What Preachers Can Learn From Waiters

I stumbled across the article from a friend's Facebook post...and I agree I need to learn to "serve" people better. And one way I can do this...is to learn to "wait" on others and "wait" on the Head Chef!!! This blog post is taken from TheResurgence.com (*---the direct link can be found at the end of this post)

God’s word is a feast, and preachers can learn from the example of a good waiter.

One of my fondest memories as a child was visiting my grandfather’s restaurant in the heart of Melbourne. The alluring aroma of fresh herbs, simmering pasta sauce, and oven-baked garlic bread greeted your senses as you opened the front door. The scents of Sicily coupled with the sound of chinking wine glasses and joyful chatter provided the perfect ambience to enjoy his homegrown meals. My family’s passion for great food gave me the idea of one day running my own restaurant. At age six I even sketched my own business plan: serve all meals in the shape of a happy face. Who wouldn’t want their pancakes, bacon, and eggs turned into the perfect smile? Needless to say, my “happy faces” restaurant never took off! However, years on, now serving as a pastor, I see a correlation between my role as a preacher and that of a waiter serving an outstanding meal.

One of the most common metaphors for God’s word is food. David praises God for his word, which is ‘sweeter than honey’ (Ps. 119:103). Jeremiah ate and delighted in God's word (Jer. 15:16). Like newborn infants who cry for milk, so our lives are to be characterized by a desire for God’s word, which is our pure spiritual milk (1 Pet. 2:2). The food metaphor emphasizes a special understanding of the Bible: God’s word is to be savored. A great meal is pleasing to the taste and satisfying to the soul. This picture of God’s word as food finds its fulfillment in Christ. When Jesus feeds thousands with a little boy’s lunch, it’s more than a parlor trick to show his power; it’s a prophetic sign revealing his personhood. Jesus is the true bread, come from heaven to offer eternal life for all who hunger and thirst (John 6:51).

God’s word is to be savored.

A loaf of bread offers temporary sustenance for physical existence—but Jesus is the living bread who provides satisfaction and true life. He came to cancel our debt of sin and give us his righteousness and new life—only in him are our deepest appetites for acceptance, purpose, and fulfillment satisfied. However, food must die to be of value. Plants and animals are killed so we can live. Jesus is the true bread, whose flesh was killed on Calvary so hungry sinners can live. Jesus therefore invites us to “feed on” his flesh and drink his blood (John 6:54)—a call to feast on him in such a way that his life fills every part of our being. We look to Jesus as the all-sufficient provider, whose word of life is “true bread,” offering all we could ever need and desire. This helps immensely in understanding my role as a preacher of God’s word. My call is not merely to transfer knowledge, prepare people for an exam, or lift spirits with a motivational pep talk. I am a waiter, called to present God’s word to eager guests for the fame of the head chef.

How can a preacher present God’s word like a good waiter? There are four ways:

1. A good waiter personally delights in the cooking of the chef A waiter needs more than an understanding of the menu; he must experience it. Through his relationship with the chef, the waiter pays close attention to every ingredient, not only to gain knowledge, but also to taste and enjoy it. I am a waiter, called to present God’s word to eager guests for the fame of the head chef. As a preacher it’s tempting to approach God’s word with our guests in mind. We read a passage and immediately seek ways to explain, illustrate, and apply for our people—but our role is to savor God’s word first. His word must always be applied to ourselves before anyone else. The Psalmist declares, “taste and see the Lord is good” (Ps. 34:8) because he has delighted in God’s word firsthand.

2. A good waiter understands the guests In some of the best restaurants, the waiters take time to know their guests, asking if they’ve eaten there before and what kind of foods they enjoy. This helps a waiter suggest items that cater for their needs as well as introduce them to new flavors. I’d never advocate “consumer-driven” preaching, but as teachers we must have a clear understanding of our audience whenever we open up the Scriptures. This is evident in the writings of Paul, who conceded the Corinthians were only ready for “milk” (1 Cor. 3:2). He had the full intention of introducing them to high-grade steak, but only after their palate had matured. In the same way, we may have grand visions of what we’d like to put on the table (insert big doctrine and exegetical brilliance), but we must serve in the interest of our people’s growth, which always begins where they are.

