Sermon Reflections

Whom Should We Choose?

2012-01-29T14:26:00.000-06:00

I love the image of sheep following their shepherd. The shepherd is out front and the sheep go wherever the shepherd goes. This is such a different picture than that of cowboys herding cattle. Cowboys use whips and cutting horses to keep the cattle together. They ride behind the herd and push them forward.

Elder selection is not asking some cowboys to "ride herd" on the people of God! Rather, it is the church looking among themselves to see who God has raised up to shepherd his people. When true shepherds are appointed elders, the people willingly follow their godly leaders in the ways of Christ.

Obtaining True Treasure

2012-01-15T15:43:00.000-06:00

All the kingdom parables seems to build on the two we talked about today. But what do they mean exactly? What does it mean to sell all you have to possess the kingdom? I've wrestled with this off and on my entire Christian life. It can't mean literally sell everything can it? That doesn't seem to be how the earliest Christians interpreted this. They continued to own property for instance.

When I think of what it has cost me personally to live in the kingdom the cost doesn't seem that high. There's been some financial sacrifices; but perhaps that was only because I was called to full time ministry where compensaiton has not always been on the same level as my contemporaries. Our kingdom priorities caused Liz to forgo her career as a teacher and be a stay-at-home mom. That was not really a sacrifice since she wanted to be a full time mommy much more than to have the extra income.

We always tithed our income, but that has never kept us having anything we really needed in life. In fact, I adopted the attitude I learned from my father. When talking about these things he always brings up the intangibles such as profesional services or possessions we had received for little or no money. He would also talk about how long our cars might go without needing repair or the good health our family had. I can make a similar list when thinking about my own family though the years. So, I don't think I've missed out on anything by my practice of giving 10% of our income to church.

Looking deeper into my life I can see times where my pride needed to be crucified, along with other fleshly attitudes such as prejudice, judgementalism, arrogance, and the like. It's hard to see these as sacrifices since they were destructive. Knowing Jesus as savior really means he saved me from sins like these! Taking these attitudes to the cross allowed the Holy Spirit to create new attitudes in me that enable me to live the kingdom lifestyle. That could hardly be called a sacrifice, considering what I was given in return.

I guess I could include certain acts of service I've done over the years. They might include sacrifices of time and comfort. But in reality, those were the times in life when I have felt most alive. I guess the bottom line is that all "sacrifices" we make for the sake of the kingdom seem HUGE at the time yet so small and insignificant once the treasures of the kingdom come into our possession. The butterfly never complains about missing her little feet and squishy body - she just floats though the air on her beautiful wings.

What Were You Expecting?

2012-01-08T15:40:00.000-06:00

The kingdom of heaven is often thought of as restrictive, as though the king's highest priority is keeping his subjects in line by requiring them to follow a list of do's and don'ts. When we read the teaching of Jesus, however, we discover the kingdom offers the most incredible freedom. It's not freedom to do whatever we like (which is in effect a terrible form of bondage); rather, it is the freedom to be all that God intended humans to be.

The kingdom parables offer a glimpse into the thinking of Jesus as he discloses the nature of the kingdom using ordinary, earthy illustrations. The sermon series will work though these illustrations seeking to let Jesus develop our expectations. Here's my list of the 12 parables of Jesus that begin, "The kingdom of heaven is like . . ."

▸ A man who sowed good seed in his field (Mt. 13:24-30; 36-43; Mk. 4:26-29)

▸ A mustard seed (Mt. 13:31-32; Mk. 4:30-32; Lk. 13:18-21)

▸ Leaven (Mt. 13:33; Lk. 13:20)

▸ Treasure hidden in a field (Mt. 13:44)

▸ A merchant looking for fine pearls (Mt. 13:45-46)

▸ A net (Mt. 13:47-50)

▸ The owner of a house (Mt. 13:52)

▸ A king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants (Mt. 18:23-25)

▸ A landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers (Mt. 20:1-16)

▸ A king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son (Mt. 22:1-14)

▸ Ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom (Mt. 25:1-13)

▸ A man going on a journey who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them (Mt. 25:14-30)

The Nativity

2011-12-26T09:41:00.000-06:00

The night of caroling is over; selected families were blessed with financial gifts from the church; all the candles have been blown out from the candlelight service, and the nativity set I used yesterday is now put away. Undoubtedly, Christmas is the busiest time on our church calander. It's a far cry from the days of my youth when all Christmas activities were anathama at church. One church I was with even moved the children's Sunday School lesson on the birth of Christ from December to June lest anyone get the idea that Jesus was literally born on December 25!

Yesterday's Christmas service was so enjoyable. Lots of children who grew up here came home as adult visitors. Many families brought their out of town guests which made up for many in our number who were off visiting their families in other places.

I was glad to see so many chlildren present. I assumed (rightly or wrongly) that the last place children would want to be on Christmas morning was at church. That is why I did the nativity sermon for the children followed by Christmas carols. In spite of my assumptions, it certainly did not seem like anyone was there out of a sense of duty. Rather, there was a wonderful spirit of celebration as all praised our Father and offered expressions of thanksgiving to Him for the wonderful gift of his son.

My favorite part was watching people during family prayer. A young lady came and blessed Liz and I with the gift of prayerful appreciation. I saw others moving about hugging, smiling, talking and praying together. I know God was smiling as his children recognized the gift he has given us in one another. I still have some misgivings about the busyness that seems to have taken over the season, but I can't help but feeling a sense of "mission accomplished" when the last worship service of the year was one full of thankgiving, love, fellowship and sharing. Thank you God, for Christmas!

The Gospel as Fairy Tale

2011-12-18T16:48:00.000-06:00

"You give us so much hope!" said the elderly lady after today's sermon. I replied, "Then I must have been preaching Gospel." I admit when I first saw the title to Frederick Buechner's book, Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy & Fairy Tale, my initial thoughts were negative. However, as I read the work I realized that each of these dramatic styles do indeed have something profound to contribute to our understanding of the Good News of Jesus.

I especially have been looking forward to today's sermon. Sometime ago C. S. Lewis helped me understand that Fantasy communicates truth about the unseen realities that make it easier to grasp and understand. I wonder if the Apocalyptic literature of the Old and New Testaments were written for a similar purpose? That was why I eagerly grabbed onto Revelation 2:17 as my sermon text. To seek a literal meaning for the verse obscures it's ability to communicate. The truth of the Gospel is that it is too good NOT to be true!

The Gospel as Comedy

2011-12-11T13:53:00.000-06:00

Laughter and tears have a lot in common. How often have you been laughing and laughed so hard you began to cry? Or, have you had the opposite happen to you? You are crying and suddenly something is said or done that makes your crying turn into laughter. I wonder about why these two very opposite reactions can sometimes occur at the same time.

There is nothing funny about tragedy. Tragedy is horrible and painful. It is car accidents, drownings and hopeless diseases. Tragedies are often so awful that that are unspeakable.

Only God can turn a tragedy into something good. The cross of Christ becomes salvation for hopeless sinners because of the resurrection. The unexpected has happened and it makes us laugh! The kingdom has broken into our world and now the last are first and poor are rich. The blind are the ones who can see and the empty are filled. We were all caught looking in the wrong direction but now that we've taken a turn on "unexpected road" we are all filled with laughter.

Come, Lord Jesus! Bring your kingdom in fullness. Fill your people with the laughter of Sarah and Abraham. Give up the grace to expect the impossible.

The Gospel as Tragedy

2011-12-04T14:02:00.000-06:00

Preparing for the lesson today I had to work to stay on topic. It's difficult to ponder the theme of tragedy. It's tempting to rush through the bad things to get to the good stuff of the Gospel. Unfortunately, reality does not allow us to do this. Life in this world forces us to face the fact that pain, suffering and tragedy are real and eventually will touch everyone.

As I prepared my lesson today I thought about the funerals I have conducted this year. It's difficult to work with families struggling to accept the death of dreams and the unfairness of pain, suffering and death. Platitudes are only helpful to those who give them. For those facing the tragedy of living in a sin polluted world, the best words are often none at all. Presence is more beneficial than filling the emptiness the words that are equally empty.

But it is tragedy that sets up the comedy. As we will see next week, those who don't allow themselves to understand the tragedy miss out on the comedy. They are like the ones who don't get the joke and wonder why everyone finds it so funny. So don't be afraid to be real. Don't be afraid to think deeply and reflectively about the just how difficult it is to be human. After all, Jesus didn't pretend life wasn't hard. He fully embraced it and showed us how to life. But he did more than that, he is in fact the Way, the Truth, and the Life! He IS the way out of this mess. And what comes next . . . . well, that's the comedy and the fairy tale.

Cultivating a Thankful Heart

2011-11-21T10:07:00.000-06:00

On Sunday I was privilidged to stand at the front of the sanctuary as people began to share their thanksgivings with one another. What began as a small rumble became louder and louder until there were hundreds of voices expressing their thanksgiving. It sounded to me like a jumbled roar of noice. However, upon reflection, I think it sounded to God like a beautiful symphony. A chorus of thanksgiving. An offering of thanks given by our church in honor of our magnificient God!

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." (Colossians 4:2)

Come Lord Jesus

2011-11-13T15:31:00.000-06:00

I loved the large blocks of scripture used in the last part of today's sermon. While exegesis of those passages can be helpful, I wonder if thoughtful meditaiton might be more beneficial in terms of changing our hearts and lives. When the NT writers speak of the return of Jesus it is always for the purpose of influencing how we live in this age. We are to live with confidence, hope, and assurance as we look forward to his return. Somehow the information contained in Scripture must move from our intellect to our hearts and then out through our attitudes and actions.

When Peter wrote, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Peter 3:15) he was not necessarly saying that we need to be able to answer all the difficult questions non-believers ask. Rather, we are to explain why we can have hope when everything looks bleak. Faith in the unseen realities of Christ are a powerful witness to a world that has lost hope. The second coming of Jesus is a promise we hold dear to our hearts. It enables us to live right now in the kingdom of God that can only been seen by faith. One day soon, however, it will be revealed and made known to all. That will be the day of Christ's appearing. "Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight." Amen, Come Lord Jesus!

(If you want to meditate on this message of good news turn to 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; 1 Peter 1:3-12; and 1 John 2:28-3:3.)

We Believe in the Lord's Supper

2011-11-06T15:10:00.000-06:00

The depth of meaning that is to be found in the Lord's Supper is beyond the scope of one simple sermon. It is, in fact, beyond the ability of an entire series of sermons. The reason is that bread and cup are not just elements to be dissected and thought through intellectually. Bible messages, helpful as they are, fail to truly uncover the marvelous mysteries of the Communion. Words themselves are inadequate (and thus this blogger is struggling!).

Two comments made to me after the service today may clarify my meaning. The first was made by a woman who has been a faithful servant of Jesus longer than I have been alive. She simply said, "Today I truly worshipped." The second was made by a gentleman of similar age. He said that during one song he had to stop singing. What he meant by that, I believe, was that he became so in tune with the "message" of the Lord's Supper that his emotions rendered him unable to sing. When we reflect on the Lord's Supper as Memorial, Eucharist, Communion, and Anticipation it can easily become a rather overwhelming experience of the goodness of God. Hallelujah! Come, Lord Jesus!

We Believe in the Holy Spirit

2011-10-30T15:06:00.000-05:00

When we think of God the Father, usually a human image comes to mind such as Michelangelo's famous painting depicting God and Adam. We often conceive of Jesus in terms of a young man. But what image comes to mind when we think of the Holy Spirit? Trinitarian doctrine calls him the "third person" of the the Godhead, but images in our mind are often cloudy or vapory. How can one conceive of the Holy Spirit as a person?

This was precisely the reason why I choose to present the Holy Spirit as a gentleman this morning. What a difference it makes to visualize the Spirit as a continual presence with us urging us and empowering us to live holy lives. I appreciate Richard using his acting talents this morning to give us a visual image of the Holy Spirit as a person who leads, instructs, guides and corrects.

My take away from this morning's lesson is the sermon text, "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature" (Galatians 5:16). I want to live a life "under the influence" of the Spirit so that the sinful nature continues to die away and life in the Spirit grows stronger and stronger.

Moving into Deep Waters

2011-10-23T17:35:00.000-05:00

The stories I shared this morning from our heritage are some of my favorites. I especially love the B. F. Hall story about the freedom he found when he realized the connection between forgiveness of sins and baptism. Through the years some of that joy became tainted as we failed to stay true to the second half of Thomas Campbell's famous motto: "We are silent where the Bible is silent." When we strayed from our role as proclaimers of good news to become the judges of those who don't understand baptism exactly like us, the doctrine of baptism began to feel more like a burden than a blessing.

As we are now rethinking some of our past teachings and practices, I find great encouragement from reading the stories of the frontier preachers and their earliest views on baptism. Truly, they understand that God gave us baptism as a gift that we might know the assurance of salvation. There is no need to struggle and cry out to God hoping that maybe he will forgive us. Rather, we place all our assurance in the atoning blood of Jesus. We are baptized in full assurance of faith that our past is forgiven, our future is assured and with confidence in the Holy Spirit we set forth to live the new life!

High and Holy Becomes Meek and Lowly

2011-10-16T14:26:00.000-05:00

No matter how many times I've heard the "old, old story" I never cease to be amazed that God would humble himself to become one of us. The complicated doctrine of the Trinity or the difficulty in explaining the Incarnation are nothing compared to comprehending why the High and Holy One would humble himself to the extent that he would suffer all the effects of the Fall. He who had need of nothing made himself weak so that he might restore relationship with his sinful creatures.

Some of the scriptures quoted in this morning's sermon spoke to the in incomprehensible concept of God becoming a human. But, the most profound scripture I know is also the most simple: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son. . ." Karl Barth, a theologican one who had wrestled with many deep biblical concepts was supposed to have been asked the question, "What is the most profound thought you have ever encountered?" His response, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."

Who Am I?

