287: Jeff Gelineau - An Acceptable Alternative

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:13

   Welcome to Good Chris Selfie and talks. I’m Levi. And I’m Chris. And I’m Brian. Thank you for joining us this week on this podcast. We select One Talk a week to help us get the Bible in our Daily News feed. We post a new episode at the start of each week with the short intro beforehand to kind of set the stage for the talk you’re about to listen to. And now?

2. 0:34

   Let’s talk more about this week’s talk. This week’s class is the 4th class of four classes given by brother Jeff Jelineau, my dad at the Belmont study today in 1998. Now, so Belmont is now called San Francisco Peninsula. They moved and I really enjoyed this class. Obviously I have a huge bias here listening to my dad, but I found it really interesting that this is him as a young man.

3. 1:14

   He’s younger in this class when he’s presenting this class than I am now and I very much enjoyed this class. I think it’s a concept knowing my dad and knowing what he’s kind of passionate about, that it’s something he’s been thinking about and caring about for a long time. Basically, that there are ideals and then we fall short of ideals, which is, you know, sin or we make actual mistakes, but then there are acceptable compromises.

4. 1:42

   That the acceptable alternative is what the study day is called, and all four of the classes are about that. That sometimes we can get confused, as are the ideals. Like now the acceptable alternative is now the ideal, forgetting that we’re only using this kind of construct to deal with our own failure and inability to consistently reach the ideal anyways. He applies it in this class to a Collegial life specifically, but this class was definitely the best one to share because he recaps the concept as a whole and then reviews the first three classes and you know, and and those have different applications.

5. 2:22

   So family and work on and on. Yeah. I was very encouraged by this class. Again, it is. I obviously have a strong bias. Dad’s been on the show before in episode 50. I think I posted that one as well. But this one is so much, it was very interesting for me because in episode 50 it’s that was 15 years ago.

6. 2:45

   But I I remember him obviously very well at that time kind of who he was as a as a as a man or whatever and but this I don’t I don’t feel like I knew this person. I was 10 when he gave this class and you know so anyways it’s just a it it was just very interesting to listen to.

7. 3:02

   But I do think it’s for me but I think it’ll be interesting for anyone to listen to which is, which is why we’re sharing it. There is obviously a problem with the audio. Basically, his voice was never as high as it is in this in this class. So there’s something in the recording and how the recording was saved as a tape over time that changed the audio. It’s very, very easy to understand. You’re not going to have a problem listening to it. I just think it’s worth stating for the record that his voice never sounded exactly like this.

8. 3:32

   You’ll see in just a minute. So here is Jeff Jelineau the acceptable. We’ve talked about some pretty strong topics this morning. I really wanted to get us to open our eyes and get us to think and address some serious issues. And without the open minds and loving hearts, some of these things can’t be said.

9. 3:55

   So I won’t review again the three options. The clearly wrong choice that’s sinful, easiest, and leads to death. The clearly right choice that’s righteous, hard, and leads to life. And I won’t talk again into the third time review that acceptable alternative that is is neither but very complicated. I won’t stress again with our our purpose and our goal to remind us about the differences between the two and cue us in on how to look for one and and the rumor that complicate complications are the hallmark of alternatives and compromises.

10. 4:31

    But I will remind us to remember to strive for higher ground, push yourself to make better and and stronger choices. In the Lord, we spent some time looking at our home life. I encouraged us to remember that there’s always better choices we can make doesn’t mind some time talking about work and reminded us to realize the situation we’re in.

11. 5:03

    It’s the imperfections and the complications that come with just having to be at work and to set a clear moral compass. You know daily and and be a a beacon of of right actions in your in your work. And this last class, we’re going to look at ecclesial life. Now surely there can’t be any moral compromises in ecclesial life, right?

12. 5:30

    Surely we haven’t accepted anything other than the ideal in our ecclesia life. Unfortunately, I’d say yes. I would feel guts enough to stand up front and say that I think organized religion, almost by definition, accepts less than the ideal. First, let’s just take a look at this memorial service, the the center and soul of our ecclesial life. Turn over to Hebrews chapter 10 and we’ll do the easy one first. The Wrong Choice,

13. 6:19

    Hebrews chapter 10, verses 24 and 25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good works. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing. Let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the day approaching clearly. Obviously the wrong choice is for us to abandon our relationship with God, for us to to give up on meeting together, to say phooey on them. It’s just not worth it.

