<![CDATA[Grace Bible church - Pastor's Corner]]>Thu, 15 Jul 2021 09:46:29 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[The Faith of a martyr]]>Sun, 08 Mar 2015 05:12:39 GMThttp://gracebiblegc.org/pastors-corner/the-faith-of-a-martyrAs the Middle Eastern conflict involving the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria continues to play out, shocking footage of 21 victims being ruthlessly beheaded by ISIS was released.  These 21 people were revealed to be “Coptic Christians,” an Eastern Orthodox Christian group primarily based in Egypt.  All can agree that regardless of the beliefs of those involved, the act was a heinous crime deserving of the strongest condemnation and possibly retribution.

However, in the wake of this massacre, some Christians have been quick to canonize the victims as saints, while others have just as quickly condemned them for their Eastern Orthodox connections.  So what connection does martyrdom have to faith?  Does being murdered for one’s faith prove such faith as genuine?

“If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.  If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.  However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” – 1 Peter 4:14-16

Scripture is clear that suffering for Christ should be considered a privilege.  In fact, when the apostles were flogged by the Sanhedrin, they rejoiced that they should be counted worthy of suffering for the name of Christ.  Church history is filled with men and women who died for their faith in Jesus Christ and they should rightly be honored.

But the Bible holds up another truth:  that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone.  Being a martyr for one’s faith does prove that that faith was genuine, but it does not prove what that faith was in.    We should not base someone’s righteousness in how they died, but rather on who they believed in.  Because saving righteousness is only given to those who believe in the name of Jesus.  I do not know what those 21 Coptic Christians believed in, but I do know that if their trust was in Christ alone then they are justified on that basis alone, regardless of the manner of their death.  And I also know that the senseless taking of human life is an act of cowardice and its evil will be judged by the Righteous Judge.

Let our faith be strong enough that we hold to it even in the face of a murderous blade.

To God Alone Be the Glory,

Pastor Andrew Zoschke

]]><![CDATA[The worth of integrity]]>Sat, 14 Feb 2015 00:43:40 GMThttp://gracebiblegc.org/pastors-corner/the-worth-of-integrity"Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events."
Acts 5:11

Read the above verse by itself. Perhaps you are familiar with the story, but try to pretend that you do not know the preceding context. What would you expect the reason for the church’s fear would be? Flagrant persecution? Demonic activity? On the contrary, when we read the preceding ten verses, we discover that the church was in fear because of what God had done. Two people now lay dead: the husband and wife Ananias and Sapphira. What was the great sin that they had committed? A lie. A small lie. In fact, really more of an exaggeration. And yet, God responded with an act of capital punishment that left the entire Jerusalem church gripped with fear.

In our always-connected society that is constantly looking for the next big story, a guaranteed headline-maker is always a public figure that has been caught in a lie. Whether it is a religious leader, politician, athlete, or most recently a newscaster, the list of celebrities who have been publicly shamed and ridiculed for public statements proven to be false is a long one. The reactions show that at least on some level, integrity is still considered a positive trait, while purposeful deceit is seen as wrong. This is a good thing, for the Bible holds up honesty as a Godly trait while lying is linked directly to Satan. We should hold leaders and role models to the standards of truth and integrity. When that standard is broken there should be consequences.

But there is a deeper issue. It seems that in the public ridicule of liars, it is implied that the accusers are innocent of such actions. It would seem that the deception of celebrities is considered far worse than the lies that we tell each other. But the story of Ananias and Sapphira shows that even the smallest, most innocent white lie is worthy of no less of a penalty than death. We, as God’s church should be gripped with a fear of the righteousness of God; not a fear that paralyzes, but a fear that drives us to be imitators of Christ. We should have a fear that reminds us of the greatness of God’s grace that overcomes our own sin. Let us not merely stand back and ridicule at the discovered deception of other, let us reflect on the deception within our own hearts and actions and call on our Lord to forgive us and strengthen us to be a people that are marked with integrity.