2011-10-09T13:24:00.003-05:00

As I pondered the sermon this week I kept thinking about the Casting Crown's song, Who Am I? After reflecting on the question of self identity the chorus strings together a series of scriptural images regarding the brevity of life:

I am a flower quickly fading,

Here today and gone tomorrow,

A wave tossed in the ocean,

A vapor in the wind.

Considering the enormity of God (as I've attempted to do the past two weeks) indeed our years are just a passing breeze and our entire existence is as a speck of dust living on grain of sand in a universe beyond human comprehension. AND YET, the Psalmist reminds us that we were created a little lower than the heavenly beings, crowned with glory and honor and made rulers of all things here on earth. (Psalm 8:5ff)

The fact that sin has so contaminated us that our very nature now is sinful, has never changed God's view of our purpose and reason for existence. Because of his great love for us he sent his son to cleanse us from sin that we might be an untarnished reflection of his image on earth. Thus the second part of the Casting Crown's song reflects God's great concern for us:

Still you hear me when I'm calling,

Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,

And you've told me who I am.

I am yours.

Thank you Lord! What a Savior!

We Believe in God

2011-10-02T16:05:00.000-05:00

The shrinking YOU in this morning's sermon seemed to be the most memorable part of the lesson. I know that was the part that most impacted me as I worked on the sermon this past week. For those who did not hear the sermon, we noticed how the frame of reference in determining anything of significant value always begins with YOU. But the further one moves back the smaller you become: family, church, city, country, nation, planet, galaxy, universe. Above all the universe is God. Contrasting the High and Holy One with a human being is like contrasting the vast expanse of ocean with a single drop of water (except that the drop of water is significantly bigger!).

After the sermon someone commented that God even knows the number of hairs on our head. Incredible! He is so massively huge and yet so near and concerned about even the least significant human. What a great God we serve!

We Will Serve The Lord

2011-09-25T15:40:00.000-05:00

People sometimes ask me how long it takes to write a sermon. The answer for today's sermon would be 28 years (that's the age of our oldest child). I was reluctant to preach on parenting when the children were small thinking that the ideal time would be when they were grown. Now that my children are grown, and the world has changed so much, I'm thinking parents really need help from someone much more in touch with the challenges of today's technology.

But I preached today's sermon knowing that the basics of parenting never change. That's why I love Joshua's declaration so much, "As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." No matter what age you live in, no matter what's going on in the culture around you, this is surely where godly parenting always begins.

Today's sermon was not intended to be deep or profound. I seriously doubt anyone learned anything they didn't already know. I decided to combine movie clips with personal testimony to encourage parents to do what they already know to do but to do it with conviction and sacrificial leadership. There is not a single sacrifice Liz and I made in raising our children that we regret. The three word sermon outline of Time, Talk, and Walk was truly a statement of our priorities. My prayer is that every Christian family might make them theirs as well.

My Faith Journey

2011-09-11T14:50:00.000-05:00

It felt a little strange preaching a testimonial sermon. It's not that I mind telling my faith story, it's just that it seems the sermon time should be built around a text of scripture with personal stories used as illustration. I think it's fair to say that that should generally be true. However, building the entire sermon around my story today seemed a fitting way to conclude the series.

I was reminded of a poem I heard back in college: The Gospel According to You. It made the point that people need to see the gospel at work when they examine your life. God communicated through paper and ink to Israel, however, when God wanted to communicate at the deepest level he sent his message clothed in human flesh in the person of Jesus. We need to teach and preach what God has give to us in written form, but for people to really catch the vision of what it means to be in relationship to God, they need to see Jesus living in us. They need to hear our stories of struggle and growth. They need to hear, not just how God worked in the life of Abraham, Joseph, and Saul of Tarsus; they need to know how he has changed your life and mine. Now that you know my story; what's yours?

The Goal of Our Faith

2011-09-04T14:40:00.001-05:00

In 2003 I preached a sermon similar to the one I presented this morning. I used an object lesson in that sermon to illustrate putting "confidence in the flesh". As I talked about things a modern Christian might point to to feel secure in their faith, I would pull out trophies and set them up on a table. I mentioned boasting in one's heritage such as being "raised in the church" or having various families members in positions of church leadership. Then I talked about feeling secure because of all the good things I've done in life such as being baptized, taking the Lord's Supper, reading the Bible, serving on a committee, and on and on. I mentioned putting our faith in titles such as ministry leader, deacon, or elder. I saved the largest trophy for the last title I mentioned: preacher! By that point the table was overflowing with trophies.

I then brought a trash can on stage and began to put all the trophies in the trash. This was in keeping with Paul's saying that he considered all the things he formerly put confidence in to be skubala, translated garbage or dung. At the end of that sermon we sang "The Old Rugged Cross" and I pointed out the verse that says, "I'll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down."

I decided not to use the illustration this week since I think our church is in a different place than we were in 2003. I find in my preaching now I spend less time talking about some of our past legalisms and more time giving a positive focus to what it means to follow Jesus. Thus, today's sermon was on the resurrection power available to us as we share in Christ's sufferings and death. The cross the is ultimate object lesson. How appropriate that it hangs above and behind the pulpit where I preach each week. May every sermon point us to the cross of Christ.

"I want to know Christ--yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead." (Phillipains 3:10-11)

When the Scales Fall

2011-08-28T16:29:00.000-05:00

“How am I supposed to show love to somebody over and over and over who constantly rejects me?” After working on my sermon for the better part of Monday I sat down at home that evening and watched the movie Fireproof. When I came to the scene where Caleb is complaining to his father I knew that I needed to work that clip into the sermon. What a great question. Indeed the only way we truly learn how to love like that is to accept the love of Christ. Only then will we be able to allow him to love through us.

I can never tell the story of Steve Awtrey loving me when I was a rebellious teenager without tearing up. I used to apologize for that but decided to do so no longer. When someone allows the love of Christ to flow through them to the extent that they love the undeserving; it should provoke an emotional reaction. Even though it happened almost 35 years ago I never ceased to be amazed at the wonderful grace of God to save a sinner like me.

Faith Conquerors Fear

2011-08-21T13:40:00.000-05:00

Why is faith so simple to explain and so often difficult to live? Preaching on faith is the easiest thing in the world. Living by faith, now that's a different story.

My favorite part of today's sermon text (Matthew 14:22-33) is when Jesus immediately reaches out to Peter when Peter's faith failed. What a Savior! When Peter put his faith into action (with permission I might add) he had no reason to fear because even if his faith failed he would still be safe because Jesus would rescue him.

If you know what Jesus wants you to do; go ahead and do it! Even if you don't do it perfectly, even if you get the middle of it and suffer a faith collapse, Jesus will still give you exactly what you need. What a Savior! That's why you can trust him.

So don't worry about failure. Jesus has you covered. Put your attention on him. Make sure you understand his word and then get out of the boat. Walking on water is not just for the "Super Christians". It's for all those who put their trust in Jesus. So, go ahead; get out of the boat.

Jesus' Faith Journey

2011-08-14T16:26:00.000-05:00

Waiting to preach this morning I was struck by the words to the old hymn we sang during the Lord's Supper.

They bound the hands of Jesus in the garden where he prayed;
They led him through the streets in shame.
They spat upon the Savior so pure and free from sin;
They said "Crucify him; He's to blame."

The following verses continue this theme of suffering as the song poetically describes the shame of the cross. At the conclusion of each verse we remind ourselves that he could have called ten thousand angels to set him free, but instead, "He died alone for you and me."

Thinking about the faith journey that Jesus' walked made me a little emotional this morning. Pondering the fact that Jesus became a human, endured poverty, temptation, and injustice for the single purpose of reconciling sinful human beings with the High and Holy One should take my breath away more often than it does. But more than an emotional reaction, I know that what Jesus really wants is my faithful obedience. He has shown the way through voluntary submission to the will of the Father.

Watching him walk his faith journey teaches us how to walk ours. I specifically choose the song after the lesson to reinforce this message.

That's why we praise him, that's why we sing
That's why we offer him our everything.
That's why we bow down and worship this king,
'Cause he gave his everything, 'Cause he gave his everything

Celebrating What God Has Done

2011-08-07T13:44:00.000-05:00

After calling attention to Laura Mallary this morning as the service began, imagine my embarrassment to realize that I totally forgot to have her come and share her testimony of how she had seen God at work though our prayer ministry during this years Impact Week. This is Laura's third year to painstakingly type all of the requests into a usable format for people to use in prayer and service projects. The rest of my sermon reflection today will be from some notes Laura made telling about her week.

This is the third year that I've been helping Jeremy and Donna out in the office during Impact week, compiling prayer and service lists, scheduling service projects, and fielding Impact week related phone calls. I know that God has many purposes at work in our Impact week activities, some that we see and some that we will never know. There are two very clear messages that I can see him communicating with the Clear Lake community through our visits, service, prayers, and events.
The first is that God loves them. So many times I've spoken with local residents who say that our visit or offer of service came just as they needed it most. One lady told me that she had become despondent over her situation, but when our kids prayed with her about it on her front porch, she began to have hope and faith again that things would work out. I've spoken with an elderly lady whose husband was in the hospital and didn't know how she was going to find time to get her yardwork done. Our service allowed her to be with her husband during his illness without worrying about mowing grass or trimming hedges.
The second is a message about his people. So many people have been believed Satan's lies telling them that "church people" are somehow different than they, or that they somehow aren't worthy of our notice. The visits, service, prayers, and events that happen during Impact week have a tremendous influence on the perception of God's people in our community. God's people are not simply those who gather at 938 El Dorado at appointed times, but are the people who visit their homes every summer to pray for them, serve them, and invite them to join us for special events. We are the people who laugh and talk with them at Movie in the Park, the ones who help them out with needs around their homes, and the ones who pray for the things that are on their minds. Rather than thinking of Clear Lake Church of Christ as "church people," I believe that we are showing them the likeness of Christ as HIS people. God is changing how people perceive Him and His church through our ACTIONS, rather than our WORDS.
One last thing, if anyone hasn't participated in this effort during the years that we've been doing it. I would encourage them make plans NOW to participate in some way next year. You can't imagine the encouragement and blessings that Impact Week will bring until you do it. It's amazing how God is able to bless and renew our spirits, even as we pour out His Spirit across our community.

Pursuit

2011-07-31T14:03:00.000-05:00

The sermon today was truly constructed by the church. The painting was, of course, the most obvious feature of the sermon. It was located center stage and expertly painted through the duration of the lesson. While the paint was applied to the canvas stories were being told. One after a another the stories came. We heard different voices telling the same story of helplessness, service, and then hope. The stories were all the same yet they were all different. Different people; different types of suffering; different servants. Yet they were all the same. The overall story that bound them all together was that of Jesus washing the disciple's feet. My job was simply to point to Jesus. He's the one who has truly brought everything together.

As I reflect on the sermon, I keep thinking about the servants we heard about. Largely nameless, shrouded in obscurity, yet serving in ways that deeply impacted the lives of those being served. The servants were us! Those were our stories. But if we talk to Elaine or Bob or Nick or Jana or Boyce or Toni or any of the others who's acts of service were told; they might say, "I was just doing something that needed to be done." Servants just serve.

The lesson I walked away with this morning is this: Don't TRY to have an impact on others; just serve those in need. God is the one who changes lives. Our job is to wash feet.

"I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. . . . . Now that you know these things; you will be blessed if you do them." (John 13:15, 17)

Attitude Check

2011-07-24T14:00:00.000-05:00

Walking away from the sermon this morning, I am feeling the sense of how deeply we really need each other on this faith journey. I know the first time I attempted to climb a Colorado mountain to summit there was no way I would have ever made it without those around me. Of course, some of the them were teenagers and I didnt' want to quit because that would have provided the only excuse they needed to turn around! But there were others who had made the summit on a previous journey who assured us it was worth whatever it cost as we toiled along the upward way.

Jesus is the only one who completed his faith journey to the very end and returned to tell us about it. Consider this verse in Acts 1:3, "After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God." What did he say? Whatever it was, when the Holy Spirit came on them they were full of joy and lived lives of devotion to Jesus and to one another. The opening chapters of Acts show people with tremendous attitudes in the face of suffering and uncertainty.

I met with a young adult recently who was feeling unwanted, ineffective in ministry, and just bad about themselves in general. As we talked I shared from my journey about a time when I went though some very similar feelings. I talked about some encouragement I received at that time and some good insight into how to view my situation differently. I was later told that just knowing I had been through some of the same experiences was a tremendous help. Those of us who have been on this faith journey for a number of years really need to share our lives with those who have not been on it as long. Our stories of success and failure can help a new generation to find hope and courage to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Of course, we all need to keep our eyes on Jesus; and his word to us will surely be, "Don't quit, when you get to the other side you will see it's worth whatever you may have had to go through here." And when things don't go our way here . . . . "Attituuuuuuude Check!"

Running From God

2011-07-18T09:48:00.000-05:00

I'm writing Sunday's sermon reflections on Monday morning. This is an indication of the kind of week it's been. Thus, my reflections will simply be some recitations of comments heard after the sermon:

It's difficult to contrast Jonah and Joseph since they were probably both referred to as "Joe"
Tarshish should be pronounced so that one hears the "shish" at the end
One person who has recently returned to the Lord could relate with the line, "When you run from God, he will pursue you; not to punish you, but because he knows you need him."
A fresh look at an old story

Faith Under Trial

2011-07-10T14:26:00.000-05:00

Everyone loves stories. We love to hear them, read them, and watch them in the theator or on the movie screen. Somehow stories communicate on a deeper level than simple statements. It's one thing to say, "Trust God even when things are going bad;" and something entirely differnet to say, "Once upon a time there was teenager named Joseph."

The Bible stories we have been looking at (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and now Joseph) present people who are all walking the faith journey, but each story is unique. There are certainly some similarities; but it is the differences that makes the individual stories so facisinating.

In a simliar way, the stories of our faith journeys are alike in many ways but each story is unique. The line that sticks with me from this morning's sermon is "Don't give up Joseph, the story is not over yet." How badly we need that faith perspective when we are in the middle of a struggle and are not at all clear of how it will end. This is where the faith stories of Bible characters (and the people who sit around you at church) are so vital. We need to hear from people that have gone through the fire and come out on the other side. We need to hear those tales to reassure us that God is with us even when we can't see him or understand what he is doing.

