You ARE the light of the world: Matthew 5:14-16

You are the light of the world: Matthew 5:14-16

Before what is traditionally called the Sermon on the Mount Jesus begins his ministry career with an announcement that is packed full of political, social, and religious substance…”repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” He then begins to choose some men who will follow along with him in this journey of kingdom coming near…4 in fact (Peter, his brother Andrew, James, and John the Zebedee brothers whom in Mark’s account Jesus gives them the names “sons of thunder”.) These young men drop whatever it is they were currently doing and begin their journey of discipleship. The first kingdom of heaven coming near episode that occurs is Jesus going through Galilee teaching, healing, releasing those who were suffering from demon possession, severe pain, seizures, and those who were paralyzed…making people whole again. Physically, mentally, spiritually…the whole entire person…whole again. Its what the reign of God is all about.

Now on to our topic for this morning…I’ve been reading a little book by Randy Harris titled “Living Jesus” and this book covers the Sermon on the Mount. And he suggests that in order to possibly get the best grasp on what this sermon is all about you must begin at the end and that is where we will begin…7:24-27

And now the beginning…5:3-16

Our main focus is 14-16 but before we can get there we must give 3-12 some effort b/c Jesus probably said all this without taking a breath.

So let’s look at 3-12 and see where it leads us…

The beatitudes…God’s blessings…the character of the kingdom of heaven coming near/God’s reign coming near contradicts the values that most people in our world hold dear…(the sermon is one example of kingdom ethics/standards/realities/etc)…

these blessings are contrary b/c God’s blessings/God’s favor rests on the unlikely ones—the poor in spirit—mourners—the meek—persecuted—merciful—those who hunger for true righteousness/true justice (side note the greek word for righteousness dikaiosunan mean both righteousness and justice)—the pure in heart—peacemakers—these are the ones most often trampled on by the world—and this is an upside down way of understanding what it means to be blessed…and these are not commands…these are not something we must muster up and become or try to become…he begins each one with “blessed are” he identifies with his audience which includes his four and all else from the crowds who join in. When we embody the reign of God/the kingdom of heaven we begin to see how these are indeed blessings.

See if this makes any sense…being blessed is a state of existence in a committed relationship to God in which a person is favored from God’s perspective even when he/she does not feel favored or isn’t presently experiencing good fortune.

First beatitude stomps the predominant worldview that assumes that material possessions are a sign of God’s approval in one’s life and that they automatically flow from one’s spiritual efforts. This way of being humble is true humility in the harsh realities of life makes a person open to receive the blessings of God’s reign. Humility at the core of our heart. Recognition that they can produce no spiritual or religious self help before God. No attitude of being owed something—physical and spiritual bankruptcy…the anawim of the world…my way of understanding anawim is through a kickball illustration…the left behinds, the worthless, the pathetic, Israel knew this all to well…exile…I extend this next thought from Randy’s book…”I want you to imagine what you would have thought if you had heard those words. For all your life you’d been told that you’re too pathetic, you’re too pitiful, you’re too worthless for God’s love and acceptance, and the first words out of Jesus’ mouth is to affirm God’s love and blessing for you.” You are favored in God’s kingdom.

Blessed are those who mourn—Ecclesiastes 7:2…mourning is a reality of life but for those of the reign of God…mourning does not last there will be a time for comfort…what happens when we begin to mourn the things for which God mourns…violence, war, death, poverty, sickness, the injustices of this world…I’m jumping ahead a little but might this have something to do with being light in a dark dark world?

Blessed are the meek—does not imply weakness…the domineering, the aggressive, the harsh, are often those who attempt to dominant the earth and establish their own little kingdoms at the expense of others. This is an upside down way of looking at the world—it takes more courage to stand with the downtrodden and outcasts of the world, the poor, the forgotten, the lonely—these Jesus says will inherit the earth when the one who sits on the throne comes again with the new heavens and new earth…remember the announcement…I am making all things new…

Blessed are those who hunger/thirst for justice and righteousness…a passion and desire for things that include Godly justice for those who have been wronged. Hunger for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven…hey that sounds familiar. The coming of the king and his reign to its completion will satisfy all who hunger for the things of God to come about, but a present taste will be met when this person experiences this type of justice himself/herself/ourselves but also when this righteousness is embraced by someone else…reminded of the Samaritan woman in John 4:13-15…

Blessed are the merciful---recall Micah 6:8…also the parable later on in Matthew 18:21-35.

