Along the Way ... for the week of August 25, 2013

"Make the picture bigger!"  This was the advice I received from a commentary as I was preparing to preach and teach about what we learn from the story of creation.

The reference was to God's intention in sending His Son Jesus to earth.  Colossians 1:15-20 captures the apostle Paul's attempt to "make the picture bigger!"  Too often we think God's only purpose in sending His Son was to bring salvation to His people.  We refer to the angel's words in Matthew 1:21, "you are to give Him the name Jesus because He will save His people from their sins." and we believe we have captured God's full intention in sending His Son to earth.  However, as Paul advises, we need to "make the picture bigger"!

In Colossians 1:16, Paul reminds us that "all things" were created by and for Jesus, "things in heaven and things on earth ... all things have been created through Him and for Him."  Then in verses 19-20, Paul reveals God's true purpose in sending His Son to earth, "For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross."  

God's intention was reconciliation between Himself and all things; peace brought through Jesus' blood shed on the cross.  Peace with God, peace between peoples, peace with all of creation; a complete restoration of everything broken and marred by sin.  As "all things" were made by Him and for Him so "all things" find their reconciliation in Him!  This is the good news, and the reason why we need to "make the picture bigger!" 

Can you think of other things that are included in God's purpose in sending His Son Jesus?  Are there specific examples of things that have been reconciled or could be reconciled because of Jesus?  If so, I invite you to share them.

Along the Way ... for the week of August 18, 2013

My children and I watched the movie "Man of Steel" this weekend, and we enjoyed it very much.   As I have reflected on the story of Kal-el, I have noticed lots of parallels between his story and the Jesus story.  Nevertheless, I have also noticed some profound differences, and it is the differences that I believe make the good news so good.

Let's begin with the similarities.  Certainly, Kal-el comes from another world.  He appears human, but he is not.  The symbol given to Kal-el by his father to wear means hope, symbolizing that he is the hope of both Krypton and earth.  Kal-el is often ridiculed, and persecuted for his righteousness as he refuses to fight back, choosing instead to "turn the other cheek".  Finally, my favorite quote of the movie also captures the similarity, as Kal-el tells the general, "You cannot control me and you never will, but that does not make me your enemy."  The religious leaders also desired to control Jesus, and their inability to control Him led them to believe He was their enemy as well.   I am sure there are other similarities as well, but now let's move to the differences.
It is the differences that I believe reveal the goodness of the good news.  Whereas, Kal-el comes from another world and appears to be human, he is not.  Jesus, however, is the eternal Son of God; i.e. He does come from another world, but He is also fully and completely human.  Kal-el is persecuted and bullied, but he knew his oppressors could not hurt him.  Jesus bruises and bleeds.  He can be hurt and actually is physically and emotionally hurt by His oppressors, yet He still refuses to fight back.   And I believe that is the main difference between Jesus and Kal-el.  Jesus was human.  He understood our weakness, He carried our sorrows, and ultimately Jesus was able to transform them into real hope and true redemption.

The goodness of the good news is found in Jesus' humanity because only as a human is He able to change our destiny from condemnation to reconciliation so that we can live right with God for all eternity.  Taking on our humanity and transforming it is what sets the Man of Sorrows apart from the Man of Steel.

What are your thoughts?   I look forward to reading them.

May 21, 2013

I was struck recently by the description of Jesus from Isaiah 42:3

"A bruised reed he will not break,

and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out."

For me this is the heart of God displayed in the life of Jesus.  It challenges me because so often we seem to believe that it is our job to point out the sins of our brothers and sisters.  Although Jesus Himself said, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged." (Matthew 7:1)  Too often, we find a "bruised reed" and we almost take pleasure in breaking it.  In the same way, we find "a smoldering wick" and we cannot wait to snuff it out.  

What is wrong with us?  How have we gotten so far off track?

I recently had a conversation with a friend.  She was talking about visiting a particular church and being disgusted because two women were holding hands a few rows in front of her.  Her take on this was that  this church must not be preaching the truth if these ladies feel comfortable there.  However, I pointed out to her that maybe there was another way to look at it.  What if these ladies have never met Jesus?  What would be Jesus' words to them?  Would he begin with condemnation, or would he first express His love and acceptance of them (not necessarily their lifestyle)?  

Are we so focused on behavior that we have lost sight of people?  

I believe the challenge for us is the same as it was for Jesus.  The challenge is how to "identify" without losing our own "identity"?  Are we secure enough in who we are in Christ to be able to interact freely (i.e. "identify") with people knowing that we can still maintain our own true "identity"?  In other words, someone else's behavior does not need to dictate my own.  I can truly love "sinners" (especially because I am one myself) without justifying their lifestyles, attitudes, behaviors, or ideas.  I believe I can love them well, and still maintain the standards to which God has called me personally.   Can you?  