I yearn for the day when my "faith shall be sight." That will be the day when faith is no longer necessary. While we live on this earth, however, we trust knowing that the story is not finished yet.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

Faith That Limps

2011-07-03T15:08:00.000-05:00

I remember in Sunday School learning about Jacob tricking his brother out his birthright and then deceiving his father to further claim Esau's blessing. For some reason I don't remember ever thinking what Jacob did was wrong. I guess in my innocence I just thought that a patriarch would never do anything sinful.

Today, I read those stories differently. I've come to realize that the patriarchs (like everyone else in scripture) are not the main players, but the supporting cast. God is the main character in all the stories of the Bible. The human characters kind of bumble along; some bumbling better than others.

I particularly enjoyed telling the Jacob story today because his faith journey is so different from my perceptions as a young boy. It wasn't until the intense wrestling match and painful hip dislocation that Jacob knew for certain that without God he wasn't going to make it. If Isaac was the first child to "grow up in the church" as I mentioned last week, then Jacob is the first 3rd generation believer. Someone has said that the first generation of believers know what they believe and why. The second generation knows what they believe but are a little fuzzy on why they believe. The third generation doesn't even know what they believe. That seemed to be true of Jacob. God was true to his promises and finally made a believer out of Jacob.

With his new name, Israel, Jacob could now tell us what he believes about God and why he believes it. He also limps every time he walks. He deserves to limp for sure; but he also earned it. He had to struggle long and hard to prove to himself that he could be a man of faith. Now with each hobble he makes he can smile knowing that God will keep all his promises. Israel will never again have to depend on himself. He can rest secure in the promises of God.

Believing the Promises of God

2011-06-26T15:17:00.000-05:00

I have little interest in formulas or methods for "making prayer work." Sure, there are a lot of things that I ask God to do that I think might make my life better or the life of people I care about. However, I know of no assurance from scripture that God will do what I ask and my lifetime of experience teaches me the same. Sometimes God is pleased to answer my requests and sometimes he answers in other ways.

As we studied this morning, the Prayer of Faith is different. It's not asking God to do whatever it is that I think might be a good idea; it's asking him to fulfill his promises. If God has promised that my life has been made new in Christ (Rom. 6:4), then I can pray in faith that he will help me live this new life. That is a prayer that God has promised to answer.

Praying the scriptures is one of the best ways I have found to pray the promises of God. I particularly enjoy praying the prayers of the New Testament epistles. Each week I send a form letter to those who visit our Sunday service. I have five different letters I send depending upon how many times someone has visited. In each letter I include a prayer from the New Testament and I pray that prayer before signing each letter. I pray those prayers in faith believing that God will do exactly what I ask, because I am praying based on his promises. An example would be from the book of Philippians, "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God" (1:9-11). I am confident that God will answer these prayers if the person is willing to receive God's help.

Develop the habit of asking God to do what he has promised to do and then watch as he answers your prayers. This can be a most enjoyable part of one's faith journey. Believe God's promises. Pray God's promises. Then, watch as God keeps his promises.

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T07:38:00.000-05:00

For the first time in well over three decades my father was able to celebrate Father's Day with all of his children in the same room. My dad has three sons and each of us have one daughter. The girls got together over a year ago working on a plan to get all their fathers together at the same time. It was difficult to find a place and time but after a lot of effort, it was decided that we should all go high in the Rocky Mountains to Buena Vista, Colorado.

Mom and Dad live in Fort Collins, Colorado which is about a 4 hour drive. My brother Paul lives in Canton, Texas and he had to drive about 16-18 hours to get here. My oldest brother, Barry flew in from Los Angeles and I few in from Houston. Paul came with his entire family (including his granddaughter, minus his son-in-law). My daughter Elizabeth and her husband Jaime flew in from San Antonio and Barry's daughter, Beverly flew with him. Of course my mom is with us as well.

Since Paul had to leave at 5 this morning we celebrated Father's Day last night. There were a few cards and presents given but the most special part of the event was that we were all together. Thank you Beverly, Elizabeth, and Kelley for making it happen. Fathers deserve to be honored and you have given my dad the greatest gift possible.

Abraham's Story

2011-06-12T16:06:00.000-05:00

I saw this bumpersticker online and found it thought provoking. As we saw in today's sermon, Abraham cerainly had enough failures to qualify for the guilt trip!
Thankfully, however, he continued his faith journey.

Reflecting on Abraham's story, I'm once again reminded of how easy life looks when examined from the end. In other words, since we know how everything will turn out, we have trouble truly appreciating the stuggle Abraham faced. "Of course God will fulfill his promises", we say to Abraham as he questions God's ability. "Just hang on", we encourage him, "Everything will turn out fine, it's just going to take a few more years."

I think that's what the Holy Spirit is continually whispering in our ears. "Don't give up, don't give in. I know how this is all going to work out and it will be so worth it if you stay on the journey." As we continue our series this summer you will find this to be a common element in everyone's journey. The struggles come because we can't see how things will turn out. That's why living as a Christian requires faith. We can't see the end from the beginning, but we trust the One who can. Faith is living in that trust from day to day.

From Limping to Leaping

2011-05-29T14:52:00.000-05:00

Every Sunday morning I go through the same routine. I wake up, walk the dogs, feed the dogs, and then sit down with a cup of coffee and go over the sermon I am about to preach. This morning as I sat down with my coffee and began going over the sermon I noticed something in the text that stirred my thinking. "In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for disposal of refuse" (2 Timothy 2:20 TNIV). That final phrase is so much more specific than the more common "some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble" (NIV). This image of an ancient toliet makes the next verse really stand out: "Any who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work" (2 Timothy 2:21)

As we have studied thorughout this series, it really is possible to become like Christ! We are not just sinful wretches that will always be sinful wretches. We may come to Christ on a stretcher, but he tells us to "take up our mat and walk." There are things we can do to grow in holiness and righteouness. I'm now wondering if the vessels mentioned in 2 Timothy are more than just symbols. What if this life is simply preparation for the next life? How differently would we live if we knew that our position in the Master's house depends upon the training and discipline we receive in this life?

Our theme verse for "God's Gym" comes from 1 Timothy 4:7, "Train yourself to be Godly." As we end the series look at the next verse, "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come" (1 Timothy 4:8). The work we put into training our selves to be godly will not end at the grave but will become treasures to take with us into the next life.

To keep growing deeper in the life of Chrsit I've listed the resources below that I mentioned in class.

I'll Need You Dad

2011-05-23T11:40:00.000-05:00

After the sermon one dad told me he asked his teenager, "What would you say is the most important thing in my life?" What a great question to ask. That was exactly the response I was hoping for from dads.

Passing on faith to the next generation will never happen by accident. It must be done intentionally. Our faith must be Lived and Taught. Our children need to See and Hear the message of Christ. Godly parenting is not about perfection but direction. What direction are we pointing our children? What would they say is the direction our lives are moving?

As one who now has all three children grown and on their own; I can personally testify that there is no greater joy than knowing that my children are walking in the truth. I love that they are stable financially and successful in their chosen fields of work; but the most heartwarming satisfaction I have is knowing that at the core of their being they want to be faithful to Jesus Christ our Lord.

As we dedicated all those babies to the Lord this past Sunday my prayer for them is that their parents and the church might take the vows they made seriously. May all of us work together to see that our children Know the Lord, Love the Lord and Obey the Lord!

Worship: A Body Building Exercise

2011-05-08T15:09:00.000-05:00

Worship as a body building exercise is a difficult concept in our individualist culture. I grew up learning the "acts of worship" and working to make sure that I did them properly. Over time, I became more focused on having good worship "feelings" believing that if I experienced a "worship high" that meant that I had really worshiped. But thinking about worship as a recognition of the Holy God and surrendering myself to him, my brothers and sisters in Christ, and the world; that's a really different way to look at things.

When personal surrender becomes the act of worship I do every Sunday morning; I am free to recognize God for who he is and for what he has done. In turn I am also free to be used by God to encourage others and be available to love and serve them. By surrendering myself, my preferences and my opinions for the good of the body, I am able to leave worship knowing that God has served me and equipped me to serve others throughout the week. That kind of empowering worship is what builds up the body. I love the experience of having good feelings during worship, but I'd much rather view worship as a spiritual discipline for the body of Christ. Having the body of Christ grow strong and healthy; now that's a goal for corporate worship that we should all be able to work toward.

Fasting for Spiritual Formation

2011-05-01T13:50:00.002-05:00

I recently heard a replacement term for "spiritual disciplines." The new term is "soul training exercises." There is concern that some might have lost sight of the point and made the "disciplines" ends in themselves. In order words, "get the disciplines down pat and you will instantly be spiritual." The opposite of this would be viewing the disciplines as optional for ordinary Christians and necessary only for the super spiritual. Pursuing the disciplines as ends in themselves leads one to take pride in their accomplishments. Not having the disciplines in one's life leads one to a flabby, out of shape Christianity that is a poor excuse for discipleship. My prayer is that neither will be considered the norm for us!

I don't think I can overstate the importance of fasting for us today. It is more than intensified prayer; although it can serve that pupose. It is a direct attack on the addiction we all have to the culture of instant gratificaiton. The purpose of fasting is not to master the fast; it is simply one tool to use in our pursuit of God and the holy life that he has called us to live. The reason fasting is such an important tool is that I know of no other way to practice self-denial. One who has learned to deny self though periods of fasting will have a much easier time of denying self when called upon by God to serve. Fasting helps train one to be forgiving, loving, a servant, and a multitude of other attitudes and actions that spring from a transformed life.

Please join me this week in identifying one idol in your life that is competing with God and take steps to prevent that idol from having control over you. Decide what kind of a fast would be a useful way to deny yourself so that you can focus your attention more completely on God. Set a beginning time and an ending time. Partner up with a friend for the fast if you like. This can help with accountability as well as giving you a prayer partner. Let's get serious about following Paul's admonition to "Train yourself to be godly" (1 Timothy 4:7).

You Shall Have a Song!

2011-04-24T17:09:00.000-05:00

For my reflection today I'm simply going to list things that stand out in my mind as I look back over the service. These are in no particular order.

Ben Tompson's negative response to my singing. ( I think I finally won him over when I got to singing "A, B, C, ...."
Sybal's wonderful work with our LTC choir.
The beauty of sign language.
The joy of seeing so many faces at church that I have not seen in a awhile.
Holding my 8 week old granddaughter to greet people after the service.
Marveling over that long list of scriptures I read at the end of the sermon. (I hope it wasn't too long.)
Rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep during our Family Prayer Time.
Watching our beautiful children and listening as they told the story of Jesus' death and resurrection.
Having all my children and their spouses at home at the same time attending Easter services with us.
Reflecting on the great work of so many who devoted themselves to making our Easter worship a meaningful time of celebration and thanksgiving.

A Spiritual Food Pyramid

2011-04-17T17:05:00.000-05:00

Ever since I was baptized 37 years ago I have been in love with the Bible. I remember when I was a senior in high school taking one of those tests designed to help you know what to do with your adult life. The job I ranked highest in was "priest." I know that happened because several of the questions had to do with the Bible. On each one I had checked "highly interested" or whatever the highest ranking was. What else could a person like that become if not a priest?

Since I'm a naturally disciplined person by nature, I loved the challenge of reading through the Bible in a year or studying a subject like prayer through the entire Bible. I've enjoyed digging deeply into God's word to understand a particular book or topic. Early on in my Christian walk I learned how to use the Psalms as a prayer book and later developed the practice of praying the prayers of Paul (and others).

In the past few years I've discovered the ancient practice of Scripture meditation. I was excited to be able to share this with the congregation both in the Bible class and sermon today. I loved the exercise we did in class meditating on Psalm 1. I practiced the exercise at home yesterday and felt an immediate draw to focus on the tree mentioned in the passage. In class others were drawn to different parts of the Psalm. One person focused on the word "delight" and another on the word "meditate." Another said meditating on the Psalm brought to mind a grapevine in his garden that he thought was dead. However, when cutting off the dead parts he discovered that there was still life in the root. He made application to his own life and spiritual journey. How wonderful that the Holy Spirit can speak to each of us in unique ways when we take our time, focus on Scripture, and listen.

Meditation does not do away with other types of Bible reading or study. Instead, I believe, it can enhance such work. We still need to get a grasp on the big picture of the message of God as occurs when we read the Bible systematically. We still need to know what the individual authors were communicating to their original audiences as can be understood through Bible study. Grounding such work as Bible reading and Bible study on the proper foundation makes all the difference when it comes to meditation. No matter how I'm looking at the Bible my ultimate goal is always to cooperate with God's Spirit in the formation of my life into the image of Christ. When this is our purpose and goal, we can be assured of enjoying rich times of meditation on the unchanging but ever new Word of God.

Don't Forget to Breathe

2011-04-10T14:06:00.000-05:00

Of all the great lessons Mr. Miyagi taught Danielson, arguably the most important was, "Don't forget to breathe. It is very important." As we learned in our sermon today, prayer is the breath of our spiritual lives. There are certianly some techniques and exercises that teach us how to experience deeper and richer communion with God through prayer. But in the end, I still find the best advise to be what I said near the end of the sermon, "Pray as you can, not as you can't." I don't know who first uttered that simple sentance, but it brings great relief to people like me who contantly wonder what there is about prayer that I have not yet learned to practice. Do what you can NOW but keep learning.

Everyone loves a story. I received a number of comments after the sermon about the stories I read about "Aunt Sally" from Mark Thibodeaux's book, "Armchair Mystic: Easing Into Contemplative Prayer." For those desiring to go deeper into the final stages of prayer that I talked about this moring, I would consider this book a wonderful first step. I wrote a brief review a couple of years go that you can find if you click here. (Scroll down the page to find my review.)

I have heard that the best exercise is the one that you actually do! The same is true for prayer. Learning about prayer is wonderful; Praying is more wonderful still!