Blessed are the pure in heart…not so much about moral purity but the heart…the gut—bowels—the center core of a person—undivided loyalty---allegiance to God/to Jesus and the reign of heaven. Will see God—lets try this…Jesus is Immanuel…God with us, for those who set the core of their being on God and not simply religious ritualism will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers—those who are active in bringing peace to a violent and dark world. Those who refuse to get drawn into the violence and confusion and hostility of their age...of our age…but simply by their presence create peace—and Jesus says they are blessed and that this is to be our way of life. What is a characteristic of what it means and looks like to be a child of God? Peacemaking.

10-12…Darkness will do its might to overshadow the reign of God. Blessed are you when darkness does its best on you. Your reward IS in heaven where God is on his throne and coming one day to restore to rights his people and creation.  God’s got you…

These are not commands…but a way of being in this dark world that comes out of kingdom allegiance b/c if you’ve noticed in the biblical narrative what typically happens when light comes in and invades the darkness…the darkness fights back…and when it does it gets ugly…you are blessed. Jesus blesses the counter cultural standards of the world…the broken, the anawim’s of this world. He begins with blessings. God’s favor on the outcasts and those who stand for light.

13-16…notice the beginning of each metaphor…YOU ARE…Christianity is a way of life that changes the way you and I look at everything else. We are salt and light…Harris says in his book…”The world needs light. The world needs salt. It doesn’t need a bunch of Christians crawling into their Christian storm shelter and never coming out b/c its not safe out there, nor do we need a bunch of Christians who look so much like the world that the world can’t see the light.”  Is the problem that we’re so much like darkness and we’ve so much lost our saltiness that we no longer have an impact on the world, or is the problem that we’re so withdrawn from the world that the salt and light is not having the impact that it should have?

Does the world/ do our neighbors/ do our co-workers/ can people at our schools notice what makes us different? Jesus says you are…it begins with that declaration…we have already been crowned as being salt and light…blessed are you…you are the salt of the earth…you are the light of the world…Can we stand out enough for people to ask, ‘what makes you different'?

Father's Day Sermon

The One whom Jesus called Father

On this Father’s Day of 2012 I would like to begin our time by asking one question that will eventually lead into other questions that should end us up with one specific question… now what was that all about?

Here is my question…Who is the God whom Jesus called Father? And can he be trusted? Is the One whom Jesus called Abba Father worthy of our trust? And we sometimes shot from the hip when posed with such a question but it is a question that seeks deep into our souls and at difficult times in our lives stares us right in the face.

Lets begin with a basketball question…streak shooters claim…it is a mathematical claim…and a complete and total false claim…each shot is independent from all shots before or after

Many believe that this study is way off base…why? Because in some way shape form or fashion they have experienced what we call streak shooting or otherwise known as “they are on fire” but the understanding is completely based on experience. And even faced with a fact that streak shooting is simply a myth…when sized up against experience…experience most often wins.

Now this got me thinking…is our understanding of God often deeply shaped by our experience of God. Because he is a relational God. This is beautifully seen in John 14:8-21.

Now back to our question regarding trust…

This question takes us back to the beginning…so lets go to Genesis 3 and see where it takes us.

Question #1

 Why would Adam and Eve risk so much for a piece of fruit? It seems like in the garden life is pretty good. They have gotten to name the animals…relationships with each other are in harmony…relationship with God is as it should be…everything is as it should be…the world is right…why would they risk so much???

And the logic of this story is that they are going for the 1 thing they do not have…that’s their independence. The serpent says if you eat of this fruit then you will be like God. And up till this point they have been completely dependent upon God but if they can eat that fruit and become like God they can declare their independence from God.

Question #2

 If God does not want them to eat this fruit why did he put that tree there in the first place? And not only does he put there and the story is quite clear but he puts it in a place where it is highly desirable—its like parents putting a cookie jar in the middle of a table telling the children in this jar are the best chocolate chip cookies in the history of the world but you cant have any. What sense does that make?

But if you follow the logic of the story…b.t.w. I think this is one of the most helpful ways of reading the Bible. You gotta get in a conversation with the story that is being told, because we are invited to participate in this story. As it talks to you, you gotta talk back.

SCRIPTURE IS DISRUPTIVE TO OUR WAYS OF LOOKING AT THE WORLD  

The logic of the story is something like this…God wants to know from the very beginning if the human beings he has created will trust him or not. Will they trust him to be their provider and caretaker or will they attempt to be the source of their own security? That is the theme for the rest of Scripture and the underlying most important question we will ever ask…

 Will human beings trust God or will they try to be the source of their own security?

