Is Jesus a Conservative or a Liberal?

Today's sermon will surely generate discussion for some time to come.  Calling attention to our need to reexamine our "oral tradition" concerning instrumental music and restrictions on women is no small matter.  It is as though there has been a large elephant in the room that everyone is aware of, but nobody wants to talk about.  Some will surely become very excited thinking that the church is about to change dramatically.  Many will be optimistic about this and many others depressed or even angry. However, calling attention to the elephant in the middle of the room is NOT advocating doing anything about it necessarily, except acknowledging its presence. Then we are in a position to talk about it and decide if the Lord desires us to make any changes, or to leave things as they are.  But for the sake of our teens and young adults especially, we must address the subjects!

Unfortunately, I fear that in the midst of highlighting these two areas in need of discussion we run the danger of missing the heart of Jesus' message; which is the heart!  There is no way we can preserve the unity of the Spirit if evil is coming out of our hearts.  The track record of churches talking about sensitive subjects is not good.  Because of this churches are reluctant to honestly examine controversial issues.  The problem is not in talking about difficult topics but in the arrogance and slanderous manner in which church folks conduct themselves.  If we will all repent of the evil that lives within our hearts we will surely be able to talk about any subject, no matter how controversial, and together discern the leading of God's Holy Spirit.  True followers of Christ would not have it any other way.

Soft Bread and Hard Hearts

How much stock should I put into comments made to me after the sermon?  It seems today I invited an unusually large number of statements to be made concerning my inept math skills.  (Will I ever become ept?) I have come to expect this if numbers play any role in my sermon.  Today's blunder, however, was a mere slip of the tongue, not a true math miscalculation.  Be that as it may, a fair percentage of you made sure that it did not go unnoticed.

Others were much kinder making sure they communicated their good feelings about the sermon and it's presentation.  I have learned that anytime I get children from the congregation involved at least that part of the sermon will gain congregational good will.  

Before leaving the building I heard one comment that indicated someone managed to get past the financial misspeak and grasp the intended point of the presentation.  This person told me that they were having some difficulties at work and the sermon served as a good reminder for them that just as God has helped them in the past he will continue to provide what they need in the present.  Indeed!  As much as I enjoy a good laugh over my verbal mistakes; and as good as it makes me feel to know that my lessons are appreciated, the highest compliment I can receive is that someone found God in the midst of the sermon.

I keep a post-it note above my computer monitor that has two statements written as quotations.  The first one reads, "Thank you preacher for enlightening me."  The second, "Thank you God for saving me."  This serves as a reminder to me that whenever I preach I want people to walk away with the second statement on their hearts, minds, and lips. 

Traveling Light

We suffer from Bible over-familiarity.  By this I mean we know the Bible stories so well that they no longer produce an emotional reaction in us.  For example, in today's sermon I told the story-in-the-story of John the Baptist's unjust murder.  He upset some powerful people and they have his head cut off and placed on a dinner platter.  We've heard that story so many times that it has lost much of its power. 

Today I tried to "re-frame" the story by telling about the horrible murder of five missionaries more than 50 years ago.  Hearing about the incredible faith, not only of the young men, but also of their young wives and later of their grown children, makes the story produce many emotions.  Someone said I should have provided tissues in the pews. 

This story impacted my life when I was a college student and continues to shape it to this day.  If you would like to learn more I would recommend the following resources:

•  Elisabeth's Elliot's classic book, Through Gates of Splendor is avaliable at most public librarys
• At least three DVD's are available
• Through Gates of Splendor is a documentary narrated by Elisabeth Elliot.  It is 36 minutes in legnth
• Beyond Gates of Splendor is professionally produced documentary which appeared in theaters in 2002.  It features Steve Saint, son one of the slain missionaries and is 96 minutes long.
• The movie clip I showed today was from The End of The Spear produced in 2006.  It is a powerful retelling of the story bringing it up to the current day.

Below (if reading this on my blog) you can find some easy links to buy each of these items on Amazon.

Impact Week 2010

My favorite part of the service today were the interviews I was able to have with so many of our members who were involved in Impact Week.  Even though Impact Week is a youth driven activity it is supported by a multitude of people.  That is why I designed the interviews to reflect all ages, both genders, long term members as well as new Christians, singles and marrieds.  Everyone that was involved has a story to share and it was good to get a small sampling of those this morning. 

Nobody could keep up the pace of Impact, and nobody should even try.  Impact Week is designed to be a sprint.  The gun sounded last Sunday and the activity was fast and furious.  We hit the finish line today and now we rest.  After resting, it will be time to get up and move again - not at a fast run but at a nice walking pace.  Let's take the lessons we learned from Impact week and fit them into our daily walk.  As we walk let's remember to:

• Invest yourself by moving through fear by faith

• Meet people seeing others through the eyes of Jesus

• Pray constantly

• Do Acts of Kindness by serving those in need

• Live in Community with like minded believers in Jesus sharing our lives

• Continually offering Thanksgiving to God

Crazy Love

Of all the wonderful sights and sounds we experienced Sunday morning in worship; there was none more beautiful to my eyes than our communion service.  As the praise team began to sing I watched people turned to face each other or place their arm around one another throughout the sanctuary.  The sounds of joy were abundant as people expressed their thankfulness for their own salvation and their gratitude for the salvation of their brothers and sisters.  We all ate the bread and drank the cup in unison and pledged our selves to allow God's love to flow through us so that others might know the "Crazy Love" our Father has expressed for us in the gift of his son, Jesus. 

There is nothing more beautiful than a swift flowing Colorado river.  The water is crystal clear.  The snow packed mountains are the source and the rivers flow on and on and on; blessing the earth and all her inhabitants.  God has given us that river as an illustration of how he desires for us to live.  He is the source of abundant waters.  We are the river letting his love flow through us on and on and on, so that all might experience the blessing of knowing and being known by their Loving Father. 

Impact Week 2010 has begun and we have adopted our theme this year from a wonderful little book written by Francis Chan, Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God.  May God's "Crazy Love" flow through us so all that we come in contact with might know that they are loved.