Finding Your Rhythm

2011-04-03T15:08:00.001-05:00

As I reflect on today's sermon I find myself amazed at how simple life should be. The sun rises and falls every day, the tides roll in and out over and over and over. Summer follows Spring which comes right after Fall and Winter every year. Flowers always bloom in spring and trees always lose their leaves in Fall. We could say it's like clockwork, but in reality, the clock is made possible by the rhythm God has set in the universe.

If life should be simple, why does it feel so complex? The short answer would be that sin has entered into God's perfect creation and caused an element of chaos to be present. This explains why sometimes the rolling waves can become a highly destructive tsunami! For many, however, the chaos is not an occasional event but has become a lifestyle. We choose to live frantic, harried, haggard, crazy lives. How do does one get off the treadmill?

I must credit Henry Nouwen for the three point outline I used today to describe how Jesus lived according to God's rhythm. The concepts of Solitude, Community, and Ministry have helped me a great deal to slow my life down and follow the leading of God's Spirit. To read Nouwen's insightful article click here. Life really can be much simpler than many choose to live around us. Look to Jesus and he will show you the way.

Belong, Believe, Become

2011-03-27T16:18:00.000-05:00

Today's youth led worship reminded us again of the value of family. I was particularly impressed with the sheer number of people involved in leading our service. The obvious, "up front" people were the praise team and the different speakers. There was also the eight teens that gave the drama demonstrating the value of being connected with one another. There were several Bible readers both up front and reading from the pews. There were also the boys who passed the collection plates. But the most meaningful part of the service for me was watching the various families passing communion.

As Jeremy reminded us, meal time is a great point of connection for a family. It is sad to say that the family table is now often only a nostalgic memory in our fast-paced, over-committed lives. It is worth the sacrifice, however, to slow down a little to sit together and eat a meal as a family. How appropriate, on this day when we were reminded that we are all family in Christ; we would have individual family units serve the various sections of the sanctuary. David Layman handed me the trays and near to him were his wife and his two daughters all working together to see that their designated section was served.

In a healthy family, everyone serves using whatever they have to contribute to the whole. Today, we were blessed to be served by our teenagers and their families. Many of those teenagers have been served by this church for many years while they were growing up. That is the cycle of love and service that builds strong, healthy families. May we continue to love, to serve, and to build each other up.

Are You Being Saved?

2011-03-20T14:19:00.000-05:00

After the sermon this morning I had a conversation concerning the extremes that we Christians seem to continually battle. On the one hand, is the extreme of legalism where no matter what you do, or how much you do, it is never enough. At the end of the day you feel unsure of your salvation knowing that you could have done more and that you could have done better than you did.

The other extreme is libertineism (or more popularly known as "cheap grace") where you don't worry about about a thing since God's got everything covered. The consequence of living in legalism is that you are continually either proud of your accomplishments or guilty for not achieving enough. Either way you become a very poor reflection of Christ who opposes the proud and sets the guilty free.

The consequence of living under "cheap grace" is that you ultimately live anyway you want to so that there is no discernible difference between you and someone who claims no belief in Jesus. This is, of course, an unacceptable option for one who claims to serve Jesus as Lord.

The concept of salvation we talked about this morning is a grateful acknowledgment of how Jesus has supplied all we need for life and godliness AND a working out of that salvation through repentance and growth in the Holy Spirit. It is truly a marvelous concept that absolutely must be recovered if we would be the transformed people of God living as Christ in our communities.

I must give credit for the "garden tools" illustration to Marjorie Thompson and her marvelous book, Soul Feast. These are her words which sparked my illustration, "Spiritual disciplines are like garden tools. The best spade and hoe in the world cannot guarantee a good crop. They only make it more likely that growth will be unobstructed. The mystery of maturation lies in the heart of the seed, and the outcome of planting depends largely on the vagaries of weather. Still, tools are important in helping to ensure that planted seeds will bear fruit. Tools can remove stones and roots, aerate the soil, weed and water the garden. Disciplines like prayer, spiritual reflection, and hospitality have the character of garden tools."

For those who might like one good book introducing the concept of spiritual disciplines I would recommend Soul Feast. There is plenty of depth so that the book is not simplistic, but it is also extremely practical with thought provoking questions and many easy to learn exercises.

Seven Disciplines of Jesus

2011-03-13T13:58:00.000-05:00

You realize that every sermon I preach to the Clear Lake Church I must first preach to myself. Often while I'm standing up front preaching I'm still preaching to myself. How can I teach anyone anything unless I myself am a student. When it comes to examining the seven disciplines of Jesus we talked about this morning, I find myself in the disciple who said, "Lord, teach us to pray."

The most profound statement I made to myself in this week's sermon was an insight I think I got from Dallas Willard's book, The Spirit of the Disciplines. It was the idea that we often try to obey Jesus' teachings while living like the rest of the world, instead of following the disciplines of Jesus' life. I read that statement and thought to myself, "Of course!" How can anyone possibly obey Jesus unless they live like Jesus? It was then that I knew I needed to preach on the disciplines of Jesus' life. The discipline comes first, obedience follows.

Spiritual training in God's gym follows this order: Exercises, Discipline, Habit, Lifestyle. How often we want to follow the lifestyle of Jesus without learning the disciplines of his life. This morning in class we learned one small exercise to develop the discipline of prayer in our lives. What would happen in your attitudes this week if you simply said the "Jesus prayer" as you drove to work each morning?" What would happen if you said the prayer as you fell asleep each night this week?

We will be learning several such exercises to help us focus on the Lord and grow in our obedience to all of his commands. And as John reminds us, "his commands are not burdensome" (1 John 5:3). Jesus' commands are designed to set us free, to allow us to really live! But first, we've got to get our mind's right. We've got to allow the Master to train us in God's gym.

Let the Training Begin

2011-03-06T14:47:00.000-06:00

A few hours after I was baptized, way back on February 20, 1977, I read the New Testament book of James in it's entirety and offered a brief prayer to God asking for help in living this new life I had just been given. Thus began my quest for spiritual formation. In the 34 years since that day I have experimented with many spiritual disciplines and exercises seeking to know how best to cooperate with God's Spirit who is working to form me into the image of Christ.

In my early years we talked about Spiritual Growth instead of Spiritual Formation and the tools offered were few. In addition to weekly church attendance the Christians I associated with strongly urged me to develop the practice of a daily Quiet Time. The first activity of each morning was thus spent in intercessory prayer and Bible reading. This practice of Quiet Time served me well for a number of years. Eventually, however, I realized that my daily habit had been taken over by Satan and continually led me into guilt (for not doing it enough) or pride (for my successful accomplishment). After a great deal of struggle I just had to let the practice go away.

In it's place I've developed a number of other "habits" that have served me well. As our series of sermons (and Bible Classes) continue I will be sharing with you some of the disciplines that have been well tested by many believers over the centuries. After today's sermon a woman in her 60's told me that just this morning she had been praying, "Lord, I'm so tired of trying." When she heard in the sermon the encouragement to "stop trying and start training" she knew the Lord had heard her prayer and was answering the cry of her heart.

I've put Amazon links to some additional resources for those readers who want to go deeper. I'll be saying more about these books in the future. Each of the ones listed here has been personally helpful to me on my journey. Let the Training Begin!

Meet Him in Galilee

2011-02-20T14:16:00.001-06:00

I've come to appreciate how Mark ends his Gospel. I love the image of sitting underneath the cross where I realize He died for me and then being transported back to Galilee where I find the risen Christ and begin the process of discipleship all over again.

So many commented today on the impact of the Bible reading during the sermon. In my Mark reading this week I read silently until I came to the text I knew I would be preaching. I then began to read aloud. Hearing the words in my ears as well as in my imagination (as we all do when we read silently) made a difference in how I understood the significance of Jesus' death for me. "He bore it all that I might live!" we used to sing. Jesus wants us to admit our failures, but he doesn't want us to stay there! He wants us to live! Receive the gift of grace and get back to Galilee. We'll be much better followers now than when we first began!

Reaching the end of preaching on the Gospel of Mark was actually an emotional experience for me. The past 27 sermons I have preached have all been prepared by reading the Gospel in it's entirety and then focusing attention upon the specific text to be addressed in that week's sermon. As I mentioned this morning I feel like my friend Mark, who I've enjoyed spending time with and getting to know, is leaving. I know we'll visit from time to time but it will not be the same. May I honor Mark's friendship by learning and living the lessons he has taught. What about you? What has Mark taught you that will make a difference in your life?

Bringing It All Together

2011-02-13T14:03:00.000-06:00

Two comments that I have sought to live by:

"When you mess up, fess up."

"Confession is to be as wide as the sin."

I got to demonstrate both of these this morning as my attempt at humor was made at the expense of another. Some tried to assure me that my comments were not inappropriate but I felt in my spirit that they were. I take seriously the scripture, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue , he deceives himself and his religion is worthless" (James 1:26).

Immediately after I made the joke I regretted it, and as I began preaching my spirit was troubled. When the Holy Spirit is nudging you it is best to pay attention. The Spirit continued to bother me as we read Psalm 118 together. During the singing of the three praise songs I knew I needed to let the congregation in on my internal struggle before we ate the bread and drank the cup together.

I hope that God used the sermon to do some good, but all I can reflect on this afternoon is the lesson the Spirit was teaching me. Two other passages come to my mind this afternoon, "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly" (James 3:1). God does hold teachers to a higher standard simply because we to be among the most mature spiritually. "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." (1 Timothy 4:16). I want my life example to preach as loudly as my formal sermons. I want my heart to be sensitive enough so that I don't let "small things" go unnoticed and grow into "big things".

Extravagant Expressions

2011-02-06T15:21:00.000-06:00

One of the questions I wrote for our small groups was to look at the principle players in the sermon narrative (Mark 14:1-11) and talk about which one you can relate too. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I relate better to the angry disciples than anyone else. I understand their argument, "This could have been sold and the money given to the poor." I've spent my entire life living frugally so that I could have something to share with others. To see such extravagant "waste" as displayed by this woman would probably have brought out in me the same reaction as the disciples.

I don't see myself much in the woman. I've had my moments of "unrestrained" praise and thanksgiving, mostly in private. So, I guess I can understand her a little. However, to think of pouring out an entire year's salary (supposing the disciples calculations were correct) is a tough pill for me to swallow.

In spite of my own shortcomings in this area, I'm so glad the woman did what she did. The last act of kindness shown to my Lord before his terrible suffering was given as an extravagant expression of love and thanksgiving. When I see this woman in glory I'm going to give her a hug and thank her for doing what the more "practical minded" disciples could not. I'm going to thank her for pushing me to look at ways that I might be stifling the Spirit within me by resisting his impulses to loosen up and be more expressive to the one who gave everything for me.

The Good News About the End of the World

2011-01-30T16:13:00.000-06:00

There is a phrase in the middle of Mark 13 that instantly catches the attention of the careful Bible reader. The phrase is, "let the reader understand" (Mark 13:14). It is the only time in the entire book of Mark that the author specifically addresses his readers. Mark's original readers all nodded with understanding, while today we shrug our shoulders at the meaning. This was an important point of contact Mark had with his first readers that has been lost on today's audience. The best interpretative guess I have heard on "the abomination that causes desolation" that Mark points too (Mark 13:14) is that it is a coded reference to the Roman general Titus who after conquering the rebel Jewish armies who had captured Jerusalem, commanded the final assault on the temple and took possession of the ruined site in A.D. 70. The destruction of temple in Jerusalem was not the end; it was but a beginning of yet another series of horrible crises.

"Let the reader understand." What would Mark want us to understand today? The cotton candy Christianity I described this morning will not produce disciples who can stand in the face of difficulties. Rather, it produces Christians with a shallow root system. This is not a new problem as Isaac Watts penned the following words in the middle of the 19th century:

Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?
He answers his question in another verse:

Sure I must fight if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord.
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word.
(Am I A Solider of the Cross)

Disciples of Jesus have never been promised a life of financial security or physical protection. When we read Mark's Gospel we are told just the opposite! However, we are promised that we will be given exactly what we need to bear up under any trials that come our way. May God make ALL of us into the kind of spiritually hearty, robust disciples who can keep our focus on the darkest of nights and can continue to love and serve when all around us are in a panic. That is picture of Jesus from the Garden to the cross and that is what the Spirit will produce in us if we let him.

When Less Equals More

2011-01-24T09:01:00.000-06:00

The best part of the sermon had to be my interview with Erika.
Byron: What would you think if you saw someone putting this big pile of bills in the collection basket?
Erika: That they really love Jesus!
Byron: Yeah, that's a lot of money. What would you think of a person who only put in the two penny's?
Erika: Well, that depends.
Byron: Depends on what?
Erika: Like, maybe if it was a homeless person that would show that they really loved Jesus too.
Perhaps I should have just stopped preaching right there.

The thing that really bothers me about this text is not that Jesus commends the widow; it's that he ignores those who put in the large amounts of money! I've always been a tither; even when money got tight at home I never neglected my tithe. I'm convinced God has blessed my family in multiple ways because of that. However, this text ignores the tithers. Mark tells us that there were many rich people putting large amounts of money in the temple treasury. My guess is that they were all faithful tithers. They were simply doing what they were supposed to do. The truth is, they still had plenty left over. The widow put in all she had and even though it was a minuscule amount; Jesus called attention to her gift. "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on." (Mark 12:43-44)

I'm worried for a church that makes widows like this feel like they're a "ministry" and puts rich young rulers in positions of leadership! This text causes me no little discomfort.

Religion or Relationship?

2011-01-16T14:46:00.000-06:00

As I began working on the sermon for this week I was fascinated by reading online quotes concerning religion; almost all of which were negative. One definition of religion is: "a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects." It is not this definition that causes such a negative reaction from people, but the arrogance, hypocrisy, smugness, and hatred that is so often characteristic of those who hold deeply to their religion.

