Chuck Ryor

“Are you seeking great things for yourself?  Know that what you want indicates more of who you are than what you have.” –  Mark Dever

Have you ever sat and wondered how people who make millions or win millions can blow it so quickly?  This week I heard another story of a former movie star who had money and fame.  But instead of making him happy, it added more pressure and he killed himself.  “Who was it?” you ask.   Does it matter?  Google search “movie star commits suicide” and this same story could be applied to many.

I’ve recently begun a new book with the men I’m meeting one on one with each week.  Tim Keller’s Counterfeit Gods is a book all about our idols and our human propensity to take created things and begin to worship them as if they are the Creator.  We take beautiful things that we enjoy and fashion them into that which we intend to us to satisfy our souls as only God can.  We’re so broken as human beings that we compulsively look to anything besides God for our ultimate satisfaction, principally because we want to be worshipped and idolized ourselves.

Knowing this is true about us is important, as often we’re driven by things of which we’re unaware.  Whether it’s our desire to be successful or respected, in all of its forms we want to be first.  We want to be worshiped.  St. Augustine said, “Idolatry is worshiping anything that ought to be used or using anything that ought to be worshiped.”  We have been created to serve God and others.  God is not here to be used by His creation to achieve our ends.

That’s what makes Mark Dever’s comments so engaging.  What we want tells us more about who we are than what we have.  What is driving us tells more about us than what we’re driving toward.  All of us – from parents to physicians to pastors and everyone in between – need to evaluate why we do what we do and what it is that we’re actually trying to do.  If not, we’re likely to fall into selfish behavior that seeks our own good over the good of others.

The Apostle Paul wrote this to the first century church in Philippi:

“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”  – Philippians 2:1-5

Churches can be awful places when people think their individual needs or agendas are more important than the mission of preaching the gospel to the world.  When their wills aren’t submitted to, some church goers start acting like psychotic, jilted lovers who would rather commit a homicide than let the one who broke up with them be with another.  When these individuals don’t get their way they determine to make the church pay for how hurt or neglected they feel.  They spread rumors, slander others, gossip and back bite.   Or worse.

Being one in spirit and purpose presumes two things, according to Philippians 2:  (1) You must be intimate with Christ and be experiencing comfort from His love and fellowship with His Spirit;  and (2)  You have to recognize that it isn’t all about you and your opinions about life.  Unity in the church is built upon Christ, His mission and what is beneficial to the entire body.  Hence, you have to consider the needs of others more important than whatever you imagine is the most important issue.  And who decides what is most important in a church body?

That will lead us to discuss our next Prism Value…Leadership through Elders.

Like most everyone I know, I love the Olympics and in particular the Opening Ceremonies.  Every two years my wife and I find ourselves alone (opening ceremonies aren’t quite as fascinating to the teens in our home), eating popcorn and marveling at the magnitude of the production.  I thought Vacouver, British Columbia did a great job with this year’s Winter Olympic Opening Ceremonies, especially in light of the fact that they had to follow Beijing’s 300 million dollar spectacular in the 2008 Summer Olympics.

At times we “awe” in wonder.  Numerous times either Carolyn or I will say, “Wow!” Or ask, “Did you see that?”  Or exclaim, “Incredible!”  It occurred to me that this will be very much what life will be like as we all stand before the throne of God Almighty.  The only difference will be that we’ll be so amazed that we’ll darn near pass out as we hit our knees and exclaim, “Holy is the Lord!  Great and mighty is He!”  That and we’ll never stop worshipping Him.  The glorious Opening Ceremonies begin and end, as do the Winter Olympics themselves.  We’ll stand in awe of God forever.

Psalm 96

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.  For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.  Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.  Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.  Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts.  Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.  Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.” The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.

Revelation 21:1-4

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

The earth is full of God’s glory (Isaiah 6:3).  Every so often the clouds of our busyness and anxiety clear and we get a glimpse of Him in our world.  It’s just fun to think about how much more glorious it will be to stand in God’s presence for all eternity.  Those whom God has rescued, those who have called out for the forgiveness, mercy and grace of God in Christ, they will enjoy the gift of being in the fullness of His presence forever.  Don’t be surprised if at the sight of God we lean over to each other and say, “Wow!”  Or ask, “Did you see that?”  Or exclaim, “Incredible!”

“He who is devoid of the power to forgive, is devoid of the power to love.” – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

My mentor, Mike Khandjian, once said to me that he hoped I could get past my bitterness toward someone, for my own sake.  I think it was the first time I comprehended the concept that anger toward someone does more damage to me than it does to them.  I’d heard – and perhaps taught – that idea before, but something about the moment and the man made me pause and take it in for a change.

The sad reality is that people who are hurtful to us rarely are thinking about us at all.  Hence, our investment in bitter thoughts or hateful imaginary conversations is a work of fantasy on our part.  If these people were thinking about you in the first place, they would’ve never treated you so badly.  So why would you or I imagine that they are concerned whatsoever with how we view them?

