May 29th, 2007

In the Presence of Whom

Read Matthew 6:5-15 and Psalm 86

"Our Father in heaven..." vs. Matt. 6:9

"But you, O LORD, are a compassionate and gracious God,

slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness." vs. Psalm 15

Throughout the few years that I have been in the ministry, I have found that a great number of people struggle with their prayer life. I don't necessarily believe it is because there is a lack of desire. Instead, as I have mentioned a few days ago, it has more to do with confidence than with desire. Consequently, when someone tells me they have trouble praying, one of the first things I ask them is, "What do you believe about God?" That might seem an odd question. You might expect I would engage their method of prayer directly. However, I have found that if people have a perverted image of God or don't really know what they believe about God, they are less apt to feel confident communicating with God.

For instance, if a person has grown up under a consistent dosage of fire, hell, and brimstone preaching and their vision of God is an angry judge with gavel in hand ready to strike the head of anyone who messes up, then every bit of communication will be tainted with guilt and self-condemnation. The person will actually walk away from a time of prayer feeling worse than they did before they started praying. Likewise, if a person has grown up believing that God is a distant, aloof, unapproachable Being, then the temptation will always be..."why even bother?"

So...to address someone who is prayerfully-challenged, I must first engage their belief about God. In fact, isn't that what Jesus does right off the bat in the prayer he teaches his disciples? "Our Father, who is in heaven..." Central to the prayer life of Jesus and admonition that he passes down to his followers is a belief that God is our Father. I know for many this is a loaded word. When I say father, I am not talking about the drunk guy who used to come home and beat you, or the one that walked out on your mom, or the one who seemed to always have something better to do than pay attention to you. I am not talking about the man that never affirmed you, hugged you, or told you he loved you. No, I am speaking of a word that carries the weight of a Being that is present, compassionate, attentive, affirming, and loyal. I am not speaking of the one that gets riled up real easy, no our Father in Heaven is slow to anger and extremely patient with us. I am not talking about the guy who forgot your birthday and never sent you cards for Christmas. No, this Father is gracious, full of gifts. In fact, He is a God who loves to spoil his children with good things. Our Heavenly Father is a Father whose very nature is love, an embracing, forgiving, guiding, disciplining, sacrificial, unconditional, persevering love. That's the God we address when we pray. How might that vision change the time that you spend with Him?

Oh yeah...did I mention our Father is in heaven? Now wait a minute. Let's not start thinking that God is in some far off distant place beyond the clouds and the solar system. No, according to Jesus the Kingdom of God (also called the Kingdom of Heaven) is very near. In fact to say God our Father is in Heaven has a lot less to say about distance than it does about sovereignty. the Kingdom of God is the realm of existence that he reigns supreme. Guess what, that realm has broken into our world. To say our Father is in heaven is to say that he has the power to change things. He has the capacity to deliver us, to restore us, to save us, to redeem us and make us whole. He is on the throne, ruler over all. It is in Him and through Him that all things have their being!

So let's put that together. The one we pray to is a Father that is entirely loving, always compassionate, forever gracious, eternally faithful, and enduringly slow to anger. And...He is above all things and has the power to change anything. How might that vision of God change your prayer time?

May 28th, 2007

Closer than a Friend

Read Matthew 6:5-15 and 1 Kings 18:16-39

"...do not keep on babbling like pagans..." vs. 7

It's like the ultimate showdown. Elijah stands atop Mt. Carmel with about 850 pagan prophets and issues the challenge. "I will bet you that my God sends fire upon the altar and your gods will do nothing." Elijah encourages the prophets of Baal to begin by calling upon their gods. For hours and hours these prophets pray and call out to their gods. When their gods fail to respond they weep, cry out loudly, and even cut themselves. They go on babbling like pagans do when they realize their god is without the power or strength to make things happen. They go on babbling like pagans do when they aren't sure their gods can even hear them. They go on babbling like pagans do when they aren't even sure their gods exist.

After these prophets have thrown in the towel...discouraged and exhausted, Elijah stands before the masses and prays a simple prayer, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again." Elijah offers a simple, humble, yet confident prayer. There is no mention of him going on and on in attempt to convince God or ensure that He is listening. There is a unswerving confindence that Elijah has the ear of God and that there is already an awareness in the heart of God of Elijah's need. What is the result of such a prayer. God shows up and proves Himself faithful...

Jesus tells his listeners, "Do not pray like the pagans who babble on and on." What is Jesus telling us? Babbling prayers doubt the power and strength of God to make things happen. Babbling prayers doubt that God cares to even hear our requests. Babbling prayers in essence seem to doubt the very existence of God. As followers of Jesus, as worshippers of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob we have been given a certain confidence to approach the One who is above all things recognizing that He is not somewhere way off in the distance, but that He is close. He is so close, closer than a friend, who knows what is in our hearts before we even open our mouths. The mere expression of what He knows already is our confession that we are readily in need of Him. We needn't babble on an on with insecurity and doubt. We have his attention. We have been given permission to stand before Him and present our requests with "thanksgiving in our hearts" knowing that "the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

May 26th, 2007

Appearing Holy

Read Matthew 6:5-15

"...do not pray like the hypocrites..." vs. 5

Since we have decided to spend the next few days dealing with prayer, I thought I might start at the very appropriate place of what Jesus has to say about this subject...so get ready because by the time we are through you will be very familiar with this passage.

