Heart Fitness

“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.”
--Psalm 139:23-24

The late great coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Tom Landry, once described the kind of character he was looking for in team members:

“Give me a choice between an outstanding athlete with poor character and a lesser athlete of good character, and I’ll choose the latter every time. The athlete with good character will often perform to his fullest potential and be a successful football player; while the outstanding athlete with poor character will usually fail to play up to his potential and often won’t even achieve average performance.”

Landry was always on the lookout for athletes who would perform up to their potential. He was looking for players who were fit in their hearts. Players fit in their hearts would realize their potential on the field. They would pursue Super Bowls with dogged tenacity.

I believe if I were to take a poll of Lockhart Christians, I would find that we have a decent understanding of God’s plan to keep us spiritually fit—undoubtedly you would mention practices like studying the Bible, regular time set aside for prayer, attending worship, and experiencing the support and fellowship of other Christians. But, like most things in life, knowing and doing are two different things. Many modern Christians struggle with having the heart for these practices that develop a richer, fuller spiritual life. This weakness in our Christian character is keeping many followers of Jesus from realizing their fullest potential to be used by God and from experiencing the fullest joy from their relationship with Christ.

The psalmist was asking for a fit heart. He wanted insight into his own life so that he might live in a way that pleased God. A God-pleasing life, he knew, leads to a “way everlasting”—a joyful, significant, blessed life. To that end, he asks God to purge every thought, attitude, belief or behavior that offended God’s sensibilities. He is asking God to help him live to his fullest potential.

The psalmist provides an excellent example for life on the “way everlasting.” We can’t reach our fullest potential along the Way without God’s help. The psalmist knew that our heart fitness improves with prayer…Prayer that asks God for insight into our lives…Prayer that welcomes God’s testing and accountability…Prayer the makes us open to God’s tough, but merciful, soul-cleansing.

Heart fitness helps us reach our fullest potential as followers of Christ. We are able to love more fully. We are able to worship more fully. We feel more fully connected to and grounded in God. This is the good life…this is the “way everlasting.” It’s ours for the asking!

Marvelous in our eyes!

“There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous:
I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone
This is the Lord’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.”
--Psalm 118: 15, 21-23

Think about what you hear as you listen to the Easter story:
-You hear shouts of praise as Jesus triumphantly enters Jerusalem.
-You hear Jesus speaking of his own death as he lovingly serves his disciples at The Last Supper.
-You experience the quiet of the garden, where Jesus prayed and was betrayed.
-The quiet is broken by angry shouts as Jesus is turned over for trial—beaten, scourged and humiliated.
-You hear the sad sounds of a funeral dirge, as Jesus dies on the cross and is laid in a tomb.

Gratefully, that funeral dirge gives way to a joyous shout, “He is risen! We have seen him!” The disciples discovered what we must also discover—the power of God is greater than anything, even death. I like how one preacher put it once: ‘What death did to Jesus is nothing compared to what Jesus did to death.” If death can be defeated, nothing can stand against the victorious power of our risen Christ.

In 1973, when the African nation of Uganda was steeped in violent conflict, three men were to be executed one day in front of thousands in a sports stadium. Bishop Festo Kivengere was permitted to talk with the three men shortly before. The bishop felt he had no words for them, expecting them to be filled with rage for what was about to happen. What he found was quite different. Their faces were alight with an unmistakable glow and radiance. As they had sat in prison, each had asked Jesus into their hearts. To them, heaven was open and nothing could stand between them and God. The three men faced their death with such peace and joy that the military men stood there, guns cocked, with bewilderment on their faces. Later, when the bishop shared their testimony in the parish of one of the martyrs, the congregation erupted in a great song of praise to Jesus.

The reality of Christ’s power and the salvation it brings gave the three African martyrs songs of victory, though death stared them in the face. God’s salvation had the psalmist singing a glad song of victory. We cannot be ultimately defeated, because Christ, once rejected, has conquered death and become our strength and
salvation.

How about you? For what can YOU sing glad songs of victory? What has the Lord done that is marvelous in your eyes? May the songs of victory never cease from our lips!

Giving us life

“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live.” --John 14:18-19

With the Winter Olympics recently concluded, I am reminded of one of the great Olympic moments from a couple of decades ago. If you followed the Olympics, NBC was using video from this in their promotional spots to capture the Olympic spirit. Derek Redmond, a young British runner, lay on the track at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Moments before he had been a shoo-in to win his semi-final heat in the 400-meter and qualify for the Olympic finals. Now only 175 meters from the finish line, he is sprawled on the ground, holding his right hamstring.