I invite you to share your thoughts as we journey together with Jesus along the way ... 

May 8, 2013 - Along the way ...

It has been a few weeks since I have written.  I apologize.  My journeys along the way ... have been many.  I have had opportunities to worship with brothers and sisters in Canada, hear stories of what God is doing around the world (particularly in West Africa among predominantly Muslim nations), and join members of the New Mexico Air National Guard in worship (both Catholic and Protestant).

It has been quite a few weeks indeed.   So what has God been teaching me along the way ...

I think of Elijah on the run from Jezebel following the remarkable events on Mount Carmel (see I Kings  18:16-39).  Exhausted, bewildered, and near the end of his rope, the living God appeared to Him.  God told him several things, but most importantly God told him, "Yet I reserve 7,000 in Israel - all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him." (I Kings 19:18)

This is what I have seen in my journeys along the way ...  God has His people.  They come from many different tribes, nations, and tongues, but they are all His and remain loyal to His cause.

It is a wonderful privilege to be a part of the worldwide people of God, and may we never forget that as  we journey we do not journey alone along the way ...

Post for the week of April 21, 2013

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth." (I John 3:18)

This is easier said than done.  No, really, it is easier to say, "I love you" than it is to show it.  Yet that is what we are called to do.  We are called to bring Jesus to people by showing God's love.  

So how do we do that?  How do we bring Jesus to people by showing God's love?

First, what does it look like when we get it wrong, and second, what does it look like when we get it right?  In addition, is there a situation coming up this week where we might have the opportunity to get it right?  

For example, I have been guilty of getting it wrong lots of times, especially in my role as a pastor.  

I used to think (and from time to time I slip back into it) that my job was to direct people's behavior.  

I thought I was called to tell people what to do.  Yet I have learned that when I do this (tell people what to do) I get loving wrong.  Is it because in telling people what to do I am more concerned with what people might think of me as a pastor if I allow such behavior to continue than I am with the well-being of the other person?  Probably.  If that is so, then that is getting love wrong.  

However, I have also found that I get love right when I become more concerned about the well-being of the other, than I concern myself with my own image as a pastor.  I get love right when I seek more to understand than to be understood.  I get love right when I humble myself and consider others better than myself.  I get it right when I give people the benefit of the doubt and really seek to listen and to care about what is going in their lives at the moment.  This is what it looks like for me when I get love right.  

So how can I do that this week?  I may not have the opportunity as a pastor, but I will have opportunities as a father and a husband.  I will try to seek first to understand before seeking to be understood so that my family will know I really love them; not by what I say, but by what I do.  

Lord, please help me to show your love this week.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Post for the week of April 14, 2013

"Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did." (I John 2:6)

So the question comes, "How did Jesus walk?"   Again we are not talking about a particular gait, or hitch Jesus had in his "get along".  Rather this question challenges us to live as Jesus lived, so how did Jesus live?  More importantly, how did Jesus treat people?

In I John, John is addressing the situation of people who consider themselves "spiritually elite" looking down on other brothers and sisters and pushing them aside.  Their "enlightenment" was about what they thought they knew (special knowledge).  However, John says light is seen not in what we say we know, but rather in what we do and in particular how we love.  

Love is the way Jesus walked; it's how he lived.  So what about us?  Are we walking as Jesus did?

Yesterday in our sermon study group we came up with a list of ideas of what it looks like to love well.

We can help others, we can pray for others, we can forgive others who have wronged us, we can serve others, we can show others respect, and we can offer acts of kindness.  All of these things are ways we can show Jesus' love to others.  

So what about you?  How will you show Jesus' love to people this week?  Is there someone you can help, pray for, forgive, serve, show respect, and/or offer kindness?  Make a plan, and then pray about it asking God to help you do it!

Thoughts for the week of April 7, 2013

(Read I John 1:1-10)

"God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all." (I John 1:5)

What are the implications of this statement for those of us who seek to journey with Jesus along the way?  Also, what does it mean then to "walk in the light", and how does "walking in the light" bring us "fellowship with one another"?

One thing I shared in my sermon yesterday is that I believe "walking in the light" is not only doing right things, but also doing things right.  "Walking in the light" is not just about our behavior, but also the attitudes behind our behavior.  So how can "walking in the light" by doing things right bring us fellowship with one another?  

I invite you to share your thoughts, and maybe even stories of how this has happened or not happened for you in real life.  Our honesty will give each of us encouragement and strength and bring us into closer fellowship with one another as together we journey with Jesus along the way ...