"The Pride of Life" - Henry Knapp

It Comes Before the Fall…

The struggle against pride really is a uniquely Christian struggle. For most of us, raised as we were in a Western society vastly shaped by the Christian faith, it would seem that everyone would be leery of pride. Pride is the enemy; humility, as hard as it is to understand, is the right attitude to cultivate. But throughout history and across the world, this has not always been so. Many, many societies and cultures through the ages have celebrated pride and considered humility as weakness. Consequently, recognizing pride as sin is something that arises from biblical teaching and challenges the Christian to see the world in a different way.

Now, it’s true that much of contemporary American society retains this awareness of the evils of pride—in polite society, hubris, smugness, and conceit are still frowned upon. But, think of how this is slipping: the idolatry of celebrity, the prioritization of self-esteem, the proliferation of social media’s attention on “me”.

In God’s grace, however, you and I live in a time where we have the benefits of hearing from the wisdom of Christian thinkers who have considered the horrors of pride. May you learn from their wisdom…

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“Pride is your greatest enemy, humility is your greatest friend.”— John R.W. Stott

“The essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind… it is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began.” — C.S. Lewis

“Pride is the great sin. It is the devil’s most effective and destructive tool.” — Tomas Tarrants

“A person wrapped up in himself makes a small package.” — Harry Emerson Fosdick

“What is the origin of our evil will but pride? For pride is the beginning of sin. And what is pride but the craving for undue praise? And this is undue praise: when the soul abandons Him to whom it ought to cleave as its goal, and becomes a kind of goal to itself. This happens when it becomes its own satisfaction. And it does so when it falls away from that unchangeable good which ought to satisfy it more than itself.” — St. Augustine

“Let us watch against pride in every shape—pride of intellect, pride of wealth, pride in our own goodness, pride in our own deserts. Nothing is so likely to keep a man out of heaven, and prevent him seeing Christ, as pride. So long as we think we are something, we shall never be saved.” — J. C. Ryle

“Pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense.” — C.S. Lewis

“The first and worst cause of errors that abound in our day and age is spiritual pride. This is the main door by which the devil comes into the hearts of those who are zealous for the advancement of Christ... Spiritual pride is the main spring or at least the main support of all other errors. Until this disease is cured, medicines are applied in vain to heal all other diseases.” — Jonathan Edwards

“The essence of Gospel-humility is not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself, it is thinking of myself less.” — Timothy Keller
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As you prepare for worship this week, read Acts 12:20-23.

1. Why is this passage included in the Bible? Note that Tyre and Sidon were not inhabited by Jews.

2. This is not the Herod who reigned during Jesus’ birth, but a grandson. Can we discern any character traits from this passage? Note: it is a small sample, and we shouldn’t draw too many conclusions from a few verses.

3. Why is Herod’s dress and attire described in verse 21? What might the author be trying to communicate?

4. Speculate on the reasons why the crowd would have reacted as they did to Herod’s speech?

5. Verse 23 begins with “immediately”. What is being conveyed here?

6. Notice the reason why Herod was “struck down”. Why would this have generated such a response by God?

7. Can you think of similar situations in life? Perhaps your own or in society as a whole?

"Temptation: The Lust of the Eyes" - Henry Knapp

For There Your Heart Will Be Also 

One of the stereotypes in our culture of being a pastor (along with being a bumbling idiot and mildly socially-awkward) is that pastors are always talking about money. A stereotype, yes; but, unfortunately, it is also an occupational hazard. It is hard not to talk about money as a pastor. As a matter of fact, I don’t think you can be a faithful pastor and not talk about it. And that, simply, is because money factors heavily in the Bible. If we are to teach the Bible, we are going to have to talk about money. 

It is almost a cliché to point out that Jesus spoke a lot about money. In eleven of His 35+ parables, Jesus is talking about things of financial value. More verses in the Gospels address money than heaven and hell combined. Wealth (and poverty) accent much of what He said and taught. Stated this way, it seems like Jesus was always talking about economics. 

But, I’m not sure that’s the way we should think about it. 

Did Jesus talk a lot about money? Yes. Does He care about our use, and view, of money? Goodness, yes. But, His focus is mostly elsewhere, and that is where our focus should be as well. 