Derek’s father, Jim, seeing his son in trouble, begins to race down from the top row of the stands. He is pushing toward the track. He has no right or credential or permission to be on the track, but all he can think about is getting to his son, to help him up.

On the track, Derek realizes that his dream of an Olympic medal is gone. Tears pour down Derek’s face. But he’s determined to finish. He turns down assistance from the medical crew, lifts himself to his feet, and starts hobbling down the track. One painful step at a time, Derek limps onward, and the fans rise to their feet to cheer him on.

At that moment, Jim Redmond reaches the bottom of the stands, vaults over the railing, dodges a security guard, and runs to his son. Jim reaches his son at the final curve, about 120 meters from the finish line, and wraps his arm around his waist. “I’m here, son,” Jim says gently, hugging his boy, “We’ll finish together.” Together, arm in arm, father and son struggle toward the finish line with 65,000 people cheering, clapping and crying. Just a few steps from the end, with the crowd in an absolute frenzy, Jim releases the grip he has on his son so that Derek can cross the finish line by himself.

That scene of togetherness at the finish line illustrates our relationship with the Holy Spirit. We have never been left to run the race of life alone. Jesus’ presence remains with us in the form of God’s Holy Spirit. “Because I live,” Jesus promises his followers, “you also will live.” The Good News is that the same God who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to our bodies through the Spirit that dwells within us (Romans 8:11). No matter what comes our way we can hold tight to the promise that Jesus gives life—life in this world, and life in the world to come.

We belong to Jesus Christ, and his Spirit gives us life. This is Good News for any of us who find ourselves limping toward the finish line of life.

Peacemaking begins in the heart

"Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing." 1 Peter 3:8-10

Many people are resigned to the notion that humanity will destroy itself. We’ve become resigned to the idea that people ultimately cannot get along. A poll taken by the Associated Press a few years ago indicated that six out of 10 American adults believe that world War III is inevitable.

Peter, one of Jesus’ first disciples, wanted Christians to understand that they must live in harmony with each other and with the world. He understood that making peace in our chaotic and contentious world begins in the heart. Take a look again at how the scripture above begins. Notice the words he uses: “unity,” “sympathy,” “love,” “tender,” and “humble.” Making peace begins with the attitude of our hearts.

Most people seem to concern themselves with changing the whole world—they have a very global vision. Peter’s vision begins with our own hearts. For Christians, peacemaking does not begin with a question like, “How can I get the Arabs and Jews to get along?” Peacemaking for Christians begins with questions like these:

How do I get along with my brother . . . my sister?

How do I keep working with the person in the next cubicle who is really annoying me?

How do I treat the kid at school who keeps making fun of me?

How do I maintain a relationship with my parents when they clearly don’t understand me?

How do I live in peace with my neighbor when his dog keeps coming into my yard to do his business?

How can I continue to volunteer in this church when my committee chair is not doing her job?

How do I keep my cool with my kids when they are being so disrespectful?

These questions represent the beginning of peacemaking. Peacemaking begins when we’re willing to look at us . . . at ourselves. Peacemaking begins when we’re willing to check the attitude of our heart and begin to deal with the deep down feelings of hurt and distrust we may have accumulated over time. Peace making begins with purging our hearts of attitudes and stereotypes that keep us from living in unity with one another.

Here’s where Jesus comes in…we can’t make these heart changes without Christ’s Spirit working within us—growing in us the fruit of peace (Galatians 5:22-23). The apostle Paul says that the fruit of peace grows in us as we practice Christ’s commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves and as we prayerfully yield our lives to the guidance of the Spirit. My prayer for us all is that the fruit of peace will grow in all of us and that we will bear the fruit of peace in our chaotic and contentious world.

Celebrate God's Presence

Simeon took [the child Jesus] in his arms and praised God, saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:28-32, NRSV)

(Read Luke 2:22-38 for the whole story)

Can you imagine a Christmas season that lasted 80 years?

This Christmas season has left me with an appreciation for Simeon and Anna. Both of these devout people had been waiting their whole lives for Christmas. Anna had been waiting 80 years “looking for the redemption of Jerusalem” (v. 38). We don’t know Simeon’s age, but the context of the passage suggests that he was an old man as well. He had been “looking forward to the consolation of Israel” (v. 25) his whole life. They have been looking for God’s deliverer, God’s anointed one, God’s Messiah for decades. And both of them recognize in Jesus that God’s Messiah has arrived! Though their season of waiting had been long, each responded in the same way. They gave God praise for what God had done. The powers of their perception were pretty remarkable. Because what did they see really?

