That Mary was an OPEN LIBERAL

As we celebrate Christmas once again let us meditate upon the words of Elizabeth’s blessing to Mary on the occasion of their meeting when they were both expecting miraculous babies.

“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (Luke 1: 45)

Here Mary is blessed because she heard the Word of God and believed it. Even though what she heard seemed completely impossible, she believed it. Mary is a great example of What God expects of all of us. His promises to us are no less wonderful. The offer of the gospel is heaven. We are offered eternal life if we believe. A Christian is a BELIEVER. If God says it, we believe it!

Mary did not have lingering doubts. When she first heard the promise she did question it, but when God simply stated the enormity of what he intended to do, she responded with “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” When a person hears the Word of God and walks away doubting it, that person is not blessed. Faith is a blessing. Faith is the evidence of God’s gracious work in a sinner’s heart. Elizabeth knows that Mary is blessed because Mary believed the Word of God. The enemies of men desire for men to go away in unbelief. The World the Flesh and the Devil will do all that they can to keep you in unbelief.

Mary was liberal in her faith too. She fully believed that there would be a full filling of what was spoken to her. The Greek word here is “teleiosis.” The words spoken would reach their goal. They would reach their end, the purpose of the Lord. You know, I say some things that I hope I can do, but will actually never be able to finish. God always finishes what he says he will! Mary liberally believed this!

How did Elizabeth know that Mary had believed the Word? Mary had taken action on her faith by going to see Elizabeth. The Bible doesn’t say that Mary had even had a chance to explain the whole thing to Elizabeth; it simply says that Mary greeted her. It is quite possible that Elizabeth just knew by Mary’s visit, her greeting, and by God’s revelation, that God had promised wonderful things to Mary. To quote a Christmas movie “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is to sing out loud for all to hear.” Mary sang by her visit, and by her greeting. Elizabeth knew she was a believer by the way Mary conducted herself. After Mary’s greeting she spoke out a beautiful testimony which we call the Magnificat. Find it in Luke 1: 46-55.

Do you believe the Word spoken to you, and do people around you know it?

Holy Days!!!

Holidays! Holy Days

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble Psalm 107:1 & 2



I don’t know about you, but I love the holidays. I know it is often so stressful that it zaps the joy, but I think we could build a nice argument supporting the idea that God prescribes holidays and has made us to revel in them. Yes they take effort, but slow down enough to enjoy it all. Take time to smell the turkey, marvel at the decorations and smile with your family. The effort we put into the holidays makes them Holy Days. It makes them different and wonderful. Let us make them holy unto our Lord!



Sometimes people feel an urge to grumble about traditions and point out how some have abused various parts of God’s creation in the past. True enough, but can’t we take advantage of the hoopla and use it for God’s glory? I believe we can and should!



It is a fantastic time to express your faith to others. If we are eternally saved by God’s kindness, which we celebrate at this time of year, we should be the first to say how much we appreciate his kindness. Hallelujah, our Lord God omnipotent reigneth! Sing it out!



Are you redeemed? Did Jesus Christ pay the ransom for your sinful soul? Did he die for your sin, paying the price for your forgiveness and giving you an eternal inheritance? Would you praise him? Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. Oh what a debt of worship we owe! Allow the fun and celebration of the season to be an opportunity to tell others of your appreciation for his unspeakable gift!



2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!



1 Peter 1: 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Choose Your Mother

Recently I met with a few local pastors for prayer. As an introduction we were asked to give our basic approach to ministry, or our church purpose statement. The lead pastor from one of the largest churches around said something startling to me. He explained that he had been reared in the same church association in which I had been reared. He described it as "Jewish, with a thin veneer of grace." He was contrasting law and grace. As a result of this he now emphasizes grace as often as he can. This really got me thinking. In our desire to live for God, and inspire obedience in others, have we developed our own "Law of Moses?" Unessentials become a litmus test for spirituality in a legalistic culture. Strange issues are used as indicators of spiritual life and "maturity." Things like clothing, hairstyle, innocent entertainments, style of music, version of the Bible, day of worship, consumption of alcohol, use of tobacco, and many other issues become the "standards."

This was a huge issue as the Gospel was preached in the first century, and has continued to be huge through the centuries. Paul is not fond of artificial moral standards, to say the least. One example of his attitude about this is when he calls such artificial moral standards "weak and worthless elementary principles of the world." (Gal. 4:9)

I love the allegory in Galatians four.

Galatians 4:23-26 "For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. 23 But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. 24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother."

In terms of spiritual life we must choose a mother. He says that law keepers are choosing to be children of the slave woman, Hagar. This applies to all false religions that teach salvation by works, but in the context of Galatians it is a caution for believers. Many are following a legalistic slavery thinking that they are pleasing God. Let us be sure that our moral standards are God's. Let us be sure that we are not judging ourselves or others by "weak and worthless elementary principles of the world." Choose your mother!

Why We Preach

Nathan’s Notes

1 Corinthians 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

This is a precious passage of Holy Writing.