3. A good waiter never adds to or subtracts from the chef’s meal You know what we call a waiter who messes with the head chef’s main meal? Fired. A good waiter shows honor to the chef (and the guests) by preserving the contents and presentation of the meal, delivering it to the table exactly as the chef intended. Far too many pastors today have lost confidence in God’s word. Gripped by a desire for human approval, preachers leave out hard texts and avoid difficult truths, exchanging the balanced diet of God’s word for junk food. A good waiter shows honor to the chef by preserving the contents and presentation of the meal. The gospel is powerful to save (Rom. 1:16) and condemns those who add or take from it (Rev. 22:19). Whenever we meddle with the word, we malnourish our people and mock God. Our call is to preach the word in and out of season (2 Tim. 4:2). This means working hard in the text—taking note of each word, the style of writing, the flow of argument, the tension, the question, and the imagery in the narrative. We also explore the historical and biblical context, aware of the cultural biases that we bring to the text. We wrestle with the text, point people to Jesus, and ask God to speak his extraordinary words through our ordinary mouths.

4. A good waiter points the gratitude of the guests to the chef A good waiter can receive thanks for his hospitality, but always points praise for the meal back to the chef. In the same way, preachers give God the glory for the beauty of his word. It’s tempting to think my words reach hearts and change lives, and some listeners are prone to lift up preachers to godlike platforms. But it’s always God’s word that bears the fruit. The art of preaching is from start to finish a work of God, who sets alight his word by his Spirit. It’s no small thing to be used as a jar for his treasure, but the fact that God can use a donkey to get his message out (Num. 22:28) should keep us humble. We can give thanks to God for his grace in allowing us to preach his word, and when we see lives transformed we have all the more reason praise our God, whose word always achieves exactly what he intended it to do (Isa. 55:11).

(*---http://theresurgence.com/2013/07/24/what-preachers-can-learn-from-waiters)

Paul and Silas in Prison

If you were in prison for sharing proclaiming Jesus Christ...what would you do? How would you feel? Would you feel let down by God? Would you perhaps even blame God?

In many ways, I think that I would question God if I was to go to prison. Questions like: Why me, Lord? Why do I have to go to prison for preaching the Gospel? Why does this have to end up this way? Why...why...why? However, the testimony of Paul and Silas shows a different way to respond with hardships in our life. Paul and Silas go to prison for...guess what? Freeing a poor girl from a fortune-telling spirit/demon.

Instead of responding with anger, blame, or frustration...Paul and Silas accept their beating and actually start to praise God! What incredible faith and character they exemplify! Instead of cursing, they sing a chorus to God. Instead of pouting, they pray to their Father in Heaven. Instead of shouting at God, they sing hymns to their Savior. Here is what the Bible says in Acts 16:19-34:

"When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household."

Not only did Paul and Silas begin praising God...they also witnessed to the jailer. They saved the jailer from committing suicide and also witnessed to the jailer's entire family. And guess what? God used a bad situation and turned it into a miraculous testimony. Only by Paul and Silas going to prison, did the jailer and his family get the opportunity to become saved and baptized that night. This is what faith can do!

I don't know about where you are on this journey we call "life". But, I am trying to get to that place where even in times of great trial and tribulation...I can turn to God in worship...I can turn to God in prayer...and I can turn to God for all my needs. This, I believe, should be our goal as a follower of Christ. We are called to a higher purpose, something that the world cannot understand or fathom. The love of Christ gives us strength to get through each day with thanksgiving in our hearts and songs of praise in our mouths. I will worship and follow God. Will you?

