April 7, 2015 - along the Way ...

This past Sunday was Easter Sunday; a day to celebrate as we remember Jesus' victorious resurrection from the grave!

As I have continued to contemplate the wonder of what Jesus' resurrection means, I am continually struck by the words of the angel and the words of Jesus: "Do not be afraid."

Many of us know that the Bible tells us in the book of Proverbs, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge/wisdom." (Proverbs 1:7, 9:10)   So on one hand we are told to fear the LORD, yet on the other hand we are told: "Do not be afraid".  What then is the difference between "fear" and "being afraid"?

Fear recognizes who God is and leads us to show Him respect and reverence, and teaches us to listen to Him.  Fear is rooted in Who God is, and therefore is proper for God's holy people.

Yet being afraid is quite different.  When we are afraid we are focused on ourselves, and our weakness.  We are afraid of what we cannot control.  Jesus tells us "Do not be afraid" because now is the time to fear, to let go rather than be afraid and hold on tighter.

Control is one of the hardest things for you and I as human beings to give up.  We like to have control, even it is only the illusion of control, we like to be in control.   I think this might be why we are afraid when we receive a difficult diagnosis from our doctor.   We live with the illusion that we are in control, and we forget that our lives are in God's hands every moment of every day.  Because we belong to Him, we fear but we should not be afraid.

I am reminded of a quote from the movie, "Man of Steel".   Superman has allowed himself to be captured by the US military, while under interrogation he breaks his bonds and destroys the illusion of control.  He then says to the general, "General, you cannot control me and you never will, but that does not mean I am your enemy."

This is a good picture of the relationship between "fear" and "being afraid".   We are afraid of what we cannot control, but fear is recognition of a power greater than I; "the rock that is higher than I" (Psalm 61:2).  Superman is greater, but he is fictional.  God is greater and He is real and in Him you and I can place our trust.

In Psalm 56:3-4, the psalmist captures it beautifully, "When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.  In God, whose word I praise - in God I trust and am not afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?"

So the Bible has it right.   Fear is the beginning of knowledge/wisdom, and those who fear have nothing for which they need be afraid.

So what about you?  What makes you afraid, and how does fear help you in those times?  I invite you to share your thoughts as we journey together along the Way ...

March 24, 2015 - along the Way ...

Sunday I talked a little about "the cup" which Jesus had to drink in order to do God's will.  It was a difficult cup; a cup full of suffering and pain, which lead to His death, and culminated in His victorious resurrection from the dead.   It was a "cup" that only Jesus could drink because only Jesus was the eternal Son of God in human flesh, and only Jesus was without sin.

This got me thinking about what that "cup" means for you and I.   Jesus told James and John that they would indeed drink from this "cup" but that would not guarantee a high position in Jesus' kingdom.  (see Matthew 20:23)

So do all followers of Jesus have to drink from this "cup"?

In short, yes we do.  However, I feel I need to elaborate on that a little so that we can see clearly what that means for us.

First, we drink from this "cup" because we all feel the effects of sin in this broken world.   We see broken relationships, we hear people criticize what they do not understand, we can even be persecuted as followers of Jesus suffering greatly for the gospel.   In this sense, we all drink from this "cup".

Second, the "cup" is God's will.   In Matthew 26:39, Jesus prays, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup to be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as You will."  And again in Matthew 26:42, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done."

Jesus had to drink the "cup" in order to fulfill God's will for Him.   In the same way, God has a will for each of us.  He desires that we seek His kingdom first and seek to know and do what is right in each circumstance.   In addition, He has "created us in Jesus Christ to do good works, which (He) prepared in advance for us to do".  

In this sense, I believe God has a unique plan for each of us.   He created us and has now re-created us in Christ for a purpose.   Finding that purpose ought to be at the forefront of our minds, as we seek God's kingdom and His righteousness.

So what is God's plan for you?   What unique skills, gifts, abilities, experiences, etc. has God given you to help you understand His will for you?

Last week, I watched a sermon from Pastor Bill Hybels on video.   In the sermon, he talked about everyone discovering our own "Popeye" moment - "I've had all I can stands, and I can't stands no more."  That moment of "holy discontent" when you know something has to be done, and you believe God is calling you to do it.

So what is your "Popeye" moment?   What has God laid on your heart to do?   I encourage you to find out, and then do something about it!  Then if you are willing share it, so that the rest of us can join you as we journey together along the Way ...

March 17, 2015 - along the Way ...