There are two biblical stories I want to mention briefly about this

1. Is found in Genesis 22 and I must begin this story with a joke…why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice his 12 year old son Isaac? Answer…if he had waited until he was a teenager it would not have been a sacrifice…

And now the tricky part where I try to make that meaningful…back to the story…22:3-14

2. Daniel 3…Hananiah…Mishael…and Azariah…also known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego…lets pick up in 3:13-18

Will human beings trust God or will they try to be source of their own security?

So when we come to Jesus he basically says this about God…God can be trusted. The God that Jesus calls Father is worthy to be trusted…

This is clearly seen in his story…before the cross in Matthew 26…and we often sing this song…”He could have called 10 thousand angels…now I don’t think it would have taken 10 thousand it would have only 3 b/c angels have ray guns…but at any point Jesus could have called all the hosts of heaven and defended himself but he instead choose to trust his Father who would not abandon him, even though he would eventually die. Even in the prayer from the cross…which is a prayer by the way…Jesus begins with My God…but he’s quoting from the Psalms Psalm 22 to be exact and this Psalm screams I will trust no matter what my current experience looks like. I will trust.

Jesus trusts his Father on the cross not to abandon his soul in Hades but to raise him up. That is why the cross is Jesus’ great profession of faith. Even in the face of death he will choose to trust his Father over than trying to be the source of his own security.

We see this from Paul in Romans 5 where he does this comparison thing between Adam and Jesus and here is the jest…

Adam—goes to the tree will he go for the fruit and be the source of his own security or will he trust God?

Jesus—goes to the tree will he be the source of his own security or will he trust God by going to the cross.

Paul’s calculation—Adam gets an F…Jesus---gets an A.

That’s why the Hebrews writer says Jesus is the pioneer of our faith…he shows us how to do it. How to radically and completely trust God.

Ok…this is where for all us it gets personal and heart searching.

Will we trust God when everything around us tells us otherwise?

Last time I preached on Father’s Day I gave a memorial sermon to my dad who had passed some months prior…here is some of that sermon. 

My dad fought in the Vietnam War. He did not want to fight, but he did anyways. The time that he spent in war is what I believe brought the illness upon him. From conversations with family members and friends his time that he spent in that war brought nightmares and a depression that he could not control. In May of 1997 a test result diagnosed dad with what is called chronic lymphocytic leukemia. It was a stage 0 type of leukemia that did not require any treatment or brought dad any discomfort at all, it was just there. And all dad had to do was a couple times a year go in for a blood test just to make sure nothing had changed. My dad never smoked a cigarette or touched any drug or even drank a bit of alcohol, I believe that even on his honeymoon with my mom they had sparkling grape juice. He ate weird stuff like vegetables/ all the regular stuff but he ate turnip greens, cabbage, beef liver, and would add onions to his green peas. Strangely he hated sour cream and guacamole. He would experiment with all kinds of dishes, adding bacon grease to his green beans which by the way is the only way he would get me to eat them. He made the best spaghetti and chili I have ever tasted. He really took care of himself. Except for some heart problems that were most likely caused by his crazy spoiled rotten son. But some how he came to have that cancer.