On the surface Simeon and Anna saw a very young baby boy, brought to them by devout parents. They would have seen a road-weary family fulfilling their obligations according to Jewish law. Every male child was treated in the very same way. Nothing would have necessarily distinguished them from any other devout family.

Seeing beyond the surface to the presence of God in things is a great challenge of the spiritual life. A common proverb of our culture is “Seeing is believing.” We depend on the concrete. We rely on fact and reason. We put stock in the values, attitudes, and wisdom of contemporary culture. This can dull our perception of a timeless God acting in unique ways to redeem us in our skeptical, broken world. Our vision for God’s presence can become impaired by the fatigue, temptations, distractions, and anxieties of our lives. It’s difficult to praise God when we don’t perceive God’s presence and action.

I think we get to a place of praising God now, and throughout the year, when we operate on Simeon and Anna’s principle of looking for God’s presence. They believed in God’s salvation, so they were able to see more than the obvious. They recognized God’s active presence in the world. With their attitude of watching, they understood the tremendous significance of the baby Jesus. This enabled them to immediately respond by blessing and praising God.

When we are looking for God’s consolation…

when we are looking for God’s redemption…

when we are looking for God’s presence…

God appears even in the most unlikely of places!

May you see many opportunities to celebrate God’s presence in the coming year!

Advent Again

“God, make us new again.
Let your face smile on us with favor.
Then we will be saved.”
--Psalm 80:3

In an intriguing episode of the classic sci-fi tv show X-Files, Agent Scully, the female FBI agent heroine, was facing an uphill battle against cancer. Agent Scully was a driven career woman. She had gotten far with her brains, her talent, and her pluckiness. She was trained as a medical doctor and her faith was squarely in science.

Agent Scully was home for the holidays and her mother had a large meal planned. She invited family and friends, among them their parish priest. Father McKay took time to talk with Scully about her cancer and the faith she had forsaken. She firmly told Father McKay to get lost. She had no need for religious faith. Her career and her science would sustain her quite well.

As her cancer progressed and her doctors treat it more aggressively her attitude begins to change. She faces losing her career as she grows weaker and weaker. The science she dearly loved had not been able to save her. She became aware of her need to be connected to a higher power. In a moving scene, she apologized to her mother for being so abrupt with Father McKay and asked that he come to see her. The episode concluded with Father McKay at her bedside as they prayed together.

Agent Scully became aware of her deep need for God. The psalmist recognized this need when he cried out: “God, make us new again. Let your face smile on us with favor. Then we will be saved” (Psalm 80:3). It’s awareness hard to come by. After all, there is bit of Agent Scully in all of us. We fancy ourselves as independent and self-reliant. From an early age we are taught to be self-sufficient. All of this hinders the awareness of our need for God.

The Church calendar calls these weeks before Christmas Advent. In Advent, we anticipate God smiling on us with favor in the coming of Jesus Christ. These days before Christmas bring excellent opportunities to prepare for a fresh coming of Jesus into our lives. Recent events should convince us that there is no amount of money, no politician, no job, no scientific theory … no person or thing… that can be counted on to bring renewal to our lives. A proper understanding of our lives will lead us to an awareness of our great need for God. It is a constant need. Only a fresh advent of Jesus in our hearts can meet that need. We wait…we anticipate…we long for…the promised
coming of the Lord.

Let every heart prepare Him room!

Discipleship's Value

44"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
--Matthew 13:44-46

In Jesus’ time, if someone was known as a disciple of someone it meant they were a student of that person’s philosophy or trade. What was Jesus’ philosophy? What principles did Jesus’ life exemplify? Life lived under the rule of the kingdom of heaven. This is the life Jesus invites us to. People who seek this life and find it, dis-cover that they have found something more valuable than anything they have known before. It makes that big a difference.

In order to experience discipleship’s value, we need to give ourselves totally to following Jesus. Paul, one of the prominent writers of the New Testament, discovered the value of discipleship. He told them that before he became a disciple of Jesus he was a Jew of great status. He could trace his bloodline back to the great Abra-ham. He was an important leader in the church. He kept Moses' law flawlessly. He distinguished himself so much as a Jew that he was given the task of protecting their faith from people who were following Jesus. He had done very well for himself. He thought he had quite a life. That is, until he had a life-changing encounter with the risen Christ. He said that he counts all that he had before as garbage when he compared that with the surpassing value of knowing Jesus. All that he had before he was happy to lose in order to have the life he now had as a disciple of Christ (Philippians 3.4b-14).

