JURONG OUTREACH - JUL 03

THE MATURED CHRISTIAN MAN 
6 Jul 03

That constantly changing river is more like life than we want to think.  Philosophers tell us that the only unchanging element of life is change. Thomas Wolfe wrote a novel called You Can’t Go Home Again.  The person who goes home is not “you”; you have changed since you lived there.  The place where you go is not “home” either; it has also changed since you left.

We are always changing, and the world is always changing.  How can we remain true to Christ as we navigate the turbulence of change?  We should first understand those changes, and second, be equipped to deal with the spiritual challenges of each period of life.

Developmental psychologists today usually divide adulthood into three stages: early adulthood; middle adulthood, and late adulthood.  Each stage has its own “developmental tasks” and spiritual challenges.  The Bible deals with the special temptations and tasks of each stage.  We touched on the Early Adulthood in the last  issue, and will deal with the Middle Adulthood (30—60 yr) in this issue.

From about thirty or forty to about fifty-five or sixty-five (no consensus exists as to when mid-life begins or ends), a man experiences numerous physical changes.  He can no longer run as fast or jump as high as he once could; he is likely to put on weight And either lose his hair or see it turn grey.  He may be sick more often.  While his earning power is likely to be high, he is also likely to experience stress—stress connected with getting older, as well as economic, emotional, and psychological stress.

The “developmental tasks” of middle age are these:

• Achieving adult civic and social responsibility

• Assisting teen-age children to become responsible and happy adults

• Developing adult leisure-time activities

• Relating oneself to one’s spouse as a person

• Accepting and adjusting to the physiological changes of mi ddle-age

• Reaching and maintaining satisfactory performance in one’s career

• Adjusting to aging parents

• Acquiring a set of values and an ethical system as a guide to behaviour.

A mid-life transition typically occurs between thirty-five and forty-five, with individual variations.  This is a time of crisis, leading to change which may be closely associated with occupational factors.  In some cases, it leads to “serious emotional fall-out.  At this time some men, seeing old age peeking around the corner, feel obliged to prove that they are still young—by changing their appearance, for instance, or by having an affair with a younger woman.  

The Bible does not, in any one passage, seem to differentiate between three ages of life, unless John refers to three ages when he addresses “children,” “young men,” and “fathers” in the same passage .

(1 Jn 2:12-14). “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father
14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”

The primary challenge for the mature Christian man is to provide spiritual leadership for the home and the church and the community.  Some may grow up in Christ and be good, but good for what?  They abstain from sin themselves, but provide no spiritual leadership to help others become pleasing to God.  As the Christian man matures, he should develop the qualities which characterize elders mentioned in I Timothy 3 as well as Titus 1.  Then, with those qualities, he should become a strong servant-leader in the struggle for right.

A second spiritual challenge of middle age is to keep one’s priorities in order.  At this stage of life, a man can easily become addicted to ambition, becoming so set on getting ahead and making money that he neglects what is most important in life: God, the church, his family, and his friends.  At this point in his life, the Christian man especially ought to remember Jesus’ words:

(Matthew 6:33) “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”.

The Elderly Christian Man
13 Jul 03

The third stage of adulthood begins about fifty-five or sixty-five and continues to the end of life, although a big difference exists between the active sixty-five-year-old who recently retired and the eighty-five-year-old in a nursing home.  Contrary to what we may think, “there is no convincing evidence that intellectual powers, creative capacities, and productivity must inevitably disappear in later adulthood.  Age alone is not the decisive factor.”  While older adults do not necessarily differ intellectually from those who are younger, they face a number of challenges.  They will face biological changes and have to learn how to cope, for instance, when hearing dulls, when sight dims, or when the legs refuse to work as they once did.  Retirement brings major changes; they must decide how to spend their time and life when they retire.  At this stage, they will also be aware of the nearness of death.  The human mortality rate is 100 percent; everyone dies.  The old man knows that death is much closer than it has ever been. 

The “developmental tasks” of old age are the following:

1. Adjusting to decreasing physical strength and health,
2. Adjusting to retirement and reduced income,
3. Adjusting to death of a spouse,
4. Establishing an explicit affiliation with members of one’s own age group,
5. Establishing satisfactory physical living arrangements,
6. Adapting to social roles in a flexible way.

The Bible does not overlook old age.  In fact, Ecclesiastes 12:2-5 has an extended description of what it means to get old.

“ While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

 3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

 4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

 5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:”

Of the special responsibilities of the older man, we will consider two.

A) The older man should provide for the continuance of the good things in life.

He should try to make sure that those who are left behind when he dies are cared for.  Equally important, he should make sure that others will carry on the good work(s) that he has begun.  Thus, Paul instructed Timothy to “entrust to faithful men” what he had learned from Paul that they might ”be able to teach others also.”

(2 Tim 2:2).  The older man should try to leave the world a better place than he found it.  In addition, he should try to leave it in the hands of good men whom he has prepared to make it even better. For this purpose, a man should especially consider these two ideas: The importance of bringing up his children in the right way, and Taking advantage of opportunities to be a mentor, a teacher, or a guide for a younger man.  In doing so, he multiplies      himself.

B)    The older man should come to terms with his approaching death. 

