Word became flesh! (Pt.2)

(Part 2 of 2)

“And the Word became 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”-John 1:14

Bibles are wonderful tools, but they don’t have feet. They cannot go anywhere they are not taken. So when God decided to mobilize the gospel, He chose to sow His word into men’s hearts and minds:

“But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord, I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”-Hebrews 8:10

Let’s be honest, just as Jesus was the Word made flesh among us, we are to be the embodiment of His Word among our friends, family and neighbors. 

Should we not embody God’s sacrificial love?

“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.”-John 15:12

Should we not embody His kindness?

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”-Colossians 3:12

Should we not embody His compassion?

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”-2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Should we not embody His forgiveness?

“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”-Ephesians 4:32

The most effective way to mobilize the gospel is not to make sure it is printed in every language, but to see that it is imprinted on people’s hearts and minds. 

When the word becomes flesh in our neighborhoods and the people begin to experience the grace and truth of God, that is where the lost get found, the sick get healed, and dead get raised, and bound find freedom! It is where the people see the glory of God, not simply read about it. 

Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church 

Word became flesh! (Pt.1)

(Part 1)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”-John 1:1.

It would be hard to find another passage of scripture that elevates and promotes the significance of the Word of God more than this one. This passage tells us that Jesus embodies the Word of God. He is the Living Word and if that concept isn’t mind blowing enough, God does something that would radically change the course of history. He put feet to the gospel:

“And the Word became 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”-John 1:14

God wrapped the Word in flesh and sent the Word to us in human form, that we might behold His glory. God mobilized the gospel! 

“But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”-Romans 10:14-15

Throughout history there have been some amazing moments that have helped to mobilize the Word of God. From 1382-1395, John Wycliff translated the first English Bible by hand. In the 1450s, Gutenberg’s printing press opened the doors to mass printings of the scriptures and from 1550-1650, the Protestant Reformation saw the Bible translated into some 400 languages. 

Nevertheless, when God sent Jesus in the flesh to dwell among us, He was modeling the most effective method of mobilizing the Word of God. Wrap the word and flesh and let it dwell among the people. In the Message Bible, John 1:1 reads like this: “The Word become flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.” Here’s the question, “When you moved into your neighborhood, did the Word of God move in with you?” 

Should we not, like Christ, be the living word among our friends and neighbors? Are we not suppose to be the word dwelling among the people? 

Jesus spent his entire adult ministry sowing the Word of God into twelve men who He would then send out to the surrounding towns and villages to stay in people’s homes (Luke 9:4). In Luke 10, He sent out 72 others with the same instructions. He filled them with the Word of God and then He sent them out to dwell among the people. 

Why? John 1:14 explains that the reason God sent the Word wrapped in flesh is so that we could see the glory of God and experience His grace and truth. God wanted the people to experience Him right where they lived; in their own homes, workplaces, and communities. Even if a person never graced the doors of a church, they could experience the grace of God right in their own neighborhood. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Don't be surprised! (Pt.2)

(Part 2)

“Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.”-1 Thessalonians 5:-4

Not only did Jesus express some truths that we, as believers, shouldn’t be surprised to hear, so did the Apostle Paul. Speaking of the future catching away of the church and the second coming of Christ, Paul admonishes us not be be surprised when that day comes like a thief in the night. 

This significant truth would not come without its controversy as many false teachers in Paul’s day tried to capitalize on the event. However, Paul was not surprised to find false teachers and false prophets among the body of believers:

“But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours. These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.”-2 Corinthians 11:12-15

There are many people today who will be shocked to find false teachers and false prophets among them and consequently, because they are not diligent in discerning their presence, will be led astray by their teachings. Nevertheless, we shouldn’t be shocked that following Jesus would require us to face opposition and trials:

“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.”-1 Peter 4:12 

Fiery trials? Who signed up for that? The Apostle Peter warned us that it should not be considered a strange thing to suffer for Christ or to walk through difficult situations on account of our relationship with Him. Yet, there are believers that are shocked by the idea that part of our experience following Jesus is to share in His suffering. Instead, many people see fiery trials and suffering as an indication of God’s displeasure, when in reality it is a sign of divine relationship. In fact, the Apostle John takes it a step further:

“So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.”-1 John 3:13

The more you separate yourself from this world (the way that it thinks, acts, and believes) the more it is going to hate you. There are those who are surprised by the idea that you cannot be friends of God and friends of this world. They are shocked to hear that following Jesus means that the world will hate them. They believe that you can live one foot in the world and one foot in God’s Kingdom, but James 4:4 is clear:

“Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.”