Happy St Patrick's Day!  Since Patrick was the one responsible for bringing the good news to Ireland, so many years ago, I believe the entire body of Christ can honor him today with gratitude to God!
To God be the glory!  Great things He has done, is doing, and will continue to do!

As I consider what it means to bring the good news to our world today, I struggle with the best response to those who live with same-sex attraction.  I believe the church needs to make room for people of all backgrounds, orientations, and lifestyles.  By making room I do not mean the church should change its standards, but rather that we should make room for people to encounter the living God, so that He can transform all of us through the Holy Spirit's power by faith in Jesus Christ!

This morning I was reading in I Timothy 1, and I was struck by the juxtaposition of Paul's words to Timothy regarding the law in verses 8-11 and his words regarding his own need for grace in verses 12-17.

On the one hand, Paul says, "We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.   We also know that the law is not made for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers - and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me."

The law (think Ten Commandments, Leviticus, and the summary of the law: love God and love others) is not made for the righteous.  If we are righteous, we will do what is right under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and therefore we do not need the law.

Yet the law is good when used properly, that is for those who rebel against God and do whatever they choose.   The law shows us our wrongdoing and directs us back to the path of righteousness.

This is where verses 15-16 come in.  Paul says, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life."

Jesus came to save sinners, like me, and by His mercy and grace He has saved me, and by His Holy Spirit He is leading me into paths of righteousness.   The same Paul who made these statements also says, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." (I Corinthians 11:1)   Paul was made new through his encounter with Christ, and he became an example of righteousness, not perfection, but the righteousness Christ brings to all who believe.

So what does this have to do with people living with same-sex attraction?

First, I must admit I do not understand what people living with same-sex attraction are feeling or going through on a daily basis.  I imagine it would be very difficult to remain obedient to God, and have to be alone all through life.  I admit I do not understand their pain.

Second, I am certain that God's grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in my and our weakness.  Although the law does not change, and is useful when used properly, I rely on the grace and mercy of God for our salvation and for daily living.

Third, in Christ I am my brother's and sister's keeper.  At some point I need to hold difficult conversations in a way that is loving - loving both the person (not dishonoring others) and loving God's truth (not delighting in evil but rejoicing with the truth).

In the end, walking the way of righteousness together is difficult.  We live in a broken world, and it will remain broken until Jesus returns to make all things new.   So I pray for daily grace to know how to live with integrity (showing love while valuing truth) in a broken world.  

I invite you to share your thoughts as well.   This is a very sensitive issue, and we need to be open to learning from each other as we listen to God's word together along the Way ...

March 10, 2015 - along the Way ...

Last week, I shared the difference between being moral and being Christlike, and the conclusion I reached is that love makes the difference.  We can be moral without being loving, but to be Christlike we must love well.

Continuing that idea I encourage you to read I Corinthians 13.   It is commonly called "the love chapter".   It is used in weddings, and finds a wide audience, yet the apostle Paul wrote I Corinthians 13 so that we would know what love is in the body of Christ.

A few days ago I was reflecting on this chapter with some friends, and two verses stood out to me.

In verse 5, "love does not dishonor others" (NIV 2011).  In other translations it is stated, "it (love) is not rude".  The idea is that love sees the person before their behavior and honors the person first.  When we stand on our moral high ground, unfortunately lots of people become dishonored as we label them by their behavior rather than seeing them for who they are.

Also, in verse 6, "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." (NIV 2011)  This is a great reminder.   Love rejoices with the truth, and never delights in evil.  As we honor people for who they are, we must never celebrate our or another's bad behavior.  Evil is evil, and we must call it what it is.  Evil is the absence of good, and it is never pleasing to God.   God's truth is our guide and standard as we live each day this side of heaven.

So what about you?  As you read through I Corinthians 13 what stands out to you?  I invite you to share your thoughts as we journey together along the Way ...

March 3, 2015 - along the Way ...

As we continue our Lenten journey to the cross with Jesus, I am struck by the continuing tension between morality and being Christlike.

Now wait, I know you are going to insist that being moral and being Christlike are one in the same.
And I will grant that being moral is part of being Christlike, but being Christlike is more than being moral.

This weekend my family and I watched the movie "Chocolat".  In the movie, the townspeople motivated by the church (or at least some significant members of the church) begin a campaign to "Boycott Immorality".  Somehow they believe if they can just rid themselves of immorality and all those who intice them toward immorality, they will achieve "tranquility".

