"The Challenge of Cross-Cultural Missions" - Henry Knapp

The Challenge of Cross-Cultural Missions

Ten years after the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, the Massachusetts Bay Colony founded the town of Boston in 1630. The first seal of the Colony showed an American Indian holding in his hand an arrow pointed down, and a scroll came out over his mouth with the words, "Come over and help us." Building on the Apostle Paul’s dream of the Macedonian who uttered the same cry (Acts 16:9), the original settlers of Boston thought of themselves as bringing the redeeming message of salvation to the Native Americans. One of the more committed and effective leaders in this movement was John Eliot.

John Eliot was a Puritan preacher who took seriously the calling to share the Gospel with the native inhabitants (the Algonquin peoples) of the land. He took the time to learn their language, translated portions of the Bible, and even printed up an English-Algonquin dictionary. The first Bible published in America is Eliot’s Algonquin Bible. And, many of the peoples responded to his message, becoming Christians. In many ways, Eliot helped communicate the Gospel in powerful and meaningful ways.

However, in retrospect, Eliot promoted many practices which would be deemed ethnocentric and insensitive from today’s perspective. To be baptized into the church (to be officially recognized as a Christian), Eliot demanded that the Native Americans live in English-style towns, give up a nomadic lifestyle and pursue farming, wear a certain style of clothing, and even cut their hair according to Puritan customs. All these practices, as well as many others, were seen as a necessary part of a vibrant Christian faith. Eliot and his Puritan friends could not separate their English-Puritan culture from their faith.

This is a great challenge to anyone seeking to share the Gospel message—how to identify the key teachings of Christ from our own cultural expression. We want to communicate the Good News, not the “good news as I live and understand it.” Every person is a product of their culture. We are impacted more than we know, and our cultural heritage is revealed subconsciously all the time. But, the Gospel transcends culture, it is universal and timeless. Somehow, we must speak of Christ and His redemption in ways that are meaningful to the people we are sharing with.

The sin of pride leads us all, to some extent, to be egocentric, to be so absorbed in our own experiences that we fail to appreciate the way those experiences cause us to be arrogant, short-sighted, and limited. We are products of our society and culture, and those experiences wrap around us and flow out in many ways. But, the Gospel is not bound! It is not limited to just me and/or people who are willing to act and think like me. The Gospel crosses cultural boundaries; the Gospel is for all peoples, all cultures, all nations.

Recognizing the limitations of our own experiences and self-centeredness is not easy. God has made us to be culturally-bound people, products of our society. And, that’s not a bad thing, but it does make believing in, and proclaiming, the global nature of the Gospel message that much more difficult. We have to always discern where we are speaking the universal truths of salvation, and where our own perspective leaks in and limits what is unlimited—the grace of the cross of Jesus Christ.

The Church has struggled with these false limitations since its inception. Paul tackles this question in his first epistle to Timothy—and we are going to follow his thoughts this week in worship. To prepare, read 1 Timothy 2:1-7.

1. Verse 1: “First of all…” implies a “second.” Can you find/follow Paul’s thought here?

2. Paul lists four different things that he urges—supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings. What is the difference between them? Why list these four?

3. Why do you think Paul specified the kings and those in high positions for special prayer? What would that look like for us today?

4. Paul gives a reason at the end of verse 2 and into verse 3 for the prayers we are to offer. What do you think of the reason(s) Paul gives?

5. What traits of God does Paul stress in verse 4? How do these address the command Paul gives to pray?

6. How does verse 5 explain Paul’s comment in verse 4? God desires… for there is one God…?

7. What does it mean that Jesus gave himself as a ransom (vs. 6)? Can you think of a good picture or image of this?

" The Shipwreck of Faith" - Henry Knapp

The Shipwreck of Faith

OK, show of hands… who remembers “The Swiss Family Robinson” 1960 Disney film about a family who are stranded on a tropical island? Adventure, romance, comedy, action… pirates! Some fifty years later, I still love it.

The family ends up on the island because their ship flounders in a storm and smashes on the rocks. I don’t remember exactly how that was portrayed on the screen, but I know it must have been scary. I can only imagine the nightmares I must have had following that scene. While I have never been involved in a shipwreck, and perhaps the only real shipwrecks I have ever seen were in Disney classic films, it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to picture the total disaster and wreckage that would occur following the destruction of a ship.