If you count the cost now, you can prepare for and face those things knowing that God warned you they were coming. However, if you thought coming to Christ was suppose to make your life rosy and perfect, you are going to be surprised by a few things along the way.

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Don't be surprised! (Pt.1)

(Part 1)

“Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’”-John 3:5-7

Was coming to accept and live for Jesus everything you thought it would be? Have you been surprised by anything along the way? Things ever get difficult and you find yourself saying something like, “I thought coming to Jesus was suppose to make my life better, not harder.”?

In my devotional time I came across a few passages that I found interesting. All of them used the phrase, “Don’t be surprised” or a variant of it. Jesus and some of His disciples used this phrase to cast light on some things that should be expected by those who follow Jesus.

A surprised reaction is a startled response caused by an unexpected event. So with that in mind, the passages that we will look at focus on things that should not catch us off guard or seem unexpected to us as we pursue following Jesus.

Jesus begins right here in John 3:5-7 telling Nicodemus, a Pharisee, that following Christ requires that he be born again; not of water, but of the spirit. Humans can only reproduce human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. We were all dead in our sins, until we repented of our sins and received Christ’s forgiveness. It as as this point that we a made new creations in Christ and are born again spiritually.

There are some people out there that are going to be surprised to find out that Jesus truly is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that no one gets to the Father except by Him. They are going to be shocked to discover that being a good person is not enough and that going to church is not enough, but rather you must have a personal relationship with Jesus if you are going to make heaven.

That “Don’t be surprised” moment takes on even greater significance when we read what Jesus says in John 5:25-29:

 “And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man. Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.

Jesus emphatically states that we should not be surprised to hear that the dead will someday be raised and stand in judgment before God.

There are some people out there that are convinced that God is a God of love, however they will be shocked to find that He will also, one day, judge the world as well. They will be surprised to find that He is as equally just as he is loving.

Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church

Lazy Faith (Pt.2)

(Part 2)

Faith without action is dead and useless. It is lazy faith! We should not be surprised by a generation that is disconnect from their faith, that has been trained up by a generation lazy about theirs. We need to recommit ourselves to living out our faith everyday. We do this by understanding what composes lazy faith. 

Lazy faith is faith without consistency. It is a lack of faithfulness to routine. Is it possible to have faith, without faithfulness? Proverbs 20:6 declares “Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?” You see, creed without action is lazy faith. Jesus said in Luke 16:10: “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.”The question becomes are we showing ourselves faithful in the little things in regards to attendance, serving, giving, and devotions. Are we showing ourselves to be faithful?

Lazing faith is also faith without discipline. Many of us have a severe inability to tell ourselves “No!” Faith requires us not only to say “Yes” to God, but also say “No” to ungodliness:

“For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God.”-Titus 2:11-12

The danger we face when we refuse to exercise self-control is that we ultimately counteract our progress with poor decisions.  

Thirdly, lazy faith is faith without practice. Lazy faith is characterized by an unwillingness to practice our faith outside the church. Many people have a desire to play piano, but few have the desire to practice. A lack of practice leads to a lack of proficiency. I wonder how many of our kids signed up to play a sport, but when they did’t want to put the time in practicing, we pushed them to do so; yet we signed up to follow Jesus, but don’t live by those same convictions:

“Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me-everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”-Philippians 4:9

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. you see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. “-James 1:22-24

Finally, lazy faith is faith without accountability. This is when we don’t have any spiritual goals set for ourselves and we are critical of those who attempt to hold us accountable to even the very basics of our faith. That is precisely why many people stay out of church. It is to avoid having to account for their ongoing poor decisions. However, God has instructed us to hold each other accountable for our actions:

“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”-Galatians 6:1-2

The owner of the gym I attend is quick to call me out if I am using wrong form or sees a way I can improve myself. He isn’t being mean or judging me, he is keeping me from hurting myself and helping me to get the most out of my workout. 

