Category Archives: MacArthur

A Message from a Friend: Father’s Love

“How glorious the splendor of a human heart that trusts that it is loved!”
~Brennan Manning

I was a little concerned the other night as the people started arriving at our house. We had agreed to host a friend of mine for a casual, open house gathering and it was clear that not all who were coming had RSVP’d. The deck in our backyard was getting crowded, and we were concerned for the parking along our narrow street. As it turned out, there was no need to worry. The visitors stopped coming at only five over what I had anticipated and everybody was careful about the parking, although, unexplainably, nobody parked in front of our house, only in front of the neighbors –why was that? I suspect everyone was trying to be courteous and let others take the close parking spots.

Our guest was Wayne Jacobsen, a friend of mine that I’d met a number of years ago at a gathering of house church folks at a campground in Indiana called Potato Creek — must have been 1995 or ’96. I appreciate Wayne because of his message that we are loved by “Father” (Wayne is fond of referring to the first person of the trinity sans definite article). He’s not a ‘form’ guy. He doesn’t believe that the form of the church — house church, institutional church — is relevant to vibrant faith, but the relationships that emerge when we live in the love that Father has for us.

This is the message that is so rarely heard, and more rarely understood. That the creator of the universe could actually like us seems so counter to everything we’ve been taught: We’re defective. We’re stubborn and unlovable. We’re dirty and repugnant. Our effort to be really good is so pitiful; obviously there can be nothing in us that a holy God could love. Or so we believe, if not explicitly, at least in the world-weary way we live our faith. How refreshing to be reminded that when God declared his love for the world (think John 3:16, here) that the world was pretty much a mess. Jesus didn’t come and wait around for us to get our collective act together; or wait for us to at least try really, really hard, before he could bring Himself to love us.  He came to us in our screwed up condition and loved us — Father gave His Son.

So, let’s live in that affection. That’s a super-summarized idea of what Wayne talked about at the open house and on Sunday morning at ‘Mac’, the church I pastor.   A highlight of that teaching, for me, was a summary of the gospel that he got, ironically, from an atheist he had met. The guy said, “I believe that Jesus taught that we have a Father who loves us more than we know and if we could sort that out, we’d know how to treat each other.”

I guess that pretty well sums it up.

“Learning and Growing.”

ATTENTION!

You can find our teachings after February 2009 above where it says “Audio” and under “Jody’s Teaching” and “Dan’s Teaching.” The recordings of our messages will be there. Click on the title of the teaching and the details show up, including the text of the scriptures used. The teachings we’ve done before are still available in this space. Just click on the appropriate category in the column on the right.

If you have any questions, you’re free to complain to the webmaster. Uh, that would be me…Dan. As for this space, I’m planning on trying to be thoughtful again. We’ll see how that goes.

Meanwhile…

Shalom, y’all!

Dan (aka, Summiteer)

MAC: Storming the Gates

Continuing series on the gospel of the kingdom. Summary of our role as servants with delegated authority to fulfill the redemptive mission of God. Conditions that exist contrary to the will of God.

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MAC: Kingdom Mission

An exporation of the mission of the Lord and the implications for his followers.

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MAC: Kingdom Servanthood

Two kinds of servanthood in the world and the church: Gift-based servanthood and need-based servanthood.

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MAC: Kingdom Responsibility (Luke 19)

God gives His servants resources and responsibility. His reward is authority.

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A Pound of Kingdom Stuff
January 11, 2009

I.    The returning King (Luke 19.12-27).
A.    This is a story with historical precedent.
1.    Archelaus (a wicked ruler) was crowned king by Caesar.
a)    This occurred during Jesus’ infancy (Luke
b)    Did Satan go to Eden to receive a crown?
2.    The story has elements of comparison and contrast.
B.    Read the story.
C.    Jesus’ mission has parallels.
1.    Jesus is going to heaven to receive a crown.
2.    Will return in triumph as King.
3.    There will be those that reject his rule.
II.    The servants in the story are parallel to Jesus’ followers (called out).
A.    The ten servants are each given a “mina.”
1.    Some translations call it “a pound.”
a)    Of Gold or silver or something else.
b)    They received a pound of “kingdom stuff.”
2.    It is undetermined amount, possibly four months wages.
B.    The servants are to do business with kingdom resources.
1.    There is an expectation of increased value.
2.    He gave them money to steward.
a)    The money wasn’t theirs it was kingdom money.
b)    They were given responsibility.
3.    The pay-off wasn’t “in kind.” On return he didn’t give money.
4.    The payoff was “authority.”
a)    Responsibility is the stewardship of things.
b)    Authority is the stewardship of people.
C.    There will be those who fail.
1.    Those who wait without purpose are not rewarded or recognized.
a)    Are they also the unmentioned seven?
b)    The gospel of the kingdom means active waiting, not passive.
2.    Those that reject the Lord.
a)    Still refuse to be subjects.
b)    They will, likewise, be rejected.
D.    Repentance.
1.    The unbeliever repents of devotion to the world.
a)    The descendents of the last Adam not born to righteousness.
b)    These must first reject the king of darkness.
c)    Swear devotion to the Creator.
2.    Baptism is the statement of that repentance.
3.    The believer embraces the Creator.
a)    Repents of sin with the knowledge Christ secured forgiveness.
b)    Must then embrace obedience.
III.    Of pounds and servants. Parable of the coming Kingdom.
A.    There is the mention of a four months period in prophetic.
1.    Four months until the harvest.
2.    Four months between the Passover and Trumpets.
B.    There are seven servants and seven churches that must give an account.
IV.    What is our “pound of kingdom stuff”?
A.    Jesus left the Spirit and the spiritual gifts for us to use.
1.    The Spirit does not belong to us.
2.    We are to be responsible in the use of the gifts.
a)    We are charged to “occupy” until He comes.
b)    We ought not be guilty of doing nothing with our pound.
3.    For a “manifest” of the gifts, go to …
a)    Romans 12.
b)    1 Corinthian 12.13-14.
c)    Ephesians 4.
B.    The purpose of the pound.
1.    It is a kingdom resource.
2.    It becomes a tool (or a weapon).
3.    It is applied to a task.
a)    It is to bind (or build up).
b)    Or to loose (release).
4.    It is to bring increase.
C.    What is the task?
1.    The task may be in the world.
a)    We are to love the world (as Christ loved the world).
b)    The increase is to the kingdom, namely people.
c)    People are behind the gates of hell (Matthew 16).
2.    The task may be in the church.
a)    Build up the church (edify).
b)    The increase is to multiply and release gifts.
(1)    Paul in Romans 1.11.
(2)    1 Corinthians 14.26.
c)    The increase is to bring the body to maturity.