Overwhelmingly, Jesus talks about money as an illustration or example to support and back-up His teachings. Like us today, people in the ancient near-east earned, used, and needed money (or similar) for their everyday living. Like us today, acquiring the necessary funds was a constant concern. And, like us today, the ancient pursuit of wealth could easily lead one down a sinful and broken path. Therefore, like preachers today, economic life is an easy source of illustrations, metaphors, and analogies. But, as in Jesus’ teaching, the focus needs to be clarified. 

Predominantly, Jesus’ teaching focused on the Kingdom of God. His attention, and where He wanted His disciples’ attention, was on the coming of the Kingdom in Christ Jesus, the faith of those who are Kingdom citizens, and the salvation they experience. Money factors so heavily in Jesus’ teachings, not because it will be prominent in the Kingdom; but because the value, attention, and dedication we so readily put into our financial lives parallels so well the faithful Christian’s desire for God’s Kingdom. Or, alternatively, the temporal character of earthly finances contrasts so clearly with the eternal value of our life in Christ. In either case, the prevalence of our attention on money helps bring the illustration alive—it is easy to relate to, and to appreciate. 

Of course, another great reason why money and financial concerns seem so frequently mentioned in Scripture is because they are a source of great temptation for many believers. Paul warns Timothy of those who “desire to be rich”, and that the “love of money is a root of all kinds of evils” (1 Timothy 6:9f). Greed blocks love (Romans 13:9), breeds death, gives birth to lying, strife, even murder (Romans 13:9; 2 Peter 2:3; Proverbs 28:25; James 4:2). 

And why is that? Because this temptation, like all temptations, strike at our very relationship with God Himself. We speak of God as sufficient for all things, but do we believe as well that God will satisfy us with all things? What good is being filled (i.e., sufficient) if not satisfied? Is it possible that God would give us things, but not satisfy us? Even stating it this way betrays the folly in such a thought! Surely, our God, the One who loves us so much to bring such a costly salvation, surely such a God will not only fill us, but will fully satisfy us! Praise be our God! 

As you prepare for worship this Sunday, please read Matthew 13:44-46. 

1. One key principle of interpreting parables is to remember that they largely have one main point. Not every element in the story has a corresponding “reality” in the real world. So… what is the main point of each of the parables?

2. What is the Kingdom of Heaven? What defines it? Why is it important?

3. Why would there be treasure hidden in a field? And, what are the possible ways one could find it?

4. Why would someone sell all they had for a pearl? What is the merchant’s motivation in the second parable?

5. The lust of the eyes is the temptation to have/possess. How do these parables speak to that temptation?

"What's Your Influence?" - Jerry Zeilstra

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” (Psalm 1)

What’s your influence? 

Many years ago a friend gave me the following quote on a plaque that I hung in my office, “You can count the seeds in an apple but you cannot count the apples in a seed.” I pondered that for a while before I totally understood why she gave it to me. I did not manage an apple orchard so why did I care about counting apples? I figured it had to have a spiritual meaning. She gave it to me to encourage me as I shared Christ with others because you can count the number of people you share Christ with, but you can’t count all the people those people share Christ with. So keep sharing the Gospel. 

I was reading some articles on influence the other day and came across an interesting possibility. Did you know that most of us meet an average of 2 or 3 people a day? So over the past couple of weeks I watched my life to see if that happened to me. Some days it was more than that and others not so many.  If you live to be 80 years old you will have met almost 80,000 people. Some of them will be only for a moment, but others will have experienced you for a significant amount of time. Today I am crossing paths with at least four people I don’t know. Election Day was well over 100 as people came and went. 

Psalm 1 is a psalm that I memorized at an early age. It has influenced me in many different ways. The question I’m seeking to challenge myself with, and encouraging you to consider this Sunday, is what is the influence that shapes every part of who you are? The question I’m asking is not so much how are you influencing others, but how are you being influenced? Psalm 1 is classified as a wisdom psalm. It gives an example of how some behaviors are wise and some are foolish. It is the introduction to all of the psalms that follow. As I study Psalm 1, I see two kinds of influence and their end results. 