Throughout the ministry of Jesus, he consistently finds himself in conflict with the religious authorities of his day. It is not that Jesus is anti-Jew or anti-Torah (the Torah is the Law or the Teaching of what it means to be properly Jewish--includes instructions [commandments] and the testimonies of God's actions amongst the people). Jesus is challenging the structure of religious abuse that this as prevalent in today's society as it was in His historic day. During this time, the real spiritual people liked to get up in front others and pray out loud as a sign of their religious piety and obedience to God. However, this quickly became an action of hypocrisy. Hypocrisy draws its origin from the word actor. In essence those who would stand before the crowds to pray loudly were "showing off" or acting as though they were holy.

Jesus then encourages listeners to cast of the need to appear holy before others and take up one's devotion before God. Prayer is never the prideful act of religious piety. Instead, prayer draws its substance from humble act of contrition and submission, recognizing before God that all is dependant upon Him! Jesus tells his listeners, pull your prayer shawl up around your head (covering ones head while kneeling down on the ground was considered going into one's prayer closet) and present your requests to God who is more concerned with the heart of integrity than the appearance of piety.

Today the temptation still exists. We are tempted to act real "spiritual" when others are around and then when we are home alone all is normal. This is hypocrisy! Prayer is born in a heart that realizes that without God's activity in our lives we are nothing. Prayer is nurtured in a Spirit as devoted in private as in the public eye. Prayer is the outflow of a heart that recognizes that life is balanced upon a consistent relationship with our Heavenly Father who rewards truth in Spirit and not public displays of enacted holiness.

Note: This doesn't mean we can't ever pray in public. Just look to the book of Acts and see how often the early church prays together and out loud. This is a direct confrontation with those who had turned prayer into a prideful spiritual exercise. Prayer is an action of personal devotion and corporate submission.

May 24, 2007

Turning in Truth

Read Psalm 88

"...the darkness is my closest friend." vs. 18

Last night in my Wednesday Night Class we spent a great deal of time dealing with prayer. It is always both interesting and helpful to listen to the stories of others as they discuss the placement of prayer in their lives. I am also reminded in settings such as my class how few people feel confident in praying. The reasons for this lack of confidence are varied. Some have perceptions of God that actually paralyze their ability to turn to Him in honesty. Others have such a low self-confindence that they have actually convinced themselves that they don't know how to pray or that God wouldn't want to listen to them anyhow. The reasons for this lack of confidence can go on and on.

In my understanding of the Christian faith, prayer is probably the central element of spiritual practice within the life of the believer. Our relationship with God--both personally and corporately as a church-- develops a sense of intimacy and closeness as we become accustomed to turning to the Lord in prayer. Prayer is the means by which we acknowledge before God our utter and complete dependence upon his grace for everything we are and do. In essence, prayer is the practice of speaking truthfully to our maker, redeemer, and comforter and listening as God speaks to us a word of direction, conviction, encouragement, and hope.

Over the next few days we will tackle some of the various issues of prayer. However, I felt it necessary to start by speaking of an unhealthy temptation we face as Christians. The temptation I speak of is called "triumphalism." Triumphalism is the false face of spiritual deception that pretends that all is well now that I am a Christian. This is the voice that is constantly telling others that "We are more than conquerors!" "We have power through the blood of Jesus!" "Don't worry about your pain...none of this really matters anyway because we are on our way to Heaven!" There is a certain spiritual smugness to such advice that diminishes the truth of such statements.

The problem is...life isn't always well. Sometimes there is hurt and pain, loss and grief, suffering and trial. Sometimes our worlds fall down all around us. Am I to simply put on a face of false assurance. Do I really feel as though God would be offended by the truth of what I feel in my heart. That is precisely why I have chosen Psalm 88 as our text for the day. The Psalms are extended prayers and poems to God. In one of my bibles I have written next to this Psalm, "Faith in Darkness." This particular Psalm reminds us that sometimes the voice from which we speak to God is one of frustration and brokeness, disappointment and fear. However, it is at this point that faith becomes real...The Psalmist despite his anguish continues to speak to God. What profound faith. The Psalmist doesn't give up on God because all has gone wrong nor does he wear a false mask of spiritual triumphalism that attempts to deceive God. Instead, his faith is recognized in his turning to God in truth and integrity. He declares his brokeness and hurt. He continues to speak even when his words seem brutally offensive. He still believes God is listening...what faith.

Do I believe we are "more than conquerors?" Absolutely...Do I believe we have "power through the blood of Jesus?" Most certainly...However, I don't feel the need to rush people to victory and pass over the cross. Recognition of God's faithfulness in darkness is usually recognized when one has first passed through the "valley of the shadow of death." My life, my prayers are balanced on the hope that the way things are won't be the way things will always be...However, right now matters to God as well. In the present I speak and pray balancing the truth of God's overcoming of this world through Jesus Christ and my own feelings of darkness. Somehow as I continue to speak to God in my darkness, faith becomes real.