The Apostle Paul was no stranger to a shipwreck. In Acts 27, Paul is on a ship to Rome, under arrest, imprisoned, and on his way to appeal to Caesar. Storms on the Mediterranean Sea can arise quickly and be surprisingly violent. And so, Paul finds himself shipwrecked with the crew and fellow passengers on the island of Malta. I don’t think we have a “Swiss Family Robinson” situation here, but there are some parallels!

Having lived through it once, Paul’s use of “shipwreck” as an analogy in 1 Timothy 1:18-20 takes on a more pregnant meaning. I doubt Paul used this term loosely—he intends to convey the significant disaster, damage, and destruction of walking away from the faith. In these verses, Paul is encouraging Timothy to maintain his hold on sound teaching, to avoid the dangers of a “different doctrine” (vs. 3). In contrast, Paul points out others who have “made a shipwreck of their faith” (vs. 19). The picture here of complete devastation is clear through Paul’s metaphoric language.

But, I think it is fair to run the analogy even further. Certainly part of the idea behind “shipwreck” is destruction, but there’s probably more going on here. A ship only wrecks when it is on its way somewhere. Ships have a purpose, a goal. Ships imply a journey, action, movement. Using this imagery to describe the collapse of faith also says something about faith itself—that it is a journey, a trip, with a purpose and goal for us all. When we think of faith as simply something that we “have,” we lose sight of this active, purpose-filled component of following Jesus.

For me, the imagery of a shipwreck also brings forth the idea of stormy, rocky seas. While I suppose it is possible for a ship to be smashed on rocks in calm weather, it’s more natural to think of turbulent waters. Of course, nothing parallels our daily Christian experience, like the realization that life is lived amidst stormy seas. Our faith is tested in troubled times; our faith shines amidst trauma; our faith is revealed when challenged. Of course, this is not “of us” but “of God;” true faith is a gift of the Lord, and we are blessed during rocky times with the assurance of God’s love and goodness.

Paul’s use of “shipwreck” for those who turn from true doctrine to false teachings is a powerful one—it portrays the damage and destruction of the loss, while building upon a dynamic image of a vibrant faith. I hope and pray that your own experience in the faith is as a one on the way, with purpose, amidst the struggles of life, safe and secure in His hands!

In preparation for worship this Sunday, read 1 Timothy 1:18-20.

1. What “charge” is Paul entrusting to Timothy? Reflect back on verses 3-7.

2. Speculate on what possible “prophecies” Paul might be referring to. We don’t know for sure what these might be, but why would Paul stress them so?

3. It appears that “by the prophecies” Timothy is to wage a good warfare. How might these “prophecies” be part of the warfare Timothy is to wage?

4. Why would Paul use such language as “warfare” to Timothy? Who is Timothy supposed to go to “war” against? Why describe it as such?

5. In verse 19, what is the “this” that is being rejected? How would one “reject” these? What might that look like?

6. What is behind the analogy of a “shipwreck?” Why is this, or not, a good analogy for our faith?

7. What is Paul’s purpose in handing these men to Satan? What is his goal? See 1 Corinthians 5 for more.

"Physician, Heal Thyself!" - Henry Knapp

"Physician, Heal Thyself!"

“Physician, heal thyself!” Jesus quotes this proverb in Luke 4:23, where He is dismayed by His hometown rejection of His ministry. The point, of course, is that there is a certain irony, even hypocrisy, when one claims to have the power to help others, but is unable (or unwilling) to help themselves. The Pharisees put a twist to this when they mock Jesus on the cross—“He saved others, let Him save Himself if He is the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:42).

The proverb (a pithy, little saying, capturing a generic truth) is not original with Jesus, or even the Scriptures. Aesop, the Greek storyteller predating Jesus by 600 years, in one of his fables, The Frog and the Fox, makes this point, and others have popularized this idea as well—if you are going to talk the talk, you’d best walk the walk! After all, “actions speak louder than words,” and “you should put your money where your mouth is.”

All these sayings are getting at the same point, and this idea is as important in our faith as it is elsewhere in life—if we proclaim Christ as Savoir, we should act as those saved by Christ.

