The Annointed Attitude

Faith is believing in unseen realities that are more real than what can be experienced by the 5 senses.  It should be no surprise that those who live by faith will be something of a mystery to those who do not.  The anointed attitude we discussed in today's sermon will both attract and repel.  To some, seeing a people who are daily meditating on the Word of God and seeking to live in accordance with it's teaching is incredibly attractive.  I'm not talking about a legalistic observance of the law, rather, a joyful obedience that brings peace and contentment. 

On the other hand, some are repelled by such people.  I never cease to be amazed at the mocking characterization of people of faith by the media, especially those who make there living through comedy.  Ridicule, insults, and mockery of God and His Teachings are standard fare for the stand up comedians and situation comedies.  There are many other, more subtle messages that daily bombard the people of God with the message, "You've got to be a complete idiot to believe that." 

The anointed attitude comes from the people who are meditating on the Word of God (Psalm 1) and have given whole-hearted allegiance to the Messiah (or Anointed One of Psalm 2) who is the Word Made Flesh (John 1:14).  Only those with an anointed attitude can join the Holy One in laughter when the "powerful" plot to overthrow God's Messiah.  Only those with an anointed attitude can see the unseen realities beyond the veil of this world. 

Beginning the Journey

The Psalms are messy.  I was bothered by how messy yesterday's sermon was.  From my opinion, it rambled and lacked the progressionary movement I like to build into sermons.  I was troubled by the sermon even after (especially immediately after!) I preached it. 

However, when people talked with me about the sermon I realized that somehow, in spite of it's bumbling nature, the message had connected.  One lady, with tears in her eyes, told me that as I read Psalm 42 it put words to her feelings.  Another said that when she opened to Psalm 42 her eyes began reading Psalm 40 and that it was a perfect expression for her current experience of life.  Others mentioned their desire to move more deeply into the Psalms and especially to learn how to pray the Psalms. 

The Psalms are messy because life is messy.  Perhaps, the best way to begin this sermon series is with a messy sermon that lacked the structure and progressionary sequence that seems to help sermons communicate.  Psalm 1 is not messy.  It is organized and easy to understand.  It presents life as it should be, and life as it will be.  The 149 Psalms following Psalm 1 largely present life as it is.  And frankly, life is a mess!  But as the Psalms proclaim over and over -- Our God is a rock!

No Preaching For Me Today

Today I went to listen to Brent Isbell preach at the University Church of Christ in Abilene.  What a joy to be able to sit on the other side of the pulpit for a change.  Brent is doing a series on David and today's text was the terrible tale of coveting, adultery, and murder.   Brent did a marvelous job of drawing us into the story and allowing us to experience the drama as it unfolds.  No excuses, no blaming; David found himself at the logical end of a long slide away from his role as the singer of songs and as the defeater of Goliath.  It's a sad story that continues to be repeated. 

Brent began with the Law's instructions to Israel for when they set a king over themselves (Deut. 17:14ff).  I had never before noticed that the warnings given concerned the same three temptations that eventually attack everyone: Money, Power, and Sex.  David didn't heed the warning.  His adultery didn't just happen by chance.  He had been in a long slow drift.   David could get whatever he wanted, . . . so he did.  Brent powerfully brought the message home with a series of questions near the end of the sermon beginning with,  "What terrace are you leaning over?".  A good call for self-examination that hit me right in the heart.  I'll carry this sermon with me for awhile as I ponder that question.

I have been in Abilene all week preparing to preach a new series from the Psalms. (Staying with my son Ben has been an extra blessing!)  It's been good to get out of town and focus all of my attention on these 150 wonderful expressions of praise, lament, complaint, thanksgiving, celebration, and mourning.  I look forward to leading Clear Lake Church through the journey of using Psalms to express our hearts and allowing God to transform us to be more like Jesus.  See you next Sunday!

All Things New!

I never cease to be amazed at the creation of new life.  Watching something beautiful come from something not so beautiful (and often even ugly!) is a miracle of nature that happens so often we can easily take it for granted.  I love watching the plants grow and bear fruit, trees blossom, puppies being born and - the greatest miracle of all - a human baby taking it's first breath.  All of these are a reminder of the new creation that has already begun in Jesus' resurrection from the grave. 