May 23rd, 2007

Look Mom, No Hands

Read Luke 10:17-24

"Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." vs. 17

There is something so exhilerating about making things happen for Jesus. Many of us that have been Christians for a while have experienced a time when all plugs were firing together; we were in tune with the Spirit and we were able to make a difference in the lives of others. We were there to help our friends save their marriage. We were in the hospital to pray the prayer of peace over someone going to surgery. We invited our friend to church and they got saved. For a moment, we stuck our thumbs under our suspenders, stuck out our chests and said, "Look what I did...oh yeah, because of you Jesus."

As I stated earlier, there is something exhilerating about making things happen for Jesus. But, in that state there exists a temptation we face. If not careful we might start thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought. We might start focusing on all the good work we do for Jesus and may even start feeling (I know no one wants to admit this) like Jesus is blessed to have us as a part of his team. But the passage that we read this morning pushes us to consider from where our true joy must find its origin.

Jesus sent out seventy-two into the mission field with the power to get things done. When they returned they were on a spiritual high because of all they had accomplished because of Jesus. Perhaps someone thought to themselves...Look Mom, no hands. But Jesus is quick to help them reflect on the true nature of their joy. Doing good things for Jesus is a necessary part of following Jesus. He sends us out to do...However, salvation, life, ministry, freedom, peace...they are all a gift. We live in the consistent joy that we have been chosen by God to experience the abundace of his divine gift...remembering "this is a gift from God, lest no man should boast (about what they've done or who they are)." If we are to celebrate, let us first celebrate the gracious work of God in our lives that redeemed, healed, restored, and recreated us. That gift keeps us humble as we recognize that whatever we do for Jesus is a response to a gift we could have never earned. And Jesus still says to us today as we puff out our chests..."rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

May 22nd, 2007

Going Before our Leader

Read Luke 10:1-17

"After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others

and sent them two by two ahead of him to every

town and place where he was about to go." vs. 1

Life as a Christian is balanced upon a dynamic of following and going before. According to Jesus, if anyone is to come after him, they are to "deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him." Only by surrendering our need to lead can we hope to find the gracious salvation of God in Christ Jesus. We have been taught throughout our lives to lead, to take control, to become the masters of our own destinies. We submit and surrender these learned practices and in favor of heeding the ongoing call of Christ in our lives that beckons us to follow after Him. Following Jesus is premised on the spiritual discipline of looking to his life in scriptures and manifesting the actions and life that He offered to this world. This isn't a mere copycat moralism, however; we don't simply follow by our own initiative. We follow by the prompting of the Spirit of Christ that dwells within us. It is that Spirit that gives us the grace and capacity to follow wherever Christ should happen to lead us.

Subsequently, our journey isn't one of just following...our following faithfully inevitably leads us to "go before" Jesus. Please understand that I in no way mean that we start leading. Even in going before we are still following...confused yet? Jesus sends us out before Him to serve as the mouthpiece of his impending arrival. The church is the vocal and embodied announcement of Jesus Christ in this world. Through the proclamation of hope and the lived out reality of God's power in our lives, the world is confronted with a message that declares..."The Kingdom is near."

The Kingdom is Near! Do those around you everyday witness the power and hope of such a message, such good news. Do they recognize in your life the announcement of Jesus' coming? The church can't satisfy itself with just receiving the grace of salvation and then going on our merry way. The church must seek to follow the life of Christ, to heed the Spirit of Christ that will send us out before him to tell the world of his coming...a coming that remembers that He is both here now and will come again.

May 16th, 2007

A Response to the Death of Rev. Falwell

Read Colossians 3:12-17

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever

grievances you may have against one another." vs. 13

This morning I attempted to sit down and write a devotional as usual, but as I began to search for the scripture to work with, I was brought back to the passing of Rev. Jerry Falwell. There are events that happen that seem to carry a need of being spoken about and not simply passed over, for me this is one such event. In some respects this is a confession and prayerfully at some level it will help those who read this devotional to learn to deal truthfully with their own feelings about others.

For the last three years I have worked hard through my teaching and preaching to refute (in a non-confrontational manner) the message of people like Rev. Falwell and Pat Robertson. I refute by means of offering something different to those God has given me to minister to. However, in my heart of hearts I have been motivated by a deep conviction that much that has been said by Falwell through his public political platform has been both divisive, arrogant, and unfaithful to the message of Jesus Christ. Given his particularly fundamentalist reading of scripture, he and I engage the awesome story of God's word in two radically different ways. I have no doubt that if we were to ever have met and discussed theology there would have been a high degree of tension and unrest in the room.

That being said, I have to be totally honest with you, when I was told by someone yesterday that Rev. Falwell had passed I didn't know how to react or respond. Please understand that I was in no way happy that he was dead. But truthfully, I was a bit indifferent. My heart immediately went out to a congregation that had just lost its pastor and to a family that had just lost its father and husband, but beyond that I couldn't really discern what else to feel.

Upon hearing of his death, I was speaking with a friend who is also a pastor and told him that I felt as if I would have to go home and pray about what I felt. Again, to be honest whatever I was feeling I wasn't sure I liked it. I guess I realized a few things that might at some level help you in your relationships with others.

