When Paul and Barnabas set out on their first missionary journey in Acts 15, they brought along a young helper named John Mark. But somewhere along the way, Mark abandoned them and went home. Paul saw it as a betrayal, serious enough that, when planning a second journey, he refused to take Mark again.

Barnabas (whose name means “Son of Encouragement”) disagreed. He saw something worth saving in Mark. Yet, the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas was so sharp, they parted ways.

However, years later, something beautiful happened: Paul, near the end of his life, wrote to Timothy and said, “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11). Somewhere between Acts 15 and 2 Timothy 4, restoration happened. A brother who had failed was not only forgiven—he was reclaimed, restored, and put back to work in gospel ministry.

The story of John Mark shows us that the early church, led by men like Paul, knew the pain of conflict, the need for confrontation, and the power of restoration.

We are not foreigners to similar pain and conflicts. Everyone in the church has been hurt by someone else and has hurt others. We all need to forgive and to repent.

These situations can often be sensitive and tender, whether the hurts are recent or they happened a long time ago. And because of these difficulties, I wanted to notify you all of my next three sermons in advance. The passages we will be considering will challenge you in more ways than one, yet on the other side I believe you will see the plan of God's mercy in a refreshing clear manner.

So, I have favors to ask of you. First, look over these passages and familiarize yourself with them. Second, consider the people in your life that you have hurt, but you have withheld repentance. Third, consider the people in your life that have hurt you, but you never sought restoration with them. Forth, pray over all these things.

Here is our lineup for the next few weeks:

• 8/10/2025: Mathew 18:12-20 "When a Brother Sins Part 1: How to Love"
• 8/17/2022: Guest preacher
• 8/24/2025: Matthew 18:15-22 "When a Brother Sins Part 2: Perserverance"
• 8/31/2025: Matthew 18:21-35 "When a Brother Sins Part 3: When to Forgive"

Living the Christian life in a Babylon World:
Thoughts on Political Theology for the Church


“Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.” 1 Peter 2:11

“For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.” Hebrews 13:14
 

Beloved church:  I am concerned over the cultural direction of our society and even that of reformed and evangelical Christians in our society. When I look around at the landscape of professing Christians in America, what I frequently see are Christians who struggle to distinguish their Bible from their newspaper. They struggle to distinguish their theology from a political platform. Why is this concerning? Because news and politics change. Constantly. But the Word of God is forever (Isaiah 40:8). News and politics are, by definition, worldly and temporary. While politics and culture matter (to a degree), it is not the thing by which we latch our hope and faith.

In Ephesians 4, Paul discusses the way by which the disciple knows Jesus which will help the us to “no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” (Eph. 4:14). When we anchor our faith to a mission of cultural change, we anchor our faith in something which will blow us about by every wind of doctrine that might come our way. There is a good reason Scripture often warns us not to hope in the things of this world (1 John 2:15-17, 2 Corinthians 4:18, James 4:4, Colossians 3:1-2).

In 413 AD, Augustine wrote the behemoth of a book The City of God. In this book he describes two groups of people. One people group is the people of God. They desire God and are destined for the City of God. The other people group are the people of the world. Their affections are set on themselves and on worldly things. These two cities represent the present conundrum for the Christian. While we live in the world, we are not citizens of the world. This is why Jesus would say of His followers in His high priestly prayer in John 17:16 “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.”

While we live in this world, we live in it as exiles, as sojourners, as those in dispersion (1 Peter 1:1, 1:17, 2:11).

It is said that “good distinctions make good theology”. This is ‘case in point’. If we fail to distinguish the heavenly city from the earthly city, we will end up lost in our faith. We think that cultural reform is the same as spiritual reform. We think we must "earn" a better world by which Jesus can enter. This type of legalism is what happened to Christian in John Bunyan’s book Pilgram’s Progress. Christian was misled by Worldly Wiseman to go to the Village of Morality instead of the cross. Christian was told by this false teacher that the Village of Morality will help him to remove the burden on his back. Yet when he arrived, what he found were only laws and commandments which he could not bear to keep in order to have the burden removed.

Here is the deal: If our Christian hope is set on improving this world, then we have blurred law and gospel together and entered into legalism.

We might ask ourselves how Scripture presents these two cities that Augustine speaks about. How do people in Scripture live in the world while following the true heavenly city? In the book of Genesis, what did Joseph do while he was the second most powerful man in all the world (Genesis 41:40-43)? Did he command Egypt to worship the true God? Of course, the answer to this is a resounding “no”. He governed with an understanding of distinction between these categories. Jospeh performed his duty of preserving the food supply. What about Daniel? In Daniel 6 a law was established where no man could pray to any god for 30 days, except to the king himself. Daniel blatantly disobeyed this law (Daniel 6:10-12). Later in the book, as Daniel is an influential person in the government, do we see Daniel reverse this law to command people to only pray to the true God? Of course, this answer again is “no”.