14. 6:57

    They’re all such bunged up people. I just don’t even want to deal with them anymore. And I got so many other problems, like other things they’re going to do. And the golf courses are more empty on Sunday mornings than they are on Saturday mornings, and I just don’t want to meet together. Clearly that’s wrong, to abandon your relationship to to not remember the sacrifice of our Lord.

15. 7:27

    The clearly right choice is, well, Jesus, Paul recounts. It recounts what Jesus says there in First Corinthians 11. Read again Paul’s reckoning of that Last Supper, 1st Corinthians 11, starting at verse 25.

16. 7:55

    And the same way after supper he took the cup, saying, This cup is the new covenant. My blood do this whenever you drink it, and rememberness of me. For whenever you drink this bread, eat this bread, and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. Our our fellowship together. Our memorial meal was intended to extend into our personal lives.

17. 8:24

    That was the idea behind the Last Supper was a meal the first Christians shared together, eating and talking, encouraging one another, praying for one another, exhorting one another, uplifting one another as often as they got together.

18. 8:45

    I think the the ideal what’s clearly right is, is breaking bread daily, not relegating it to a certain day of the week, not restricting it to a symbolic sip of wine and and pinch of cracker. A daily remembrance of our Lord’s sacrifice around a meal of fellowship would clearly be the right choice. We have accepted an alternative that in and of itself is not right or or wrong.

19. 9:27

    It’s just an alternative alternative, meeting together once a week on Sundays, taking the bread and the wine together. But it is important that we remember that. It’s important that we realize that that we understand that whenever you accept an alternative, it brings with it certain complications. Accepting alternative often doesn’t provide the rich level of of reward and satisfaction that comes from doing what’s clearly right.

20. 10:07

    We may find that in our own memorial service, the fellowship that we share may be stilted. It may may not grow as strong as it possibly could if we invested more time, more energy, a more intimate connection with one another, into our relationship, into our memorial service, into our church service. I’m not trying to condemn what we do.

21. 10:37

    I’m just trying to make sure that we’re all aware of what we’ve done and we haven’t just fallen into this as the default position. We have to be aware of the consequences and the complications that arise because they alternatively be accepted so we can hopefully face the challenges and and and meet them successfully.

22. 11:01

    It would require a a huge amount of faith to act to do as the first Christians. Take a look at Acts 2. Take a a peek back at what their life was like.

23. 11:19

    Let’s read from Acts Two, Chapter 4, verse 42, Acts 242. They devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching and to the fellowship, devoted themselves to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.

24. 11:56

    Selling their possessions and good goods. They gave to anyone as he had need every day, every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and they ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily, to those who are being saved.

25. 12:25

    I don’t know about you, but that would require quite a leap on our part. Just half these things. Just, you know, the effort required to meet together daily and to and to open up and to share what’s bothering us and what’s in our hearts. To to pray for one another, to say nothing about selling everything we have and having everything in common. Whoa, that’s like way beyond where we’re even headed. But the rewards, Rewards would be significantly greater. Does this sound like a nice place? A place where you’d like to be?

26. 13:09

    We have glad and sincere hearts. Your days are full of praise to God. We’ve we’ve accepted this alternative. We’ve decided that it would be easiest and most organized if we just, you know, met together. On Sunday. First day of the week. We had an exhortation, 3 hymns, 4 prayers. It was in the same order every week.

27. 13:38

    Just be easier, easier, organized, wouldn’t take too much time out of us. And it’s not wrong. It’s absolutely not wrong. The wrong thing would be for us to ignore it, for us to to not take part of it.

28. 13:52

    But it’s not as good as it could be. Another area I think that we’ve accepted alternatives because of it we’re involved in an organized religion is fellowship. It would be clearly wrong to pretend that we’re in fellowship with everyone and and share the Lord’s table with others regardless of what they believe. Just hey, go on in, break bread together.

29. 14:24

    It would be great. It would be wonderful if our relationships were so small and so intimate that we could sit down with everyone that we ever have contact with and we could personally discuss their beliefs. We can work out agreements between US and we could, we could fellowship them. This would be clearly right.