1.) In the years that I have spent attempting to call into question what I consider to be the flawed teaching of Rev. Falwell...I realized I had never prayed for him and his ministry like I should. I had never really gotten on my knees and worked out my feelings about this man. Do you? Do you pray for those you have trouble getting along with, those whom you have intense differences with? Do you pray for those you are at odds with?

2.) I came to the conclusion that I hadn't properly thanked God for the good work he has done in the Christian Church. I had never celebrated the home for unwed mothers that he had started, the many scholarships he had given to those who wouldn't have been able to afford schooling, the love he offered his family and friends, the sacrifices he made to stand on the behalf of unborn children, those who were now in the Kingdom of God because of his ministry. Do you? Do you have trouble seeing the good in those you have adamantly disagreed with? Are you thankful for them in some respect?

3.) I have started to understand the temptation to become what we criticize. I have long felt that Falwell's teaching was arrogant. However, in my attempt to voice my differences had I become arrogant in my own teaching? Had I started to believe that I was right and everyone else is wrong? Where does that put me? Do you? Do you fail to see in yourself the tendencies of becoming what you dislike in others? Are you willing to confess those issues and seek the humility of God?

In closing, I would like to take a moment and thank God for the ways he used Jerry Falwell to further God's plan on this earth. Even when I don't see it or understand it, God is free to use whoever, however he chooses. I guess that I would also ask God to have mercy upon me and enable me to be one that speaks faithfully and humbly the unfathomable riches of God's grace in Christ Jesus.

May 15th, 2007

Being Real

Read James 1:16-27

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure

and blameless is this..." vs. 27

Speaking with a friend of mine yesterday, we were discussing the emptiness of the things that the world has to offer, and asking ourselves, "Why does there exist such a temptation to return to the things that will inevitibly turn out to be empty in the end." Now we were explicitly speaking about drugs and alcohol, but we could add to the list money, prestige, and position. His response was, "Tragically, a lot of people find their religion (their faith in Christ) as empty as they do that other 'stuff' and the truth is that other 'stuff' is easier." How unfortunate...How heartbreaking...If that is true, somehow people have failed to capture the complete abundance that God makes possible for us in Christ Jesus.

Could it be that we have simply turned Christianity into a mere reflection of the world's pursuits. Much Christian teaching in our society today has to do with the individual drive for happiness and prosperity. Is that what the Christian faith boils down to in the end...fulfilling our own individual desires? Perhaps the emptiness people experience in their Christ journey is because we have failed as a church to offer them something different than what the non-believing world offers.

In the text that we have chosen to read today, James writes that the real religion of God is a religion that has complete concern for the orphan and widow. As many times as the orphan and widow are mentioned in the scripture, you might wonder if God loves them most. I will say this, God extends a certain kind of preferential treatment to the oppressed, broken, and vulnerable. In our society today, minus the handicap population, there probably isn't a more vulnerable and easily exploited populace than the widow and the orphan. According to James, being a Christian requires a looking beyond ourselves and our pursuits and into the lives of those who have nothing. To be real as a Christian has everything to do with reflecting the heart of God in this world...a heart that denies self and willingly encounters the cross. This is the religion that God accepts as pure and blameless.

So perhaps...our emptiness of faith is because we have become increasingly polluted, contaminated with the message of the world which makes our existence primarly about 'self.' Perhaps, we experience abundance and reject the empty temptations of the world as we begin to be consumed with the heart of God which moves us beyond ourselves and into serving and offering ourselves to others. Perhaps...a remedy to emptiness, despair, and even depression is ministry...seeking to give our lives away to those who have even less than we do. And maybe...maybe abundance can only be experienced when we stop seeking to be filled up and instead concern ourselves with being poured out. Then we find that pure and blameless religion. Then we live in such a way as to reject the pollution of the world which will inevitibly draw us back to a pursuit of individual desires and selfish happiness.

May 14th, 2007

What's In Your Heart

Read Deuteronomy 8:1-10

"Remember how the LORD your God led you

all the way in the desert these forty years

to humble you and to test you in order to know your heart..." vs. 2

Last night my wife and I took the time to set down and watch the movie Facing the Giants (which is a remarkable movie and I would encourage anyone to watch it). One of the most important moments in the movie, a movie that was predominantly centered around a football team, was between the head coach of the team and his wife. They had been trying to get pregnant for four years and were unsuccessful. Their hearts desired nothing more than to be able to raise a child, but for some reason God had not granted them the desire of their hearts. At one point in the movie, the head coach stands embracing his wife and looks to her and asks, "Will you still love the Lord if he never gives us a child." Teary eyed, she can't answer. That's the question...In the dryness, disappointment, uncertainty, and pain of life, "Will you still love the Lord?" "In the barrenness of the desert, will your heart turn to Him?"

In our passage for today, the nation of Israel experiences a forty year period in which that question is the first they face every morning. "If we don't make it into the promised land today, will we still love and choose to serve the Lord? Will we wait upon His provision?" For forty years the desire of their hearts was withheld...Dryness, barrenness, and disappointment were daily issues (daily Giants) they faced. However, according to this passage this period of wandering in the wilderness of the desert wasn't at all wasted. It was during this time that God was at work shaping and forming the people he would give the gift of the good land. During this time God was testing the people to find out what lay in the depths of their hearts. Would they turn away or would they continue to follow? "Will they still love the Lord and obey him..."