On Nov. 4^th of 2004 his only grandson was born. I can honestly say that I have only seen dad smile that much once before and that was at Carrie and I’s wedding. But the joy that was on his face when he held Dylon for the first time is unforgettable. My dad willingly and it seemed at times forcefully watched Dylon when Carrie went back to work and while I went to school. He was able to watch Dylon for six months. Then in March of 2005, dad begins to have sinus problems, dental problems begin because of TMJ that had not yet been detected by doctors. April, May and June the same problems exist only a slight increase in symptoms, doctors think that the cause of his pain is from TMJ and preexisting sinus problems. In July of 05 he quit working the Opry and voluntarily quit watching Dylon. Late in the summer he had nose surgery to try and figure out if all the drainage problems were from some problem in his nose and he went physical therapy for his TMJ. In Aug of 05 dad had what is called a septoplasty operation on his nose to try and fix his constant drainage problems. By this time dad was unable to eat a lot of foods, the weight loss had begun to take affect on his mental and psychological health. During this month he also had many blood transfusions/ he was diagnosed as being anemic. Doctors still do not have a clue as to what is causing all these problems/ seems more like guesswork than anything. In September another operation was given and the results were that what was causing all the sinus problems/ all the dental problems/ the fact that now he could not eat was due to a mass that was discovered by accident near the base of his tongue. The diagnosis was lymphoma of the larynx. Once discovered the pathologist immediately started chemotherapy. He was only able to complete two rounds of chemotherapy. At the end of October he started to have frequent temperatures all above 100 degrees. The doctors diagnosed it as capnocytophaga/ in other words cat and dog disease. A disease that anyone else could have fought off with a cough and a sneeze, but someone who is taking chemotherapy treatments is like a well person coming down with the flu. In Nov due to the amount of weight that dad had lost and that now he cannot swallow at all a feeding tube was put in to keep nourishment in his body. He could no longer talk to anyone, all his communication was through writing. Later that month since chemotherapy could not affect what the doctors are now calling squamous cell cancer that was caused by the chronic lymphocytic leukemia that he was diagnosed with nine years ago. Radiation now began and there were signs of improvement at one point in time during the treatments. He went through 36 treatments. In Jan of 06 breathing began to be a problem for dad. He had a trac put in to help with his breathing. The radiation by itself was not doing enough so they started what is called hypothermia treatments which I guess is just turning up the heat. My dad goes through all this without complaining once/ and watching and hearing his grandson upstairs playing and witnessing his Carrie and I try to make him as comfortable as possible while trying to go about daily living. On Feb 18^th a Saturday evening we had to call an ambulance to pick dad up, he had become delusional from all the anxiety and antibiotics and depression medication and pain medication that he was taking. He stayed in Southern Hills until February 27^th when we were advised to have him moved to hospice care. On March 4^th a Saturday morning after a Friday night filled with Gods Holy Spirit all around his room and the presence of Jesus that was undeniable. Some family members and friends (Linda and Kristen Brown) rubbed his feet and sang to him till the morning light broke, and God then really made His presence known at 6:30 a.m. when the sun was just beginning to rise and the sun covered my dad from head to toe with birds singing in the courtyard outside, my dad feel asleep. When I look back over last year of my dad’s life it can appear that God is no where to be seen, but if you look at what happened before and even what happened during his final months God is everywhere.

I learned a lot about what it means to trust God in the midst of some of the toughest times I have had thus far in life.

Contrary to our immediate experience God can be trusted.

The One whom Jesus called Father can be trusted.

And this Father is not what we too often wind up thinking about God which is Moralistic Therapeutic Deism…God as therapist, butler, and free vending machine…

I find this to be so true “the one great idol of our time is the idol of entitlement”  

I think I’m owed some things, a certain quality of family life, a certain quality of financial well-being, certain level of health. Once we get rid of all that…then we have what you call faith.

Here is a truth to the Jesus story. The God that Jesus called Father lets him die. The God that I call Father let my dad die. And in the midst of the death of Jesus is this deep empowering trust that death does not have the final say.

Trusting God does not mean you/me/us will get everything we want when we want it. Trusting God means that you believe he will not abandon us.

It’s believing sometimes against our experience that no matter how it looks right now God can be trusted.

Will we trust Abba Father to be the provider and caretaker and security or will we attempt to be the source of our own security?

God has made us alive

A few years ago there was a popular song that contained this chorus, “Love will keep us alive.” The song was referring to a relationship between a man and a woman, and how love would keep them going even through those difficult times. As many can attest to, there are times when love does indeed keep a relationship going. This idea of love’s power to bond people together is especially significant in our relationship with God and with one another. During those times when we go astray and fail because of our rebellion, it is His love for us that keeps Him close and gives us the opportunity to return again and again. Especially at the time of communion we are reminded of the awesome power and awesome love of God; a love that both saves/rescues/and protects. It truly is His love for us that keeps us alive in a broken world that so desperately needs to know this type of love.

If we change one word in the chorus of that oldie and but goodie, it more appropriately describes what God has done for us: “Love will make us alive.”

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins…But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.”

Scripture uses the terms slave and free as parallels for being dead and alive. At one time we were dead in our sins, but now we have been set free from that which held us in slavery (our sin and rebellion). Since we are free from sin, we should live like liberated people no longer under sin’s mastery.

Around the table we experience though bread and cup vivid reminders that we are set free from sin in order to be a new creation and live a new life. His love has indeed made us alive.