I understand this thought process, as it is related to the same thought process associated with deep insecurity – with which I have an overabundance of experience.  When I modify my behavior because of what I fear others will think of me, in essence I’m giving them power over me.  As well, I’m assuming that they’re watching me closely enough to see what I’m doing or make an assessment of my character.

Truth is, they’re usually not thinking about me at all.  The realization of which sends the insecure person spiraling even further down into depression.  People with whom we’re bitter don’t care what we’re doing, they’re not thinking about us at all.  When we harbor ill will towards others, the assumption is that they will in some way would be affected by our bitterness.  They aren’t.

On the other hand, we’re to be watchful for how we treat others.  It is a sad testament to our selfish nature that we can become obsessed with the way others are treating us while giving almost no thought to how we’re dealing with others.  I’ve been continually saddened by my conduct and the conduct of other people when it comes to this subject.

I have a perspective to share with you about your participation with others in criticism or complaint, particularly as it relates to life inside the church.  When someone comes to you with a complaint, a criticism or scathing indictment of another brother or sister in Christ, you should first question the godliness of the person speaking to you before you enable them to continue ranting.

Unless this person is your best friend, soulmate or spouse, why are they coming to you?  And instead of fishing for more morsels of gossip, are your first questions of them:  (1) Have they have talked one on one with whom they’re angry;  (2) Have they asked the difficult question about whether or not they’re part of the problem;  (3) Have they considered that they’re harboring bitterness toward a brother or sister in Christ and that they’re doing so at their own peril.

This warning comes to us from Ephesians 4:25-32:

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.  “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.  He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Why is it that our behavior with our family is much worse than it is with outsiders?  Perhaps it’s because we’re secure in those relationships and tend to take them for granted?  I believe that this lack of sensitivity is true with the brothers and sisters of our faith family, too.  Perhaps that’s why the admonition to love one another is so strongly worded: guard our speech and forgive each other from the heart.  This command is punctuated by that which should concern us most, the possibility that’d we’d displease our Lord.

Did you known that you can grieve the Holy Spirit?  This reality implies that He cares enough to be affected by your behavior.  The good news is that we’re in relationship with God our Father.  The bad news is that we now can cause Him emotional pain.  Our capacity to grieve Him denotes our unique place of intimacy with Him.

My teenage children and others in my family can hurt me worse than those outside my family, and church people have done more injury to me than those outside my community.  In much the same way we are intimately connected to God in such a way that we bear the responsibility to concern ourselves with Him, and by extension the others whom He loves dearly.

Charles Spurgeon concluded his sermon on Ephesians 4:32 with this encouragement to his hearers, which now include us:

“Though I have not just now been preaching Christ Jesus as the object of the sinner’s trust, yet remember that he must also be the object of our imitation. This is the kind of doctrine which Christ himself preached, and therefore, since he preached continually this love to our neighbour, and forgiveness of our enemies, we ought both to preach and to practise it. Go ye and believe in him, and be imitators of him, remembering that he forgave his murderers upon the cross whereon he wrought out our redemption. May his Spirit rest upon you evermore. Amen.”

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:42-45

When I think of “greatness” I usually associate the term with high achievement.  Someone is a great author when they write numerous books that sell numerous copies.  A great attorney has a hugely successful practice and is respected in the legal community.  A great athlete is one of the most accomplished in his or her sport.  It makes sense that we would all gravitate toward achieving greatness of this sort, as it usually is accompanied by personal glory and wealth – which promise security, ego gratification and comfort.

This is what makes Jesus’ words to His disciples so counter-cultural.  His definition of greatness is to become the servant of all.  The waterboy for the team.  The counseling pastor at the megachurch.  The third world aid worker.  I wonder if prosperous and successful American Christianity will ever be able to know genunine sacrifice and intentional service.  We are so caught up in our comfort that we’re missing the opportunity to show off the character of our Savior through becoming the servant of all.

The Apostle Paul wrote the following to the church in Philippi:

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness .  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! - Philippians 2:1-8

Jesus literally made himself nothing.  The original Greek phrase for “made himself nothing” means “emptied himself.”  He became the servant of all.  He was the greatest.

I have the privilege of introducing you to a friend of mine who I consider great.  Owen Lee is the pastor of New Life Presbyterian Church, a congregation in Burbank, California.  His congregation isn’t huge.  He isn’t the “superstar” of his church planting network.  He isn’t the plenary speaker at conferences.  He is a servant…to me and so many others.  He has been a great encouragement to me during this past year, and the times of fellowship I’ve enjoyed with him have been friendly waters to a parched soul.

Please pray for my friend Owen this week.  His father (in his 70′s) has experienced double kidney failure and would die if he doesn’t get a transplant.  The list of those needing a new kidney is long, and the older you are the less likely you’ll be to get one in time to save your life.  And there needs to be an exact match of blood and tissue…

So, Owen is having one of his 39 year old kidneys surgically removed and giving it to his dad.

Pray that the sacrifice and risk being made by his family will result in great things for them and Owen’s dad.   I’m sure they would all appreciate your prayers as they trust the Lord’s for Owen and his father’s safety in surgery and recovery.

Owen Lee.  One of the great men in Los Angeles.