All about Jesus

/ Neal Embry / Leave a comment

So many times we can fall into the trap, or at least I can, of thinking that the people in the Bible were “heroes.”  I think I even had a Bible that had a little section called “Heroes of the Bible.”  I hate that.  There’s one hero.  His name is Jesus.  Look closely at all the characters in the Bible.  Certainly they set good examples and we should seek to emulate parts of that, but ultimately, God chose them not because of anything inherent in them, but simply because he is God…and that’s what he felt like doing.  They were sinners just like me.  That’s somewhat comforting, isn’t it?  Paul sinned.  Just like me.  Maybe that’s just me.

Look at Luke 6:12-16: “In these days he (Jesus) went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.  And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve whom he named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.”

What’s interesting about this passage is what it doesn’t say.  Notice that there are no Forbes Top 50 resumes on here.  There’s no little parentheses next to Peter’s name that says: “Simon, also called Peter. Loves to fish. Great people skills.” It’s not there.  Not in any translation, version, or paraphrase (hopefully).  Peter chopped a dude’s ear off, which begs the question why he had a sword in the first place.  He wasn’t perfect.  Neither was Moses, Paul, Abraham, Noah, or any other biblical character.  The most descriptive we get here is talking about Judas Iscariot, and it’s not exactly your favorite Sunday horoscope.

The point is that no one is perfect except Jesus.

Jesus was perfect.  And he alone is able to save us.  He alone is who we should ultimately seek and imitate.  Not our pastor, not our favorite speaker or author.  Jesus.  In the world in which we live, it’s easy to get caught up with what’s cool and new in the world, and it’s no different for Christianity.  We have become so concerned with how we look as Christian leaders and authors and writers and speakers that we fail to recognize that without Christ, we are nothing.  I see this disturbing trend in Christianity of people substituting John Piper or David Platt or (insert favorite modern pastor here) for Jesus.  We substitute going to church to hear what Piper has to say for going to the Word to hear what God has to say.

I pray that as we seek to impact this world for God that we remember that it is Christ who makes us who we are, not anyone else.  Not even ourselves, if we are in Christ.  We must give up ourselves for the glory of God through serving Christ daily.  And we know that it is not about us…look at the apostles.

There was nothing special about them.  They were 12 ordinary men.  Were some of them smart, or strong, or good speakers?  Sure.  There have also been tyrants and dictators in world history that were smart, strong, and great speakers, some better than the apostles.  But that doesn’t mean they were equipped for the service of God.

Ephesians 4:11-12 says “And HE gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”

For those of us in ministry, may we realize that it is God who put us there, and lest we get a Super-Sized head, may we stay humble and rest on Christ for our righteousness and boasting, not in ourselves.  For those who are seeking to know more about God, and are growing and maturing in your faith, look to Jesus.  While the teachings of these pastors, your pastors, your teachers might be fantastic, and while that’s a blessing, place your hope in Jesus.  People will fail you, but Jesus will not.  Don’t take everything you believe from the latest Christian bookstore.  Go to the word.

Here’s my little disclaimer: This is not an excuse to “do” your faith by yourself.  Be plugged into a church, for God places people around us to encourage us and build us up…just as the end of Ephesians 4:11 says.  Your encouragement and growth should certainly be impacted by those around you, especially in the church.  But who you are, and the foundations and doctrines of what you believe should come from God and his word alone.

If this doesn’t make sense, shoot me an email at rembry@forum.montevallo.edu.  I’d love to share what God’s laid on my heart and to help you out.

Lastly: If you have prayer requests, feel free to email me or comment on here.  I’d be more than happy to pray for you, regardless of whether I know you or not.

Also…in the next few days, hopefully, I’ll be writing a blog about the old covenant vs. the new covenant, taken from Luke 5:33-39.  Go on and read it, check it out, and check back in when I’ve posted again.