Preparing for Sunday School...Erasing Hell

For those of you in my high school Sunday School class, you know that this Sunday...We will start discussing a new summer reading book by Francis Chan called Erasing Hell. (Yes, I know all of you are jumping with excitement!!!) Since, I know you can't wait to go to Sunday School...I thought a good preparation for this Sunday (since you don't have the book yet...) is watch this YouTube video by Francis Chan. This video is a short preview of how we can really approach the gravity of the discussion of hell.

In addition, for those of you who really realllyyy want to go in depth (Yes, I am talking to all you A+++ Students out there!)...Here is a 60 minute video interview with the two authors Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle. For those of you who don't know Francis and Preston, I included their short bio (from their personal websites) after the video:

Francis Chan: is the best-selling author of books, Crazy Love, Forgotten God, Erasing Hell and the host of the BASIC.series (Who is God & We Are Church). Francis is the founding pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California, and is the founder of Eternity Bible College. He also sits on the board of directors of Children’s Hunger Fund and World Impact. Currently, Francis is working to start a church planting movement in the inner city of San Francisco and also working to launch a countrywide discipleship movement. Francis now lives in Northern California with his wife, Lisa, and their five children.

Preston Sprinkle: I was born and raised in California, but God has taken me to different parts of the world. After graduating from college (2000) and seminary (2003), my wife and I ventured to Scotland where I completed my PhD in New Testament from Aberdeen University. While in the UK, I held a brief teaching stint at Nottingham University and then came back to the States where I taught Biblical Studies at Cedarville University in Ohio. In June 2009, we moved back to southern California, where I currently teach at Eternity Bible College and serve as an elder/pastor at Anthem Church in Thousand Oaks. I am happily married to my beautiful and energetic wife, Christine, and have three daughters and one son. In addition to my love for baseball and surfing, my family and I enjoy the outdoors (hiking, camping, having fun in the sun) and hanging out with college students.

Step out of your comfort zone...Peter's Vision

Today, I want to share about my reading from Acts 10:1-48 which focuses on God's message to both the apostle Peter and the centurion Cornelius. Every time, I read this passage...I lift a prayer to God that I may be more like the centurion Cornelius. The Bible describes him as a devout and God-fearing man. He must have been a good godly father and husband as well because his entire family also followed God. To top it off, he gave generously to those in need and regularly prayed to God. I am glad that Acts recounts the lives of faithful men like Cornelius.

Here is where the story begins to get really interesting...an angel of the Lord appears to Cornelius telling him to find and bring back a man named Simon who was called Peter (this is the apostle Peter!). Immediately, Cornelius obeys God calling two of his servants and even one of his own soldiers to go get Peter.

The next day guess who is going to the roof to pray? Peter is of course! He goes up around noontime and falls into a trance where Peter experiences the presence of God. He is not asleep or dreaming...It is something happening to him while he is wide awake and hungry to boot! In this trance, Peter sees a vision of large sheet being let down upon the earth by four corners. Just stop to think about this picture!!! This must be utterly astounding. (Back then, there was no globe of the earth, no Google map, or drawings of planets...Peter must be in shock and awe...) A noteworthy observation is that the four corners gives us a picture that this encompasses the whole earth from the North, South, East, and West. Then as if this vision was not amazing enough...imagine a voice from heaven saying, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."

Well, apparently the voice of God does resonate with Peter at this moment (even though he is hungry and wants something to eat) because he replies by saying, "Surely not, Lord!" I think I myself would have went straight ahead for the food! However, Peter is probably weary of eating because there are "unclean" animals. I put "unclean" in quotes because I want to point out that in the Old Testament (and Jewish laws) there were animals that God had named unclean. Thus, the Jewish people were told to avoid "unclean" animals like pigs, camels, various birds, and other creatures. So Peter did not want to disobey God.