Jesus offers us life. Not life as the world offers it, where security is found in status, power, and possessions. Jesus offers us a life of hope. We always have a place in the kingdom of heaven. Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God through Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39). Life can come at us with all it has got. Our future is secure. Jesus offers us life with meaning and purpose. We have a mission to live out as Jesus’ disciples—proclaim His love and live out His love in the world. It’s a life, if we are willing to give ourselves totally to it, that Jesus assures us we will find more valuable than anything we’ve ever experienced before.

Leading people to a fuller life

9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
--John 10:9-10

Imagine for a moment that you have been put in a town carrying a valuable message that will give anyone who knows it a peaceful and satisfying life. Along with this valuable message you have been given a special sense that reveals to you the people who need it. As you walk through the town, the people seem to have pretty normal lives. Most of them have decent jobs. The children in the town enjoy good schools and like to play when their time is free. On the weekends people have friends over or watch football on TV. It seems to be a nice, quiet town. You are shocked, then, to discover that over half the people you encounter trigger your special sense that they are enjoying neither peace nor satisfaction in their lives. They desperately need the message you have.

One problem. People in this town don’t learn very well when you simply try to tell the message to them. They have settled for life as it is now. They don’t have a vision for what life could be. Their best hope for embracing your valuable message is to see you experiencing the peace and satisfaction they could also have.

As a believer in Jesus YOU are the person carrying the valuable lesson! People enter into the abundant life of peace and satisfaction as they become Jesus’ disciples. According to statistics, 60% of your neighbors, co-workers, and friends don’t have a meaningful relationship with Christ. They may know who he is, but they haven’t “entered the gate.” They have a life, just not the abundant, transformed life that Jesus promises through a relationship with him.

I am reading the diary of an American missionary named Frank Laubach right now. Laubach was a missionary to an illiterate Muslim tribe in the Philippines during the 1930s. In his diary, Letters by a Modern Mystic, I have been challenged by his perspective that he had no right to convert Muslims to Christianity unless it led them to a fuller life in God than they had before. Here’s an excerpt from his diary dated 9 March 1930:

“Clearly, clearly, my job is not to go to the town plaza and make proselytes, it is to live wrapped in God, trembling to His thoughts, burning with His passion. And, my loved one, that is the best gift you can give your own town.”

Ultimately what will lead people to a satisfying, life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ is speaking the message with your life. I invite you to take some time this month to reflect on your life as it is right now. Ask Jesus to refresh your spirit, give you His thoughts, and energize you with His passion. Perhaps you might read through one of the gospels this month and connect more deeply with Jesus and his life. The best gifts we can give our town are lives wrapped in God…lives full of God.

Resolving Life's Riddles

“My mouth shall speak wisdom;
The meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.”
--Psalm 49:3-4

What does the increasing persecution of Christians in other countries mean for us in America? As a parent, how should I respond to the apparent loosening of standards on television? Is it possible for a father to make it through his son’s adolescence and keep his sanity? How is it that God still cares for me despite my tendency toward sin and distraction?

These are some of the riddles bouncing around my brain this week. You’ve got riddles of your own . . . some are lofty and philosophical, others are deeply personal. These riddles have the power to tip us off balance—wondering where we stand in life and where we stand with God. It can be an uncomfortable place.

The psalmist points us to the ultimate source for resolving life’s riddles—connection with God. Understanding comes in reflecting on God and God’s Word. Solving life’s riddles occurs “to the music of the harp,”--in my mind, a reference to worship. Our relationship to God brings insight and wisdom to understand life. Connection with God assures us that we are in God’s capable hands. It’s possible (actually quite likely) that there are some riddles in life for which you will never find resolution. In these cases, the psalmist reminds us of the solution of all life’s riddles:

“God will save us from the grave,
He will certainly take me to himself.”
--Psalm 49:15

Our greatest hope lays in our connection to the living God—Jesus Christ. In the hope that Christ brings, we can live with riddles and uncertainties. God promises to receive us regardless of having everything figured out. It is our connection to God that saves us.

What’s a life riddle you have been wrestling with? Why not give God 30 days to bring you some insight. You could, for example, commit to praying about your “riddle” daily for the month of September. Is it possible that there is insight for you in the Bible? Take this month to study the scriptures on the question you have. Be listening during worship.

God is present to nurture you and guide you. And . . . every time the bread is broken and the cup is shared, remember the ultimate solution to life’s riddles—Jesus is Savior to all!

God's Treasure

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
--2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV)

The clay jars that the apostle Paul was referring to were fragile and plain-looking. You wouldn’t have chosen one of them to store your treasures in. But they were the “work horse” of Paul’s day…used to carry all sorts of things.

