Superintendent
This letter grows out of my desire for each of you to become active in an Accountability Bible Study group.
"I have good news and bad news," the defense lawyer says to his client. "What’s the bad news?"asks his client. The lawyer says, "Your blood matches the DNA found at the murder scene." "No!" cries the client. "What’s the good news?" "Well," the lawyer says, "your cholesterol is down to 140." Good news, bad news.
The world is filled with bad news. Too much bad news everywhere you look. Bad news in the world. Bad news in the nation. Bad news in individual homes and lives. … In life we at times go through some intensely painful experiences: death of someone close, dealing with a broken past, relationship pain, etc. We at times do equally foolish things to try and ease the pain, such as substance abuse, workaholism, materialism, etc. Sometimes the ‘cure’ we try is worse than the problem!
But listen, we have a message for the problem: Into this world of bad news came extraordinarily Good News–the Good News of Jesus Christ. St. Paul put it like this: " . . . if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’" (Vs. 9-11, NIV)
What wonderful Good News. "Anyone who trusts in him shall never be put to shame." Does that mean that people who trust in Christ will never have difficult times? Hardly. St. Paul had difficult times. Ship wrecks, prison, beatings, ostracism from his own people. Paul is not saying that those who trust in Christ will live a life of ease. It does mean, however, that the person who trusts in Christ will be able to cope and to conquer whatever adversity life sends.
We’re always impressed by somebody who has been dealt a difficult hand in life and yet has surmounted that difficulty… The human spirit, when joined with the divine Spirit of God, is capable of turning almost any nightmare into a beautiful dream. "Anyone who trusts in him shall never be put to shame."… You don’t have to worry that your life will be lived in vain if you trust Christ with your life. You will never be put to shame.
St. Paul says there are two elements to trusting in Christ: "Believing with your heart" and "confessing with your mouth." Let’s begin with "believing with your heart." Notice that Paul says "believing with your heart;" not "believing with your mind." Certainly believing with your mind is part of the equation. Christ does not expect us to check our brains at the door when we come into worship. I believe it was Mark Twain who defined the word "faith" as believing in something you know is not true… Now that’s dangerous. Some people do stupid things in the name of faith. They believe stupid things. That is not authentic Christian faith… Truth! All truth comes from God. If something clearly is not true, it cannot come from God. I believe if Christ were here today he would say to us, "Use your brains, friends, use your brains." Having said that, it is also true that intellectual faith alone is not enough… To trust in Jesus requires that we embrace him with our emotions, with our imagination, with our will, with "every fiber of our being," as we like to say.
There is a difference in believing in Christ in an abstract way and experiencing Christ as a reality in your life. St. Paul tells us to believe with our hearts as well as our minds. Notice also, that Paul isn’t telling us to simply believe in believing. There is power in belief even when you believe in things that aren’t real…
What you believe can have great power over your life. Even if what you believe is wrong, it can affect you in profound ways. Paul is not advocating a course in the power of positive thinking, though we know there is power in belief. Paul tells us to believe in something specific–the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now imagine for a moment what it does to a person when he or she truly believes in Jesus Christ, that Christ died for our sins and that on the third day "God raised him from the dead . . ." Think how it should change our lives. We would have no more uncertainty about life. Handling our problems, our stress, our frustrations would be a breeze..
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." St. Paul says,
" . . . if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. As the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’"
Let’s consider for a moment that other phrase that Paul uses: " . . . If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ . . ." Strangely enough, this is more difficult for many people than trusting Jesus… talking about him to others… How many times have you heard that there are two things you should never talk about–politics and religion? And yet, this is one of the requirements of our faith, that we share with others what God has done in our lives…
There are many people today in pain. They need someone to listen to them. And then, after they have poured out their hearts, would it not be appropriate to ask, "May I pray with you about this?" Would it not be appropriate to say, "When I am down, I have a few scripture verses that give me comfort . . ." And then tell them some scriptures that have helped you.
What is there in our faith that gives you the strength to carry on? Could it be that the best thing you could do for a friend is to share with them what has been most helpful to you? Nobody’s asking you to mount a soap box. You’re only asked to be a good neighbor, be a good friend. Listen to doubts, fears and longings of those around you and put a good word in for Jesus. If you do that, as St. Paul, you will not ever have to worry about living in shame. Believe with your heart . . . confess with your mouth . . . and you will feel the power of God as you have never felt it before.
Join or start an Accountability Bible Study and learn how to do this.
Later,
Pastor Wes
Biography
Rev. Wenzel (Wes) E. Sperl is California grown. Born in MO. Coming to California as a tottler, growing up in El Monte Calif. Attending El Monte Union High school, entering the US Army in October 1948. He spent 14 years in Europe, and his year in VN. He retired from the Army in 1968.
After leaving the Army he became part of the space team working in the Mars Station at Goldstone Calif. He was part of the tracking team when the US made its first landing on the moon.
After Goldstone he became part of the Azusa Pacific Collage (now University), staff in charge of their off campus ministry at Pine Haven Retreat Center in Crestline, CA
Leaving there to become Pastor of the Grace Evangelical Methodist Church, San Diego CA. Then on to Texas where he and his wife, Janet, became involved in church planting, before he became pastor of the First Evangelical Methodist Church of Glendora CA. Where they have now been for 20 years.
Wes’ education is a real mixture of schools during his military career. He received a BA from the University of Maryland. Bible education came from more Bible schools and places than can be listed here. But he claims his Bible Education really came from his association with the Navigators out of Colo Springs, Colo. Where they taught him to study and apply the Word of God to his daily life.
Wes and his wife, Janet, of 54 years have 6 children, 14 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren.
Wes is now 75 years old, in good health. He and his wife have no plans of ever retiring from the ministry.