Wind Chimes

Wind chimes are amazing things. They are designed with a very specific purpose, but also retain a unique beauty. Wind chimes come in many shapes and sizes, colors and designs, and all are made of quite a diversity of materials. Some are made of seashells, while others are made of brass; still others are made of glass, and the list could go on. All of these things make them beautiful, depending on your preferences. But no matter the shape, size, or material, the wind chime has a specific purpose: to create a beautiful music from the invisible power of the wind. At the communion table we also see a unique beauty. Here, people from all walks of life and personal backgrounds come together for a single, special purpose. No matter the various shapes, sizes, and situations of the participants, the Lord’s Supper is something beautiful. All are welcome at the table.

Galatians 3:26-28: “So in Christ Jesus you are children of God through faith, for all of you were baptized in Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

One aspect of the Lord’s Supper beauty is that it communicates to each of us that we are saved/redeemed/rescued/reconciled/set free because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. In this moment we are reminded of the beauty and power of this time together. It is all that makes up this time bread/cup and even the silence that can energize the broken pieces of our lives with His beauty and rescuing power.

John 17:20-23: “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one.”

Almost Christian # 4

It has been a couple months since I have discussed the book Almost Christan: What the faith of our teenagers is telling the American church. A section I read this past week has convicted me in a strong way. I hope it does the same for you. "Research is nearly unanimous on this point: parents matter most in shaping the religious lives of  their children. This is not to say that parents determine their children's spiritual destinies...Yet there is no doubt that teenagers' appreciation of a life-orienting/altering God story, and their ability to discern God's ongoing movement in their lives and their communities are heavily influenced by adults' appreciation of such a story, and adults' ways of discerning and responding to the Holy Spirit's presence in their lives...Teenagers ability to imitate Christ depends, to a daunting degree, on whether we do" (112). May each one of us have the desire/will and commitment to live our lives in a way that our children. grandchildren, nieces, nephews, whoever we might have the opportunity to influence, will want to follow us, as we follow the Savior. Not some religious tradition, simply Jesus.   

"Blue Rose"

Received this story from Ken Green and I find it too moving not to spread.

Blue Rose

Having four visiting family members, my wife was very busy, so I offered to go to the store for her to get some needed items, which included light bulbs, paper towels, trash bags, detergent and Clorox. So off I went.

I scurried around the store, gathered up my goodies and headed for the checkout counter, only to be blocked in the narrow aisle by a young man who appeared to be about sixteen-years-old. I wasn't in a hurry, so I patiently waited for the boy to realize that I was there. This was when he waved his hands excitedly in the air and declared in a loud voice, "Mommy, I'm over here."

It was obvious now, he was mentally challenged and also startled as he turned and saw me standing so close to him, waiting to squeeze by. His eyes widened and surprise exploded on his face as I said, "Hey Buddy, what's your name?" "My name is Denny and I'm shopping with my mother," he responded proudly. "Wow," I said, "that's a cool name; I wish my name was Denny, but my name is Steve." "Steve, like Stevarino?" he asked. "Yes," I answered. "How old are you Denny?" "How old am I now, Mommy?" he asked his mother as she slowly came over from the next aisle. "You're fifteen-years-old Denny; now be a good boy and let the man pass by."

I acknowledged her and continued to talk to Denny for several more minutes about summer, bicycles and school. I watched his brown eyes dance with excitement, because he was the center of someone's attention. He then abruptly turned and headed toward the toy section. Denny's mom had a puzzled look on her face and thanked me for taking the time to talk with her son. She told me that most people wouldn't even look at him, much less talk to him.

I told her that it was my pleasure and then I said something I have no idea where it came from, other than by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I told her that there are plenty of red, yellow, and pink roses in God's Garden; however, "Blue Roses" are very rare and should be appreciated for their beauty and distinctiveness. You see, Denny is a Blue Rose and if someone doesn't stop and smell that rose with their heart and touch that rose with their kindness, then they've missed a blessing from God. She was silent for a second, then with a tear in her eye she asked, "Who are you?" Without thinking I said, "Oh, I'm probably just a dandelion, but I sure love living in God's garden." She reached out, squeezed my hand and said, "God bless you!" and then I had tears in my eyes.

May I suggest, the next time you see a BLUE ROSE, don't turn your head and walk off. Take the time to smile and say Hello. Why? Because, by the grace of GOD, this mother or father could be you. This could be your child, grandchild, niece or nephew. What a difference a moment can mean to that person or their family.

From an old dandelion! Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God .

"People will forget what you said, People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel!" 

Amazing Read

Megan's Secrets by Mike Cope is an incredible read. I have shed tears with each chapter and through my reading have come to a deeper appreciation for the time I have with Dylon and Allie. I cannot recommend this book enough.