How you are influenced will affect how you influence others because there is no such thing as an incidental life. Our purposeful and short interactions with people influence the direction of their life, and as a result, the lives of others. The life you have been given is an assignment from the Lord. You need to be you, where God wants you. Remember, your life is not only about you, but also about those God has intentionally put in your path. Colossians 4:5 says, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders: make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” How are you going to handle each and every one of those encounters? What is or what should influence you? Psalm 1 gives us a direct answer. We can’t look at every word on Sunday because there is too much there to cover it all in 20 minutes. 

1. What does the word blessed mean, and why is it important to know what it means?

2. How do the beatitudes in Matthew 5 answer the question what does it mean to be blessed?

3. Is it possible to avoid walking in the counsel of the wicked?

4. Is it possible to avoid standing in the way of sinners?

5. Is it possible to avoid sitting in the seat of mockers?

6. What are the benefits of being planted by streams of water? What does the water and stream refer to?

7. What is your current practice of meditation?  How has it affected your life?

8. What do you delight in and how does delighting in those things affect the way you treat them?

9. Does Matthew 7:24-27 relate to Psalm 1?

"Temptation: The Lust of the Flesh" - Henry Knapp

Why Do I Do that Which I Do Not Want to Do? 

Many of us can relate to Paul’s self-questioning in Romans 7 as he marvels at his own inability to resist the evil and wickedness in his own heart. Paul knows better, and knows that he knows better, yet still time and again finds himself doing the very thing that he knows is no good for him. I can certainly appreciate Paul’s struggle. Very rarely do I only realize at a later date that a decision I had made was sinful. Occasionally, I eventually come to realize that a decision was perhaps not wise, but not often does it take time to recognize my sin. Usually, I’m aware of it right away—often, even as I am doing it. “Uh oh, this is a bad thing to be doing… why am I doing it??” I am sure that many of you are just like Paul and me in that regard. 

Do we really lack so much willpower that we just can’t stop ourselves from making bad decisions? Are we really that weak? So out of control when it comes to the sinfulness inside? Yes. Yup, I think that is the only possible answer—yes, we really are that broken. Even knowing better, we still flounder in our sin. 

(By the way, this needs to be said: the recognition that our sinfulness is such a challenge does not lead the Christian to despair—but, rather, to greater faith and dependence on God, and ultimately, to greater worship and praise. It is exactly because of the power of sin that we see the greater power and love of our Lord in freeing us from that sin.) 

In colonial America, decades before the American Revolution, the pastor-theologian, Jonathan Edwards, explored this very question in his work, The Freedom of the Will. In his book, Edwards confronts this reality—that humanity freely and willfully makes sinful decisions. His argument is that we always decide to do what we ultimately desire. It is our innermost desire which dictates our actions and decisions. What we desire is what we will pursue. And, here’s the scary part, apart from the transformative work of Jesus through the Holy Spirit, we will always desire that which is contrary to God. Always. Sin, that foreign element, that distortion of human nature, sin itself has turned us from what God created us to be (His image) into that which fails at every stage to honor our Creator. Sin has turned all humanity from looking to and glorifying God, to looking toward and glorifying ourselves. And it has done so by shifting and distorting our very desires. We want the wrong thing, so we pursue the wrong thing. 

Of course, Paul’s cry of victory at the end of Romans 7 is our victory cry as well—“Who can deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ!” (7:24-25). The sacrifice of Jesus not only takes away the guilt of our sin, but also grants us a new nature—one that is godly, not sinful; one that is oriented toward our heavenly Father, not toward ourselves. Our basic desires are being changed at the core, we are becoming more as we were intended: humanity imaging God to the world. Yes, our history of being separated from the Lord has developed patterns of thought that so often lead us to do that which we should not do—but thanks be to God, we are developing new behaviors, new habits that reflect the righteousness that is ours in Jesus Christ. Praise be to Him! 

As you prepare for worship this Sunday, read Luke 9:23-25. 

1. Why does Jesus use the phrase, “come after me”? What exactly is He implying? Why this particular phrase?

2. If one does “come after” Jesus, what three things is he supposed to do? How would you argue that they are not three different things but just variations on the same theme?