Jesus answered the religious leader's question concerning what is most important by going straight to the heart of the matter. As important as "beliefs and practices" are; they are no where near what Jesus defined as most important. How would people describe us if we took Jesus seriously? What if our first objective was to "love our neighbor" rather than convince our neighbor of the truth of our positions? What if we were more aware of how far we fall short of the command to love God with all of our being than we are of the failings of others? What if love for God and love for neighbor became the first priority of our lives above every other command of God? These were some of the questions I think of as I reflect on today's sermon.

The Intersection of Hope and Fear

2011-01-09T15:17:00.000-06:00

Daniel's baptism was the perfect exclamation point for the sermon this morning! As Daniel stood in the baptistry with his arm extended to heaven, I was reminded of Jesus' baptism, his prayer, the dove, and the proclamation, "This is my son". Baptism places us in solidarity with Jesus and everyone who has ever followed him. It is an awesome expression of faith as we put aside our puny efforts at making life work and surrender to the one who promises to partner with us to move mountains.

I think I said something in the sermon about hope and fear being emotions. Upon reflection I would reclassify them as beliefs. Both are very real (and inescapable by the way). Both have the power to control our lives in ways that can be good and bad. When dreams fail and fear takes hold of a person bad things are almost always the result. The solution, Jesus said, is to put our faith in God.

May God teach us how to hope again and may God keep us from obeying our fears. Baptism is a perfect picture of this: we die to old life (the old dreams) and accept Jesus' resurrection life. We pledge our lives to follow him come what may. May we follow him all the way to the cross, trusting God for resurrection. As the old song says, "Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come. His grace has brought me safe thus far; and grace will lead me home." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Knowing Christ in 2011

2011-01-02T15:02:00.000-06:00

I love it when the Bible authors reduce godliness into something compact and easy to grasp like the ten commandments, the beatitudes, and the Christian graces (2 Peter 1:5-7 for those not familiar with this one). Jesus summarized the entire law of God by saying we should love God and love people. There is certainly a need to examine and follow the entire word of the Lord. It's just that we so often get overwhelmed and need a focal point. That was the purpose of today's sermon; to give us focus for the coming year.

What God desires most is being in relationship with his people Being in any relationship involves certain standards of behavior and proper treatment of one another. However, thinking that one will grow closer to another simply by following a list of do's and dont's is bound to fail. To be a better husband I must focus on knowing my wife better and allowing that knowledge to dictate my speech and actions. To be a better father I must focus on knowing my children. To be a better neighbor I must focus on truly knowing my neighbors.

Coming to know God is a daunting task. He is so . . . well, BIG! Thankfully, he took the initiative and allowed himself to be known in the person of Jesus. Growing in our relationship to Jesus moves us from performance based religion to developing a deeper love and appreciation for our Lord. As our love for him grows we become what the law, in itself, was powerless to create. By focusing our attention on knowing Christ our Lord we become the reflection of our affection.

Jesus Comes to a World of Trouble

2010-12-26T13:05:00.000-06:00

Getting to hear my son Ben preach the day after Christmas was like putting the angel on the tree after all the decorations were complete. It's always a joy when my children come home and we can spend a few days together. It is especially joyful at Christmas time. Ben's sermon this morning was a welcome reminder that in spite of the happiness and good cheer that many of us experience this time of year we still live in a world of trouble.

I couldn't help but think about those whose holidays were not so jolly because of death, disease, financial reversal, or other problems. Matthew's gospel is a wake up call that even though the kingdom of God has come with the arrival of Christ, the kingdom will not be here in it's fullness until he comes again. And so we live with hope in the midst of trouble.

The twin accounts of the birth of Jesus serve as a wonderful contrast to what we experience in life. Through Jesus we can sing hallelujahs with the angels as Luke's account compels us to do. At the same time we can live in the midst of trouble without being overwhelmed because God is with us as Matthew's text reminds us.

Thank you Ben, for bring us the word this morning. My prayer is that no matter what situation those in attendance found themselves when they walked in the sanctuary, they went home with the hope of the Christ in their hearts. “'The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel' (which means 'God with us')." (Matthew 1:22)

Celebrate Jesus' Birth

2010-12-19T14:15:00.000-06:00

The sermon this morning was first preached in December, 1999 shortly after we had moved to Houston to begin working with the church. Much has changed since that first Christmas message. After many of us in the Church of Christ had grown up (myself included) keeping Christmas and Jesus' birth separate, the purpose of the 1999 sermon was to communicate that it really is a good thing to keep the two united and celebrate God sending his son into the world.

Our church building is now decorated with beautiful trees, ribbons, and ornaments. Our annual candlelight service is our best attended event of the year. As always tonight we will have a great amount of singing: congregational, choir performances, a soloist, and even two of our teenagers singing a special song for us. Our children will be dressed in nativity costumes with "Mary" bringing in the candle from which all others will be lit. I will preach a message in keeping with our theme, "Seeking the King" and three of our members will give video taped testimonies of what they found when they found Jesus.

The purpose of the sermon this morning was slightly different than when I preached it 11 years ago. This morning I wasn't so much trying to convince people it was o.k. to celebrate; I wanted to encourage us to do so! May we join with the Apostle Paul in proclaiming, "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Joseph's 15 Minutes

2010-12-12T15:59:00.000-06:00

Of all the highlighted characters in the Bible, one would think that the legal father of Jesus would get a little more press than his "fifteen minutes of fame!" There is so much that I want to know about this man. How did he develop such strong, obedient faith? Who influenced him in the forming of his understanding of God? What other stories from his life involved trusting God? Alas, we must be content to know only what is contained in the 18 verses where he plays the dominant role.

I mentioned in the sermon a foreign student who, without my knowing it, watched my actions for some time to determine if my faith was for real or if I was just acting. It was simple things he was watching. As I sat in chapel every day he would watch me to see if was singing or sleeping, praying or playing, being attentive or being oblivious. He was watching others as well. As a non-believer he was watching those who claimed to be believers to see if it made any difference in their lives.

Even though that was almost 30 years ago I think about it from time to time. I want to be the kind of person who lives the same whether anyone is watching or not. I want to be a person of character and integrity who makes decisions based on principles. That way, if the spotlights ever turn on and the whole world becomes interested in me for a brief period of time, people will see Christ living in me. And when the world quits watching, I'd still be the same and God would continue to be glorified in my life.

The Mary We Never Knew

2010-12-05T16:37:00.000-06:00

Where did I develop my ideas about Mary being a quiet, meek, gentle soul? For years now I've believed the myth that she we a frightened little teenager who bravely and quietly, endured shame, ridicule and embarrassment for conceiving a child out of wedlock. This morning's sermon presented a very different view of Jesus' mother.
June Cleaver may have been a wonderful t.v. wife and mother of the 50's, but she is a far cry from the outspoken, determined voice of Mary as recorded by Luke in his Gospel.

I think my former image of Mary came from looking at her through the eyes of a comfortable, suburban Christian.   How terrible it must have been, so this line of thinking goes, to be a chaste, godly women and be required by God to forever more be the subject of rumors and whispers. Looking at Mary though the story of the prophet Deborah gives a far different image. Mary never says a word about how terrible her situation is; rather, she is full of joy that God has chosen her to deliver his people from their oppression.

My prayer this morning was that the sermon on Mary might inspire our young ladies to be women of conviction, courage, and determination. Women who would, not simply be willing to endure suffering for the sake of Christ, but would actually rejoice to "be counted as worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name" as later followers of Jesus were described (Acts 5:41); and as Mary voiced in her song:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has been mindful
   of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
⁴⁹ for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
   holy is his name.
⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him,
   from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
   he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones
   but has lifted up the humble.
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things
   but has sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
   remembering to be merciful
⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever,
   just as he promised our ancestors.” (Luke 1:46-55)

Walk This Way

2010-11-28T14:34:00.000-06:00

It's interesting what people talk about after a sermon. Donna told me the teenagers all perked up when I said something about the "swagger" James and John were walking with when they asked Jesus about sitting at his right and left hand. Evidently, "swagger" (or is it "swag"?) is a new buzz word among our teens.

Someone else mentioned the quote from the movie Million Dollar Baby by Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris, played by Morgan Freeman, "Boxing is an unnatural act. Cos everything in it is backwards. You wanna move to the left, you don't step left, you push on the right toe. To move right, you use your left toe. Instead of running from the pain - like a sane person would do, you step into it." It seemed to be the perfect illustration of Jesus' teaching on the kingdom: it is backwards to how one naturally thinks and what one naturally values.

For me the prayer I used at the end was the perfect summation of the "backward" style servant-life that Jesus modeled for us to imitate. I have used it on several occasions in some small group meetings and feel it is the perfect prayer for one who truly desires to follow Jesus "on the way." My source credited it to Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930). Other than that, I don't know anything else about it's origin or development.

O Jesus! Meek and humble of heart,
Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected,
Deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should.
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Amen.

Expressions of Thanksviging

2010-11-21T16:56:00.000-06:00

I had a few requests for the final prayer that we read as a congregation to conclude our service today. It was a prayer I found on the internet credited to "Book of Common Prayer/Book of Divine Worship." I plan to use it again at our Thanksgiving meal this year.

Accept, O Lord,
our thanks and praise for all that you have done for us.
We thank you for the splendor of the whole creation,
For the beauty of this world,
For the wonder of life,
and for the mystery of love.

We thank you for the blessing of family and friends,
and for the loving care
which surrounds us on every side.

We thank you for setting us at tasks
which demand our best efforts,
and for leading us to accomplishments
which satisfy and delight us.

We thank you also
for those disappointements and failures
that lead us to acknoweledge
our dependence on you alone.

Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ;
for the truth of his Word
and the example of his life;
for his steadfast obedience,
by which he overcame temptation;
for his dying,
through which he overcame death;
and for his rising to life again,
in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom.

Grant us the gift of your Spirit,
that we may know him and make him known;
and through him, at all times and in all places,
may give thanks to you in all things. Amen.

Entering the Kingdom

2010-11-14T13:50:00.000-06:00

I've actually heard it said that if the rich man had agreed to sell all his possessions and give to the poor, Jesus would have responded, "Now that I know you will, you don't have too." Or in other words, "Just kidding." Kind of like Abraham offering his son Issac. Just before Abraham actually sacrificed Issac God stopped him and told him to offer the ram nearby instead. One of the problems with historical narratives is that you never know what MIGHT have happened; you only know what happened. My personal opinion, however, is that Jesus meant exactly what he said. When he looked at the man and loved him, Jesus knew that there was no way he could be a follower because the true love of his life was money.

I preached this text several years ago and used the title of the then popular t.v. show, "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?" While that may be the goal for a lost world who worships Mammon, a disciple of Jesus must have higher priorities. That was why I began the sermon today with the prayer of Proverbs 30. Pray this, if you dare:

"...give me neither poverty nor riches,
   but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
   and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
   and so dishonor the name of my God."
(Proverbs 30:8-9)

Marriage Matters

2010-11-05T15:30:00.000-05:00

Normally I blog AFTER I preach so I can talk about my "sermon reflections." Today, however, I'm making an exception since I plan to begin my annual prayer retreat immediately following Sunday's sermon and had several links I needed to include in this blog.

First, if you heard the sermon, I made mention of the article I had written on Jesus' teaching on divorce. That article, as well as several others I've written, can be found here on our church web page.

Second, last year Christianity Today published an interesting article entitled The Case For Early Marriage. The author boldly advocates young adults marrying early in adulthood instead of waiting to get all their schooling finished, their careers well established, and their bank accounts full. As a couple who married early (ages 21 and 22) my wife and I thought his arguments made a lot of sense. Read it and tell me what you think.

Third, the one book I now recommend to married people above all others is entitled, Sacred Marriage, by Gary Thomas. The subtitle sums up the contents well: What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy? Thomas calls all married people to stop insisting that their marriage give them what they want and instead began to focus on what God wants. In other words, marriage is more about self-denial and service than about self-gratification and being served. Click the link below for more information.

Finally, the book, Living Together: Myths, Risks & Answers, is a thought provoking analysis of a rising trend in America. I would recommend this especially for those currently cohabitating, thinking about cohabitating, or parents of children that are.

Pass the Salt, Please

2010-10-31T14:29:00.000-05:00

My initial problem preaching this text was deciding if it should be four sermons or one. I decided that, although there would be benefit in taking a closer look at each of the topics raised individually, looking at them all together would make better sense of Jesus' final words in this context. Jesus said, "Salt is good. . . . Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another" (Mark 9:50).

I don't normally use acrostics in my preaching but thought it might be a useful way to pull everything together in the text. At lunch there was a family from church eating in a booth not far away from my party. One of the teenage boys came over to talk with us. They had tried to remember the four points of the acrostic but had missed the "A". If two teenage boys could remember 3 of the 4 I consider that sermon a success!

For those who are wondering the acrostic is for the word SALT:

Serve (even those considered least - Mark 9:33-37)
Accept (Christians who are different than you [or don't be judgmental] - Mark 9:38-41)
Love (the weak and new believers - Mark 9:42)
Tenacious Self-Denial

No one who heard the sermon will forget the "T" since it doesn't really fit. Odd isn't' it, that when something seems like it doesn't really belong it is never forgotten. Come to think of it . . . that's exactly what it means for us to be salt. We stand out because we don't really fit in this world as it is. But I love the last verse and how it envisions the kingdom that will soon cover the earth, "Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another." The peaceable kingdom - that's where we all belong!

The Disciples' Most Embarrassing Moment

2010-10-24T14:27:00.000-05:00

I want formulas; the Lord wants faith. I want the world to work in such a way that if I do the right things the right consequences are automatic. The Lord wants me to trust him to provide all that I need to accomplish his will in this world. I want guarantees of painlessness, absence of suffering and constant happiness. God wants me to accept his promises by faith even if my time here involves suffering and a cross. I wonder why God won't answer my prayers. God wonders why I don't utilize prayer as a means of getting to know him better.

I want my faith to grow stronger so I confess my confusion, my selfishness, my pride and arrogance. I confess that I no longer want to be in charge of my life; instead I want God to use me for his purposes regardless of who gets credit or glory. I'm having trouble believing that God could do anything with such a pitiful excuse for faith but I hold my little mustard seed-sized faith up to him and say, "I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief." God say, "Alright! Now we're getting somewhere."