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/0891122869/ref=dp_image_z_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

Recognize holiness

More than once in the Gospels Jesus asks the leaders of the people to look beyond language to the witness of his life. When Jesus was asked "If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly," he answered, "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me" (John 10:24-25). When John the Baptizer's followers pressed the same question, Jesus replied: "Go back and tell John what you see and hear" (Matthew 11:4). Jesus pushes us to look at our life. Proclamations of faith matter little compared with the presence or absence of truth and justice and love in our daily living. May we seek to live lives where people can recognize holiness. To this we are called.

Franciscan Monk Prayer

Discovered this prayer and found in extremely moving and powerful.

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, hard
hearts, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you
may live from deep within your heart where God’s Spirit dwells.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who
suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you
may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their
pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe
that you can make a difference in this world and in your neighborhood, so that you will courageously
try what you don'think you can do, but in Jesus Christ you’ll have the strength
necessary to do.

May God bless you so that you remember we are called
to continue God’s redemptive work of love and healing in God’s
place, in and through God’s name, in God’s Spirit, continually
creating and breathing new life and grace into everything and
Everyone we touch.

The Great Divide

Christian Spirituality/Living a complete life
 Dividing our lives into seperate spheres. Too often our lives can be divided into what is termed "spiritual" and what is termed "secular". For a follower of Jesus this cannot be, disciples of Jesus should not live divided lives. Disciples are called to be holy (set apart) but that does not mean we seperate from the rest of the world and hide in caves and that certaintly does not mean we live seperated/divided lives (spiritual on Sunday and secular the rest of the week). Christian Spirituality does not signify a flight from physical life, or a withdrawl from the challenges of life in the world; rather it describes the process whereby Christians seek to live holy lives, while engaging the challenges of this world. It is a call to actualize Jesus' mandate to be "in" but not "of" the world (John 17:15-18), and to live by what Paul declares: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2). This is who we are...this is what we do.

Almost Christian #3

As I continue to read through Almost Christian I came across some powerful statements this week that are worthy of sharing: "Jesus tells the disciples, 'As the Father has sent me, so I send you.' In other words, Jesus not only sends the church where he was sent; he sends us in the same way that he was sent, as human translations of divine love, people whose words and actions do not grasp for God as much as they reveal a God who grasps for us...In Moralistic Therapeutic Deism's agenda of personal fulfillment, Christian discipleship enacts the inside-out logic of a self-giving God, whose power is weakness, who deems love worthy of suffering and who promises that life will spring from death" (64). May we strive to show the world through every word and every deed what the good news of Jesus is all about. People are paying attention, our youth are paying attention...let us live out what we believe.  

121 Ocala Dr

Tomorrow 121 Ocala Dr will officially belong to another family for the first time ever. I praise God for my dad who provided a home for his son for 30 yrs. A home for his daughter-in-law Carrie (who he loved like his own) and a home for his grandson Dylon who he loved more than words can express. Words cannot express how much I miss my dad, but I praise the Father of all for the man who became my dad, who loved me and taught me what it means and looks like to be a dad. I will always remember corner shots, hrs of football throwing, and a black Nissan truck sitting in the drive. Thank you Father for gift of not just a house, but a home.  

Almost Christian #2

Moving on to chapter 2 of Almost Christian: What The Faith Of Our Teenagers Is Telling The American Church Kenda Dean (author) offers this declaration concerning American youth growing up in church in regards to the Moralistic Therapeutic Deism syndrome and treating Christianity as a niceness religion.  

Jesus would caution against criticizing the speck in teenagers’ faith before scrutinizing the log in our own (Matt. 7:5). If teenagers are members of the Church of Benign Whatever-ism, it is because we are too. The National Study of Youth and Religion’s most incontrovertible finding is that parents generally “get what they are,” in religion as in most things. This is as true to churches as it is in families, which means that we can expect the faith of the young people we love to reflect the faith we show them. So we need to ask before going further: Do we practice the kind of faith that we want our children to have? I think the honest answer might be, ‘Yes we do.’ The simple truth seems to be that the reason young people practice an imposter faith is because we do- and because this is the faith we want them to have. It’s that not-too-religious, “decent” kind of Christianity that allows our teenagers to do well while doing good, makes them successful adults without turning them into religious zealots, teaches them to notice others without actually laying their lives down for any of them. If this is the faith they see lived out by their parents, their pastors, and their churches, how would they know it’s a sham? In a world crazed with violence and intolerance, isn’t being “good enough” good enough? Not according to Jesus who calls us to be holy- which changes the equation substantially.  The good news of Jesus is God’s invitation to young people- to all people- to participate in the divine plan of salvation in Jesus Christ and to rely on God’s goodness, not our own. Imitating Christ makes people lay down their wallets, their reputations, their lives for the sake of others, which parents rightly fear for their children. The cult of nice is so much safer; God is friendly and predictable, offering little and asking less.  Moralistic Therapeutic Deism does not ask people to lay down their lives for anyone, because niceness does not go that far. Love goes that far- and true love is neither nice nor safe.