3. What does “denying self” look like? Does this mean becoming a monk or nun? If not, why not?

4. Notice the word “daily”. Interesting, huh? What does that imply?

5. How do we try to “save our lives”? If we act that way, how do we end up “losing it”?

6. The “losing life” that Jesus seems to applaud here is a losing for a specific reason—what is that?

7. What practical examples of this can you find? To “lose self”? To “deny self”? To “daily take up the cross?” How are you doing?

"The World, THE FLESH, and the Devil" - Henry Knapp

An Unpredictably Dual Nature

I don’t know how much his Presbyterian upbringing impacted the 19th-century Scottish novelist Robert Lewis Stevenson; but you would have to assume it had a profound impact on his outlook, particularly, his outlook on the human condition. Of course, many of his characters are marvelously colorful—the peg-legged Long John Silver, the paranoid Uncle Ebenezer, and, of course, the vile Mr. Hyde. Like many of Stevenson’s works, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde explores that unaccountable reality that mars so much of human existence—the outward appearance of goodness, masking a dark and horrific evil.

If you know the story, Dr. Jekyll, a respectable physician in London, has spent a lifetime struggling against a propensity to evil and a desire to indulge unnamed vices. In frustration at his inability to either quash his passions nor fulfill them adequately, Dr. Jekyll discovers a serum which will enable his transformation into Mr. Hyde, a callous, cruel, and remorseless being, bent on satisfying all manner of evil and wickedness. Unable to satisfy enough of either, the good and evil within rise up against the other. Eventually, the contest between the two sides of his character comes to a clash and disaster for Jekyll/Hyde.

Now, the Presbyterian connection comes in that inner interplay between good and evil. Observing the human condition, it is easy to identify an unpredictably dual nature—an amazing capacity for the good and beautiful, coupled inextricably with a horrific deformity. Of course, biblical students recognize this as the condition of every human being after the fall of Adam and Eve. Having been created in God’s own image, and blessed with His attributes of love, justice, mercy, and more, the honorable Dr. Jekyll is easy to understand. Unfortunately, the dreadful Mr. Hyde is just as easy to comprehend, given the sinful state humanity has fallen into. No longer as we were meant to be, humans now display a predisposition to wickedness in all that they do.

Created in God’s image, yes, but marred and depraved by the work of sin and evil. Formed to serve our Lord with joy and gladness, sin has bent us in upon ourselves so that we have become nothing more than whitewashed tombs—good enough on the outside, but decayed and deprived of life on the inside.

If Stevenson is correct—if the BIBLE is correct!—in assessing our condition, what hope is there for mankind? Of course, one easy solution is to deny that the evil within is really that bad. Dr. Jekyll’s Mr. Hyde is just an exaggeration, an aberration, one could say. But, what if that is not true? What if Mr. Hyde truly does live within us all? What if the depravity of sin and evil strives against the good without end, an ongoing, unwinnable battle? 

But, there is no reason for such hopelessness. In Stevenson’s story, Dr. Jekyll eventually losses in his battle to contain the evil within, though he fights with all the intellect, sophistication, technology, and passion he can muster. But, he loses, terribly. Such a fate does not face us all—for believers, the battle has been won. Jesus has taken upon Himself the guilt of our sinful condition and granted to us the presence of the Holy Spirit. And now, the Spirit wars against that sin which remains. The battle is the Lord’s! The victory is the Lord’s! Praise be to the Lord!

As you prepare for worship this week, read Romans 6:5-14.

1. The initial verse of this section speaks of being united with Him. What does it look like to be united with Christ? After all, He now reigns in heaven—how can we be united with Him?

2. The “if we have been” is not to be understood as hypothetical but as a declaration of reality. What difference does it make that we absolutely have been united with Christ?

3. The “old self” of verse 6 references our sinful nature. What are some reasons why you would call that the “old self”?

4. What is the point of crucifying the old self? What is the ultimate end/goal of God in this action (see verse 6).

5. In verse 11, we are told to “consider yourselves dead to sin”. What does it look like to “consider yourself dead”? What would someone who considers themselves alive look like?

