Author: Tim Ehrhardt

I'm just a common ordinary pastor, chaplain, father, grandfather, and dog owner who loves the smell of a genuine leather Bible and the aroma of its message. I'm on a quest to track down the best Bibles, how to best read and use them, and to discover the encouragement inside.

Luke 4:38-44

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
            One of the most fundamental truths about the person of Jesus is that he healed all kinds of people.  Even people who know very little about the historical Jesus know that he was a guy who brought healing to people while he was here on this earth.  For many Christians, the fact that Christ healed people is almost a “ho-hum” moment because we are so familiar with the Gospel stories about him doing the supernatural.  Yet, like with most Scripture stories we encounter, we really need to slow down a bit and let the story sink in:  “Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.”
 
            Every one of them, Jesus healed.  There apparently was no disease, no infirmity, no sickness, no malady, and no situation that was too much for Jesus.  He healed every one of them.  Each and every person, without exception, no matter the problem, was healed by Jesus.  What is more, please notice how they came to Jesus:  All those who had any who were sick brought them to Jesus.  That is, it was the family, the friends, and the neighbors of the sick persons who brought them to Jesus for healing.
 
            We are not to simply exhort sick and infirmed people to look to Jesus for healing.  We are to bring them to Jesus ourselves.  Perhaps one of the main reasons we are not seeing more healing and new life in the Western church is because we are not bringing the needy to Jesus.  Maybe it is our lack of faith and action, and not the sick person’s that prevents healing from being realized.  Methinks that a profound dearth and lack of prayer for others might be at the core of all the physical, mental, and spiritual sickness that abounds.  Let us bring people to Jesus, and let him heal every one of them.
 

 

            Healing God, there is no problem you cannot rectify and no disease you cannot overcome.  I bring all those with cancer, chronic illness, and debilitating depression to you now, in Jesus’ name.  Let the healing come in whatever form you choose to bring it.  Amen.

A Short Primer on Christianity

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Exploring Church Ministry BlogLeave a comment
 
           It perhaps goes without saying, but, nevertheless, really does need to be said explicitly:  Christianity is and revolves around the person of Jesus Christ.  Anything less is not Christianity.  Christ is the second person of the Trinity, the triune God, with the Father and the Spirit – three persons, one God.  God the Father determined that in all things Christ would have preeminence (Colossians 1:18).  Therefore, the equal and full realities of Christ’s humanity and deity are of central importance.
 
            Christ’s humanity should not be suppressed, ignored, or diminished in order to protect his deity.  Christ’s deity must never be marginalized in order to bring his humanity to the fore.  Both the deity and humanity of Jesus must be carefully maintained at all times.  To do less is not Christianity.
 
            Only through this God-Man, Jesus, could redemption from an empty sinful way of life be accomplished for us.  This union of humanity and deity in Jesus alone is able to secure a new and fresh relationship with God, and do away with alienation, hate, death, and eternal torment.
 
            Jesus Christ is the ultimate prophet.  He has revealed to us the will of God for our salvation.  Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).  Jesus has promised that the truth will set us free (John 8:32; 1 John 5:9-13).  Freedom involves knowledge, honesty, and decisions of faith, hope, and love whereby the truth is applied in one’s life.
 
            Jesus Christ is the ultimate priest.  He is the once-for-all offering as a sacrifice to atone for our sinfulness, to reconcile us to God, and now continually makes intercession for us (Romans 5:8-10; Hebrews 4:14, 5:6, 7:23-27, 9:11-12; 1 John 2:1).  As our representative, and the pioneer of our salvation, Jesus has blessed us with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3; 2 Peter 1:3).
 
            Jesus Christ is the universal King.  He is the rightful Ruler of all things (Matthew 21:5; John 18:36-37; Ephesians 1:20-23; Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 1:5).  Jesus possesses all authority in heaven and on earth, and is Supreme over the Church.  He is able to make all things work together for good in life of his people (Romans 8:28-29).
 
            The church, therefore, is to do everything by completely wrapping herself around the person and work of Jesus Christ.  We are to continually unbend ourselves to conformity with prevailing cultural mores, and, instead, be thoroughly transformed through the complete renovation of our minds (Romans 12:1-2).  Our true spiritual act of worship in the church is to exalt the name of Jesus, praise Christ’s holy name, and enamor ourselves with his incredible grace, mercy, and peace.
 