The End? No, this is the Beginning!

Preview of Coming Attractions

2010-10-17T13:36:00.000-05:00

How appropriate that after Jesus dropped the bombshell of his upcoming suffering and death on the disciples the inner circle (Peter, James, and John) was given a preview of Jesus' Glorious Appearing! After Jesus sought to destroy the short-sighted dreams of the Twelve, they are more disillusioned than ever. Even coming down from the Mountain of Transfiguration they have a discussion among themselves about "what 'rising from the dead' meant" (Mark 9:10).

Jesus has already explained that "rising from the dead" meant that first the Messiah would have to suffer, be rejected and die on the cross. Self-denial in order to do the Father's will dominates the center section of Mark's Gospel. Indeed, it must dominate the center section of our lives if we are to be included among those who truly follow Jesus.

But what exactly does it mean for our lives today? I love the mountain top experiences but must realize that Jesus never stayed on the mountain. His work was in the valley. More specifically, in the words of the Psalmist, his work was in the valley of the shadow of death. Am I willing to follow him on that road?

Some of my favorite passages describe the return of Jesus to his earth. At that time will the renewal of all things. It will indeed be a Glorious Appearing when Heaven and Earth are united eternally. Let the image of the risen and glorified Christ fill your heart as you follow the self-denying, crucified Christ as he teaches us how to live today.

The Second Touch

2010-10-10T13:39:00.000-05:00

I often walk away from sermons wondering what might resonate in people's hearts from the lesson. Different things stick with different people. For myself, it is the phrase "deny self". What does it mean for me to "deny self" this week?

There are some things I need to do this week that I don't particularly want to do. They involve people and my participation might help in some tangible ways. Is sacrificing my own desires and doing what is best for others an example of denying self?

I can serve others for the purpose of self-interest or self-advancement. It's tempting for me to think, at times, that when I do some small act of kindness that God is fortunate to have me on his side. It's easy for me to glory in my self-sacrificial service!

Tomorrow I will participate once again in the weekly reading of the Gospel of Mark. I will watch Jesus as he again demonstrates unbelievable power and demonstrates that he is indeed the Son of God. I will then watch again as he lays that aside and is abused, rejected and brutally murdered. He willingly gave himself for others. How can I claim to be his follower if I am unwilling to do the same?

Resurrection is the final note of triumph in the Gospel of Mark; but the emphasis of the book lies in the cross. Resurrection is when God takes our self-emptying, self-denying lives and ushers in the kingdom of God. We don't make it happen, we are simply the empty vessels God chooses to use. This week, I want to continue to ask myself, "what does it mean for me to deny self"?

Worried About Bread or Watching For Leaven

2010-09-20T07:52:00.001-05:00

After the sermon someone commented that they thought it was good that I had left the interpretation of leaven open so that each person could discover what what happening within their own heart. Indeed, the success of any sermon is not what happens on Sunday, necessarily, but what happens in the days that follow. I love it when people tell me, "I haven't been able to stop thinking about . . . . that was mentioned (or read) in the sermon." When preparing a sermon I wrestle with a text and it's meaning which often causes me to wrestle with my own heart and soul as well. Sundays it sometimes feels like I hand off my discoveries to the church so that they can let it roll around in their hearts for awhile.

The text I preached this past Sunday (Mark 8:1-21) is actually the end of the first section of the book. Mark is bringing a conclusion to his teaching on the identity of Jesus and the failure of the Twelve to really understand. This story is built on the previous stories, especially the preceding ones where Jesus challenges the disciples to learn the difference between internals and externals; what truly makes a person clean or unclean. The list he gave on that occasion would so well for someone searching their heart for leaven to clean out:

"For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, ²²greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly." (Mark 7:21-22)

When Jesus warned against the leaven of the Pharisees and that of Herod he at least had these in mind. It would do us all well to pay particularly close attention to these things and clean them out of our hearts before they take root and spread their venomous evil. After all, bread is no problem for Jesus - he can make as much as is needed. Leaven, on the other hand, causes him all kinds of problems. Let's prove the genuineness of our faith but keeping the leaven out of lives.

Jesus Is Doing Something New

2010-09-12T14:00:00.000-05:00

I love Isaiah's pictures of the kingdom. He gave us such wonderful word pictures which so graphically illustrated what God was going to do. The one Mark seemed to be alluding to in this morning's sermon text was from Isaiah 35:5-6:

"Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert."

Why couldn't the Twelve understand what God was doing through Jesus? Why did they continue to miss the point? Because they kept trying to squeeze God's kingdom into their own preconceived ideas. As Jesus will say later in the Gospel of Mark, they have eyes but cannot see and ears but cannot hear.

I wonder if my eyes are truly open to see what God is doing. Do you ever wonder about that? What is he wanting to show me that I keep refusing to look at? Two things that keep me from looking are fear and pride. I don't know where Jesus might take me so I am afraid. I don't know what areas he might require me to change through repentance and so I am prideful. These same two things keep churches from seeing the new thing God is doing among us. We are afraid because who knows what he might call us to lose. (One man I heard of was told to sell everything he had and give to the poor!) We are prideful so we refuse to acknowledge even the possibility that we might be wrong about something.

Which brings me back to the wonderful word pictures of Isaiah. God wants to do something new in our generation. The only question that remains is: Will we open our eyes and see what he is doing?

Is Jesus a Conservative or a Liberal?

2010-08-29T15:29:00.000-05:00

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

2010-08-22T15:17:00.000-05:00

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

2010-08-15T14:44:00.000-05:00

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

2010-08-08T13:53:00.000-05:00

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

2010-08-02T09:36:00.000-05:00

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.

Don't Be Afraid, Just Believe

2010-07-25T14:37:00.000-05:00

I am continually amazed at the ways in which Mark's picture of Jesus speaks to my heart. Who would have thought that the most dangerous place to be in 1st Century Palestine was Jesus' hometown of Nazareth? At least, it was dangerous in terms of faith development.

Sure the Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem made it challenging to put one's faith in Jesus. But, I get the sense that people kind of enjoyed "stickin' it to the man" and Jesus gave them plenty of ammunition when it came to disregarding the petty rules and senseless legalism of the religious leaders.

But in Nazareth, it wasn't just a challenge to put one's faith in Jesus, it was downright impossible! How could one stand up against the people who had known Jesus from infancy? They'd watched him grow up. Jesus had played in their streets. His mother, brothers and sisters were all still living there. If you think it's hard to go back to your hometown and have people respect you as an adult . . . . perhaps you can understand why it was so difficult for those living in Nazareth to develop faith in Jesus as the Lord of the universe and Savior of the world.

The most challenging part of this for me is realizing that the most difficult place for one to develop faith today may very well be the place where Jesus is best known -- the church! After the sermon I was speaking to one of our long term members about how much easier it is for new Christians to "just believe" than it is for us seasoned members. Do these new Christians grow bolder in their attitudes and actions because of their association with us; or do they tend adopt our ways of doing church and just kind of blend in?

Perhaps the best thing all of us "veteran" Christians could do is take a giant step backward away from all our "knowledge" and begin the journey again. Stop listening to all those voices defining and refining the faith; putting limits on the power of God. Listen to the voice of Jesus and he will tell you, "don't be afraid, just believe" (Mark 5:36).

Managing the Unmanagable

2010-07-18T15:07:00.000-05:00

"I'm just doing the best I can!" This can be a commendable statement made by one who is truly making the best of a bad situation. On the other hand, it could indicate the fear that keeps one in a bad situation. No matter how horrible life becomes it is often not as frightening as the unknown. One of the problems faced by contemporary Christians is the "tame" Jesus; the smiling, happy, good buddy Jesus.

Perhaps it's reflected in a t-shirt I saw not long ago that read, "Jesus is my Homeboy". Now, I don't want to judge anyone wearing the shirt as I appreciate those who are unashamed of their faith. But the townspeople of the land of the Gerasanes did not beg Jesus to leave their region because Jesus was too cool for them. They begged him to leave because he had just demonstrated his unbelievable power over an army of demonic forces. They were scared of him because a man with that much authority and power could not be controlled. He would do whatever he wanted to do.

By" taming" Jesus we have unintentionally turned him into our buddy instead of our Lord. We expect Jesus to do what we want him to instead of giving him the obedient allegiance he deserves. We wonder why we don't walk more in victory over sin and instead have to just "do the best we can" trying to manage it. The man formerly known as Legion could tell you.

"I've got a plan Jesus," he said. "Let me become one of your followers." It was a really great plan and I'm sure the man thought it was a great idea for him to leave his old life behind and go with Jesus everywhere. He could give testimonies and listen to Jesus teach. He could grow in his faith and be trained to do wonderful service in the future. Jesus said, "I'm not going to do your plan. Here is my plan. Go back to your family and friends and tell them what the Lord has done for you." The man didn't argue. He didn't continue to beg Jesus to follow the plan he had offered. He just did what Jesus said.

How different our lives would be if we just did what Jesus said. We did what he tells us to do with our money, our relationships, our priorities, our principles, our . . . well, our everything. Stop trying to manage your unmanageable life and give Jesus control.

Master the Tempest is Raging

2010-07-04T12:20:00.000-05:00

Someone asked me last week if I got my sermons from the internet. That question could be interpreted a number of different ways, both positive and negative. However, I think the question was asked, not about the quality (or lack thereof) of the sermons, but so that the person could do some further research on something of interest.

For those who are now wondering, I do in fact, write all of my sermons. However, I have found a number of resources helpful. Morna Hooker's small book is very insightful and has illuminated a number of texts. One of the newest additions to my library is Kelber's work, Mark's Story of Jesus. Both of these books are less than 100 pages and well worth reading. For those who would prefer a verse by verse commentary I have found Mark Black's addition to the College Press Commentary series to be useful.

Of course, nothing should ever be substituted for reading the Gospel yourself, often and in a variety of translations. As you consider comments by various authors and preachers you will quickly discover that they do not agree with each about many details of Mark's Gospel, or perhaps even the point of the book itself! That is why all reading and listening should be done critically. Well-studied students can enlighten you, but in the final analysis you must let Mark tell you who Jesus is.

And Now, A Word About Seeds

2010-06-27T19:07:00.000-05:00

Sermon production is a strange craft. Preaching a sermon in a series like "Jesus Through the Eyes of Mark" begins by wrestling with the text seeking to understand it's meaning. The next step is determining exactly what message from the text the congregation needs to hear. Finally, the preacher must decide the best way to communicate with his audience. These steps are not so much walked through in sequential order as they are always in my mind as I work on a sermon.

This week's sermon seemed to be particularly difficult to put together. What do the three seed parables mean when read together? What is the proper interpretation of that strange Isaiah quote where Jesus essentially says he speaks in parables so outsiders will not understand and thus be unable to repent? How does the statement about the lamp and the bowl fit into the three seed parables? What is to be made of the repetition of the words "hear" and "listen"?

As I worked on the sermon it just didn't seem to be coming together until it finally hit me that since the germ of life is in the seed, and sense the seed is the message, then the seed needs to be envisioned as Jesus himself. He IS the message. Life is found ONLY in him. With that revelation, the message of the sermon took shape.

Are you crazy?

2010-06-20T13:55:00.002-05:00

Following Jesus is sometimes difficult; but often we make it more difficult than it should be. We do this when we allow our expectations to blind us to God's desires. We do this when we let our ideas form our decisions instead of Jesus' teachings. As we continue to study Mark's Gospel we will see the Twelve fail in just these ways over and over and over.

In this morning's sermon we examined the threefold commission Jesus gave to the Twelve from Mark 3:14-15. In our eagerness to prove our worthiness to God we often jump ahead of the Holy Spirit and attempt to do something wonderful for God's kingdom. Our triumphant expectations eventually splatter against the reality that working with people is hard! We then begin to experience resentments, anger, bitterness, and a whole host of other unpleasant attitudes. Finally, we turn our disappointment to God in utter disbelief that He would let these things happen to us after ALL we have attempted to do for him.

At this point (as the disciples would have to learn) we need to go back to EXACTLY what it is that God has called us to do. Yes, God did call the twelve to preach and to exercise authority over the enemy. But, before they were to even attempt to do any of that they were to "be with him." As we spend time with Jesus he makes us into the people who can do his work. He shapes us and forms us. He supplies us and equips us. He also clarifies the work that he specifically has in mind for us.

THEN, when we do our work; it may be difficult at times, but it fits who we are, and the gifts God's Holy Spirit has given us. As we spend time with Jesus he transforms us into people through whom he can work by means of his Spirit. If people think we're crazy because of how we live and love, may it not be because we've run ahead of Jesus on our own ideas; but because we have come to know him so well that we are like him. After all, Jesus was accused of being crazy himself (Mark 3:21).

Follow Me

2010-06-13T12:57:00.004-05:00

Today's sermon was an experiment with narrative preaching or preaching in the first person. It seemed appropriate to try this type of sermon since Mark was written in a style that invites the reader to join in the journey. After living in Palestine for awhile, watching Jesus at work and listening to his teaching; it's time to come back to the 21st century and live in our world again. The real question is not what DID it mean to follow Jesus; but what DOES it mean today?

One thing we learn from studying Mark's Gospel is that NOBODY follows Jesus without experiencing changes. Following Jesus requires changes in thinking, changes in attitudes, changes in what's valued, and changes in actions. In other words, when someone follows Jesus they experience, not just a make-over, but a complete do-over!

As we study Mark's portrayal of Jesus, it is encouraging to me that EVERYONE is in the process of discovery. We, as readers, are invited to join in as learners, students, and disciples. Nobody has Jesus all figured out (and the people who think they do are the most scary). We are always to be following and to continue learning.

I'm looking forward to our continued journeys together with Jesus. So, grab your walking stick and let's keep following him wherever he leads. And when you go to your 21st century workplace tomorrow - remember who you are and keep following your leader.

What Did You Expect?