Here are some of the highlights, which I love:

1. It pleases God to reveal himself in Biblical preaching.

2. All those who believe will be saved through what we preach.

3. It does not matter whether you prefer signs or wisdom; our message is the same: Christ crucified.

4. If you are called, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

5. Christ is God’s weakness in humiliation and death, but he overcomes our enemies of sin and death.


Psalm 65: 3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions.

Many times we can feel that we are wasting our time continuing to talk to people about Christ. We can think that there is no hope for them to come to faith. But, faithful prayer and witness do bring results. Our gospel is foolishness to the worldly wise but to those who are called by God it is power and wisdom!

Recently Lars Jorgensen had the joy of leading his elderly father to faith in Christ. The Jorgensens had prayed for him for several decades, and had spoken with him over and over. He had never really showed any interest. But, as he is getting older and weaker, God opened his heart, and he believed in Jesus for his salvation!

Thanks also for praying for our Vacation Bible School. It was one of the largest we have had in a few years, and the response was very positive. Our teachers are so good, and we wrapped them in a very exciting package! Several of the children prayed to receive Christ, and many hid God’s word in their hearts. Even though the program and packaging are different, we are still preaching Christ crucified.

No Room for Self-Pity

I have been continuing to think about the post resurrection appearances of Jesus. I love the story of his third visit with his disciples. It is recorded in John 21. It’s the story of Peter leading his six friends out on an all night fishing trip. As you probably recall they catch nothing. Jesus displays his power by the miracle of the big catch. When Peter is told the obvious by John that “It is the Lord!” he throws his clothes back on and jumps in for the football field length swim to shore. He leaves his friends in the boat to deal with the fish.

After an awesome breakfast of charcoal braised fish, the disciples and Jesus were probably sitting around feeling pretty good about the whole situation. Jesus decides that this would be a great time to drill Peter with the toughest questions and biggest challenge he would ever face. When Jesus was on trial a few weeks ago, Peter failed a three-question test miserably. He got a big fat zero on that comprehensive. But, Jesus has another exam for him! Praise God for the mercy of another test!

So in this after breakfast test Jesus asks Peter if he loves him “more than these?” The “these” is somewhat unclear. Most likely Jesus is asking Peter if he loves Jesus more than he loves his close friends, but what is even more invasive is that Jesus asks him two more times if he loves him period. Peter keeps saying yes, and then, grieved at the repetition, he finally says “Lord, you know everything: you know that I love you.” Peter definitely has his feelings hurt through this interchange, but wouldn’t you? Jesus asks us if we love him at all. Are we so caught up in so many other things that we do not even begin to live the great commandment?

“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV)

Now each time Peter answers yes to Jesus, Jesus gives him a command. Each time he tells him to feed and take care of Jesus’ sheep. What a glorious commissioning for Peter. He denied Jesus three times, yet Jesus commissions him three times over!

This whole poignant interchange ends with Jesus telling Peter that when he gets old he is going to be led out with outstretched arms to be killed to glorify God.

So think about this a moment… do you struggle with the question “Why did God bring this difficult situation into my life, and why doesn’t he take it away?” It does not seem fair. Can’t our lives go smoothly? (Isn’t this the whiny, self-centered prayer of Jabez?) Well, what was the destiny of Peter? Love Jesus more than all else, do his work with all your strength, then you will be brutally killed. But here is the amazing thing; I cannot even imagine Peter complaining about this destiny. Maybe I’m wrong, but I believe that Peter counted it a privilege to follow the Lord no matter where the path led.

Let’s ask the Lord for strength to follow Peter’s example.

Jesus says love me, work for me and follow me.

Centennial: With Joy, and Fear

We are filled with gratitude for being able to mark our centennial. God has been graciously using First Baptist Church of Monterey for one hundred years, and I count it as a great honor to be the pastor at this time. I am the fourteenth pastor and the number two in length of term. I have been the pastor for 13% of our history! This is an honor and a fearful responsibility.

It is an honor is to be riding the wave of faithful service of the hundreds who came before us. Certainly there were grave mistakes, and grievous sins committed along the way, but God saw fit to preserve this church and continues to use it for his glory.

In just a few weeks from now, at the end of May, we plan to celebrate God’s goodness in a reverent and raucous way. We are a family church, and we are Baptist! We will worship with a few shouts of joy, moments of tearful praise, and several bounce houses for the kiddos! We’ll top it off with a big family feast! All you can eat beef tri-tip and grilled chicken. It is going to be a blast!

But I also use the word “fearful responsibility.” The marking of a centennial is wonderful, but our work is too important for any slackening in our efforts. We are still in the battle. Let us mark our blessings and successes, but let’s keep our powder dry! Remember how Nehemiah directed the builders of the wall of Jerusalem to build with one hand and keep your sword in the other? This is always necessary.

This past Sunday was a glorious Resurrection Celebration. While we had a great attendance there were many that were not there because they are living in open defiance of our risen Lord. I learned just before our first service that one of our young ladies has been swept into the degrading life of drugs and street level evil. Another family in our fellowship is reeling from the evil of drugs as well. Satan is not taking any time off in observance of our centennial! The enemy is real, and evil is powerful. Lord help us! Some of our families have fallen away from fellowship and a few are splitting up. The need is great.