Paul chose this ironic image of storing treasure in plain pots on purpose. He wanted to emphasize the truth that God chooses ordinary, fragile people to do His work…to show His power and love. The fact that God uses us despite our flaws and ordinariness is a sure sign to us and to others of God’s “all-surpassing power.” What we do should leave no doubt in people’s minds that God is real, loving, and powerful.

Our youth mission trips always confirm this to me. These trips consistently put us in situations that look beyond our skill level or out of our comfort zone. Nevertheless, we are able to meaningfully serve the Lord because of His presence and power. Hearing our mission team members tell of how God works through them continues to be some of the most exciting experiences in ministry for me. Our youth get a sense of how God is willing to empower them to serve Him. That’s priceless! They get a sense of their ability to make a difference in the world. That makes faith stick.

These experiences are not reserved for our mission teams. You and I can make a difference right where we live and work by God’s power. God’s vision for the Church is that we do just that. To accomplish this, God has put the treasure of His Holy Spirit in each of us. What our God is calling you to do…you can do it! We have all we need.

I am praying that God will put some opportunities in our path in the next few months that will challenge our skills and take us out of our comfort zone. I invite you to join me in that prayer. And pray for our courage to accept these opportunities. Studies on vigorous, growing churches are consistent in showing that they are churches that reach out and serve their communities. We have this treasure of God’s presence and power. Let’s be ready to show our corner of the world the all surpassing power of God!

The Word on wisdom

Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning
and even among fools she lets herself be known.
‐Proverbs 14:33 (NIV)

Here’s some good counsel from kids wise beyond their age:

Patrick, age 10, said, “Never trust a dog to watch your food.”

Michael, 14, said, “When your dad is mad and asks, ‘Do I look stupid?’ don’t answer him.” He backed that up with further wise advice. “Never tell your mom her diet’s not working.”

Kyoyo, age 9, said, “Never hold a Dust Buster and a cat at the same time.”

How did those kids get so wise!

Joking aside, wisdom is a precious commodity in our world today. Raising kids (or grandkids), managing finances, choosing careers, situations at work, decisions about healthcare, the complexity of relationships, even serving a church, require much wisdom. How can we grow in such a valuable character quality?

The Scriptures have a lot to tell us about developing wisdom. In fact, there are a few Old Testament books dedicated to teaching wisdom. In July I will be preaching messages from the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, two of these Old Testament wisdom books. Both of them are attributed to King Solomon, David’s son, who asked God specifically for great wisdom. He learned a lot from his use of God‐given wisdom as well as a few foolish choices he made along the way. We’ll be looking at what he learned as well as what Jesus taught about wise living.

Solomon wrote in Proverbs that a person who develops wisdom will be seen as wise, even among fools. Wise people live in a way that distinguishes them from the crowd. Wisdom helps us live with integrity. Please join us for worship in July as we grow in our understanding of wisdom.

To be great lovers...

“May the Lord cause you to increase and enrich your love for each other and for everyone in the same way as we also love you.”

‐‐1 Thessalonians 3:12 (NIV 1984)

To be great lovers, we need to be great pray‐ers.

If you’ve ever grumbled that people in the church ought to be more loving, the apostle Paul invites you to take your concern to the Lord in prayer. It was his habit to pray for the enrichment and love of the people in the churches he worked with. As the Lord caused an increase in love within the church and for those outside the church, their love strengthened their hearts. In other words, their growing love influenced their behavior, influenced their attitudes, led them to Christ‐honoring decisions, and inspired them to deeper faith (1 Thess 3:13).

Notice that it is the Lord who causes our love to increase and be enriched. If you want people in the church to be more loving, pray for it! If you catch yourself in unloving moments toward others, then pray that the Lord will increase your love. The love that Christ modeled and calls us to has at its source the Lord himself. Praying for the strong and growing love of our church is not solely a job for the pastor or our church leaders. It’s a holy habit we all need to have.

Prayer has been on my mind a lot lately. During the month of June I am preaching a series of sermons on prayer entitled “Whenever You Pray…” based on the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:7‐13. Jesus' Followers saw his habit of praying and begged him "Teach us to pray!" (Luke 11.1). Jesus showed us that prayer was an essential practice for experiencing God's presence and living in God's power. Like those first disciples, there is always more we can learn about prayer.

In that spirit, I also want to invite you to a summer learning experience on prayer. Beginning on Sunday, July 14 I am going to lead a Sunday morning discussion on prayer using the book Space for God by Don Postema. It’s a great resource that will stimulate your prayer life. It’s not a book in a real conventional way…it contains art, poetry, stories for reflection, and each of the nine chapters provides you with some prayer practices to try. I will have a sign‐up sheet and a copy of the book at the back of the sanctuary for you to take a look at. Don’t be concerned if you might miss a week or two because of summer plans. You can use the resources in the book independently of the Sunday
morning discussion with ease.

