Word Power

A question posed to me recently, “What if a transgender comes to SSB and wants to fellowship with us?  What would we do?” 

In every situation there are unique issues, but in every situation there is a basic formula: love them and give them the truth.  We must build a love bridge in order to talk about God and His values.  We want God’s will and way to be embraced by all – regardless of past issues or current status. 

// Love and Truth: Ephesiasns 4:15 says, Speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ.  I am glad I can walk (left and right in repetition) and I am glad I can build things (hammer and nails).  Both activities take either two legs or two hands.  And for almost all of us, one appendage is more dominant than the other (a few are ambidextrous).  A principle I use when dealing with things grey or confusing is that I bend toward my dominate.  So, I bend toward the truth over love.  I want to be loving but love has different meanings to different ones and can be easily very emotional.  I bend toward truth when not sure.  Both love and truth, but truth if unsure. //

So a transgender comes and desires to be with us.  Here is where preaching is so important.  We must preach the Word – the Bible – for in that we are presenting a God Who sees, cares, and deals.  And we flesh out the truths of the New Testament with stories from the Old Testament.  This past Sunday we were in I Peter 3 which quoted a portion of Psalm 34.  After a challenge to guard our tongue, flee evil, do good, and seek peace; God declares that He sees and hears and deals, 3:12.  We then looked at Amos 2:9-3:2 for an example.  We used God’s Word – not my story or another’s story but God’s story.  God’s Word moves hearts and heads.  God’s Word works!  Not our stories!

On August 26, 1968 I rolled a pickup through a barrow ditch and fence into a field, partially smashing the cab.  I walked out with only a few scratches.  In 1973 I was shot at in Cheyenne while driving a semi truck.  The bullet hole was head high and about 6 inches behind the door glass – a small fraction of a second sooner and I would have been killed.  And in 1987 I was called in by the sheriff and threatened with jail time because of some “fake” news.  

Those are some of my stories.  You have stories.  We all have stories.  Some are more dynamic or dramatic than others but we all have stories!  I love to ask people their stories and let them talk.  I’d rather hear their stories than tell mine, but occasionally I like to tell mine.  Stories do matter! 

But when they, we or any hear the truths of God, there is conviction which causes some to react in anger, some to contemplation and some to repentance.  Acts 17:32-34, And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.”  So Paul departed from among them.  However, some men joined him and believed.  

Truth convicts.  I Corinthians 14:24-25, But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.

God’s Word moves. Acts 2:36-37, “…let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

As God’s Word turns heads and touches hearts, so we preach the whole counsel of God.