from The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Grace alone does everything they say, and so everything can remain as it was before. ‘All for sin could not atone.’ Well, then, let the Christian live like the rest of the world, let him model himself on the world’s standards in every sphere of life, and not presumptuously aspire to live a different life under grace from his old life under sin….
Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession…. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.
Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man’ will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble, it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.
Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.
Friday, December 2, 2011
The Circus
by Billie Hanks Jr.
Years ago, a little boy begged his father to let him go to the circus which had come to town. After doing his chores, he was given a dollar bill and sent on his way. As he neared the fairgrounds, the circus parade was in progress. When the clown at the end of the parade passed by, the little boy placed his dollar in the clown's hand and went home happily, thinking he had seen the circus. Many Christians are just like this little boy; they mistake the beginning for the end.
Years ago, a little boy begged his father to let him go to the circus which had come to town. After doing his chores, he was given a dollar bill and sent on his way. As he neared the fairgrounds, the circus parade was in progress. When the clown at the end of the parade passed by, the little boy placed his dollar in the clown's hand and went home happily, thinking he had seen the circus. Many Christians are just like this little boy; they mistake the beginning for the end.
Lights
by Billie Hanks Jr.
Once a lady came to her pastor complaining about the factory where she was employed. She wanted to quit working there because nearly all of the employees were non-Christians and they constantly used profanity. The pastor listened, then asked her, "Where do you put lights?" Disregarding the question, she complained about their wild parties, drinking, and dirty jokes. Again he asked, "But where do you put lights?"
Puzzled by his response, the lady went on to tell him that some of her associates at work were also involved in immoral relationships. A third time he questioned, "But where do you put lights?" Annoyed she said, "I don't know where you put lights. In dark places, I guess!" Suddenly, she realized what he had been trying to say.
Matthew 5:14-16
Once a lady came to her pastor complaining about the factory where she was employed. She wanted to quit working there because nearly all of the employees were non-Christians and they constantly used profanity. The pastor listened, then asked her, "Where do you put lights?" Disregarding the question, she complained about their wild parties, drinking, and dirty jokes. Again he asked, "But where do you put lights?"
Puzzled by his response, the lady went on to tell him that some of her associates at work were also involved in immoral relationships. A third time he questioned, "But where do you put lights?" Annoyed she said, "I don't know where you put lights. In dark places, I guess!" Suddenly, she realized what he had been trying to say.
Matthew 5:14-16
Friday, November 25, 2011
Community
by Staci Worden
I wrote this three years ago after a life changing experience that I had. I am thankful for my community of Disciples Church - love you guys...
An event that caused me to deeply think about the importance of community and surrounding myself with people who know me wholly.
OK, here is the story... I took Garrett to the Bowlerama in Killeen for a birthday party. I was having nostalgic feelings for being in the area of my stomping grounds... GO ROOS...as I dropped him off. To kill some time, I took off to Nolanville to see my grandmother and arrange her medication boxes for the next two weeks. I was travelling on Business 190 through the club strip of Harker Heights, when I saw a person face down on the ground surrounded by 25-30 bikers and their motorcycles at the "All Bottoms Up" club. No police, no ambulance....I didn't think much of it until I saw a dark liquid all over the ground by the person. I quickly pulled over, grabbed my daughter, and approached the crowd to let them know that I was a nurse and wanted to see if they needed help!
I was either going to be welcomed warmly or made into a biker slave (just joking). They yelled she's a nurse and welcomed me warmly. Good thing for me :) I rushed to the individual on the ground, that no one was helping. A very nice lady dressed in all leather, bandana, braids, and heavy makeup grabbed Reese for me while I helped the wounded person. I feel bad for calling her just a person, but I didn't know who she was and why no one was helping her. I am thankful to the leathered woman for helping me with Reese and she was nicest person to keep her for me. The whole gang was. They babysat her while I assessed the injuries of the unknown person.
She was face down on the ground with blood oozing from her mouth and nose. She was breathing....The dark liquid I saw from the road was oil from her motorcycle, that had been moved. Her arms were tucked underneath her. I coud not assess her radial pulse because her arms were tucked, so I slipped my hand down her neck to check her carotid pulse and she had a good pulse. I spoke to her and she tried to nod her head, but I quickly told her not to move.
She had a small helmet on, so I leaned down close to her face and saw that she had several fractures. Her eyes were swollen shut. I smelled alcohol on her breath. She had a lot of bruising and swelling starting to take over much of her face. She was "snoring", and I could not figure out if she had completely lost consciencious at that point (she never responded again after my first assessment) or if she had an airway obstruction, but she was breathing, how well - I don't know.