Revelation 21 has become one my favorite chapters in the Bible.  I am staking my life on the words God speaks, "I am making everything new!"   Today's service reminded me all over again, how God brings victory out of defeat and life out of death.  Watching the cross be transformed from an instrument of death into a bouquet of flowers, gives a visual representation of what God has done to our sinful lives and our sin-stained creation.  He has given sin the death blow through the cross and has brought eternal life to us through the resurrection.  More than that, God has promised to recreate and redeem all of his creation!  Hallelujah!  Come, Lord Jesus!

"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us--so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.  May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you.  May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth.  May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you.  The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us.  May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him." (Psalm 67) 

Don't Be An April Fool

I keep thinking about making a list of 25 expectations I have of Jesus.  I'm a little afraid of making the list but I think it would be a good exercise so here goes . . .

1.  I expect Jesus to return the earth
2.  I expect Jesus to renew all things upon his return
3.  I expect Jesus to give me strength to live for him each day
4.  I expect Jesus to not let me be tempted beyond what I can stand
5.  I expect Jesus to intercede for me
6.  I expect Jesus to answer my prayers in keeping with the Father's will
7.  I expect Jesus to judge the world with righteousness and fairness
8.  I expect Jesus provide for my essential daily needs
9.  I expect Jesus to always be with me
10.  I expect Jesus to be merciful and forgiving
11.  I expect Jesus to reward those who earnestly seek him
12.  I expect Jesus to give me guidance and direction for my life
13.  I expect Jesus to work all things together to accomplish good
14.  I expect Jesus to work in my life to accomplish the Father's will
15.  I expect Jesus to provide whatever I need to accomplish his purposes for my life
16.  I expect Jesus to treat me as I need to be treated rather than as I deserve to be treated
17.  I expect Jesus to regard me as his friend
18.  I expect Jesus to love me in spite of anything I may do
19.  I expect Jesus to never leave me nor forsake me
20.  I expect Jesus to comfort me when I am in distress
21.  I expect Jesus to teach me to do his will
22.  I expect Jesus to remove my sins as far as the east is from the west
23.  I expect Jesus to live in me by means of the Holy Spirit
24.  I expect Jesus to purify my heart as I submit to his will
25.  I expect Jesus to be the Good Shepherd who knows his sheep by name

Praise the Lord!

My favorite part of today's service was the testimonials during the Lord's Supper.  I loved hearing what God is doing in people's lives as we ate the bread and drank the cup.  I imagine this may have been what the early Christians did as they celebrated the Lord's Supper.  In those gatherings they perhaps sat around a table, shared a meal together and; as part of the meal, ate bread and drank from the cup talking about what the risen Jesus was continuing to do in their lives through his Holy Spirit. 

After the service, one of our shepherds told me it was difficult to put words to his prayers during Family Prayer Time.  As the congregation sang, "I Need Thee Every Hour" the shepherd was praying with people about their specific needs and concerns.  He said he was having trouble expressing his thoughts and finally just said, "Exactly what we are singing right now, that's what we mean to say Lord!"  That, in a nutshell, is the beauty of a well-worded poem set to music.  It allows the worshiper to find the right words to express themselves to God.   

Be Prepared

Thinking of the 10 virgins as a "gaggle of giggly girls" certainly put Jesus' parable in a different light.  It's easy to understand why some would be prepared and others would not.  It's also easy to see that the unprepared would want to "sponge" off the one's who had thought ahead.  (I'm thinking now of trying to collect pizza money from a group of teenagers of either gender.)  Those who are prepared are often expected to bail out those who are not. 

As I contemplated the parable in this light, it began to take a different shape.  Certainly Jesus is interested in the final judgement and the end of the world as we know it, however, he seems much more interested in how we live right now.  The parables of the kingdom are about living in world as it is.  What does it look like for the kingdom of God to break into our world today?  What do Jesus' instructions in living the kingdom life mean for right now? 

In light of the parables of the kingdom, what was once a mysterious saying to me, now makes sense.  “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old” (Matthew 13:52).  Let Jesus' instructions in the kingdom train your understanding of what to value and how to prioritize and you will be well prepared to live the kingdom life.