Not one of us is exempt from such periods of testing. Inevitably, for the follower of Jesus there will come a time when the depths of our faith is tested. There will be times when it feels like the good, broad, promised land has been withheld. We might wander around in the barren desert of our relationships, our finances, our jobs, our families, our health, our callings, our spirituality. We might wake up every morning facing the question, "If I don't see the promise today, will I still love Him?" The time period for such testing differs for each person. The result of such testing differs for each person. But the result is the same. Devotion to the Lord, loving the Lord requires an answer to the probing question of surrender and submission. The state of our hearts is determined by this answer. God maybe using this time in your life to humble you, test you, and help you recognize your utter dependence upon him. So I ask, "Will you still love Him if..."

May 13, 2007

Very Real Threat

Read 1 Timothy Chapter 4

"Watch your life and doctrine closely.

Persevere in them, because if you do,

you will save both yourself and your hearers." vs. 16

Let's face it, not all of us are young Timothys. Not all of us will ride all over the known world planting and establishing churches, serving as an overseer and advisor to brand new converts. When reading a letter like 1st Timothy, we are sometimes strained to find how this passage finds its way in our lives. But I believe if we listen closely to what the Spirit has to say, this text can transcend Timothy's particular calling and engage our lives in an extremely relevant manner, even today.

One of the most profound threats to the church throughout the ages, and especially when it was first born, was false and deceptive teachings. Many would parade throughout the land pretending to be apostles and teachers. However, their message was opposed to the grace and hope evidenced in the life of Christ Jesus. Some would teach that the resurrection of the dead had already occured. Some would give license to immorality. Some were unduly legalistic. Some would attempt to convince new converts that in order to be Christian, they first had to become Jews. Still others would teach ridiculous tales, genealogies, and myths for the sole purpose of lining their pockets with the wealth of others. Unless dealt with, these teachings could lead the church astray and cause such skepticism that even true teaching would be doubted.

The context of this letter is not unlike the world we live today. Listen carefully to the landscape of Christian teaching and you are bound to hear competing and varying interpretations of the Christian faith. I have not time to get into all of the various teachings that miss the mark. But I would say that Timothy's letter becomes of significant importance to us at this point. Timothy, not unlike us, was encouraged by his mentor to avoid teaching that would lead him down paths of unrighteouness. To do so requires a desire to learn what is appropriate in the Christian faith. We gather on Sunday mornings (or Saturday Nights in our case) to hear the proclamation of a Word that helps us envision the faith correctly. But we are also told in the scriptures to "test everything." We are called to wait upon the Spirit of God, to place what we have heard against the Scriptures and the Orthodox teaching of the church for two thousand years. We are called to protect what is right so that people are not led astray by teaching that makes life about "us" and not God.

But how do we know? How do we know if what we are hearing is right or wrong? This isn't always easy but I will give you a few very simple points to end on...1.) Watch the life of the one teaching and preaching. Does his/her life reflect the grace-filled existence found only in Christ? Does his/her life manifest the fruit of the Spirit? 2.) Is the teaching you are hearing about "us" or God? True Christian teaching always points us toward the One in whom all power, honor, and glory is found. True Christian teaching makes God's glory the centerpiece of our lives. We exist to Love God with all our heart and in turn give away our lives as He has for others. 3.) Is the teaching supported by Scripture? What I mean is not do they pull out little verses to serve their interests, but does the teaching take into account the whole landscape of the Scriptural story? Do they understand the context of what they saying and apply it responsibly to the here and now. And finally (although there is still much to be said...) 4.) Does the teaching witness the evidence of God's miraculous Spirit. I am not talking about bells and whistles emotionalism--many prey on emotions. I am talking about the redemptive, restorative, life altering power of the Spirit. Are people changed--not by the one teaching--not through convincing arguments and fine sounding ideas; but are they changed by God's miraculous power through the proclamation of Jesus Christ and Him crucified and resurrected.

"Watch your doctrine and life closely."

May 12, 2007

So That...

Romans 15:1-13

"...so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God

and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." vs. 6

Yesterday we dealt with becoming secure in our own selves, today the passage speaks about the necessity of letting go of prejudices toward others. If we aren't careful and explicitly gospel oriented, Christianity can slip into a marketable psychological or sociological project. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, this temptation has loomed large before Christianity. In recent years, it isn't uncommon to go to the bookshelves of a Christian section of a bookstore and find numerous self-help books masked in Christian terms. Likewise, the political system of our country has attempted to adapt Christian language of reconcilliation and unity void its orientation to the God of the Christian story.

Please understand that I do believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ is so incredibly substantive, holistic, and healing that as we surrender our lives to the will of the One in whom all things hold together, we can experience psychological healing and prejudices can be shattered so that we are able to live at peace with our neighbor. But this isn't some principal based project of self-determination. Christianity is premised on the concept of Gift. Any healing whether personal or social is based upon the gift of the One who has the power to change and transform our lives. Surrender is restorative as our lives are consumed by the power of God's Spirit.