I found out afterwards that the gang was leaving the club, and as she was pulling out of the parking lot she hit some gravel and lost control of her motorcycle, causing the accident.
I could give you a "why motorcyles are dangerous lesson, but I will refrain. Anyways, the police and ambulance showed up 5 minutes after I got there, so I stepped aside to let them tend to the "person".
I was shocked that when the police officer asked this person's name, not one of the people in the gang knew her name. They kept screaming at each other... "I think her name is Teresa"...." What is her last name?"....."No, that's not it, I think she got married".... I heard these same things over and over as I prayed for "Teresa". How could you be in a group of 25-30 people and not one of them know YOU?
I would hope that if I was the person on the ground, my community (my family, my friends) would know my name, would offer me a hand, would know my married name, would be willing to talk me through the pain I was feeling, hold my head, my hand, or just touch me to let me know that they were there. Audibly pray for me....
I am so glad that I have a community of family and a community of church. People who would be there for me and know my name. But I learned today, that there are people who do not....
Pray for "Teresa" for her healing, for her to find community, and most important to experience the community of our Savior, Jesus Christ... I may never see her again, but "Teresa" will be in my heart forever....
I wrote this three years ago after a life changing experience that I had. I am thankful for my community of Disciples Church - love you guys...
An event that caused me to deeply think about the importance of community and surrounding myself with people who know me wholly.
OK, here is the story... I took Garrett to the Bowlerama in Killeen for a birthday party. I was having nostalgic feelings for being in the area of my stomping grounds... GO ROOS...as I dropped him off. To kill some time, I took off to Nolanville to see my grandmother and arrange her medication boxes for the next two weeks. I was travelling on Business 190 through the club strip of Harker Heights, when I saw a person face down on the ground surrounded by 25-30 bikers and their motorcycles at the "All Bottoms Up" club. No police, no ambulance....I didn't think much of it until I saw a dark liquid all over the ground by the person. I quickly pulled over, grabbed my daughter, and approached the crowd to let them know that I was a nurse and wanted to see if they needed help!
I was either going to be welcomed warmly or made into a biker slave (just joking). They yelled she's a nurse and welcomed me warmly. Good thing for me :) I rushed to the individual on the ground, that no one was helping. A very nice lady dressed in all leather, bandana, braids, and heavy makeup grabbed Reese for me while I helped the wounded person. I feel bad for calling her just a person, but I didn't know who she was and why no one was helping her. I am thankful to the leathered woman for helping me with Reese and she was nicest person to keep her for me. The whole gang was. They babysat her while I assessed the injuries of the unknown person.
She was face down on the ground with blood oozing from her mouth and nose. She was breathing....The dark liquid I saw from the road was oil from her motorcycle, that had been moved. Her arms were tucked underneath her. I coud not assess her radial pulse because her arms were tucked, so I slipped my hand down her neck to check her carotid pulse and she had a good pulse. I spoke to her and she tried to nod her head, but I quickly told her not to move.
She had a small helmet on, so I leaned down close to her face and saw that she had several fractures. Her eyes were swollen shut. I smelled alcohol on her breath. She had a lot of bruising and swelling starting to take over much of her face. She was "snoring", and I could not figure out if she had completely lost consciencious at that point (she never responded again after my first assessment) or if she had an airway obstruction, but she was breathing, how well - I don't know.
I found out afterwards that the gang was leaving the club, and as she was pulling out of the parking lot she hit some gravel and lost control of her motorcycle, causing the accident.
I could give you a "why motorcyles are dangerous lesson, but I will refrain. Anyways, the police and ambulance showed up 5 minutes after I got there, so I stepped aside to let them tend to the "person".
I was shocked that when the police officer asked this person's name, not one of the people in the gang knew her name. They kept screaming at each other... "I think her name is Teresa"...." What is her last name?"....."No, that's not it, I think she got married".... I heard these same things over and over as I prayed for "Teresa". How could you be in a group of 25-30 people and not one of them know YOU?
I would hope that if I was the person on the ground, my community (my family, my friends) would know my name, would offer me a hand, would know my married name, would be willing to talk me through the pain I was feeling, hold my head, my hand, or just touch me to let me know that they were there. Audibly pray for me....
I am so glad that I have a community of family and a community of church. People who would be there for me and know my name. But I learned today, that there are people who do not....
Pray for "Teresa" for her healing, for her to find community, and most important to experience the community of our Savior, Jesus Christ... I may never see her again, but "Teresa" will be in my heart forever....
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
What If...