30. 14:47

    Oh, no one could find fault in that. Well, some people could, but we’re not going to talk about them. But the the consequences of being a member of a worldwide community caused us to accept an alternative of issuing a statement of faith and basing our fellowship on others acceptance of that statement. It’s not wrong. It’s clearly not wrong.

31. 15:13

    But but obviously this method, like all acceptable alternatives, is going to bring with it complications. I’m sure you people here in Belmont are intimately familiar with the complications of of a statement of faith, and it’s going to bring with it a a a level of of fulfillment and satisfaction that is probably not as great as a more intimate and personal relationship with individuals.

32. 15:44

    And then a part of fellowship that strikes me. And an area where we’ve accepted an alternative in our ecclesial life is disfellowship, the clearly wrong choice? I mean it’s scriptural. It would be to ignore the UN Christ like actions and lifestyles of people around us and allow them to continue to their ultimate destruction.

33. 16:07

    There’s there’s there’s several verses telling us we shouldn’t do that. Take a look at Ezekiel chapter three, We see the duties and responsibilities of the Watchmen. Ezekiel chapter 3.

34. 16:27

    Starting at verse 17 Son of Man, I have made you a watchman for the House of Israel. So hear the word I speak and give them warning from me when I say to a wicked man, You will surely die, and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life.

35. 16:47

    That wicked man will die for his sin and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin. But you will have saved yourself And clearly we we have a responsibility.

36. 17:04

    We can’t just allow the person to to continue in a an uncrice like way knowing that their path is is is leading them to death and not say anything about it. I love the the verse in Jude. You want to turn with me to Jude verse 22 and 23? Jude 22. Be merciful to those who doubt.

37. 17:36

    Snatch others from the fire and save them to others. Show mercy without fear, mixed with fear, hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. Snatch them from the fire so we have a responsibility there.

38. 17:57

    The right thing is clear, and let’s turn to 2nd Thessalonians, Chapter 3, 2nd Thessalonians, Chapter 3, Setting of verse 6. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you receive from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.

39. 18:33

    We were not idle when we were with you. I command you, brother, and to withdraw the King. James says from every brother that walketh disorderly.

40. 18:45

    So we know what the right thing to do is. We know what the wrong thing to do is. Where we fail, I think, is in the the cold out workings of an organized religion. The concept here is that the fellowship we’ve been enjoying with our brother or sister is so precious and so valuable that life without this fellowship would be almost unbearable for the offender.

41. 19:19

    So again in this in this in this ideal world where we’ve we’ve not accepted alternatives and and the and the fellowship we share is is precious and sweet and and it’s and it’s so integral to our lives that we all depend on it and and and require it And then if this person is offending and we withdraw that fellowship they would they would feel such a loss if we were to draw withdraw from them it would be inspiration and motivation for them to change and to turn from their evil ways and to come back and that that concept is very very simple but the reality is that the brother or sister has often already slipped between the cracks we’re not really enjoying. A relationship with them that we should be They’ve already fallen away and in reality we end up just sending them a letter telling them they’re no longer able to break bread with us until they resolve their problems. That’s it’s not wrong.

42. 20:39

    I’m not saying it’s wrong, I’m saying it’s it’s a it’s a weak alternative and an acceptable alternative. We’ve accepted that woefully fall short of the ideal.

43. 20:53

    And that’s kind of indicative, I think, of acceptable alternatives. They fall short of the ideal that maybe our thoughts when we were younger, we’re better, and

44. 21:12

    maybe all the youthful idealism that filled us when we when we were directed by, you know, higher principles. We lived a life based on faith and obedience. I mean that was better. Maybe accepting all this grey and we’re in living in all this grey is what’s causing our problems. So the three options clearly, wrong, clearly right, Acceptable alternative.

45. 21:42

    I would give you three other words. Idealism, cynicism, devoid of of of of faith, devoid of a life of principles. Giving up on the existence of God in the middle is maybe pragmatism, a life based on principles but altered to fit reality in a life that’s not quite as sweet. That really is the problem with acceptable alternatives. They by definition fall short of the ideal, and Our Calling in Christ is to the ideal.