2010-06-06T14:12:00.002-05:00

Expectations are normal in every walk of life. They create problems for us, however, when they fail to be fulfilled. Especially are they problematic when they are unspoken or even unacknowledged. One way you can discover your expectations is when you become angry, depressed, frustrated, etc.... ask yourself, "What did I expect?" Answer the question in writing (I journal a lot for this reason) and be honest. The answers might surprise you.

When we get angry, frustrated, or disillusioned with God it probably goes back to our unmet expectations. As you write out answers you may discover something like the following:

I expect God to allow me to maintain my standard of living.
I expect God to keep me and my loved ones free from sickness, especially terminal illnesses.
I expect God to keep my marriage happy.
I expect God to make my children obey me.

On and on we could go. The list is endless. By acknowledging our expectations we can get honest with God about our disappointments. We can also invite him to help us develop expectations based on His Word (not what we assume he's said but what he's actually promised us.)

Living in the kingdom of God may be quite different from what we've thought it was. However, when we truly follow Jesus we can be assured that everything he has truly promised us will come to pass. The kingdom of God is indeed GOOD NEWS! Let Jesus teach you what that Good news actually is.

On a related note, I am excited to have so many join our weekly reading of Mark's Gospel. Send me your email address if you want to be included in reading this "short" Gospel each week for the duration of the sermon series.

The Beginning of the Gospel

2010-05-30T16:40:00.003-05:00

The best comment I heard today about the sermon was from a visitor. He identified himself as an evangelist and said that the sermon made him want to do more study in the Gospel According to Mark. I say that was the best comment I heard because that was exactly the effect I wanted today's sermon to have. I want us all to have such a desire to know Jesus better that we dig deeply into Mark's Gospel and let him teach us what it means to follow Jesus.

Several people told me that they would read the Gospel of of Mark but no one yet has accepted the challenge I gave this morning of reading the Gospel each week for the duration of the sermon series. I have done this in the past when preaching through Mark and look forward to doing it again. Won't you join me? Let me know if you want to do this and we can keep each other accountable.

Finally, I want to express my sorrow over losing David Layman as my co-minister. David has truly been God's gift to me for the past nine years and his leaving saddens my heart. However, I am confident that he made his decision prayerfully and am thankful that he will still be an active member of the congregation even if I don't get to work beside him every day. May God's blessing be on his family in this transition and may God give us eyes to see the direction and opportunities He has in store for our church in the future.

The Message in One Verse

2010-05-23T13:37:00.003-05:00

This photo was taken during our sanctuary dedication service a few weeks back. I like how small it makes me look compared to the cross. What better way to preach than for the message of the cross to completely overshadow the giftedness (or lack thereof) of the preacher! That was what I attempted to do today - to tell the "old, old story" in such a way that the love of God was magnified.

I loved being able to interview Cimi, the native Albanian preacher. My hope was that by having him speak briefly God might stir our hearts (especially our children, teens, and young adults) of the need around the world for the message of Jesus. The Gospel really is good news! May we never forget how much our God loves us and how much he wants to work through us so that others might know his love.

Raising Your Ebenezer

2010-05-16T13:43:00.003-05:00

"Then Samuel took a stone and set it up . . . . He named it Ebenezer, saying 'Thus far the LORD has helped us.'" (1 Samuel 7:12) Preparing to speak on this passage this morning brought a flood of memories. How many times has God helped me and my family over my 50 years of life? In the sermon time I showed some of the objects I keep in my office that have special meaning. How important it is that we keep reminders around us of significant events in our lives.

In addition to this being a special Sunday for our High School graduates, it is also a special day for Liz and I as we celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary. I am thankful to have one day each year to recognize the treasure that God has given me in Liz. She is a living memorial, a constant reminder that God has shown me great favor.

Unlimited Forgiveness

2010-05-02T12:37:00.003-05:00

I don't think it's a coincidence that when Peter asked if he should forgive seven times that Jesus responded, "not seven times, but seventy-seven times" (Matthew 18:22). As I pointed out in the sermon those are the exact numbers that Lamech used in his vengeful boast (Genesis 4:23-24). It's as if Jesus is saying -- "We're going to change the world!" We've tired the revenge approach and as Ghandi said, if we keep requiring eye for eye "the whole world will go blind."

What does the new approach look like? Unfortunately, it has been so rarely practiced (even by God's people) that the world is still waiting to see. The remarkable thing about Debbie Morris' testimony in her book, Dead Man Walking, is not that she could forgive her rapists; rather it's remarkable that her story is remarkable. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Christians were known for their outrageous forgiveness? What if Debbie's story wasn't an isolated incident of remarkable faith, but simply another example of how God's people allow his forgiveness to flow through them, even in the worst of circumstances. That is our challenge.

On another note, I always approach using math or science in my sermons at Clear Lake Church of Christ with fear and trembling. It has reached the point that I no longer even wonder IF I will make a mistake, now I simply do not want to make a grievous error. Today I said that Lamech considered himself ten times better (or in the vernacular "badder") than God. It was gently pointed out to me after the sermon that actually 77 is 11 times the number seven. That means that Lamech considered himself 11 times better than God. I will grant the mathematical accuracy of that statement; but still think that "ten times" simply has a better verbal ring to it than "11 times".

And Melissa, (hopefully you've read this far), I will be looking forward to reading your blog comments.

Solomon's Temple Dedication

2010-04-25T14:42:00.002-05:00

Someone asked me who planned today's service. The answer is a bit complicated. The Administration Team planned the major structure of the service. Individually, they each played a role in leading a prayer, reading scripture, and/or making various comments. Brian Carnes picked out the songs and I was responsible for my part in the service. The baptism was a total surprise so we will credit the Holy Spirit for that part in the planning.

What I really enjoyed about today's worship assembly was the focus. Everything that was done kept God, rather than us humans, in the center. Even the many "thank you's" that were reserved for the end of the service brought glory to God for the gifts he had given to various individuals. The prayer of dedication that I lead was a modified form of a sanctuary dedication service from the Book of Common Prayer. And, of course I built my comments around Solomon's prayer of dedication for the Temple so we will acknowledge his contribution to our assembly.

I left with a very real awareness that we had been in the presence of God; he was there and was honored through everything that was done or said. Truly, we have a sanctuary where every week God will meet with us. And may those meetings sanctify us for his service.

Repairing Broken Relationships

2010-04-18T13:49:00.002-05:00

As far as I can remember, the 4-step solution to repairing broken relationships found in Matthew 18 is the only time Jesus gave such an easy to understand outline for resolving a problem. (If you are like me, such a statement will cause you to quickly think over all of Jesus teachings to see if you can come up an exception. . . . I'll wait for you before I continue. . . . all done? Then let us proceed.) Jesus, and the News Testament writers, tend to deal more with principles than step by step procedures. That makes this teaching an exception to the norm. This is written as if Jesus were answering our objections for not doing what he plainly wants us to do when we are offended or hurt by a brother or sister.

Jesus: If your brother or sister sins against you go and show them their fault, just between the two of you, alone.

Us: But what if they don't listen to us?

Jesus: Then take a mature brother or sister with you to see if they can help.

Us: But what it they continue to rationalize and refuse to listen to either of us?

Jesus: Then get the church involved. Gather those who truly love this person and all of you work together to help them.

Us: But what if that doesn't work? What if they refuse to accept what all of us are saying?

Jesus: Then there is nothing anyone can do for that person. They are not my disciple and should not be considered one. Any other questions?

Us: Uh, no I can't think of any.

Jesus: Then prove that you are my disciple by following my commandments. If your brother of sister sins against you go and show them their fault, just between the two of you, alone. Got it?

Us: But that sounds kind of hard.

Jesus: Where did you ever get the idea that following me would be easy? Be obedient to me and see if the end result isn't a community of people with deeper and more satisfying relationships than anyone else on earth has ever experienced. Trust me in this and put your faith into action!

I am second

2010-04-11T14:54:00.004-05:00

The comment of the day was spoken to me right after our assembly ended. The person said something like, "After today's service I'm not worried about what will happen to the church after we're dead and gone." For those of you who were not with us, today's service was planned and conducted by our youth ministry. All of their planning and practice came together in a beautifully organized and meaningful time of praise and worship.

The theme, "I am second" reminded me of a book written decades ago by former Chicago Bear's star running back, Gale Sayers, "I am third". Gale told us that in his life God was first, others were second and he was in third place. Liz reminded me of the JOY acrostic that was popular in the 70's: Jesus, Others, Yourself. The phrase "I am second", however, seems to put priority on what is of first importance. If you are interested in learning more check out Iamsecond.com.

In reflecting on the service I initially thought there had been no scripture. We didn't open our Bibles once. Upon closer observation, however, I realized that the entire service had been structured around the passage that the Jews call the Shema and what Jesus said was the greatest of all commands: "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:5). What a powerful reminder that assembly was that God must always have first place in our hearts.

So, I'm not too worried either about the future of the church; as long as we continually put God first and remember that "I am second." Thanks Jeremy, Donna, Lauren, and all the others who put so much effort into making today's worship service the blessing that it was.

What if JesusHad Not Risen?

2010-04-04T15:25:00.005-05:00

The sermon today began with the question, What if Jesus had not risen? As described in the lesson, the world would be a very different place. However, since Jesus did rise from the dead the sermon ended with another question: How does belief in Jesus' resurrection change your tomorrow?

Everyone was invited to briefly write their answers on small cards which were provided. After the cards were collected a sampling of them were read to the congregation. Many wonderful thoughts were expressed and it was a joy to read them one after another. However, one answer was repeated more often than another other. It was a single word: Hope!

"Hope" was my first thought as well. The beauty of Christianity is that no matter how bad life may become nothing can take away our hope. There is no economic slowdown, health crisis, governmental corruption, or anything else that can remove what God has made possible for us through the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Because of our hope in Jesus' resurrection we can be positive about life, even when everything looks negative. In a world full of fear, worry, stress, and anxiety God offers joy, peace, comfort and hope. Let's keep proclaiming the Easter message through out the year. It is a needed message for a troubled world.

The Value of One

2010-03-28T12:17:00.003-05:00

I like looking at this picture. I'm not sure what I think about the image of Jesus: perfect hair, trimmed beard, flawless features, etc.... I guess you have to picture Jesus in someway, but does he have to look so Caucasian? In spite of the non-Jewish looking Jesus, I still like the picture. I really like the lamb. It looks young, frail and helpless. It definately is a sheep in need of a shepherd.

It was easy preaching on the parable of the lost sheep this morning when I could use Toni Miller as an example. She and her husband, Dan have done such a great job in looking after those Jesus called the "little ones." And having the sermon followed by an honoring time for Elaine Pate certainly drove the point home.

The Miller and the Pates both know how to look at people without considering their financial worth, education, or any of the other markers we humans use to determine value. They have shown us the heart of Jesus by knowing that everyone is valuable in the eyes of God. They have also shown us that God is especially fond of the "little ones." "For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven" (Matthew 18:10).

Watching Out for the Other Guy

2010-03-21T13:44:00.002-05:00

When working on this sermon I kept thinking about a phrase from a Public Service Announcement from the 60's. It was a television commercial about defensive driving with the catch phrase, "Watch Out for the Other Guy." The intent of the commercial was to avoid automobile accidents by always being aware that other drivers make mistakes. Defensive driving is defending yourself against the mistakes of others. I decided to use the title even though I wanted to make a totally unrelated point.

In the kingdom of God we are to be constantly on the lookout for one another. This is not so we can see the mistakes others are making and avoid them. Rather, we are watching out for one another so that we can help each other. Watching out for the other guy in the kingdom of God is not for defensive avoidance but offensive action! This involves intentionally doing what I can to keep from placing stumbling blocks in another's path.

In the opening illustration I kept putting more and more obstacles in David's path to make it harder and harder for him to "walk the walk." When I put the blindfold on him he got down on his hands and knees determined not to quit. I thought two things: 1) How commendable that he was ready to do whatever was necessary to finish the task; and 2) How pitiful that I would make it so difficult for him. Be thinking this week about how you can keep from making another's faith walk difficult. And on the positive side, what can you do to help make it just a little bit easier for your brother or sister to live a life of faith?

Humility

2010-03-14T13:13:00.004-05:00

Jesus said we are to "... change and become like little children..." (Matthew 18:3). As Brianna illustrated so well for us this morning, little children are not valued for their productivity or usefulness. They are in fact, endless consumers rather than contributors! In spite of this we parents continue to feed, clothe, and provide for all their needs. When Brianna's daddy was asked why they do all these things for her, he replied, "Because we love her so much." Well said.

When Jesus told us to become like little children he certainly didn't mean that we were to become childISH. (Although the way some Christians behave might lead one to think that.) He was likewise not telling us to be cute, cuddly, lovable, etc... He was not thinking about any child-like quality that one would normally desire. He was, in fact, pointing out that a child is "worthless", at least in terms of productivity.

The kingdom of God turns everything upside down. The most valuable are the one's who don't realize that they are the most valuable. They are in fact the humble. The one's who realize their great need for God. Like obedient children looking to their parents, these humble ones believe God knows best and that God is going to take care of them. They don't look down on others because they haven't put themselves on a pedestal. And when they look into the eyes of the even the least deserving, they see the eyes of an approving Jesus looking back at them. "Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me" (Matthew 18:5).

Ordination of Elders

2010-03-07T12:20:00.005-06:00

Before writing the sermon for this morning I looked over some past elder ordination sermons. It's difficult to re-preach sermons because people change; both congregations and preachers. What a joy it was to realize that the sermons preached for elder ordination in the past are no longer needed.

In past sermons I had focused on the congregation being submissive so that the shepherds' job would "be a joy and not a burden." I still believe that as evidenced by my quotation from Hebrews 13:17. However, it seems to me that we have matured as a congregation and do not currently need that lesson. Thankfully, there is a great spirit of unity among us and a willingness to work together and be gracious with those to whom we might disagree.