To God Alone Be the Glory
Pastor Andrew Zoschke]]><![CDATA[if necessary use words?]]>Sat, 07 Feb 2015 04:35:31 GMThttp://gracebiblegc.org/pastors-corner/if-necessary-use-wordsThere is a famous quote allegedly by St. Francis of Assisi that goes something like this: “Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary use words.”  While it is probable that these words were never uttered by Francis, many Christians still resonate with the statement and would likely follow it up with a hearty “Amen.”

While the sentiment that our lives should reflect the Gospel is absolutely accurate, the phrase’s intended meaning seems to be that sharing the Gospel verbally is sort of a last resort.  It fosters a mentality of “I shouldn’t need to say anything; I just need to live it out.”  But Scripture presents something else.  Consider Romans 10:14-15:

 “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?”

The clear indication here is that words are necessary.  While our lives should not contradict the words that we say, the God ordained method of spreading the Gospel is with words; and specifically words that are based on The Word.

So, I suggest a revision of this phrase.  Perhaps a more accurate rendering would be “Preach the Gospel at all times, and let your life back up your proclamations.”  Not as catchy, maybe, but effective nonetheless.

To God Be the Glory,

Pastor Andrew

]]><![CDATA[what station is god on?]]>Sat, 31 Jan 2015 01:16:09 GMThttp://gracebiblegc.org/pastors-corner/what-station-is-god-onI enjoy listening to the radio as I drive.  I mainly listen to talk radio while my wife prefers music stations.  When we are in town, we can simply use the presets to jump between local stations that we know will be broadcasting.  However, when we go on road trips, we have to use the “scan” function to try to find a station that either of us will want to hear.  Depending on where we are, we may find a good strong station fairly quickly; or (especially in central Kansas) it might take forever to find any station that comes in, let alone one we will enjoy.

I think there are many people today (and for all of human history for that matter) that treat God as a hard-to-find radio station.  If they could just tune in to the right program, then they would have access to what He wants them to do.  So they will scan for churches, religions, books, famous speakers, in the hope that they can just luckily land on the right station.  And if they search, odds are they will find someone who says that he has got the frequency.  He’s got the direct line to what God is saying and he might even go so far as to say the Lord audibly gave them a message.  What’s more, one of the best selling Religion/Spirituality books of the last five years advocates doing nothing as the best way to tune in to God.  Sit quietly with a pencil and paper and God will just start talking to you; write it down and off you go.

The issue here is that as people search in vain for the right “station” that contains what God is currently saying, they miss the ultimate, complete, final record of what God has already said.  The Holy Bible is our only destination to find out what God says.  2 Timothy 3:16 declares that Scripture is “God breathed” meaning that it is the very Word of God.  What’s more it is completely sufficient as it “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”  Psalm 19:7-10 declares that:

The law of the Lord is perfect,
    refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
    giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.

They are more precious than gold,
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
    than honey from the honeycomb.

Perfect, trustworthy, right, radiant, pure, firm, righteous, precious
What an amazing description of the Word that we already have; why should we look for 

So stop scanning for the right station, searching for the right frequency, or waiting for some sort of sub-conscious voice.  We have the everlasting Word that contains all that we need and cannot be undone.  As this quote from an unknown author says:  “Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's charter.”

The Word of God is Enough

To God Alone Be the Glory,

Pastor Andrew Zoschke

]]><![CDATA[Deflating Doctrine]]>Fri, 23 Jan 2015 06:42:22 GMThttp://gracebiblegc.org/pastors-corner/deflating-doctrineThe buzzword of the week has been “deflate.” In the wake of the Super Bowl finalists being decided, accusations were made concerning one team allegedly deflating footballs to gain a competitive advantage. The reasoning for the supposed deflation was this: by letting some air out of the football, it would be easier to grip and handle, especially in inclement weather.

While much could be said concerning cheating and morality, I will be using the scandal as an analogy to a tendency we can have as a church: the deflation of doctrine. Consider the words of Scripture:

“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” – 2 Timothy 4:2-5

It is clear here that Biblical teaching is not always what people want to hear. In fact, it is what the natural man absolutely does not want to hear, because it shows his sinfulness and reveals that he cannot save himself but must throw himself at the mercy of Christ. But this passage also reveals that the world will actively seek out people who are teaching only what they want to hear. They only want to satisfy their “itching ears” and have no concern for the state of their souls.