46. 22:32

    Our Calling in Christ is to take the highest Rd. Let’s read from Matthew chapter 5, Matthew 5, verse 38. You’ve heard that it was said eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let them have your cloak as well.

47. 23:10

    Someone forces you to go a mile. Go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. If someone hits you, someone strikes you on the right cheek. You have three choices. The clearly wrong choice is to strike them back. Your next choice is just to walk away. I’m afraid what happens is we think that’s about the extent of it.

48. 23:43

    I’m a good person. I’m a Christian. If you strike me, I’m not going to hit you back. I’m just going to turn and walk away.

49. 23:52

    That is the acceptable alternative. Let’s not get confused here. Jesus says the clearly right choice is to give him the other cheek. Also, if you sue me, if you sue me for $1000, I’m not going to sue you back. I’m a righteous person. I’m a Christadelphian. I don’t sue. I’m just going to pay you the $1000 and walk away and never have any more dealings with you again, right?

50. 24:22

    That’s the right thing to do. That’s the alternative that we’ve accepted. Christ says the right thing to do is to pay you the $1000 and give you 1000 more. Give you my cloak and my coat. If you try to force me into walking a mile of you, the wrong thing would be for me to say, are you crazy? Get out of here.

51. 24:49

    The the acceptable alternative is just for me to say, OK, I’ll go ahead, I’ll do it. I’ll walk a mile. The right thing is to go too. I mean that. That’s Christ’s whole point. Christ’s whole point is don’t settle, don’t accept. Push on. Go higher. Do more than what’s asked of you, Give more than what’s required of you.

52. 25:19

    And these are all quite reasonable alternatives, right? It’s very reasonable to do what’s expected of you. These are very realistic responses. They’re very pragmatic. Hey, can you soon be for $1000? You can have the $1000. OK, I’m not going to fight it,

53. 25:42

    but Christ wants more. There’s an amazing verse in Ephesians chapter 4. Take a look at Ephesians chapter 4. It’s a little one. You got to catch it before it goes over here. Ephesians chapter 4, verse 28. He who has been stealing must steal no longer but must work doing something useful with his own hands that he may have something to share with those in need. Now the clearly wrong thing is to steal. So stop stealing.

54. 26:33

    That would be right, wouldn’t it? No, that would simply be the acceptable alternative. What we’re called to do is to go to work, to make something with our own hands that we can give to the person that needs. So the thief not only has to stop stealing, but the thief has to give to the poor. He has to earn some money and give it away. That same thing is required of us. We can’t just not do what’s wrong, we have to do right.

55. 27:29

    I use the analogy of being in a river and clearly the wrong thing to do when a river is drown, right? So clearly the wrong thing to do is say, hey, it looks like fun down there and go down and drowned. It’s that’s death. There’s no hope there whatsoever. The alternative to that is to tread water, right? We say to ourselves, we’re keeping our head above water. How you doing today?

56. 28:06

    Oh, I’m keeping my head above water, as if that’s some kind of goal. The whole point is to get somewhere, to progress, to get to the shore, to get to the Kingdom. If we’re ever actually going to get closer to shore, we have to start moving. Just because we stopped stealing doesn’t mean we’re doing anything right. If we continue to accept the Gray as the right, well, don’t you forget how to swim.

57. 28:48

    We’ll forget that there is a right. There’s this story you’ve all heard about the boiling frog. Put a frog in a pot of boiling water, it says, I’m not getting in here and it jumps out. Put a frog in a pot of cold water. Turn the heat on. Frog swims around. He’s all happy.

58. 29:10

    But pretty soon the water heats up. Frog boils to death. That’s what scares me about my life is the is the water just getting hotter and hotter and I’m happily swimming along? We’ve got to take time. You’ve got to step back and look and say, OK, is what I’m doing right, or have I just accepted an alternative?

59. 29:36

    We need to examine our lives and don’t settle for less than what God wants us to be. Thank you for listening to the good Chris Adelphian Talks Podcast. We hope this talk helped you in your walk and brightened your day. If you would like to hear more, please subscribe for new episodes. We are on all major podcast platforms and also on YouTube.

60. 30:13

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61. 30:51

    God bless and talk to you next week.