life changing truth.

The reason I asked that question every morning to each of our kids was because as their earthly dad I knew I could never be enough. I was weak. I battled sin. I would not always be there for them. I would fail. However, their Heavenly Father is enough, perfect, and always present. And because of Jesus and the Holy Spirit living in them each one of them, are precious in His sight, making them royalty, and they can bask in the Father’s indescribable love that lasts today and for all eternity.

The apostle Paul describes in Romans 8 where the Simple Gospel leads us:

“The mature children of God are those who are moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit. And you did not receive the ‘spirit of religious duty,’ leading you back into the fear of never being good enough. But you have received the ‘Spirit of full acceptance, enfolding you into the family of God. And you will never feel orphaned, for as He rises up within us, our spirits join Him in saying the word of tender affection ‘Beloved Father!’ For the Holy Spirit makes God’s Fatherhood real to us as He whispers into our innermost being, ‘You are God’s beloved child!’” (14-16).

The Holy Spirit implants this truth that we are a beloved son or daughter of the Father; we are loved beyond measure. Everything flows out of this knowledge of the Father’s love. This love is how Jesus endured the cross and knowing this love is how we are able to follow in His steps.

May the Simple Gospel lead you to encounter this adoration from the Father! May you receive the healing that comes from the love of a Perfect Father! And as you do so others will notice something and desire that same love!