N.T. Wright
How would it be if God were the kind of god who was always making snide or bitter remarks about us? What would worship and prayer be like if we thought God had been talking about us behind our backs, putting us down to others? How would we feel if we thought we couldn't trust God to tell us the truth, if he was always losing his temper with us? Well: how do people feel about us if that's what we're like? Wouldn't it be better in every way to be like God?
How would it be if God were the kind of god who was always making snide or bitter remarks about us? What would worship and prayer be like if we thought God had been talking about us behind our backs, putting us down to others? How would we feel if we thought we couldn't trust God to tell us the truth, if he was always losing his temper with us? Well: how do people feel about us if that's what we're like? Wouldn't it be better in every way to be like God?
Friday, October 28, 2011
We Believe
From Alex P. Cohen
What must we do to be saved? What must we do to retain salvation? What must we do to please God? What must we do to obtain God's blessings? What must we do to grow in grace? What must we do to express God's inner presence?
And on and on the questions go. Man is under the mistaken impression that he must do something to experience God. Man has devised a thousand and one methods to "activate" God.
With one simple statement, Jesus answers for all time every "What must we do?" question ever asked,
"This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He has sent."
We believe.
The exercise of faith does not depend upon human will. It is the work of God. When faith arrives, man recognizes, accepts and affirms. It is automatic and effortless. He can do nothing else.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Worship Is More Than Music
by Rick Warren
Worship is far more than music. For many people, worship is just a synonym for music. That say, "At our church we have the worship first, then the teaching." This is a big misunderstanding. Every part of a church service is an act of worship: praying, Scripture reading, singing, confession, silence, being still, listening to a sermon, taking notes, giving an offering, baptism, communion, signing a commitment card, and even greeting other worshippers.
Actually, worship predates music. Adam worshipped in the Garden of Eden, but music isn't mentioned until Genesis 4:21 with the birth of Jubal. If worship were just music, then all who are nonmusical could never worship. Worship is far more than music.
Even worse, "worship" is often misused to refer to a particular style of music: "First we sand a hymn, then a praise and worship song." Or, "I like the fast praise songs but enjoy the slow worship songs the most." In this usage, if a song is fast or loud or uses brass instruments, it's considered "praise". But if it is slow and quiet and intimate, maybe accompanied by a guitar, that's worship. This is a common misuse of the term "worship".
Worship has nothing to do with the style or volume or speed of a song. God loves all kinds of music because he invented it all - fast and slow, loud and soft, old and new. You probably don't like it all, but God does! If it is offered to God in spirit and truth, it is an act of worship.
Christians often disagree over the style of music used in worship, passionately defending their preferred style as the most biblical or God-honoring. But there is no biblical style! There are no musical notes in the Bible; we don't even have the instruments they used in the Bible.
Frankly, the music you like best says more about you - your background and personality - than it does about God. One ethnic group's music can sound like noise to another. But God likes variety and enjoys it all.
There is no such thing as "Christian" music; there are only Christian lyrics. It is the words that make a song sacred, not the tune.
Worship is far more than music. For many people, worship is just a synonym for music. That say, "At our church we have the worship first, then the teaching." This is a big misunderstanding. Every part of a church service is an act of worship: praying, Scripture reading, singing, confession, silence, being still, listening to a sermon, taking notes, giving an offering, baptism, communion, signing a commitment card, and even greeting other worshippers.
Actually, worship predates music. Adam worshipped in the Garden of Eden, but music isn't mentioned until Genesis 4:21 with the birth of Jubal. If worship were just music, then all who are nonmusical could never worship. Worship is far more than music.
Even worse, "worship" is often misused to refer to a particular style of music: "First we sand a hymn, then a praise and worship song." Or, "I like the fast praise songs but enjoy the slow worship songs the most." In this usage, if a song is fast or loud or uses brass instruments, it's considered "praise". But if it is slow and quiet and intimate, maybe accompanied by a guitar, that's worship. This is a common misuse of the term "worship".
Worship has nothing to do with the style or volume or speed of a song. God loves all kinds of music because he invented it all - fast and slow, loud and soft, old and new. You probably don't like it all, but God does! If it is offered to God in spirit and truth, it is an act of worship.
Christians often disagree over the style of music used in worship, passionately defending their preferred style as the most biblical or God-honoring. But there is no biblical style! There are no musical notes in the Bible; we don't even have the instruments they used in the Bible.
Frankly, the music you like best says more about you - your background and personality - than it does about God. One ethnic group's music can sound like noise to another. But God likes variety and enjoys it all.
There is no such thing as "Christian" music; there are only Christian lyrics. It is the words that make a song sacred, not the tune.
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