Don’t let your faith become dead in useless when it is within your power to put it into action. Be consistent. Stay disciplined. Keep practicing. Remain accountable. If you will, your faith will become vibrant. 

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Lazy Faith (Pt.)

(Part 1)

“What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?”-James 2:14

Have you ever purchased a gym membership and then only attended once or twice? You signed up because you believed that going to the gym would help you reach your health and fitness goals and that housed within that gym was everything you needed to develop consistent disciplines that would help you reach your expectations. 

However, for those who only engaged the gym once or twice, those health and fitness goals were likely never achieved; not because you didn’t believe they could be, but rather because of your inaction. The same could be said of us in regards to our spiritual health. 

I heard a quote recently from an author discussing his own journey of faith. He was referring to a dry season of his life when he made this statement: “I wasn’t lacking in faith, I was just lazy in practice.” That statement got me reading James 2:14-26 a lot differently. 

I’ve always approached James Chapter 2 as a dialogue on faith vs. works discussing the value of each and how they compliment one another. Yet, works still often gets cast in a negative light; most notably when it is seen as a means of trying to gain salvation. What I find interesting in the New Living Translation is how the author interchanges the word work with the word action:

“Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.”-James 2:21-22

Here is why that is interesting to me. Laziness is defined as: to dislike, oppose, or be disinclined toward work, activity, or exertion. When James begins to talk about faith without action, that quote comes to mind- “I wasn’t lacking faith, I was just lazy in practice.” It causes these words from James 2:15-18 to take on a whole new light:

 “Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

James doesn’t mince words here. Faith that isn’t put into action is dead and useless. In a very real sense, some people’s faith is as useless as the gym membership card they carry around in their wallet. The true value of faith is not seen or experienced until it is put into action. 

It is hard to claim that you are a person of faith, when there is no activity to support that statement (James 2:23-24). Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions, and not by faith alone. Would you say that a person with a gym membership that only goes sporadically is “committed to their health and fitness?” We all know the old adage: Actions speak louder than words. We don’t listen to people’s creeds to determine their heart, we watch their actions. Thus, our inaction, as well, is declaring something about us. We have lazy faith. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

The scars of my salvation (Pt.2)

(Part 2 of 2)

“Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! “Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.”-Luke 24:35-40

Why would Jesus show them His hands and feet?  Was it to prove that he was Jesus? The same one they knew and loved and saw crucified.  Or was there something more to it? Several Old Testament passages of Scripture may throw some light on the subject:

“My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet.”- Psalm 22:16

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”-Isaiah 53:5

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”-Zechariah 12:10

Each of these passages pointed to a future Messiah that would be pierced for our salvation. Even Thomas, the disciple who missed Jesus’ first post-resurrection visit, refused to be convinced unless he saw the nail wounds in Jesus’ hands for himself (John 20:24-29). 

Those nail pierced hands were evident of something more than Jesus’ identity. They are evidence of our salvation. Some people have said that the best evidence of salvation is a changed life.  I would clarify that idea this way: a changed life should be the outcome of our salvation and good works a demonstration of our salvation. Nevertheless, you can do both of those things and yet, at moments; even seasons of your life, not feel saved. 

That is why his nailed scarred hands and feet are so significant. Jesus carries in His body the evidence of my salvation. When I don’t feel saved,  I don’t lose hope because I am not trusting in my own abilities or feelings.

 When the devil starts pointing at my life and whispers “See you are not changed?” or “Where are your good works?”; I am reminded that those are not the evidences of my salvation. I look to His nail scarred hands and feet. It was not a changed life that saved me, it was His crucifixion. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church