With these two things in mind, a very real danger emerges: the temptation to “deflate” our simplify our doctrine so that unbelievers can “get a better grip” on Biblical teaching. Perhaps we downplay the gravity of sin, or reduce the Gospel to just “saying 'Yes!' to Jesus.” Maybe we downplay (or deny) the reality of hell, or diminish the authority and reliability of God's Word. Though the motive may simply be for more people to come to Christ, we become just one of their collection of “ear scratchers.” We fail to “discharge all the duties of our ministry;” and we fail to “correct, rebuke, and encourage” for the sake of gaining more followers. In short, we deflate our doctrine to inflate our numbers.

Whether or not it is established that a team broke the rules on their route to the Super Bowl, the picture of deflation serves as a reminder of the danger of minimizing what the Bible clearly teaches, and the importance of teaching the full counsel of God. I want to present a “properly inflated” Gospel.




To God Alone Be the Glory,

Pastor Andrew Zoschke

]]><![CDATA[Gunfire vs. the gospel]]>Fri, 16 Jan 2015 06:30:56 GMThttp://gracebiblegc.org/pastors-corner/gunfire-vs-the-gospelOver the past week, the world watched in horror as twelve people who worked for the satirical French magazine Charlie Hedbo were gunned down by two Muslim terrorists who were members of Al-Qaeda.  The motivation for this shooting was the previous publication of a cartoon depiction of Mohammed.  In the wake of this tragedy, millions mourned and protested; and world leaders around the globe condemned the shootings.

Also occurring this past week (although it has received considerably less media/political coverage) was the massacre of an estimated 2,000 people in the Nigerian town of Baga.  This act was carried out by the Islamic militant group, Boko Haram.  While the attack was primarily motivated by territorial aggression, Boko Haram leaders have made it clear that they consider their victims “infidels” or unbelievers.

It should be noted that the organizations behind both attacks are extremists and are renounced by mainline Islamic faiths.  However, I believe that these two acts of violence reveal a theology that is at odds with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

1.        The attacks reveal a denial of a universal sin nature.  The terrorists believed that the victims’ sins were more deserving of death than any sins committed by the terrorists themselves.  The members of Boko Haram and Al-Qaeda would claim to have outweighed their own sin with righteous deeds (including the killing of the infidel).  The two shooters of Charlie Hedbo are reported to have shouted “We have avenged the Prophet Mohammed; we have killed Charlie Hedbo!”  They believed themselves justified in their act by the guilt of the victims, and the eternal rewards they would reap by their deed.

Of course this is in stark contrast to Paul’s statement in Romans 3:

“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.”

There is no difference from an eternal perspective between the sin of a satirist, a terrorist, or a philanthropist; all are found guilty before the Lord and all are incapable of gaining God’s approval through any deed.  The one who desires to follow God is not ordered to take up arms for righteous murder, but rather implored to go to his knees in humble contrition; to throw themselves on the mercy of the finished work of Christ, rather than relying on the futile efforts of their own flesh.

2.        The attacks reveal a denial of God’s sovereignty in judgment.  Romans 12:19-21 admonishes those who would take vengeance into their own sins:

“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.  On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

While God has given governments authority to punish evil and reward good (1 Peter 2:14), the final judgment against wickedness will be given by the Lord Himself.  Revelation 20 tells us that all will stand before the throne of God and be judged.  Sin will be dealt with for all eternity, and the only salvation is for those whose names are in the book of life.  Gathering munitions and administering death and judgment in the name of God, is tantamount to giving oneself authority that Scripture reserves for God alone.

3.       Finally, these two terrorist attacks reveal the necessity of the Gospel.  No one’s heart or mind was truly changed by the events that occurred.  Charlie Hedbo proceeded to publish a new paper with a cartoon depiction of Mohammed.  The terrorist organizations did not convince anyone who was not already within their ranks to repent of sin, or turn to God.  You see, the Bible is clear that only the Gospel truly changes lives.  Only the death and resurrection of Jesus can provide salvation to a dying world.  Only the divine work of God can change a heart of stone into a heart of flesh.  Only the Holy Spirit can bring about a new creation, a born again spirit, and a heart clothed in righteousness.