What do you think of her thoughts? Has any of this challenged you in regards to your own faith life? These first two chapters have really challenged me in understanding more about the faith I live out towards our young people here at 43^rd and the faith I live out in general towards the world. Are we really living out the gospel of Jesus, or have we substituted the radical message of Jesus for a cheap niceness driven moralistic therapeutic deism?

Almost Christian #1

I am now beginning to read a book written by Kenda Creasy Dean called Almost Christian: What The Faith Of Our Teenagers Is Telling The American Church. This book offer some insights into how teenagers tend to think and feel about Christianity and church. She begins her book is stating that studies have shown that young people tend to mirror the approach and overall attitude of their parents when it comes to religion. The subtle truth that young people tend to reflect their parents when it comes to religion is both a joyful thought and at the same time it can be a disappointing thought. This outlook is seen in how young people appreciate or under-appreciate "church". This is seen in how young people "feel" about God and even how young people "feel" about Jesus. This book should be a wild ride...I will write about my journey through this book.

She begins chapter 1 with this quote..."A person will worship something, have no doubt about that...That which dominates our imaginations and our thoughts will determine our lives, and our character. Therefore, it behooves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping we are becoming." Interesting thought.  

What Christianity is all about...

I am in the process of reading N.T. Wright's Simply Christian for the 3rd time. I have this quote from the book up in my office (my office is becoming filled with stuff like this) from Wright that I enjoy re-reading from time to time. The quote can be found on page 92; for those who do not have this book, I cannot recommend it enough.  

“Christianity is all about the belief that the living God, in fulfillment of his promises and as the climax of the story of Israel, has accomplished all this—the finding, the saving, the giving of new life—in Jesus. He has done it. With Jesus, God’s rescue operation has been put into effect once and for all. A great door has swung open in the cosmos which can never again be shut. It’s the door to the prison where we’ve been kept chained up. We are offered freedom: freedom to experience God’s rescue for ourselves, to go through the open door and explore the new world to which we now have access. In particular, we are all invited—summoned, actually—to discover, through following Jesus, that this new world is indeed a place of justice, spirituality, relationship, and beauty, and that we are not only to enjoy it as such but to work at bringing it to birth on earth as in heaven.”

Life is all about choices

I received this last year from Richard Jones and I have kept it up in my office ever since. It is worth reading every single day. I hope the message challenges and blesses you the way it has me.

Life is all about choices

It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose. And so I choose.

I choose love:

No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I choose joy:

I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical…the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I choose peace:

I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live. I will live in deep assurance that I am in right relationship with God because of Jesus, not my own doing.

I choose patience:

I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose kindness:

I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I choose goodness:

I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.

I choose faithfulness:

Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.

I choose gentleness:

Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it only be in praise. If I clench my fist, may it only be in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only to myself.

I choose self-control:

I am a spiritual being…I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Jesus. I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day.  

Isaiah 58

I am preaching this upcoming Sunday morning and while preparing I came across this section in Isaiah that really convicted me. The prophets have a way of making me challenge the way I approach anything and everything I do as a believer. Isaiah 58 accomplished this for me this week. Isaiah 58:6-7: "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen; to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from  your own flesh and blood?" Context shows that this deals with a form of worship (fasting) towards God. And while the people of God in this particular place and time kept fasting they have obviously lost sight of what God wants to see out of His people...taking care of those who are being or who are easily taken advantage of, which is something God has always desired His people to be aware of and do something about (Deut. 15).

Now if we pay close attention there are some lines in here that are familiar to us. Jesus echoes the latter part of verse 6 in His inauguration speech in Luke 4..."The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, TO SET THE OPPRESSED FREE, (caps by me) to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Jesus then reflects these words in all He does and says. Jesus again echoes Isaiah 58 in Matthew 25:31-46 which is Jesus' clearest teaching on end time (eschaton) judgment.