Instead, I decided to focus attention on showing appreciation for the men we have asked to serve. Nothing makes me want to do a good job like knowing that people are truly thankful and blessed by my work. I know the same is true for our elders. May we all regularly and sincerely let them know that we are always in prayer for them and that our prayers always begin with thanksgiving for God having blessed us with the gift of shepherds.

Faith That Moves Mountains

2010-02-28T12:14:00.003-06:00

One line in the sermon has caused some reflection in my heart. "What if, faith that moves mountains is not what you should have in God, but is the faith that God has in you?" My first reaction is to reject this. Of course, I might argue, Jesus is speaking of our faith in him. On further reflection, however, it is remarkable that God has so much faith in us.

Jesus only hung around 40 days after his resurrection before he ascended into Heaven never to be seen again until Resurrection Day. Even during that 40 days he seems to have appeared only to believers. Why not Pilate? How about Herod? Or the Pharisees? Apparently, Jesus believed that the message of the Gospel by eyewitnesses of his resurrection would be sufficient. He also believed that the witness of those of us far removed from the historical act of Jesus' death and resurrection, would be all people would need to come to faith.

God really does have a LOT of FAITH in his people. How should we respond to that? Like the man in the video said, Stop saying, "I can't" and begin to say "I can". Jesus believes in you - Put your faith in his faith.

Conforming to Non-Conformity

2010-02-21T14:00:00.008-06:00

I would sum up my impression of spending this past weekend with Dr. Scott Hamm in one word, "Transformation." Scott returned to this concept over and over. What's the purpose of the Sunday morning Bible class? To assist in the process of spiritual formation; or in other words, transformation. Who is best suited to teach an adult Bible class? One who is in the process of being spiritually transformed into the image of Christ. Who makes the most lasting spiritual impact on people? The one who has been, and is continuing to be, transformed.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12:2a) Change your thinking and God will change you! How can we help each other to think more like Jesus and less like the world?

"Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2b) There is certainly a place for determining God's specific role for our individual lives. However, this verse is about the community. We all offer our bodies together as "living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1). As all of us surrender ourselves as an act of worship to the Lord Jesus our thinking changes. Things that once were of vital importance now take a back seat to the things that Jesus taught are are truly important.

The power the world has to shape the way we think is changed as together we seek to know and understand his Word, his Will and his Ways. The adult Sunday School is a great place for this kind of learning and sharing to begin.

Job Almighty

2010-02-14T14:04:00.004-06:00

I wasn't sure what to think about Bruce Almighty when it was first produced in 2003. My reservations were largely due to the crude humor and one sexual scene. However, the underlying theme of the film has caused me to use it as an illustration in several sermons. As I thought about preaching today's final sermon in the Job series I returned once again to the film.

When the question of suffering arises how easy it is to think that a "good" human (like myself) could do a much better job running the universe than God is doing. One only need look at the evil that exists in the world and the horrific things that cause people pain to think this.

The book of Job opens another option. Perhaps we humans don't know all the facts. None of the human characters in the story do. Neither Job, his wife, or his friends have any idea why Job is suffering. Only the reader knows because we've been given a peak behind the curtain into Heaven. Don't make the mistake of thinking that the heavenly glimpse given to the reader thus solves the problem of pain. (Aha! The reason there is suffering is because Satan and God are duking it out again!) Rather, we are given what we need to make sense of the story. We thus know from the beginning that Job is righteous and is not suffering because of sin. That sets the stage for the real drama to begin. Therefore, the other option is NOT figuring out why there is suffering. The other option is realizing that God is God and I am not.

After God asks Job the 70 questions at the end, this is Job's conclusion. And it is in this fact that we must ultimately put our faith. I don't have all the answers because I don't even know the right questions to ask. Like Job, I don't have enough information to even begin to run the universe. I'm simply going to have to trust God. And when suffering comes, I can at least find some measure of comfort in knowing that God's one and only Son suffered on earth as well. I can trust a God like that, even if I don't understand everything.

Theology Matters

2010-02-07T15:55:00.005-06:00

Were you surprised to learn that the arguments made by Job's friends are the same arguments Christians make today to explain why bad things happen? I found it relatively easy to pick out certain statements regarding AIDS, Hurricane Katrina, and the most recent devastation in Haiti to illustrate that point. After today's lesson, however, someone mentioned the sermon I preached after the 9-11 tragedy. As I remember I took that opportunity to point out our national sins and issued a call to repentance. In retrospect; not my finest hour.

What a beautiful story Job would have been if instead of trying to explain and offer solutions for Job's suffering, his friends could have gone to him--simply to be with him! They could have listened to Job as he voiced his fears and doubts without trying to "fix" his theology. They could have offered to bath his fevered body and perhaps fed him some broth to ease his hunger. They could have expressed care and concern in a number of very significant ways. Instead they did the one thing that made God angry; they tried to make sense of Job's suffering by explaining what God was doing. They didn't have enough information to even begin to guess. Thus, God's judgment, "I am angry with you . . . because you have not spoken of me what is right" (Job 42:7).

My we learn and not repeat the mistakes of the past. May we do our job of loving, caring, and serving without falling into the trap of explaining and blaming. God help us.

Recognizing Satan's Voice

2010-01-31T17:45:00.004-06:00

In the 1980's Metropolitan Life adopted the motto, "Get Met. It Pays." Why else would someone buy an insurance policy? If it doesn't pay to own the policy why on earth would I want to fund it? The message of the contemporary church has sometimes been, "Get Christ. He Pays." It's obviously true that Jesus paid the ransom for sin, however, the message that Jesus makes everything in life work out the way it should is simply a lie. As we studied this morning it is the voice of Satan that finds expression in many unexpected avenues.

Questions related to why God allows pain and suffering are essentially intellectual queries. This is not to say that they are invalid; rather, it simply means they are questions that can be discussed and debated in the comfort of one's living room. The question asked by the book of Job is a heart probing question that involves one's whole being. The question raised by the author of Job strikes at the root of whether or not one is truly following the God of the Bible or has imagined God to be something other than who he is. The question is simply, "Will you follow God even if everything goes wrong?" Or, to reverse the question, "Do you only follow God because of the benefits you receive?"

C. S. Lewis struggled with both questions. In his book, The Problem of Pain, Lewis expertly analyzes the problem as an intellectual. He describes his former atheist position and then explains how, as a Christian, he now address the issues. After experiencing the gut wrenching agony of losing his beloved wife to cancer he wrote a different book, A Grief Observed. No longer was the issue of pain simply intellectual. He now had to decide if he would follow a God who gave no guarantees concerning earthly pleasure and happiness. This is a most difficult book to read because the depth of struggle to which the author sinks is so depressing that I found myself wrestling with the question. Thankfully, by the end of the book he decides to stay with God even without having his questions answered. May my faith sustain me to that same end.

The Heart of A Shepherd

2010-01-24T12:34:00.003-06:00

After church several people expressed interest in purchasing The Way of the Shepherd. According to Amazon it is soon to be released in paperback but they still have hardback copies available. Click here for more details.

It appears my brother's "sheep dung" comments were as accurate as they were humorous. I noticed a number of the more senior members commented on that fact. Perhaps the older we get, and the more we are involved in relationships with people we love, the more we realize how truly messy life can be.

I'm so thankful that God, in his wisdom, saw fit to equip his church with men who can lovingly shepherd the flock. The part of Ezekiel I choose not to read this morning (for the sake of time) talks about the strong sheep taking advantage of the weak. The text mentions these insensitive, abusive sheep eating their fill and then trampling the pasture with their feet (making the grass uneatable) and muddying the water after having their fill of drink. Ezekiel continues, "Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away, I will save my flock and they will no longer be plundered." (Ezekiel 34:21-22). Perhaps the most unenviable task of congregational shepherds is recognizing the bullies in a congregation and not allowing them to abuse people.

The goal of congregational shepherds is to see the flock grow strong in their faith and commitment to Jesus Christ their Lord. For that to happen the flock must have good solid Bible teaching, protection from abuse, and guidance in practical ways of living the life of a disciple. An awesome task, but God equips his people with everything they need to accomplish his will. This includes godly shepherds. May He bless us as we select these men.

The Selection of Overseers

2010-01-17T21:15:00.002-06:00

I sat in a couple of meetings this afternoon that were quite encouraging. Our spiritual direction (SD) committee meeting met today. We listened to one of our church members describing the work of our newly formed adult education committee. This committee has done a lot of hard work and I know the whole church will benefit in the near future as a result. But what I noticed today was how engaged the five elders who sit on the SD committee were. They were asking questions, encouraging the one making the presentation, making suggestions, and basically keeping themselves informed about what is happening that has the potential to provide our church with spiritual formation. After that we discussed other matters of importance including some follow up visits the shepherds have been making with people who have not been seen at church in some time.

We talked some about the many visitors we have been having at church lately and how difficult it is to remember names and stories that people tell us. One overseer said that he was going to begin keeping a small notebook with him for the purpose of helping his memory. We also talked about how important it is that every visitor to our service be greeted and welcomed. Again, the shepherds discussed ways that we could ensure that would happen.

After that meeting I sat with the Spanish Ministry committee and again was able to observe one shepherd in particular as he listened well, asked good questions, offered suggestions, and demonstrated personal insight into people and how this ministry can be effective.

I'm in the middle of a three sermon series on selecting shepherds, however, I think the best sermon is being preached by the shepherds who are now serving. They are involved in people's lives because they truly care about them. They are engaged in discussions with the other leaders of the church because they want to see every ministry of the church succeed. We need to add to their number those who have like-minded hearts, servant spirits, and mature, spiritual lives. Continue to ask God to reveal to us whom he has prepared for this special role among his people. And keep your eyes open to see who is already serving in this way.

The Function of Elders

2010-01-10T17:17:00.004-06:00

I really enjoyed sharing the stage this morning with two of our congregational shepherds. I think it worked out better to hear them speak from their experience of serving in that role rather than to hear me talk about the function of elders in theory.

A lot of people worked behind the scenes to help make our worship service successful this morning. Transitioning our assemblies into the gym is no small task. Since I was gone all last week to take a course in Spiritual Formation at ACU, I really don't know exactly who was involved in the transition. However, I know Alan Richards, Boyce Tate, Scott Shaffer, and David Layman spent many hours setting up. I appreciate their service (and others who I have failed to mention.)

One Word for the New Year

2010-01-03T21:18:00.002-06:00

After the sermon today someone asked me what the one word was. I made a big deal about the one word in the introduction and told the congregation that I would not reveal the one word until the conclusion. I'm not sure if the person was just checking to make sure they had it right, or if I had completely failed to communicate. In the reciprocal reading we did from 1 Corinthians 13 the final line, . . . . that we all read together, . . . . and which formally ended the sermon was, "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." I guess at that point I could have said, "And so the one word for the new year is love." I could have done that but thought just ending with the verse would be sufficient. I'm going to believe that the person who asked me that question had the word love in mind and was just checking to make sure that I hadn't slipped another word in when they weren't paying attention. I'm going to believe that, and if I'm wrong then just consider this an opportunity to put your love in practice. Love the preacher even when he does not make the point of his sermon clear. Either way I think this will work out well.

The Wedding Ceremony

2009-12-27T14:21:00.003-06:00

The purpose of the church is to make Christ known to the world. Perhaps this is the why it is so vital that Christians keep their marriage vows. Everything in life in so uncertain. One can lose their health or their job. We've learned this past year how uncertain our economy can be which makes our financial savings plans shaky. What people need to see in this uncertain world is that God is reliable.

Christian marriage needs to communicate the trustworthiness, reliability, and faithfulness of God. When God's people honor their word and keep their commitments, they are a living demonstration of what God is like.

The beauty of the traditional wedding ceremony is the fact that it points the way for the world to know what it means to live in a covenant relationship. Marriage is not the proverbial "ball and chain" keeping a person from really enjoying life. Rather, the marriage covenant is like a strong wall of protection allowing the city dwellers to live their lives without anxiety and worry of enemy attack. It is in such a place of freedom and security that one can really live!

Strong, committed marriages should not just be something we should hope for ourselves and our children. We must work and sacrifice and pay whatever price is necessary to make them a reality. Our world needs for us to do this.

God's Dwelling Among Us

2009-12-20T13:18:00.004-06:00

Who would have thought that Israel's Tabernacle would be such an appropriate topic for a Christmas sermon? The standard picture for this season is, of course, a baby in a manger. This image certainly communicates a number of important truths. However, thinking about God coming to "tabernacle" with us in the person of Jesus makes his birth even more unique.

The Old Testament tabernacle glittered with all the gold that was used in it's construction. The gold directed Israel's attention to their God. Likewise, the Heavenly city of Jerusalem in John's Revelation, is made of gold as clear as glass (a quality that surpasses any gold on earth!). However, when God became flesh in the person of Jesus and "did tabernacle among us," the only gold he received was when the Magi presented it to him as a gift (Matthew 2:11). Jesus did not need the reflection of gold to show the glory of God. He IS God dwelling (or tablernacling) among his people! He is the one who is truly more precious that silver, more costly than gold. And as the song says, "Nothing I desire compares with you." Jesus is the fulfillment of all of our dreams and desires. Give him all the glory and honor this Christmas and every day!

The Fruit of the Spirit is . . . Self Control

2009-12-13T13:16:00.003-06:00

As I talked about the failures of Tiger Woods, Bobby Humphrey and Bill Bennett this morning; I thought how easy it is to be judgmental and self righteous when the sins of others come to light. As far as Humphrey and Bennett are concerned: they have both risen above their moral failures and appear to be making positive contributions to society. Tiger's story is still so fresh that it would be good for us to pray for him rather than throw stones. (I'm talking to myself with that last statement.)

When we get really honest with ourselves we have to admit that we have all done things for which we are now ashamed. I've often meditated on the statement, "All the ground is level at the foot of the cross." We come to Jesus broken and needy. He accepts us as we are, but loves us too much to leave us that way! By submitting to the Holy Spirit who lives inside us we are transformed into the person of Christ. Gary Robbins summed up today's sermon with this scripture, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." (James 4:10) Amen! May the Spirit bear his beautiful fruit in your life and mine as we surrender control of our lives to him.