But then we must push one step further. This restoration and healing doesn't make us the "end all be all." Instead, this passage helps us understand that we live in response to the gift of God's miraculous grace...so that...we might bring glory to Him. As we are dispossessed of ourselves and live in accordance to God's self-giving love, He is the one that receives the glory. As we let go of prejudices, (for Paul's audience Jews versus Gentiles) for us black and white--rich and poor--American and Arab--God is recognized as the One that brings unity amidst diversity. The point being, as we live oriented to the gospel, as we live in complete submission to the Spirit of God that brings "endurance...encouragement...and unity," as we let go of ourselves so that we might hold on to one another, we fulfill God's purpose for mankind. We recover right representation of God and as we represent God rightly...the whole of creation proclaims the praise and honor of the One that makes all this possible.

May 11, 2007

At Home in our Own Skin

Read Galatians 5:22-26

"Let us not become conceited, competing against one another,

envying one another." vs. 26

The more I talk and share life with others, the more I come to realize just how pervasive insecurity is. Many of us, yes even those of us who wear the mask of having it all together, experience varying levels of insecurity. We wonder if we are liked, attractive, worthwhile, appreciated, respected, or remembered. We live with the constant unease of feeling silly and anxious about our conversations and actions. Consequently, we are never truly satisfied, always looking for that next thing that will make us secure in ourselves.

The problem is that as we look around we notice that somebody else has that "thing" that would make us feel better about ourselves. Inevitably this leads down the path of jealousy and envy, ultimately making interaction between people nothing more that a sick cycle of competition. We are constantly attempting to stay on top with the latest fashion, car, house, degree, promotion, toy, award, recognition, vacation, or procedure. Living in community (or a perverse shadow of it) often leaves us more insecure than were previously--and a lot more exhausted.

However, the scriptures seem to teach us that this type of lifestyle is meaningless and void of substance. In fact, this type of lifestyle in the bible is not only psychologically problematic it is sinful. It is a failure to recognize that my worth is not found in what I can add to the exterior of my persona, instead my worth is found in the fact that God has created me just the way he desired me. In fact Psalm 139 states that I am "fearfully and wonderfully made." Living a life consumed with insecurity, jealousy, envy, and empty competition is nothing less than self-worship--the ultimacy of pride.

Being a child of God releases us from the bondage of self-infatuation. It liberates us to recognize that all I am is the gift of God's grace, grace that he has apportioned according to his plan for my life. In essence I am freed to be at home in my own skin, to come to peace with myself. Again this is not a psychological therapeutic response to the Gospel of Jesus. Instead, it is the outflow of God's Spirit in and through us that enables us to after coming to terms with me, allows me to give myself away to others. We can't function as a blessing to the community if we are constantly attempting to position ourselves as the most blessed.

May 10, 2007

Where'd They Go

Luke 17:11-19

"Were not ten made clean? Buth the other nine,

where are they?" vs. 17

Ministry by the way of Jesus can be one of the most exhausting, disappointing, and heartbreaking endeavors. We preach and pray for redemption. We offer the gift of grace that transforms, renews, and makes whole. We put ourselves out there, because we believe that God first put Himself out "there" for us. All of this is done in the hopes that those we seek to invite to the Lord's Table will be changed "in the twinkling of an eye," or that in some way that they would "get it."

But ministry by the way of Jesus reminds us that this isn't always the case. Sometimes we offer the grace of healing and ninety percent of those to whom we've offered take advantage of our kindness and vulnerability. We are used and forgotten. We forfeit our time, our energy, our resources, our emotional reserves and we are left without so much as a "thanks" and no glory given to God. We stand there, like Jesus, asking ourselves "Wait a minute, weren't there ten and now there is only one. Where'd the others go."

Is this is something into which you care to enlist...Why? Why go through all the effort when the deck is seemingly stacked against you? There are two short answers that might be helpful. The first is simply, "God went through the effort for you." Our ministry is a ministry of thankfulness and memory. God's Word consistently reminds us that we were dead in our sins and transgressions, hard-hearted and stubborn, but the grace (the Gift) of God liberated us and opened our eyes to the unfathomable abundance of God's self-giving love, a love that knows no boundaries. In the face of heartbreak and disappointment--God made Himself vulnerable time and again. God's desire for redemption and recreation wasn't deterred by our unwillingness to receive His gift. To that we rejoice and offer up prayers of thanksgiving.

The second is this, "...one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice." We not only minister from a posture of thankfulness and memory, but also from a prayful posture of hope. We believe that 10% is more than worth it. We give our lives for all...even if only 10% receive the gift. This story tells us that the one who "got it" wasn't even a Jew but a Samaritan. Talk about offensive to a Jewish audience. But this reminds us that ministry however depleting and despairing it might some times be hangs on the balance that once in a while the unexpected will receive the gift and throw himself/herself prostrate at the feet of Jesus. To that we rejoice and offer up prayers of thanksgiving.

BTW--Did I mention there is no other way to minister but by the way of Jesus? Care to join His WAY?

May 9th, 2007

Accountability without Condemnation

Read Luke 6:37-42 and 1 Cor. 5

"...first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you

will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." vs. 42

You will read me say this time and time again, "The Christian life is lived in a very deliberate and delicate balance." When we solely operate at either end of a spectrum, things become unhealthy and devoid the grace and guidance of God's Holy Spirit. For instance, as Christians we are called to live in community with one another. There is no such thing as "lone ranger" Christianity. Living in community is not always easy because it requires "koinonia" or the sharing of life. The closer we come to one another the more we begin to recognize one another's blemishes and faults. The question is then, what do we do when recognition is made.