6. How do we stop sin from “reigning in your mortal body”? How do you know if that is happening or not?

7. If sin has no dominion over you (vs. 14), what does? 

"The World, the Flesh, and the DEVIL" - Henry Knapp

Know Your Enemy

Five hundred years before the birth of Christ, an ancient military strategist named Sun Tzu paraphrased a contemporary proverb about the importance of knowing what you are getting into. He said, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles… but if you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will lose in every battle.” Now, Sun Tzu is not necessarily the model of faith or life which we would want to follow, but the wisdom of his saying here has withstood the test of time: “Know your enemy!”

If we are ignorant of our enemy, we are bound to fall into his hands. For the believer, of course, this is terrifying, if and when we realize that our enemy is none other than Satan himself. Now, on one level, Satan causes no fear for the believer—our salvation is secure in our Lord’s hands, and nothing can take us out of His protection (John 10:28; Romans 8:38f). Jesus has come for us, He has died for us, and He has conquered death for us. Though Satan may rage, there is nothing he can do about Christ’s finished work for you. However, he tries! And, it is here, in this earthly life, that knowing the Devil’s schemes will help us live a life of faith and trust in God’s Kingdom.

Knowing, for instance, that the Bible describes Satan’s work as the Tempter, the Deceiver, and the Accuser, prepares us for his attacks. He will tempt us. He will seek to deceive us. He absolutely accuses us. Forewarned, we meet his attacks in the strength of the Spirit, in the armor of God, aware that the Devil’s temptations, his lies, his accusations will not stand before the promises of our Savior.

Knowing, for instance, that only God is all-powerful, only God is all-knowing, only God is all-present, we realize that we face a foe, powerful though he might be; but we face a limited foe that is NOT the equal of our Lord. Satan is vindictive, opposes God’s work, and exercises great power and influence in this world. But, Christ is all-in-all! Christ is victorious, Christ is sovereign—Satan is not.

Knowing, for instance, that Satan’s ultimate enemy is God Himself, that we are merely pawns in his rejection and attacks against the Lord, reminds us that his wrath and ire fall, finally, not on us, but on Jesus. While it may very well feel like we are bearing the brunt of the Devil’s terror; in reality, the burden has already been carried—to the cross.

Knowing this and much more about our enemy prepares us for the daily experiences of temptation. Satan is active in this world—denying this or ignoring it will not help. Knowledge of his work, his attacks, and his purpose in opposing God enables us to faithfully meet those moments when the schemes of the Devil come upon us. And we meet them, not in our own power, but dependent upon the grace of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

As you prepare for worship this week, read Ephesians 6:10-18.

1. Look at the sections immediately preceding these verses. What is Paul’s point? Besides being the last topic in the letter, why else might he have said, “finally”?

2. What does it mean to be “strong in the Lord”? What might that NOT mean? Where might such a notion be distorted?

3. “The armor of God.” Look at that “of”. What are the options here in understanding what “of” means?

4. Why does Paul use the phrase “wrestle” to speak of our battle against Satan? Why do you think he uses that phrase?

5. How does Paul describe Satan and his work in verse 12? What does each one mean?

6. List out the different pieces of armor Paul mentions here. What role does each play for the soldier? If I were to tell you that they are not primarily defensive, but offensive, what would that mean?

7. The “shield of faith” extinguishes “all the flaming darts of the evil one” (vs. 16). What might those “darts” be? How does/might faith extinguish them?

"In Crisis, but In Christ" - Dan Weightman

Being a missionary in the Bahamas means a lot of flying. Island hopping is a way of life. In August, with schools going online for the term and student ministry for us going fully to a Zoom format, we decided it was time to temporarily relocate till things normalized on our home island. With commercial flights stopped our only means of departure was a friend in Florida with a very small four-seater, single-prop plane. With 80 pounds of luggage between us to lighten the load and not much legroom, we made it safety off island and eventually to Pittsburgh. With all this flying over the years I have learned that the key to getting to where you want go is to get on the plane. No matter how small it might be, what the weather looks like on the ground, or what time the flight departs, get on the plane. This principle applies not just to air travel, but to our faith as well. To be "in Christ" is to be on the plane. No matter the circumstances around us, in Christ our destination is sure. In this week's message we will be exploring the profound comfort of navigating the ups and downs of life "in Christ".  To prepare for this week's message I invite you to read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 and ask yourself the questions below:

1. How being "in Christ" is a game changer in times of crisis?

2. How does being "in Christ" impact the way you view those around you?