But what about the New Testament? As Jesus was being led to His slaughter, does He try to win over worldly nations and gain influence over worldly leaders? He was asked if He was a king, and His answer was “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” (John 18:36). Repeatedly, the expectation of the Messiah was to become an earthly king and He rejects the idea over and over again. But how do the Apostles handle this issue? Maybe we think… after the Great Commission this must be different, right? Except it is not. The Apostles and Christians in the New Testament Church labor to win souls, not to win governments. There is not a single example of the New Testament church attempting to instate a government or to become culture warriors. Instead, they operate within Jewish and pagan cultures to testify to Christ.

As we see in Scripture, living in these two kingdoms presents the Christian with the need to be nuanced in their approach to matters of this world. This does not mean we are defeated here; but it does mean that God’s final judgement is yet to come. When we look at politics, we know we will vote according to our beliefs, as we should. But our hope is not in the outcome of elections, or public policy, or celebrity pastors/politicians. Our hope is in the living God (Psalm 62:5). He never changes (James 1:17).

While it is wrong to say, “we shouldn’t polish brass on a sinking ship”, it is equally wrong to deny the ship is sinking at all. We should not be indifferent about the world. But we need to not put it on a pedestal either. This broken world is not your trophy. We desire a reward in heaven. Having a proper balance in our approach to the world is difficult because we are a people of extremes.

As a Christian living in a Babylonian type of world, our job is not to make Christian nations. Historically speaking, this has never ended well. Jesus told us that the world will hate us, and if the world starts to love us then we should be concerned (John 15:18-25). So, we do not long to make Christian nations, our job is to make disciples from those nations (Matthew 28:16-20). Our job is not to win the world, but to win souls out of the world. One day the Lord will give His bride a new heaven and new earth to occupy (Revelation 21). We long for that world, not this one (Hebrews 13:14).

“Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" Revelation 22:20


If you are interested in exploring the intersection of our faith and politic, join us for an 8-week class on Political Theology at Rock of Christ starting 5/5/24 at 9:00 (before the 10:30 service).
Join us @ 1406 W 18th St, Wichita Ks, 67203

Why is parenting so difficult? Some days are better than others. However, if we are honest, everyday is some type of mixture of good and difficult. Now, notice I said “difficult” and not “bad”. Parenting may be difficult, but it is not a bad thing. Scripture tells us it is a blessing:

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!” Psalm 127:3-5
 
Since being a parent is a blessing, parents are called to an additional responsibility. They must train up the child and show them the way to go (Proverbs 22:6). In this way, children are like “arrows in the hand of a warrior”. Their target? The spreading of God’s glory to an unregenerate world (Psalm 78:4).
That might be the end goal, but many parents of young children probably feel as though they have a while to go before they are ready to shoot these arrows out into the world. Which brings us back to our question at hand. Why is parenting so difficult? Here are a few reasons.

1. Children are sinners like we are.
“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.” Romans 3:10-11

When Scripture says there is “none” righteous, that includes sweet little babies with chubby cheeks. “None” is a hard word to get around. It is encompassing of all humans regardless of age, demographic, stage of development, or intelligence.
The first answer to why parenting is difficult is that our children are sinners. Part B of this answer, is that we are also sinners.

Proverbs 22:15 tells us “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him”

Proper discipline can drive folly from the child, but the child starts with a default setting of “folly”. It is "bound up in" their hearts. This is an inherited condition from Adam (1 Corinthians 15:22), and the only cure is the good news of Christ. Just as Adam’s curse after the fall was difficulty in his labor (Genesis 3:17-19), Eve’s curse was difficulty in childbearing (Genesis 3:16). I think we can naturally extend Eve’s difficulty to child raising as well. So, this means that when you are a parent, you are parenting someone who is prone to disobey you, rebel against your rule, and seek after their own path. Parenting becomes a difficult balance of discipline and encouragement to steer them on the right path.

2. Change is hard.
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16

Anyone who has ever converted to Christianity can tell you, it is a slow and difficult process to slay your sins and put them to rest. Add on top of that, we are never fully done with the task. So, parenting is hard, because change is hard. Remember to be patient with your children and show them the grace that Christ has shown you.

“Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21-22

3. We are selfish.
“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24

Only yesterday, I was playing my 7-year-old son at chess, and he absolutely slaughtered me. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy about the game. I should have told him how good he was getting and encouraged him. Instead, I quickly went back into my office and continued to work.
We are selfish. Think about the last few times you have gotten frustrated with your children. Are they not circumstances where you were trying to do one thing that you thought was important, and your child required attention to be given to them instead?