For preachers, this idea is well summarized in the challenge to “preach the Gospel to yourself.” Many preachers know that the most important audience for the sermon is the preacher himself. If the preacher is not moved, not convicted, not encouraged and/or comforted by the sermon, then it is unlikely to have much of an impact elsewhere.

In our passage of Scripture for this week, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, we see Paul embracing this very concept—if the Gospel is all that he says it is, then where is the evidence of that Gospel in his own life? In the preceding verses, Paul has stressed the importance of true doctrine, the necessity of staying “on course,” of maintaining integrity of teaching. Paul’s point is that straying from the true Gospel message will have disastrous consequences. But, is this true for Paul as well? In these verses, we get a glimpse of Paul’s own interaction with the Gospel, and, indeed, we see that “the physician has healed himself,” or, more accurately, the Gospel Paul has proclaimed to others, he himself has been transformed by.

The importance of this for us today is two-fold (at least). First, we have one more reason to trust the Scriptures—what Paul talks about, he has been a witness to in his own life. These are not lofty ideas which have little or no meaning in life! Instead, Paul offers up his own experience as evidence of the truthfulness of the Gospel. And, second, Paul serves as an example for us all, an illustration of the patience of God, the mercy of our Lord, and the power of His salvation (vs. 16).

When people “talk a big game,” don’t you just wanna say, “oh, put up or shut up!” Well, Paul has answered that challenge in his own life, and now we are challenged to do the same. 

For this Sunday, read 1 Timothy 1:12-17.

1. What “strength” (vs. 12) has Paul received from the Lord? How does this connect to the immediate passage above?

2. What are the possible meanings of “God judged me faithful” (vs. 12)? If this does not mean that Paul was faithful before Christ, what might it mean?

3. In verse 13, Paul speaks of being a blasphemer, persecutor, and arrogant. Read Acts 9 to see these character traits. Is Paul being too hard on himself?

4. What might it mean that Paul “acted ignorantly in unbelief” (vs. 13)?

5. One assumes that all of Scripture is “trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance” (vs. 15). Why then does Paul use this language for this particular statement?

 6. In verse 16, what is the purpose of Paul’s conversion in his own mind? How might that differ from how you or I think about coming to know the Lord?

 7. Where does verse 17 fit in? Why does Paul launch forward in doxological praise? How do the traits he mentions about God fit in with his previous statements

"Cluttered, Compact, yet Clear" - Henry Knapp

Cluttered, Compact, yet Clear

If you have read much of the Apostle Paul’s writings in the New Testament you will know that Paul can occasionally get so caught up in what he is saying, that punctuation, sentence structure, or even taking a breath does not often factor in. From a purely grammatical stance, Paul is known to have run-on sentences, embedded clauses within clauses, and incomplete thoughts. From reading Paul’s letters, it is clear that this does not come from a lack of education, or an inability to think straight. Far from it! Paul is wonderfully articulate at times and has a clear grasp of his thoughts. Rather, I think the occasional odd sentence structure arises from the fact that Paul is simply so excited to get his ideas out that he can sometimes run them all together in a mixed-up jumble.

The two sentences that make up verses 3-7 in chapter one of 1 Timothy are not as “full and convoluted” as some of Paul’s writings, but you certainly can pick up the passion and care that he gives to this topic. His long-winded rhetoric serves, if for no other reason, as an indication of his commitment to the issues he is addressing. Paul wants to impress upon Timothy the importance of staying true to “sound doctrine,” and avoiding that which is false. This is his basic idea, and it certainly comes across. But, Paul has so much else to say! And he can’t help but get it all out.

In these short verses, you can see the evolution of Paul’s thought, as one idea crowds in on another. First, he wants to remind Timothy why he has been left in Ephesus; that morphs into a discussion of false doctrine; which shifts to a look at the errors of false teaching; that is in contrast with God’s work; which is grounded in the goal of love; which comes about in a certain way; that is different than the false teachers’ motives. Phew!

But for all of Paul’s excitement and many words, his message is rather straightforward: “teach what is true, which leads to love; avoid what is false, which eventually leads nowhere.”