Friends, let us learn a lesson from the events of the past week.  The message of gunfire brings death and destruction to the victim and the assailant alike.  The message of the Gospel brings everlasting life to all who believe.  Let us preach the Gospel with the assurance that its message is more potent than lead, and its effects are more powerful than gunpowder.

Soli Deo Gloriam

]]><![CDATA[Keep Christ central]]>Sun, 18 May 2014 02:28:58 GMThttp://gracebiblegc.org/pastors-corner/keep-christ-central2 John 1:7-11

As the ministry of a church continues, it can be easy for the foundational truth of the Gospel to become “background noise.”  Oh, they may mention Jesus here and there, perhaps an occasional nod to His atonement at Easter, but the main function of the church has become simply about the music, social gatherings, or even just business.  But while all of the above can have their place in church ministry, John warns us that “Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God.”

Have our personal lives become all about the business and entertainment from the world?  Have we been running ahead without continuing in the teaching of Christ?  Let us continue to keep the person of Jesus Christ, His lifelong teachings, and His death and resurrection as the center of everything we do, both in and out of the church.  Because John also gives us this promise:  …whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”

Soli Deo Gloria,
Pastor Andrew Zoschke]]><![CDATA[God's love]]>Sun, 18 May 2014 02:26:18 GMThttp://gracebiblegc.org/pastors-corner/gods-loveOh how often the charge is leveled against the church that stands for God's truth:  "You are not following God's command to love one another!  You should not judge people's beliefs or get caught up doctrine, simply love God and each other."  Indeed, 2 John 1:5 reminds us that God's command is to love one another.  However, do not neglect verse 6:  "And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments."  The love that Christ calls us to have is not a blind, unquestioning love that tolerates the rejection of God's desire.  No, we fully prove our love to our Lord when we faithfully study what He has revealed in His word to us, and seek to make His commands a reality in our lives.

"...this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it."  2 John 1:6b

To God Alone Be the Glory
Pastor Andrew Zoschke]]><![CDATA[Love and Truth]]>Sun, 04 May 2014 01:57:26 GMThttp://gracebiblegc.org/pastors-corner/love-and-truth2 John  1:1-3

It is not uncommon to hear “Love” described in abstract, ethereal terms.   As something that has no standard, is uncontrolled, and can even be irrational.  Is it not interesting then, that John two times pairs the term “love” with “truth” in these three verses?  Truth is always an absolute in Scripture, presented as a definitive standard, rather than a possible abstraction.  For example, 1 Timothy 2:4 says that God desires all men to come to a knowledge of the truth.  Jesus Christ called Himself the Truth and further clarified that there is no other way except through Him.

So, when John tells us in 1 John 1:1 that he loves “in the truth,” and in verse 3 tells us that Christ will be with us “in truth and love,” we are reminded that our Christian love that we are to have for one another goes hand in hand with the truth.  Our love that we are commanded to show is not in spite of God’s absolute truth; it is grounded upon it.

“Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.” – 2 John 1:3

To God Alone be the Glory,

Pastor Andrew Zoshke]]><![CDATA[Persecution]]>Fri, 14 Mar 2014 22:14:37 GMThttp://gracebiblegc.org/pastors-corner/persecution“…everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…”  These are Paul’s words in his second epistle to Timothy, and they are striking.  They are striking because of the marriage of an unwanted, negative result to a good, positive lifestyle.  Is this the message we see in today’s mass media Christianity?  How would the average pastor today complete the phrase “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will…”?  But Paul is not concerned with people’s opinions of himself or his message, his singular concern is the truth.  And what he had seen in his own experience and what the Holy Spirit moved him to write was that every active believer without exception can expect persecution.  In fact in the next  verse he says that it will only get worse:  “…while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

So the self-searching question is this:  have you been persecuted for your faith lately?

Soli Deo Gloria

Pastor Andrew Zoschke

]]>