The one side of the spectrum is to take the 1 Cor. 5 approach devoid of a Luke 6 understanding. At this end, each person becomes a mini Judge Judy who is constantly looking to ensure that the church is pure of any fault. In this community life is extremely and perversely judgemental and legalistic, each member constantly pointing out the wrongs of others. The general attitude is one of religious egotism and pride, putting oneself over and above others. This system makes the sinner a spectacle and enables the "judges" to never look deep inside themselves at the sin that may corrupt their attitudes and judgement.

The opposite side of the spectrum is one that only reads Luke 6:37-38. At this end, the members of the community maintain a general aloofness and indifference toward one another's blatant sin. There is no mutual admonition and correction and instead to ensure that no one is "judging" nothing is said. As biblical as this might sound, "Who am I to tell another that they are sinning," it is exactly the opposite. To fail to hold one another accountable to the call that Christ has placed in our lives is to plant the seeds of self-destruction within any local community. Indifference is license to spiritual lethargy, personally and corporately.

So how do we walk the balance? Luke 6 I believe points us toward this balance. In this passage Jesus references a plank and a speck. Both pieces of wood can be debilitating and blinding and both need removed. In fact, I would go so far as to say that we do one another a disservice if we allow ourselves to walk around blind. But what Jesus says is that I can't recognize the speck until I have evaluated my own blindness. Am I making a "judgment" about another's impaired state of sinfulness out of my own sinfulness? Do I see myself as better than they? Am I jealous, envious, arrogant, or self-serving? Am I making my brother a spectacle to others? Only after we evaluate our intent can we make the appropriate call.

Accountablity (judgment calls about a person's spiritual health) can not be done out of a spirit of condemnation and self-righteousness. This is a cancer that destroys koinonia. Accountability is done out of a spirit of love, humility and directed by God's movement within the Body of Christ. The desire to remove the speck is for restoration and healing. It is the willingness to resist the urge to "leave it alone" and instead do the hard work of living in a community together. Accountability recognizes that the call of Christ and the purpose of our redemption is too important to submit ourselves to either side of the spectrum, the side that alienates and wounds or the side that perversely permits.

May 8, 2007

Fruit Inspectors

Read Luke 6:43-45

"Each tree is recognized by its own fruit." vs. 44

I do a lot of the grocery shopping in our household. One of the reasons I do so is because picking good fruits and vegetables requires patience and when it comes to tasks like groceries my wife lacks this virtue (I must note that my wife abounds in patience in other things like dealing with our children...). I will spend ample time investigating the fruit I choose before I put it in the cart. Some fruit must be squeezed, some must be smelt, others simply need to be free of brown spots and dents. There is nothing that frustrates me more than getting home, taking a bite of a piece of fruit and realizing that I got ahold of a bad one. The converse of this is there is something special about an apple that pops in your mouth, a grape that is still firm, or a watermelon that is perfectly ripe. In a way, I guess you could say that I am judging the fruit.

Prior to today's passage, Jesus talks about judging others, a topic that we will take up tomorrow. But immediately after walking through that often misquoted passage, he helps us recognize that the worth of our lives is determined by the type of fruit we bear. What comes from us? Are our actions, attitudes, conversations, tempraments firm, ripe, juicy and a delight to anyone who gets ahold of them? Or when people get close to us are they disappointed because they find a character full of brown spots and dents?

I have often stated and totally believe that the most qualified fruit inspectors in our lives are those closest to us, family members, children, best friends. Many of us are great about putting on a show in public, but when we get home and the doors shut and the curtains are pulled, what kind of fruit are we bringing forth. Those closest to us "know our hearts." According to Jesus, a good heart brings forth good fruit and an evil heart bears rotten stinky fruit. It might be time to set down with those near and dear to you and simply ask them, "What do you think of my fruit?" If you are concerned that they will be judging you, you are correct. People can't help but make judgments about a person's character. If you are concerned that this is unbiblical, we will deal with that tomorrow.

May 6th 2007

Knowing Only One Thing

Read 1 Cor. 1:18-2:5

"For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you

except Jesus Christ and him crucified." v.2:2

Last night during our Saturday Night Service I preached on the Lamb that was slain from Rev. 5 and the centrality of the cross to our lives as Christians. I spoke about how God's self-giving love on the cross challenges our understandings of power, war, violence, victory, and dominance. To be completely honest with you, I have never stressed more about delivering a message than I did last night (Not even when I first started preaching). As a society we have bought so fully into the deceit and lies of our world's committment to war and violence. We have placed our hope in our ability to own the biggest and best weapons, our capacity to "get even" with those that do us wrong, and the belief that true peace only comes as we vanquish our enemies. I stressed because in the world we live in today, the message of the cross is as foolish as it was in a 1st Century world dominated by the military prowess of the Roman Empire.