And so, the pastoral question: What path are you on? Sound doctrine produces love; not simple head-knowledge, but genuine, God-honoring, Christ-witnessing love. And, the pursuit of false teaching is demonstrated by taking the student nowhere—nothing gained, a vanity which is tangible in its emptiness. What path are you on, love or vanity? Let us together see that which produces love!

Join us in worship this Sunday as we study 1 Timothy 1:3-11.

1. In verse 3, why do you think Paul reminds Timothy of his past instruction? What might be motivating Paul’s words here? Why might God have included this for us?

2. In our current society today, what would it look like to “command” people not to teach some things? What would a “command” look like that would be culturally appropriate? In other words, how do we faithfully follow this command to “command” in a society that will not take well our commanding them?

3. How does the end of verse 4, “which is by faith,” tell us what is wrong with the pursuit of myths and genealogies?

4. Why would “love” be the goal of a command to stop teaching false doctrine? What other motivations/goals might be present? How can we be sure we are wedded to that goal in everyday life?

5. Look how verse 5 describes the source of love… how do you think love comes from “a pure heart… good conscience… sincere faith?”

6. What is “good” about the law (vs. 8)? What is the proper way to use it?

"A Word of Truth and Godliness for Hebron Church" - Henry Knapp

A Word of Truth and Godliness for Hebron Church

The light bulb clicked on. A moment of clarity. Suddenly, things that have been bumping around in the mind make perfect sense.

I recently had one of those moments when discussing an article with some friends; we were talking about parenting, passing on the faith, the role of the church, and worship attendance. And then, an idea clicked in my mind—people think of the Gospel as helpful, assisting us in living a good life, but not necessarily as truthful. Their involvement in the church is based on its practical value, not on its truthfulness. Why do many come to church? To learn helpful things for life, not to be exposed to God’s reality. Oh, many would no doubt affirm the truthfulness of what we learn at church, but that’s not the point—the point is that the Gospel is perceived as one asset in pursuing health and happiness.

Now, I want to be clear—nothing, not-a-thing, is more relevant for our everyday lives than the Gospel. God made us, and made this world, and no one knows more about how we should live accordingly than He does. The Gospel does indeed direct us in living a good life. However—and this is a BIG “however”— the Gospel is nothing if not TRUE, and the instrument of proclaiming the Gospel, the church, is above all else, a voice proclaiming the truth to this world. The church teaches that which is helpful because it is teaching that which is true. The role of worship is to elevate the Gospel, that which is true, to draw attention to He who is the Truth, not just the One who makes life better.

If we focus only on the church as “helpful,” it is easy to fall into seriously bad patterns. What if one Sunday, we are not “helped”? Or, what if other opportunities arise which also promise to “help” in life? Why not choose to do other things that are also helpful instead of coming to weekly worship? If the Gospel only proclaims that which is helpful, then it quickly becomes optional. But if the weekly proclamation of the Gospel at worship is the promulgation of the truth, then we need to be there! Truth from God’s Word is present! Worship is not one helpful thing among others, to be chosen if/when we feel like it. Weekly worship is exposure to Him who is True.

It is this concern for the future of the Gospel and for the generations who have the responsibility to zealously guard it, faithfully live it, and earnestly pass it on, that leads us to the study of 1 Timothy. In this book, we will read of the priority of prayer, the godly manner of public worship, the biblical basis for world evangelism, the pursuit of faithful ministry, the church’s responsibility to care and pursue justice, and the call to radical holiness. All this and more will flow from the Apostle Paul’s words to his young protégée, Timothy. But, underlying it all is the confident assertion by Paul that the Gospel is, above all else, true, and its truth should be kept, embraced, and shared with others.

In his letter to Timothy, Paul exhibits an unambiguous commitment to the truthfulness of the Gospel. Amid our present society, with its relativistic approach to all truth and the popular assumptions that all faiths and ideologies are valid, there is a refreshing character in hearing Paul proclaim that the church is “the pillar and foundation of the truth” (3:15); that false teachers have “wandered away” and “oppose the truth” (1:6, 6:21); that sound doctrine is that which is “in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God” (1:11).

Yes, come to worship this week to be helped in your daily life—but know that the truth is present by the Word of God, and we will celebrate and worship the Author of Truth, Jesus Christ Himself.

 

For this Sunday, read 1 Timothy 1:1-2.