God bless,

Neal E

The Unstoppable Love of God–Tyler’s Story

/ Neal Embry / Leave a comment

I spent the last several days down in southern Alabama, celebrating the birthday of a friend, and fellowshipping with her and some other cool kids.  Since I didn’t get back until noon yesterday, I didn’t make it to Lakeside yesterday.

When my mom got home, she told me about how a brother and sister, both young, came forward during the service to tell the church that they had given their lives to Christ.  I had the privilege of teaching both of these children this summer.

The girl is six years old, and is absolutely the sweetest child I’ve ever met.  She always has a smile on her face, always wants a hug, and laughs constantly.  Within a few days of meeting her, our favorite game was to jump up and down, clapping and laughing, until one of us got tired.  Yeah…guess who won that game?  Not the teacher.  It touched my heart to hear that she had made that decision, and that God was now going to use her for his glory, and use that love and laughter for the kingdom.

I’m going to focus on her brother, however, because of what he in particular has meant to me.

The boy, whose name is Tyler, is, in a lot of ways, similar to his sister.  He’s one of the most loving children I’ve ever known.  He probably has more love in his heart than anyone else in that church.  He’s always wanting to hug you (I guess that runs in the family) and is willing to help you, and always wants to grow and know more about God and about the world.  He’s one of the most special boys in this world.

And the world would label him “disabled.”  Tyler has trouble learning, and is a bit slower than those in his class.  There were times this summer where it certainly wasn’t easy with him, and more than anyone else, he teaches you patience.  But I can honestly say it is worth it.  He played Jesus in our first Resurrection story skit.  And he nailed it.  It was perfect, and standing in the corner watching, I had to get the tears out of my eyes before moving.  He works so hard to be the best, and wants nothing more than to make his friends and his teachers happy.

Every day, in crafts, he would ask me if his work looked good.  I didn’t have to lie to him, it honestly looked great.  Sometimes we’d have to help him, but eventually he would get it.  In recreation, when he did something well, seeing a smile come across his face made my day.

You see, I wouldn’t label Tyler anything other than special or unique, because that’s what he is.  We have so much to learn from him.  Love, patience, respect, and how to support your friends, no matter what.  As much as I hope I, and the other teachers, taught Tyler this summer….he taught us so much more.  I wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t meet him and get to know him this summer, and the same can probably be said for a lot of the kids at the church.

Tyler is so very special to me, but he’s even more special to God.  God doesn’t make mistakes.  He made Tyler the way he is for a reason.  And I think I’ve discovered one of those reasons….to show that nothing, absolutely NOTHING, can stand in the way of God’s love for his children.  No disability, no disorder, no sickness, no age, no pain, NOTHING, can stop God from getting to us.

When we have nothing, when we feel lost, when we feel helpless, that’s when God shows up.  God loves us, and it is a truth that is simple, simple enough to be understood by someone the world would call “different.”  God sees Tyler as different too….but not because of a medical diagnosis.  He sees him as different because Tyler is His child, because he created him for a purpose.

We told the kids this summer that God had a plan for their lives, and now, Tyler and his little sister, along with their brother, are going to discover what that is, and I could not be more excited to see what he does in their lives, and in their wonderful parents lives.

I wasn’t able to save myself.  I can’t do it.  But God can, and he did.

I couldn’t turn myself back around.  But God can, and he did.

I can’t change my own life, but God can.  And he continues to do that every day.

Tyler can’t save himself, but God can, and he did.

When the world tells Tyler he can’t do something because of what the doctors say, God will be right there telling him “You can….because I can.”

Let us not forget the power of God, and the love he has for us.  I’m so very proud of Tyler and his sister for their willingness to give it all up to the one who created them.  And God created them just the way he wanted to, for he does not make mistakes.  And we know, because of his word, that nothing can stop God from loving his children.

No matter what road this life presents Tyler, he will walk down it, smiling, laughing, knowing, that because God loves him, he has a hope, and he has no reason to do anything but continue being the wonderful, loving boy that he is today.

May his story inspire all of us, and may all the glory go to God.

God bless,

Neal E