When the Apostle Paul preached to the churches of the 1st Century, the message of God's self-sacrifice on a criminal's cross seemed ludicrous and irrelevant. The Roman Empire worshipped gods and goddesses that destroyed their foes not surrendered themselves to them. Even within the Jewish stories of the Old Testament, Yahweh (God) exercises the capacity to bring down enemies and raise up victorious warriors. The Jewish belief of a Messiah (A Chosen One--Savior) was based upon the thought that God would come in his glory and power and defeat militarily their oppressors. However, when God comes in Christ...He comes not like Bruce Willis, Sylvester Salone, or Arnold Shwarzeneger...He comes like the suffering servant of Isaiah 53, like a lamb being led to the slaughter.

It doesn't make sense. The world looks, gasps, and comments, "What a foolish belief." We are tempted to surrender this central message in lieu of the world's mocking criticism or in some way defend it logically. But according to Paul, the cross and the power of God's self-giving love in Christ Jesus need not be defended or surrendered, it simply only need be accepted and embodied. To those being saved, we have come to see the world through the eyes of Jesus, the crucified and resurrected Savior. Eyes that allow us to see the emptiness of violence, brutality, and war. Eyes that weep at our consistent willingness to offer our lives to the gods and goddesses of revenge, domination, power, and control. Eyes that look upon this violent world and are still willing to offer forgiveness "for we have lost our minds and know not what we do."

On the cross, Jesus takes what the world has to offer. He submits himself to it's wrath and hatred. He empties himself of his power to vanquish his foes and...he dies. But on the third day, Jesus is raised to new life. On the third day death loses its sting, violence is emptied of its ability to save, and sin has been forgiven. As Christians we are called to do nothing less than "know only one thing" to know "Jesus Christ and him crucified." To know is not simply a mental understanding. To know is to allow this message to take up residence in our lives and change everything about how we live in this world. We become the church as we embody--live out God's self-giving love on the cross, recognizing that it is only through God's foolishness and weakness have we any hope of peace in this world (peace with God and peace with one another).

May 4th 2007

Divine Impredictability

Read Luke 6:27-36

"But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies,

do good to those who hate you..." vs. 27

The world we live in is so predictable. There is nothing I hate more than sitting down to watch a movie and figuring out all that is about to happen before even half the movie is over. My wife hates it even more because I will often ruin the plot as I tell her who killed whom, who falls in love with whom, and who gets the treasure in the end. Movies are often predictable because they are a reflection of the collective consciousness of our society. Disturbingly, many of us have lost our capacity to be creative and imaginative in dealing with the various situations that come our way.

In today's passage, I believe Jesus would say that our typical reactions to those who do us wrong lack a certain creative flare. Normally, we respond with anger, bitterness, rage, malice, unforgivness, and revenge. How boring...These ultra-unimaginative actions lead to further predicability as the other party involved in our response re-acts in accordance with the same formula we offered, often to a greater and more violent degree. But what if...what if we refused to play out the predictable plot and instead re-narrated the story? What might happen?

How disarming might it be to stand in the face of an enemy who has brought violence and suffering and instead offer them blessing. What if the theif who wanted your wallet was offered your watch as well? How different might this world be if the church was to manifest the divine impredictability of God. In this passage we see that God is both creative, imaginative and extremely merciful as he gives good things even to those who don't deserve it. When you see the wicked blessed and forgiven, we often stand back and say, "the story I would have written looks a bit different than that." God extends gift, whereas we are consumed with retribution. Our plot line lacks a certain creative flare...but somehow redemption it recognized in God's divine impredictability...just look to the cross and you will see this to be true.

May 3rd 2007

Upside Down Blessings

Read Luke 6:17-26

"But woe to you who are rich,

for you have received your consolation." v. 24

What if Jesus is right? How often do we really stop to think, "What if what Jesus is saying in this passage is true?" I know we like to read our bibles and comment on the authority of the scriptures in our lives, but to take this passage of scripture seriously will upend our worlds. We live in a society where the rich and self-sufficient are seen as "blessed" or "happy." But according to Luke's gospel, Jesus views life from an entirely different perspective. According to Jesus those who have gathered for themselves treasures of wealth in this world, those who have filled themselves up are the ones who will be found wanting in the end.

Why? Why does Jesus seem to take such a hard stand against those of great wealth? Unfortunately in our world there is not an infinite degree of resources. What is one man's "much" is another's "little." Those who have sought materialistic pleasure have had little regard for those around them who are hungry, thirsty, homeless, and naked. Those have lived in the abundance of self-consumption have been duped into complacency toward the broken and despairing. The great indifference and self-interest involved in wealth stands contrary to the law of Christ which is "To love the Lord God with all your heart, mind, strength, and soul...and to love your neighbor as your self."

Luke's primary audience for his gospel is probably a "down and out" segment of the church. The words of hope that this passage offers those with little to their name is obvious. It affords them permission to look upon life with a different perspective...a perpective unclouded by the cravings of flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride of riches (1 John 2:16). Life is not simply lived in order to consume and own, life lived rightly is a life spent giving itself away to the glory of God and on the behalf of others. Luke's passage reminds us as the rich church to remember that God seemingly chooses sides in the scriptures. He seemingly chooses the side of the poor and the oppressed and calls the rich and the powerful to justice and compassion.