1. Read Acts 16:1-3 to read more about Paul and Timothy. What do we learn about Timothy from that passage? What is the relationship between Paul and Timothy based upon?

2. In 1 Timothy 1:1, Paul refers to himself as an “apostle.” What is meant by that term? Why is it important for Paul to call himself that?

3. Paul’s claim to be an apostle is “by the command” of God Himself. Why would this make a difference? Why does Paul stress this?

4. Notice who is “Savior” in verse 1. Why is this important, and perhaps, different than what we normally think?

5. What does it mean to you that Jesus is “our hope.” What “hope” might Paul mean? How might Christ as “hope” impact your daily life?

6. What do you think is behind Paul’s identification of Timothy as “my true child in the faith” (vs. 2)?

7. The phrase, “grace, mercy, and peace,” might simply be a catchphrase, or, it might carry great weight. What might Paul be stressing by using each term in his “welcome” to Timothy?

"Something Special" - Henry Knapp

 

Something Special

 I never thought of it as odd… it’s just the way that it was. I never thought of it as special or unique. When I was growing up, my mother had on display a special set of dishes. We had a corner cupboard where you could see clearly through the glass doors these beautiful, fragile plates, cups and saucers. For most of my life, I didn’t even see them. Not because they were not there—2 to 3 times a day, right in the corner of our dining room—but because they WERE there, and I just came to ignore them. Much later in life, I realized that having a special set of dishes that you NEVER used was, well, different. But, growing up, I never even thought to question it.

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead, what we celebrate so passionately on Easter morning, is certainly something special and unique! Nothing could be more outside our normal realm of experience—the dead coming to life. Nothing could be more earth-shattering—for if the dead rise, all manner of things are possible. And yet, as special and unique as the resurrection is, sometimes we simply don’t talk about it. Why is that? We worship a Lord who gave Himself for us, AND ROSE AGAIN! We should talk about it all the time, no? And yet, in my church experience, the resurrection of Jesus is just not that central in our thinking.

Is that perhaps because, like my mother’s dishes, the resurrection is so exceptional that we treat it with special care, only talking about it at special times? I certainly hope not. I hope that Hebron church will not handle the resurrection as so unique that we don’t talk about it! Just the opposite—it would seem to me that Jesus rising from the grave would be constantly on our lips. In my own experience and ministry, the cross dominates—I am overcome by the sacrifice of Christ on my behalf. We can never talk enough about that! But to talk about the cross without the empty tomb is to fail to grasp the totality of the Gospel message.

Yes, the resurrection of Christ is so very special, but not so that we tuck it away to keep it safe. Every proclamation of the Gospel is a proclamation of the cross and the empty tomb!

This is certainly the Apostles’ approach. Witness the writings of the New Testament; or Paul’s orations; or, especially, Peter’s sermons in the book of Acts. Following the momentous events on Pentecost, Peter delivers a powerful testimony to the Gospel message. Certainly, he proclaims the death of Jesus, but right alongside, Peter describes God’s work of raising Him from the dead. And then, outside the Temple following the lame beggar’s healing, Peter shares of Good Friday and Easter. Again, following their arrest and persecution by the Jewish authorities, Peter announces the cross AND the resurrection. The two come side by side, each holding out the hope and message of Salvation.

The failure of the Church to proclaim the resurrection as fervently as it should… this could be because we are secretly embarrassed by the doctrine. Or, perhaps because it is inadvertently overshadowed by the cross. Or, perhaps because it is simply so special that we “save it” for a special time, like Easter. May it never be! May we never neglect the centrality of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus!

I hope you will join me this Easter in our celebration of this pivotal event of our faith.

In preparation for Sunday, read Peter’s sermons in Acts 2, Acts 3, and Acts 5. Note, in particular, 2:23-24; 3:13-15; and 5:30-31.

1. What are the common themes in the sermons Peter preaches? What core elements of the Gospel concern him?

2. Specifically, in the verses mentioned, what role in the Gospel story is reserved for humanity? List the different ways Peter describes our part in the events of Jesus’ life.

3. In these same verses, what role does God play? What does He do in light of what humans do?

4. In 5:30, “hanging on a tree” has particular meaning—according to the Old Testament, hanging on a tree meant that you were cursed. What does it mean that God raised Jesus if indeed He was “cursed”?