May we grow in love and prayer this summer!

Only the Creator can recreate humankind

Before technology was really booming (1978) Billy Graham observed that humankind's moral capacities lagged far behind our technological skills and discoveries. Because of that, he said that "the greatest need in the world is to bring about the transformation of human nature." A lot a folks, especially preachers and politicians, have looked to social justice avenues to bring about such transformation. Working for a just society is indeed important, but Billy Graham reminded that there is one central reality:

...there is only one ultimate answer to the need of [humankind] to be changed. Science and technology cannot change [humankind's] basic nature. Economic restructuring cannot change[humankind's] basic nature. No amount of self-improvement or wishful thinking can change [humankind's] basic nature. Only God--the One who created us--can recreate us [through faith in Christ].

(Billy Graham, The Holy Spirit. Dallas: Word, 1978: 74)

My observation is that the social justice ministries of many denominations and congregations lose sight of this central reality.

We're on a mission from God!

“So because of God's mercy, we have work to do. He has given it to us.
And we don't give up.”

--2 Corinthians 4:1 (New International Readers Version)

They were the unlikeliest of God’s servants. Black suits, pork pie hats and RayBan sunglasses. Sister Mary Stigmata (a.k.a. “The Penguin”) had given them a special charge to raise $5000 to save the orphanage they grew up in from the Chicago city tax assessor. Every time Jake and Elwood Blues got a question about what they were up to, they simply responded, “We’re on a mission from God!”

You may recognize the story as the plot of the 1980 comedy film The Blues Brothers. John Belushi and Dan Akroyd had a fictional mission . . . ours is very real. God sent Jesus to us so that the world would experience God’s salvation . . . the WORLD. Christmas celebrates the WORLD receiving a special gift from God. Our very real mission, as recipients of this Special Gift of God’s mercy, is to give our testimony of God’s love and mercy to the world. As the apostle Paul put it in 2 Corinthians, we have work to do given to us by Jesus himself (Matthew 26:19-20; Acts 1:6-8).

There is a current trend in congregational growth and revitalization known as “going missional.” Actually, it is an effort to help congregations return to their Christ-given mission . . . to go out into their world proclaiming, in word and deed, the love of Christ. A book entitled Treasure in Clay Jars: Patterns in Missional Faithfulness defines a missional church as “. . . a church that is shaped by participating in God’s mission, which is to set things right in a broken, sinful world, to redeem it, and to restore it to what God has always intended for the world” (pg. x).

We’re on a mission from God. It’s a great mission if you think about it. What could be more important and satisfying than helping set things right in a broken, sinful world? Allowing ourselves to be shaped by God, both personally and congregationally, is the essence of life as a follower of Jesus Christ. My prayer is that our creative juices will be ever-flowing about new ways to live out our mission in our community.
When people ask us about what’s going on at our church, may our answer always be “We’re on a mission from God.”

Celebrate God's love

"But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us . . . For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."
--Romans 5:8, 10-11

How are we to respond to God’s love and grace? In the translation of Romans above, the apostle Paul directs Christians to “boast” in God through Jesus Christ. Other translations say “rejoice,” or that “we are happy.” No matter how it’s said, Paul is encouraging Christians to celebrate God’s love.

Celebration, according to Dallas Willard, is one of the most important activities we can do to deepen our relationship with God:

"[Celebration] is the completion of worship, for it dwells on the greatness of God as shown in his goodness to us. We engage in celebration when we enjoy ourselves, our life our world, in conjunction with our faith and confidence in God’s greatness, beauty, and goodness. We concentrate on our life and world as God’s work and as God’s gift to us."

We are invited to celebrate God’s greatness, beauty, goodness, and love. Celebration, however, often eludes us. We live in cynical times. Our relationship to God, because of our sinful nature, is twisted out of shape. The social, psychological, spiritual, and even physical life of humankind is out of order. The consequences are a loss of joy and an absence of celebration.

A conference was held at a Presbyterian church in Omaha. People were given helium-filled balloons and told to release them at some point in the service when they felt like expressing the joy in their hearts. Like many Protestants, these folks didn’t feel free to worship very expressively. All through the service balloons ascended, but when it was over, 1/3 of the balloons were unreleased.

We’ve got to learn to let our balloons go! Get focused on our great God with a love for all times. Unabashedly and enthusiastically celebrate God’s love in worship. Celebrate God’s love for all times in our fellowship with one another by practicing the love and reconciliation that was shown to us.