            What this means, then, is that Christianity is not about being a particular nationality or ethnicity; is not merely a belief system; and, is not only an assent to certain facts and knowledge.  Rather, Christianity is a living relationship with Jesus, our Savior, Lord, Teacher, and Healer.  Christ scandalously died through an instrument of torture, the cross, which has become for us, ironically, our badge of honor and identity.  In short, since Jesus lived, died, and rose from death, we, too, as Christians, die to ourselves and live into a new life secured for us by Christ.  Through faith in this very unique God-Man, we are saved.
 

 

            This makes the church the Community of the Redeemed, a special people who are different than all other people because our lives are totally centered round Jesus.  Anything less is neither church, nor Christianity.  Christians are people secure in their identity, bold in their witness of Jesus, and concerned to serve the world in the words and ways of Christ, through the power of God’s Holy Spirit.  May it be so.

2 Corinthians 7:2-12

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
            I’m in the soul business.  Not in the Detroit Mo-town Aretha Franklin kind of soul business (although that would be very cool) but in the sense of engaging in the craft of leading human souls to God and building them up in Christ.  Key to the Christian life’s soul is the term “repentance.”  To repent means to turn around, to stop going in one direction and start going in another one.  It is repentance that makes all the difference in the orientation of our souls in life.
 
            Certainly, no one can really judge the heart of another.  Yet, today’s New Testament lesson lets us in on how to truly measure the sincerity of a person’s repentance.  Worldly sorrow or grief does not lead to repentance, but only death.  The person with worldly sorrow beats himself up but never really changes direction.  Like Judas Iscariot of old, he just hangs himself instead of admitting his guilt to Jesus.  But godly sorrow leads to repentance, a change of direction.  And here is the evidence of the real change:  owning up to the problem; an eagerness to make things right; indignation over what has been done or said; seeing that there is more pain in avoiding the problem than there is confronting it; a desire and energy to do what is best for the person whom we have wronged; and, a willingness to accept whatever consequences that might result from the offense.
 
            Crying and tears can be necessary, but they can also be a cheap form of avoiding true repentance.  Instead, there must be solid action that changes direction and seeks to rectify offenses, as much as it is within our control to do so.  Deliverance from the power of sin can only come through repentance.  There are no shortcuts or easy routes to the soul’s orientation to practical godliness.  There is nothing romantic about repentance; it is typically messy, usually ugly, and often painful.  Yet, there must be suffering before there is glory.  Trying to take true repentance out of the equation is to eviscerate the Christian life and leave our souls vacuous and empty.
 

 

            Holy God, I confess to you the things which I have done and the things I have left undone.  And, yet, your mercy is from everlasting to everlasting.  Open my eyes to the ways I have offended others, and help me to step boldly into repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

1 Corinthians 14:1-12

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
            Sometimes we need to look at a section of Scripture and see its big picture message, not losing sight of the forest for the trees.  At first glance, it might be tempting to question whether tongues and prophecy are for today, or not.  But, please keep in mind that this was not Paul’s driving concern when he wrote to the Corinthians.  Paul wanted the Corinthians, who were into puffing themselves up like peacocks so that others would admire their gifts and abilities, to get a basic important message which is found at the beginning and the end of our New Testament lesson for today:  “Pursue love…. strive to excel in building up the church.”
 
            There you have it.  If we miss this, we have lost sight of God’s Word to us.  We are not to be pre-occupied with tongues and prophecy, but to keep thinking about how we show love to all our brothers and sisters in Christ and to put some significant effort into doing our part to build up others.  Love and encouragement are focused toward other people, and are not inwardly directed.  God has gifted us for love and the building up of the church.  I am a teacher of God’s Word.  It would be really weird if I got up Sunday morning, got dressed, looked in the mirror and taught at myself, then when back to bed dreaming about what a great teacher I am.  Spiritual gifts are meant to be unpacked for the church.
 
            One of the great temptations of humanity is to finagle our efforts so that other people will notice and give props to our wonderful work.  Indeed, we can write Facebook messages to garner as many “likes” as we can get; post things on Twitter and our favorite blogs hoping to look smart and funny in the eyes of a community of people we may not even know personally; and, to withhold our love to actual people right in front our faces because they may not give to us the attention we crave.
 
Perhaps with Lent coming in just a few weeks, you might want to consider a fast from social media in order to better connect with people within your direct sphere of human touch and influence.  Or maybe ask someone close to you what they believe your primary spiritual gifts are, with the expressed intention of using the information to explore fresh avenues of love and service to others.  Whatever you do, pursue love and excel in building up the church.
 

 

Loving God, you have graciously gifted us all for love and service.  May I continually see your love expressed to me through Jesus Christ so that I will be always inspired to pass on that same love to others for whom you also love.  Amen.