The first problem with "boycotting immorality" is that we have to boycott ourselves.  All of us are sinful, which is worse than being immoral.  Sin lives deep within our hearts, and it resists our efforts to remove it.  Ultimately, only Christ can remove our sin and change our hearts.

One example of this problem from the movie is the case of Serge, the local bartender who likes to beat his wife.  Once his immorality is discovered, the mayor takes him to confession, enrolls him into catechism class, and cleans him up.  After a while he goes to his wife to win her back, but she refuses.   Serge claims, "God has changed me", but she remains skeptical.

Once Serge realizes that his efforts at reform have failed to bring reconciliation with his wife (or at least get her to come back home) he defaults to his old self, gets drunk, and becomes abusive.  He had not changed his sinful self, he had simply changed his moral behavior for a time.

The second problem comes when we cannot separate our hatred of immoral behavior from the people who are acting immorally.  We tend to identify the people as the enemy, and seek ways to eliminate the enemy hoping to rid ourselves of the behavior.  

Yet people are people, they are not the real enemy.   The real enemy is "not flesh and blood" (see Ephesians 6:12).  The real enemy is sin and the spiritual forces of evil that use sin as their personal weapon.  By focusing on the people, we miss the real enemy and will still lose the war.

Being Christlike goes beyond being moral because being like Christ means we continue to love our enemy and pray for those who persecute us.  In our efforts to pursue morality we must not lose the love for people that Christ maintained.  In the end, the call to love God and love neighbor trumps our efforts to be moral.

These are just some of my thoughts for this lenten journey.   I invite you to share some of your own, as we journey together along the Way ....

February 24, 2015 - along the Way ...

This weekend I was watching a show called "Cupcake Wars" with my wife.   On the show contestants present their best offering of cupcake based on required ingredients and a theme provided by the judges.  It never ceases to amaze me how confident many of the contestants are going into the judging.  

One contestant in particular was so confident she believed she had "nailed it" and was certain to be going into the next round.  Yet once the judging began, the judges had little if anything good to say.
She was eliminated.

This got me thinking.   How often do we rely on our own ideas of what God requires of those who belong to Him?  We even hear some people assume that there are "many roads" which lead to heaven and Jesus is just one of them.

I know that judgment is not my job.  I am nobody's judge, and I am glad.  Nevertheless, I think folks should take seriously God's judgment and listen specifically to what God has said He requires.  The Bible tells us we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, and it tells us that faith without works is dead.  In addition, in the Jewish scriptures, in Micah 6:8, we read what is required, "To do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God."

There are many references in the Bible (which is God's word given to us so that we will know exactly what is expected) which point to what God requires of us.  I encourage each of us to read it for ourselves.  Do not simply take someone else's word for it.  Read it!  It is God's gracious gift given to all of us that we might grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus.  

So what do you think?  Can you think of examples where people are overly optimistic and are stunned by a judge's judgment?  Can you think of other scriptures that help us know what God requires of us?

Let us share these words of life with each other, as we journey together along the Way ...

February 17, 2015 - along the Way ...

This weekend my wife and I enjoyed viewing the film, "Old Fashioned".  It was a really GREAT movie!  Perhaps you have heard that from others, but I want to elaborate on why it was such a GREAT movie.

This film is GREAT on so many levels.  It certainly offers an alternative to the way our society often presents male-female relationships, but it also examines the interplay between righteousness and grace.

We know that Christ is our righteousness, and His righteousness is received by God's grace alone.
In Christ, God sees us as forgiven, sinless, and completely righteous.  However, the fact that God declares us righteous in Christ (what we call justification) does not lower the expectation of becoming holy (what we call sanctification) as through the Holy Spirit's power we become more like Jesus.

Jesus presents us with this challenge in what is called "The Sermon on the Mount".   In Matthew 5:17-20 Jesus says,

"Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;

I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear;

not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen,

will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands

and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven,

but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees 

and the teachers of the law,

you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."

Jesus never lowers the standard.  Righteousness is the expectation.  By God's grace, Jesus brings us up to the standard (justification) while empowering us through the Holy Spirit to live righteously (sanctification).  

In the movie, we are challenged to wrestle with the expectation of righteousness, while receiving the gift of God's grace in Christ.  

In some ways, I believe Clay is only able to understand and appreciate the depth of God's love because he struggled to live righteously.  

There is much more that can be said regarding this movie, but I think this is sufficient to initiate a good conversation.  If you have seen the movie, please share your own thoughts and reactions.  If you have not seen it, I highly recommend it, and invite you to share your thoughts here as well, as we journey together along the Way ...