A major reason why parenting is difficult is not because of our children, but because we are selfish. We live in a society that encourages selfish behavior and diminishes the value of family time. As a society, we drop our children off at school for the day, pick them up, take them to the daycare at the gym, and pick them up an hour later. We cram some food in their mouths just in time to put them to bed. The result is that many kids only get family time on the weekends. Even on the weekends, parents rely on the church to teach their children Scripture and they do not take up the sword in their own home (Hebrews 4:12-14, Ephesians 6:4). Society has ripped away all teaching and leading responsibility from parents.

Teachers, daycare workers, and grandparents end up watching our children more than we do.

There is a fine line between “needing rest and alone time” and “failing to do our God given job”. Of course, you need rest. Of course, you will need some breaks. But when does it cross the line? As a family, you should have expectations about where that line exists. If other people are spending more time with your child than you are, then they are raising your child more than you are. This is simple math. If other people are spending more time with your child than you are, then they are shaping your child more than you are.

Being a parent means that sometimes our desires are put on hold. The world wants to convince you this is a bad thing. However, Scripture tells us that self-denial is a mark of a disciplined Christian (Proverbs 12:1, 1 John 2:15, James 4:4, Hebrews 12:11).

4. Culture is spiraling downward.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2

As social media continues to rage, the world only becomes more and more connected. While there is some redeeming quality to this, it also gives degeneracy easy access into your home. A lot does not need to be said at this point. This point is self-evident.
As society continues into the spiral that it is in, Christian parents have difficult decisions to make. These ethical decisions involve matters of increasing tech and A.I., social media, identity issues, the value of life, nihilism, the role of government, and society's growing hatred for God. There are difficult days ahead for Christian parents.

5. Spiritual disciplines are fading amongst Christians.
My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. Proverbs 3:11-12

Sometimes it is important for us to remember this fact: we are not the first Christians. As Christians, we are not in isolation. If you could take a peek in a Christian household two-hundred years ago, you would see a rich heritage that has tragically ended. Parents used to take their children through Scripture every evening. They used to catechize their children. They used to pray with their children. They used to engage in theological conversation to stimulate Biblical understanding.
In the modern Christian family home, it is rare for the family to all pray together. When prayer is done, it is an obligatory prayer before dinner. Let’s be honest: everyone is just thinking about the food.
In the modern Christian family home, it is rare to see the family read Scripture together. Simply put: the main culprit of a lack of family Bible reading is that most parents do not understand Scripture well enough to explain it to their children. This is an unfortunate reality.
Parenting is hard. But do you want to know what you can do to make it easier? 1.) Read Scripture yourself. Often. 2.) Read Scripture with your family. Let it cut you up (Hebrews 4:12-14). Be vulnerable to it’s authority. As you read Scripture, pair prayer along with it. If you do these two disciplines (Scripture and prayer), you will be on the right track in your parenting. Other dominoes will fall afterward.

It is a difficult task. But it is also an amazing one.

Need more help in your parenting? Don’t we all! Join us for our upcoming ROC Classes on Parenting in Proverbs. Teaching series starts 4/23 at 9:00-9:30 in The Well Classroom for six weeks.

Murder, prostitution, adultery... these are things we might not want our kids watching on television.
But how do we handle it when these themes are in the bible? Simply put, the bible is not always G-rated.
Obviously, we want our kids reading the bible, but some themes must be handled by parents with care.

As Rock of Christ moved recently to a more family-oriented worship service, we know that kids will be in the service with us while the Word of God is declared and explained.
This is a great thing, especially considering that preaching is a means of grace. Paul asked the rhetorical question in Romans 10:14 -
"How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?"

But how do we handle the PG-13 areas of Scripture with our young ones? This tension brings me to the point of this post. Starting in January 2023, we will be in the book of Hosea.

If you are a parent, I highly encourage you to go ahead and read through Hosea yourself and prepare for some of the questions your child might have about the book.
The first chapter alone contains words like "whoredom", "adultery", "naked", "breasts", etc. The book deals with themes of prostitution and adultery, comparing us to an unfaithful bride and Jesus to the faithful and relentless groom.

Your child might ask what these words mean, and there is a child appropriate way to explain it. We must remember that the bible is not a book only for adults, but for children as well (Ephesians 6:1-3). Since sermons are the preaching of God's word, sermons are also for children as well as adults.

Personally, I plan to explain these concepts to my children in terms of faithfulness, love, and marital union, without going in depth into the sexual element of these things until they are at an appropriate age.
My preaching through this text will attempt to honor this sensitivity as well. I will read the inspired words of Scripture, but my explanations will focus more on faithfulness and pushing back against idolatry. I encourage you to take a similar approach with your children.

As always, if you have any questions on how to discuss these things with your family, please reach out to me.
As parents, we have a blessed opportunity (Psalm 127:3). Make the best of it!

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

- Pastor Andy