5. In 3:13, Jesus is said to have been “glorified.” In what ways is that “glory” shown?

6. In 2:24, why is it “not possible” for Jesus to be held by death?

7. How do each of these sermons express the Gospel in a way that touches you personally?

"Caught Up With The Crowd" - Henry Knapp

Caught Up With The Crowd

When I first began working with college students at the University of Pittsburgh, I sought all kinds of opportunities to spend time with them. I figured some of the best ministry I could do would happen around those moments when we were together, either discussing the things of the Lord, or just hanging out. In an attempt to spend lots of time with the students, I went with them to various college activities including attending sporting events. Having gone to college at a school where sports was not stressed, it was fun to get caught up in the “college sports atmosphere.”

I think the first event I went to was the Pitt-Penn State football game. Of course, the game was exciting, the stadium packed, and the fans, well, fanatical! One particular fan-favorite “cheer” for the crowd was when the band played a certain ditty, and the entire stadium screamed out, “Penn State stinks!” (they didn’t actually say, “stinks”). It was really something to hear tens of thousands of folks all screaming the same thing!

What really stood out, however, and made me laugh, was the next week, when Pitt played some other team, and the fans responded to the ditty with the same “cheer” about Penn State! I turned in some confusion to my friends and asked why we were screaming about Penn State when we were playing some other team? While there might be some good psychological reasons, the basic answer I got was… “well, that’s just what we do.” And, I must confess, caught up in the moment, I joined in!

Not really sure what we were doing, but doing it anyway! Why? Cause we were caught up in the spirit of the crowd. Have you ever found yourself with a silly grin on your face, part of a crowd, doing something fun? Ever caught yourself singing the National Anthem louder than normal because the whole stadium is singing? Joining in with the cheers during a parade? In the Scriptures, during a near-riot in Ephesus, the Bible says of the crowd: “most of them did not know why they had come together” (Acts 19:32). They all just got caught up in the crowd!

When I think of the Triumphal Entry, when Jesus entered Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, just days before His trial and execution, I wonder about “being caught up in the crowd.” We are told that “a great crowd” and a “multitude” gathered to welcome Jesus as Savior into the city (Mark 11, John 12). The people thronged about Jesus, spreading their garments in praise before Him, cheering at the top of their lungs, waving hands, clothing and branches. And, I wonder… how much of this was just folks getting “caught up in the crowd”? How many people actually believed they were welcoming in “the one who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 21:9)? How many were intentionally saying, “God, save us, we pray!” (the meaning of “Hosanna”)? Now, I’m not doubting it; I don’t want to call into question what the crowd was thinking… but, it’s a short step from Sunday’s triumphal entry to Thursday’s Gethsemane. Is it not possible that some (many?) in the crowd simply got caught up in the moment, and were cheering without knowing about what? And, would Thursday have been different if they had taken the time to figure it out? Which leads me to wonder: How much of our Christian life is simply being “caught up in the crowd”?

 

This Sunday, we’ll be exploring the crowd’s response to the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Read Psalm 118, and come ready to praise together!

 1. Read Matthew 21:7-11. Notice the shouts of the crowd—“Hosanna!” This is a quotation from Psalm 118. When you read Psalm 118, can you find it?

 2. The psalm begins with the repetition of a refrain—His steadfast love endures forever. Why would this refrain be a good summary of the psalm as a whole?

 3. The guts of the psalm begins in verse 5. To appreciate the entire psalm, put yourself in the author’s position. In other words, can you think of a time when in your distress you called out to God and He answered? How does that shape your experience with the psalm?

 4. The faithfulness and dependability of God are contrasted with other things in the first half of the psalm. What are some of those things, and where might we today be tempted to look to those lesser things?

 5. Look carefully at verse 19. What are the gates of righteousness? What might the author be talking about here?

 6. Other passages in the New Testament associate the “stone” of verse 22 with Jesus. What connection might be found here?

 7. Hosanna means: “Save us now, we pray!” This is what verse 25 says. In quoting this verse, the crowds around Jesus were calling all this to mind (or, they should have been!). What all is spoken of in this psalm that speaks to our Savior?