How should this impact followers of Jesus when there is so much injustice and apathy towards the downtrodden in our own cities and towns? "Am I in the habit of blaming poverty on laziness, immorality, and addiction rather than on greed, exploitation, and indifference?" (Guy Vanderpool, The Christian as Revolutionary,  Leaven 2002).   

Announcement of Sonship

Our Sunday morning youth class here at 43rd is about to begin a study through the gospel of Mark. The unique way Mark begins his (along with Peter, possibly) story concerning Jesus is remarkable. No birth narratives of John the Baptizer or Jesus, no "In the beginning", simply "the beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah." Mark then moves into a desription of John's appearance and diet and a short version of his mission and message...and then we get to the part I want to write about today. Baptism.

Baptism is a beautiful and life altering act and experience. Baptism is a beautiful and life altering act and experience. I wrote it twice on purpose...no reduncancy problems here. The way in which Jesus' baptism is described is quite beautiful. The heavens were being torn open as he assended out of the water (foreshadow to resurrection and resurrection life? Paul though so in Romans 6), the Spirit descending on him like a dove at his baptism (Isaiah 11 and 42 language), and the announcement of Sonship from above, "You  are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased" (2 Samuel 7, Psalm 2, Isaiah 42 language). Jesus' baptism is a beautiful event with powerful experiences taking place, and life changing announcements being made.

Should it not be the same today? Baptism is a dangerous act. It is an announcement and act that is in complete rebellion to the ways of this world. It is an announcement and act of complete dependency towards God. It is an announcement and act of honesty that I (we) are messed up humans who cannot be fixed on our own. Jesus needed no baptism, he needed no grace, in fact he is grace, but what is remarakable to me is his baptism shows us what baptism is all about.     

Announcement of sonship/daughtership...In our baptism did we hear the announcement of sonship and daughtership? The heavens were torn open, the Spirit came down, and the announcement that this is my son, this is my daughter whom I love and whom I am well pleased was made. Jesus' baptism has helped my understanding of baptism as a whole. It is a beautiful event filled with life changing/resurrected life announcements.

Wonderful Inspiring Story

This is a refreshing story in the midst of world and country filled with hate and animosity. I hope you are indeed blessed by reading it. www.preachermike.com/2010/09/22/praying-for-my-friend

Driving for Jesus

Driving for Jesus...I know silly title and this might seem like such a ridiculous topic but I find it to be extremely important for followers of Jesus. I drove around Nashville for 14+ years and the saying was always "those Nashvillians are a bunch of idiots, they drive with no concern for others who are on the road." (this included me for 10 of those 14+ years). Since moving to Bradenton I have found that it isn't just Nashvillians that have driving issues, it is all around us, no matter where we go. And if the stats are correct about the Christian population in America (70-76% depending on where you get your info) the vast majority of drivers in Nashville and Bradenton and all of America for that matter claim Jesus as Lord, yet do we drive like it? This sounds absurd, it types absurd as well, but if Christians are going make an impact in the world it has to start with our day to day activities, which includes how we drive.

The old Alabama song which includes this phrase "I'm in a hurry to get things done I rush and rush until life is no fun" fits drivers in America perfectly, it fits Christian drivers in America perfectly. We are all guilty of it, staring someone down when they do something on the road we consider foolish. We stare them down as if we are going to jump out of our car rush over and attack them, knowing that we will in no way do something that stupid, but we stare them down anyways and think such lovely thoughts about them. And all for what? Someone got in front of you? Someone ALMOST hit you, supposedly? Someone did something intentional or by mistake and you are going to release your wrath on them. And if the Christian population is close 70-76% we are more than likely acting this way/ thinking this way towards another brother or sister in Christ.

Think about that...not all Christians have the fish symbol or any type of Christian symbol on their car...but some do and we all have seen them  (and we are at times them) do something on the road that is out of character for a Christian or even act out while driving that is out of character for a Christian...and people do notice these things. Non-believers notice how church going folk act in the world and it is safe to say they have at times more negative examples of us to tell than positive.

No doubt there are some not to intelligent drivers out there on the road and some days those people are us. We all make silly mistakes while driving and we want people to be compassionate towards us when we make those mistakes, why do we not extend that compassion towards others?

Last point...Jesus calls his followers to live out a radical type of love (agape) that includes loving those who mistreat us and loving (agaping) those we consider to be our so called enemies (Sermon on the Mount stuff)...how will we ever get to that point when we struggle to simply be kind and compassionate towards others driving along beside us?