The Bible tells us how to do Christian ministry. For example, in 1 Corinthians 3 we are challenged to build with the right materials in order to produce lasting results. This passage also emphasizes that our work will be tested. It certainly is my prayer and continual desire to make sure we are using God’s good precious materials in building his house!

“Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”
(1 Corinthians 3:12–15 ESV)

It is also a great encouragement to be reminded by Psalm 127 that when all is said and done it is our powerful Lord who builds his house! This thought is also contained in the statement of Jesus: “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
(Matthew 16:18 ESV)

I have two great ministry associates. Today I've invited one of them, Alex, to be my guest blogger!

THE Goal of Life

What is your goal in life? Is it to have a happy and healthy family? Is it to help others? Is it to attain property? Have a successful business? Travel? To be well educated? To be well known? Well liked? What is your goal?

According to the Bible, you have one goal in life, and that is to know God. In fact, it’s not only your goal in this life…it’s your goal in the next life as well! In John 17:3, Jesus says: “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” So according to Jesus, knowing God is not even the goal to eternal life, but it is eternal life! Wow! God is so huge, and complex and wonderful that knowing Him ­is eternal life. To know God is an eternal endeavor. It’ll never end. We’ll never get to the bottom of His greatness or His goodness! The apostle Paul says “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” Each day we spend in eternity we will get to know God more. Each day we will come to know His attributes and His ways with deeper and fuller understanding, and we will fall down in awe of how great He is! Then the next day, we will repeat the process! We will forever and constantly be getting to know God better, and He will forever and ever constantly be blowing our minds and extracting worship and praise from our hearts and lips.

C.S. Lewis, loved this concept and used it often in his books. In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader C.S. Lewis likens getting to know God to the image of a ship sailing on an endless sea. The further on you travel, the sweeter the water gets, and the brighter the sun becomes…yet the brightness doesn’t hurt your eyes. The further on you row upon this endless sea, the better your body is able to handle the brightness, and as it becomes brighter it also becomes sweeter and sweeter to your soul. In The Last Battle Lewis also likens eternally getting to know God more to the image of people traveling up a beautiful but endless mountain. The farther up and in they trek, the more vivid everything becomes. The air becomes fresher and sweeter. The grass looks greener, and the sky a deeper, “farther” shade of blue. In fact, the farther in they travel, the more colors start to become shades that they’ve never even really seen before. And the farther in they travel the steeper the hill becomes, yet this does not hinder their travels. In fact the farther on they go, and the steeper the hill becomes, the faster they are able to move, until pretty soon they are flying over fields so truly green that the eyes of this earth could not set a gaze upon them. And this process goes on forever!

C.S. Lewis surely paints us a beautiful picture of what it will be like to eternally get to know God better. God is that big!! We will forever be knowing Him and enjoying Him. It will be a beautiful time that we can look forward to. The challenge for us today, however, is this: If we do not want to get to know God better here and now, is heaven really a place for us? If we don’t care about knowing Him now, we definitely won’t want to be there forever. Let us begin training for our “real” life by getting to know Him now. Get a head start on a never ending joy. The field is in front of you…Get to trekking.

-alex

Hosea 6:3 “Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD”

One Hundred Years and Quilting

A few of our truly wonderful ladies spent a truly wonderful amount of time making a truly wonderful quilt in commemoration of our Centennial. It has nine panels depicting outstanding aspects of our church’s history and life.

From top left you see a panel that honors our great nation and our military personnel. We have always been very blessed to have a significant military presence in our body. Next over is a panel that depicts our first building at Prescott and Laine. We built this building sometime within the first two years of our existence! Imagine how exciting that must have been. This building still stands about two blocks from our current building, and is now owned by a Coptic congregation. In the next row down you see a square commemorating youth ministry, then our new baptismal cross. The larger square on the right demonstrates our faithful commitment to world evangelism. One of the very first organizations of our church back in 1910 was a woman’s missionary circle!

Back on the left you see a lovely cypress tree, so prevalent on our peninsula, and next a smaller nameplate. Over on the right on the bottom is a wonderful lighthouse, long a beautiful symbol of the reason we exist. We exist to proclaim the Lord, until he returns. Finally, you see on the bottom left a great depiction of our current building. We built this from 1949 through 1952. The designers used the space very well, as it is always wonderful how useful our current home still is. Weekly it rings with the sounds of love and laughter. You might hear our children screaming and running in Fellowship Hall, our pastor whacking the pulpit or playing a horse’s whinny, or the low murmur of a group earnestly seeking God’s face in prayer.

This quilt is wonderfully symbolic of our church. The ladies made this in love. It took a group effort. It is made of many different pieces. It will warm you, cover you and keep you safe. It is relevant to Monterey, celebrating our neighborhood, our seagulls, and mostly it celebrates the joy of being a part of the body of Christ! Many thanks to Donna Shaffer, Anita Harriger, and Virginia Albert. God bless you for your loving work! Praise God for yet another demonstration of his faithfulness to First Baptist Church of Monterey since 1910!