This is where the key lesson point comes in...Are you ready? God says, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." What does this mean?!? I believe that God is pointing out something to Peter and also to us today. Is a pig an unclean animal anymore than a dog? or a horse? or a cow? (Here are some interesting and fun pig facts: 1) In terms of cleanliness, pigs are very particular from other animals. They are the only farm animals that make a separate sleeping den (which they keep spotless) 2)They actually use a latrine (bathroom) area. 3) Pigs are highly intelligent. Like dogs, they can be easily housebroken, taught to fetch and come to heel. Pigs can learn to dance, race, pull carts and sniff out landmines.) I don't think a pig is necessarily and "unclean" animal. They are in fact "cleaner" than many other animals. Probably, a lot cleaner in fact than my aunt's dog Tarzan.

I think where the most meaningful lesson can be learned is that God has the final say. If God says an animal is unclean than it is unclean. If God says an animal is clean than it is clean. And if God says your sins are washed away...Then, your sins are WASHED AWAY! In the beginning, when God first created plants, animals, and all living things. He called everything he made was gooooood. So, if you take one lesson away today, remember what God calls good is good (and conversely what God calls evil is evil!)

Going back to finish the story the vision, Peter is of course bewildered and confused to the meaning of the vision. However, there is a reason why this vision was told within the context of Cornelius the Centurion...the two servants and one soldier arrive! Peter greets them and the Holy Spirit tells him to welcome these men and go with them back to Caesarea. These guests are not Jewish like Peter, thus they are Gentiles or "unclean". Yet, the Holy Spirit tells Peter to welcome them to his place and not only that but to go dine with them in Caeserea (this was against the Jewish laws of cleanliness). The story reminds us that God is the ultimate authority to what is good, what is clean, and what is best for us. Hope you enjoyed this post.

Amazing Grace...The Story of Saul

Acts 9 is in my mind the most dramatic story of a sinner saved by grace. God can transform malicious haters of the Gospel into radical lovers of Jesus Christ. This passage begins with a man named Saul who threatened to kill all who believed in Jesus Christ. In fact, he went all the way to the high priest to get a letter of approval to put Christians into jail. (This would be similar to a person going before the Supreme Court to get a law passed to put all Christians into prison.) While on his journey, a turn of events forever altered his life recorded in Acts 9:4-16...

"He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

In this story of Saul, God meets him on his journey and reveals to him a stunning revelation. Saul thinks that he has been doing the Lord's will all along by persecuting those who belonged to the Way (those who believed in Jesus). However, God tells him that He is Jesus. Saul is left blind on the road and for three days neither eats nor drinks. (Imagine, if you have been "thinking" you were doing the right thing all along, but suddenly one day God stops you and says, "Why do you persecute me?") God, however, has a plan for Saul. God calls another disciple Ananias to go to Saul and lay hands on him to restore his sight. Of course, God not only restores Saul's physical sight but also his spiritual eyes. Scales fall off from Saul's eyes. Saul realized that he has sinned against God and becomes baptized into a new life with Christ.

The story of Saul who later is renamed Paul is really the story of God's amazing grace. Saul, a persecutor of Christians, becomes Paul, a martyr for Christ, who ends up spreading the Gospel all across Asia minor and Europe. In fact, Paul is often credited to have spread the cause and Gospel of Christ more than any other disciple. God's grace teaches me that God can use all things for His good and His glory. Even those who persecute the Church, God can turn the hardest of hearts into the most passionate for His name. This means for me that even if I were to go against God...He would never abandon me but instead He is always looking for the opportunity to reach out with His amazing grace. I hope that God's grace also touches your life today.

If you would like to learn more about God's amazing grace, I would encourage you to continue reading the book of Acts. If you want a look inside Paul's heart and thoughts, I would read Philippians 3:1-14 to see just how deeply Paul's life was changed by Jesus Christ. Finally, if you would like to watch a movie check out Amazing Grace, the story of William Wilberforce, who helped abolish slavery in England.