He will experience the gradual loss of his physical or mental capabilities as he grows older and closer to death.  The Christian man should overcome any despair by remembering that a better life awaits him.  Even in death he can say, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want...Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for Thou art with me” (Psalm 23:1, 4a)

Through every stage of life, Christian men should remember that we live in a changing world, but we serve a changeless Christ (Hebrews 13:8)!  If we will serve Him throughout life, we can meet any spiritual challenge.

Let us change our opening figure from navigating a river to sailing on an ocean.  How do you stay on course?  You need something constant to guide you, something like the North Star.  Christ is the North Star of your journey!  Keep Him fixed in your sight, and you will survive the changes of life.  God will be your constant companion; He will help you and strengthen you at every age (Isaiah 40: 29-31).

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men hall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

The Joy of Soul-Winning
20 Jul 03

Soul-winning is the most important work in the world.  It alone was the sufficient cause for the Word to become flesh and dwell among men (Jn 1:14). “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

(Lk 19:10) “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

After Jesus provided the means through His atoning blood by which souls might be won and saved from sin, He sent His disciples out with the incomparable task of winning souls by preaching His Gospel.  But soul-winning is not merely a task or duty, although it is certainly both.  It is also a surpassing privilege that brings manifold joy each time a soul is won by the Gospel.

Soul-winning brings joy to Heaven

(Lk 15:10) “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

Since the first sin, the whole interest of Heaven has been the redemption of the human race.  God spent several centuries bringing His plan of redemption to fruition.

(Gal 4:4) “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”

Soul-winning is the most important work in the world.  It alone was the sufficient cause for the Word to become flesh and dwell among men (Jn 1:14). “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

(Lk 19:10) “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

After Jesus provided the means through His atoning blood by which souls might be won and saved from sin, He sent His disciples out with the incomparable task of winning souls by preaching His Gospel.  But soul-winning is not merely a task or duty, although it is certainly both.  It is also a surpassing privilege that brings manifold joy each time a soul is won by the Gospel.

Would it not be the wonder of all wonders if the Heavenly hosts were indifferent when men choose to obey the Gospel and be saved?  The populace of Heaven is no less thrilled when the redeemed go out seeking the souls of those yet lost.  How much joy have you hereby brought to the angels?

Soul-winning brings joy to the soul won

After his baptism, the Ethiopian “went on his way rejoicing”

(Acts 8:39) “And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.”

The joy of the discovery and obedience of the Truth, the release from the guilt of sin, the entering into a new life, and the hope of eternal life all combine to make the moment of conversion a source of incomparable rejoicing!

Soul-winning brings joy to the soul-winner.

(Ps 126:6) “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

There are many joys and thrills to be experienced in the Christian life, but only one outshines that of becoming a Christian: sowing the seed and reaping the harvest of a soul.

Soul-winning brings joy to all the saints

When Paul and Barnabas reported the conversion of many

gentiles from their preaching efforts, “they caused great joy unto all the brethren”

(Acts 15:3) ”And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.”

There are some few who could not care less whether or not the Gospel is taken to the lost, but most saints rejoice greatly at the news of every soul won, regardless of who won it.  The genuine heart can never be jealous of nor indifferent to the success of

others in winning souls.  No wonder Solomon wrote:

(Pro 11:30) “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”

Give me one soul today

 Lead me to some souls today,
O teach me Lord, just what to say.
Friends of mine
Are lost in sin
And cannot find their way.
Few there are who seem to care
And few there are who pray.
Melt my heart and fill my life,
Give me one soul today.

20/20 VISION
27 Jul 03

In view of our coming September Gospel Meeting.  Let us prepare the fields for harvest, remembering the Great Commission that the Lord has committed to us.

Before the Lord left this earth he charged his disciples saying,

(Mat 28:19-20) ”Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

(MK 16:15-16) “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

Carries with it the same command to go and preach the Gospel to all the world.  Jesus added in (Lk 24:47) ”And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” that such should begin at Jerusalem.  The work of the church in evangelism is thus spelled out.  I believe with all my heart that the apostles did the very thing that Jesus commanded.  They started at Jerusalem in Acts 2, then Judea. 

From here the Gospel went into all the known world at that time.  One who was chosen out of due time to be an apostle, Paul by name, committed himself to these same ideals in so much as his words of inspiration are recorded by Luke in (Acts 20:20).

(Acts 20:20)  “and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,”

This represents the heart and soul of Paul.  The church and her work cannot become second place in our lives today.  We are very  lax in our work for the Lord as a general rule.  Surely some are working very hard, but the whole church was at work at that time.  Acts 8 indicates that they went everywhere preaching the Word of God.

Paul said that he kept back nothing that was profitable.  It is essential that we know about sin.  We must know about our sin and what to do about it.  Sometimes it goes “against the grain” for us to hear the things that are profitable to us.  We had rather hear smooth and fair speeches.  We want someone to make us “feel good.”  How can we feel good when the very thing that we need we refuse, thus causing us to be lost?  Is some slick-tongued orator to make us feel good about living in sin?  Do we want a pat on the back and to be told all is well when in fact we are lost and all is not well?  Medicine sometimes is profitable to us for physical ailments.  The doctor says “Take this prescription in order to get well.”  We think the medicine costs too much, but we take it just the same.  Why?  The doctor said that it would make us well.  From a spiritual point of view all that will make us well is the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our faithful obedience to the same.  Some think that this is not profitable because one must start where he or she is (living in sin) and learn from there what to do.  There is nothing pleasant about being told that we are wrong.  However, it is profitable to our souls.