God’s love for us is a love for all times. Joyfully celebrating God’s love is an antidote to despair and becomes a wellspring for genuine gratitude. God poured his love into our hearts . . . let us pour our hearts out to God . . . celebrating a love for all times.

Life through faith

“[Jesus] was delivered over to death for our sins
and was raised to life for our justification.”
-Romans 4:25 (NIV 1984)

Jesus was determined to get to Jerusalem. As Jesus speaks it is clear that he knows what awaits him when he gets there: betrayal, humiliation and death. Jesus knew it was coming. Jesus knew that it must happen if he was to fulfill what God had set him apart to do.

Jesus also knew that his death was not the end of his mission. The power of God would do something magnificent. Sin’s grip on humankind would be broken by Christ’s sacrifice. Death’s grip on humankind would be broken by Christ’s resurrection! God promised that we would be delivered from the bondage of sin and death. Christ’s resurrection is proof that God has the power to deliver on that promise. This is our hope. These are promises we can hold on to.

Matt Chandler, a pastor and best-selling author, was speaking once to a men’s conference near his hometown. During a break he decided to make the quick drive to visit his old “stomping grounds.” All the visit did was to remind him of the many shady, dark, shameful things he had done before coming to faith in Jesus Christ. His spirit was troubled on the drive back to the conference:

“I was overwhelmed with the guilt and shame of the wickedness that I had done in that city prior to knowing Jesus Christ …. I could hear the whispers in my heart: "You call yourself a man of God? Are you going to stand in front of these guys and tell them to be men of God? After all you've done?"

In the middle of all that guilt and shame, I began to be reminded by the Scriptures that the old Matt Chandler is dead. The Matt Chandler who did those things, the Matt Chandler who sinned in those ways, was nailed to that cross with Jesus Christ, and all of his sins—past, present, and future—were paid for in full on the cross of Jesus Christ. I have been sanctified "once and for all" …. He remembers my sins no more …. And I no longer need to feel shame for those things, because those things have been completely atoned for.”

Chandler’s hope, as is ours, is in the resurrected Christ who restores our soul and gives us life by faith in Him. Faith is living in the full persuasion that God did what he did and will do what he says he will do (Romans 4:21) Easter is our proof! God’s promises are worthy of our complete trust. Life is no better…faith is never stronger than when we live with faith in the promises and power of God.

Why I won't be driving through to get my cross of ashes.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Church season of Lent. Traditionally Christians receive the mark of the cross on their forehead in ashes from the burnt palms from the previous Palm Sunday. It's meant to make significant statements about our state as followers of Christ. Christians are recognizing their sinfulness and mortality. Christians are also acknowledging their utter dependence on Christ. They are joining Him in the journey to the cross. Lent is the season where Christians reconnect with Christ's call to take up our cross and follow Him. These statements are meant to have great gravity in the life of a Christian. If taken seriously, they have consequences that are rarely convenient.

That's why I won't be driving through any church or or other trendy, convenient location for my cross of ashes. Drive-thru imposition of ashes is getting increasing attention in the media. (Read here, here, and here for a few examples.) The title of the NBC News article alone ought to give one pause, "Lent made easy: Get your 'ashes to go.'" An act meant to impress upon people the gravity of their circumstances and deep need for Christ has been made "easy" for the convenience of Christ's "customers." Can I get a skinny mocha latte with that? Unfortunately it may come to that.

Making this important day and act of discipleship as easy as ordering at the drive-thru of Starbuck's strips Ash Wednesday of its gravity. If I don't take the time to remember and reflect on my sinfulness, mortality, and dependence on Christ, I will drift toward a convenient faith that "ashes to go" promises. On the surface, this seems to be a hip and relevant adaptation of a spiritual practice. But it sends all the wrong messages about the way of faith. I can't afford to take faith that lightly. No one can.

Refreshed and being refreshed

“A generous person will prosper;
Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
--Proverbs 11:25 (NIV)

The Secret Santa has been revealed—it's Larry Stewart, a successful businessman from Lee's Summit, Missouri. Prior to the Christmas season of 2006, Stewart announced that he is the Secret Santa who has been anonymously doling out $100 bills to the needy every Christmas for the past 26 years. After years of anonymity, he decided to go public with hopes of inspiring others to become Secret Santas. So how did this practice begin?

In the winter of 1971, Stewart was working as a door-to-door salesman. The company he was working for went out of business, and he quickly ran out of money. Stewart hadn't eaten in two days when he went to Dixie Diner and ordered a breakfast he eventually admitted he couldn't pay for. Ted Horn, the restaurant owner, sympathized with Stewart. He acted as though he found a $20 bill on the floor underneath of Stewart's chair. "Son, you must have dropped this," Horn said.

"It was like a fortune to me," Stewart reflected. "I said to myself, 'Thank you, Lord.' Right then, I just made a promise. I said, 'Lord, if you ever put me in a position to help other people, I will do it.'"

Over the years, Stewart estimates that he has given away around $1.3 million. He says he has been amply rewarded in return. "I see the smiles and looks of hopelessness turn to looks of hope in an instant," he says. "After all, isn't that what we're put here on earth for—to help one another?" (1)

Stewart has been living the biblical principle of generosity. He has enjoyed the fruit of its promise. Giving of oneself leads to a generous outpouring in return. Whether it is generosity with one’s resources or being generous with a refreshing word, scripture assures us that we will experience abundant blessing in return.

Refreshing others is also a way we proclaim God’s favor and work for justice in the world. Jesus taught that the loving God wholeheartedly and loving our neighbor characterize the way of living that leads to true life (Luke 10:25-37).

God is our source of life and love. God has given to us generously. We have been called to refresh others with the resources God has given us.

Refresh us, O Lord! Grow in us Your love for all people so that we may fulfill your calling. May we be conscious of the opportunities to refresh others as they present themselves. We look to You for love, strength and generosity. Amen.

(1)Nanci Hellmich, "Santa Shares His Secret," USA Today (12-22-06).

What holds us captive?

Luke 4.14-21

At our Wednesday night Bible study we wrestled with the question, "In what ways may we be captives?"

Looking at the big picture, we are confined to a broken world. As long as we live, we live with the consequences of this broken world. Sin can captivate us, with destructive consequences. Grief can hold us captive. We can be confined by financial problems or legal problems. We can find ourselves in relationships or work situations that are confining. We can be oppressed by the consequences of illness. We can be prisoners of loneliness or depression. I have heard people describe the sense of imprisonment that comes with alcohol or drug addiction. If we are not careful we can make ourselves captive to the enticements of wealth or status or power.

Whether we are held captive by the consequences of living in a broken world or by a prison of our own making, we are captives who need release. Each and every one of us needs to experience God's favor. We need God to act!

Thanks be to God for his action. In Jesus Christ we can know the liberty and release God has promised. In Jesus, God forgives all debts owed to Him. In Jesus, God sets us free from the dark powers of sin and self that bind us. In Jesus, God gives to you and I the inheritance of eternal life as God's children.

We Live, God Helping Us!

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5, NIV)

“How can I grow in faith?” For we who follow Christ, it’s a challenging question. I don’t think many of us are completely satisfied with the strength of our faith. You may think Jesus’ original disciples are the ultimate examples of faithful people. But it’s clear that even they recognized their faith needed to grow. We’re in good company!

Those first followers of Jesus rightly understood that Jesus is the source of our faith. That’s good news! The life of faith is hard. You and I can’t live this life of faith without the Lord’s help. With the Lord’s help we have extraordinary power to face the distress, disease, and disorder that we encounter in life. With the Lord’s help we have the extraordinary power to put blessing, wealth, and the goodness of life in perspective. With the Lord’s help we have extraordinary power to accomplish things not possible by our own strength.

While staying alone in her convent, an 85-year-old Catholic nun got trapped inside a broken elevator for four nights and three days. She tried pushing the inside elevator door, but the electricity went off. She had her cell phone with her, but there wasn't a signal. Fortunately, she had carried a jar of water, some celery sticks, and a few cough drops into the elevator.

At first she said to herself, "This can't happen!" But then she decided to turn her elevator into a personal prayer retreat. "It was either panic or pray," she later told an interviewer for CNN. She started viewing the experience as a "gift." "I believe that God's presence was my strength and my joy—really," she said. "I felt God's presence almost immediately. I felt like he provided the opportunity for a closer relationship." (1)

When the Church commissions pastors, teachers, or missionaries, a part of the commissioning liturgy frequently includes “Questions of Commitment.” Each person is asked to commit to their mission through responding to several statements by saying, “I will, God helping me.” This is a response every Christian could make every day, for every circumstance, and for every task: “I will do it, God helping me.” Perhaps this declaration captures the essence of living by faith: “I live, God helping me!”

The New Year is often a time when we reflect on our lives and make plans to better ourselves. This year make it a daily practice to ask the Lord to increase your faith. You and I cannot live fruitfully as Jesus’ disciples by the strength of our own will. We live only by God helping us.

(1) Jenny Wilson, "Nun Stuck in Elevator Survives Four Nights on Celery Sticks, Water and Cough Drops," Time.com (4-28-11)