Blessed are the poor in spirit, he said, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Heaven, it seems, will not be home to those who are filled with pride. Blessed are the meek, he said, for they will inherit the earth. It looks like the powerful will get their way forever... but in truth, those who love their neighbors and walk humbly with the Lord... will inherit the earth. Blessed are the pure in heart, he said, for they will see God. No one can stop the fleeting thoughts that sometimes cross their minds, but if we feed our soul with good and holy things, and if we busy our hands in work that is worth doing, and associate with people who are compassionate and righteous, our chances of having "sinful" thoughts will go way down. Blessed are the peacemakers, he said, for they will be called the sons (and daughters) of God... because even those who actually care about and wish for peace... are reluctant to take a stand to bring it about.
Blessed are you when people persecute you for my sake, he said, for you have been faithful and brave enough to let others know that I am your Lord! When we die and our obits are read, pray that no one will be surprised to read that we were Christians! Pray that our faith shines through in what we do and say. YOU are the salt of the earth, he said. YOU are the light of the world, he said. Wow, what an awesome privilege and responsibility this is. I might be the only Christian another person knows in his or her life. As dim as it is, I might present the only reflection of Christ that another person may ever see! Pray that Christians will act like Christians. If your righteousness does not exceed that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, he said, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. If you are obsessed with judgment, rules, and scorekeeping, you will not see heaven because heaven is a place of love, forgiveness, and grace.
Watch your inner thoughts, he said, for they are the source of all sorts of sin. Murder begins in the heart. So does adultery and theft and more. You have heard it said, he said, that you must love your neighbor and hate your enemies, but I tell you to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, If people got what they deserved in life, we would all be in trouble. Instead of worrying about long, self-serving prayers, simply pray that God will give you your daily bread and forgive your sins, and deliver you from evil. Pray also that God's will will be done on both heaven and earth and that Jesus will come soon. No one can serve both God and money, he said, so put God first and avoid the love of money like the plague! Do not worry about your life, he said, because it doesn't help and it isn't necessary... and don't spend your time judging others! Leave judgment to God because you are too sinful to judge your brother. Be bold in your prayer, he said. Be persistent and believe that God will answer you.
Anyone who hears my words AND puts them into practice is like the wise man who builds his house on the rock. Then, he finished what we call his Sermon on the Mount, and the crowds were amazed at his teaching. (Matt. 7:28) Let those who have ears, hear.
PK IN SWEDEN
Sunday, October 16, 2016
Saturday, October 15, 2016
HE DANCED A JIG FOR THE LORD!
Most of the people I know are afraid to let go.
They're disciplined, reserved, measured, realistic.
They try not to cry of laugh too loudly.
They don't want to make a spectacle of themselves.
So... they sing their songs softly, with mumbled words.
They demur when they're complimented,
they hold their tongue when they're insulted... and
when their team scores, they simply set on their hands.
Most of the people I know are afraid to dance boldly,
lest they do it wrong or make a fool of themselves.
Even in moments of great joy,
they control themselves... but NOT David. (see 2 Samuel 8)
David was a man of passion who let it all hang out.
Sometimes, he cried out to God with bitter complaints.
Sometimes, he wrote songs of praise... and
on at least one occasion, he danced a jog for his Lord.
It occurred when he was bringing the Ark home to Jerusalem.
The people were with him- with their cymbals, horns and sistrums.
They danced all the way because it was a sacred day of great joy!
But no one danced with more abandon than their great King.
David danced with all of his might, wearing little more than an apron.
He danced like a fool... for God, and only for God.
He danced like a fool and gave everyone in the crowd...
a loaf of bread and a couple of cakes to take to their homes.
He danced as if no one was watching...
but his wife, Michal, was watching intently, and she was disgusted.
She told him so when he finally came through the door.
She told him that he had been vulgar and most un-king-like.
She told him that he had made a fool of himself,
but he didn't care what she or anyone else thought.
He said that he danced and sang only for God... and
that, given the chance, he would act like a bigger fool the next time.
When you get saved, when you're filled with the Holy Spirit.
when you're bringing the ark home, or a lost sinner home, or
simply becoming aware of what it means to be saved,
the only thing you can do is to hold your sides and laugh, or dance the jig!
What do you think?
Should David have danced with such abandon?
If you had been there, would you have sided with David or with Michal?
Can people who know themselves to be saved... keep from smiling!
They're disciplined, reserved, measured, realistic.
They try not to cry of laugh too loudly.
They don't want to make a spectacle of themselves.
So... they sing their songs softly, with mumbled words.
They demur when they're complimented,
they hold their tongue when they're insulted... and
when their team scores, they simply set on their hands.
Most of the people I know are afraid to dance boldly,
lest they do it wrong or make a fool of themselves.
Even in moments of great joy,
they control themselves... but NOT David. (see 2 Samuel 8)
David was a man of passion who let it all hang out.
Sometimes, he cried out to God with bitter complaints.
Sometimes, he wrote songs of praise... and
on at least one occasion, he danced a jog for his Lord.
It occurred when he was bringing the Ark home to Jerusalem.
The people were with him- with their cymbals, horns and sistrums.
They danced all the way because it was a sacred day of great joy!
But no one danced with more abandon than their great King.
David danced with all of his might, wearing little more than an apron.
He danced like a fool... for God, and only for God.
He danced like a fool and gave everyone in the crowd...
a loaf of bread and a couple of cakes to take to their homes.
He danced as if no one was watching...
but his wife, Michal, was watching intently, and she was disgusted.
She told him so when he finally came through the door.
She told him that he had been vulgar and most un-king-like.
She told him that he had made a fool of himself,
but he didn't care what she or anyone else thought.
He said that he danced and sang only for God... and
that, given the chance, he would act like a bigger fool the next time.
When you get saved, when you're filled with the Holy Spirit.
when you're bringing the ark home, or a lost sinner home, or
simply becoming aware of what it means to be saved,
the only thing you can do is to hold your sides and laugh, or dance the jig!
What do you think?
Should David have danced with such abandon?
If you had been there, would you have sided with David or with Michal?
Can people who know themselves to be saved... keep from smiling!
Saturday, October 1, 2016
40 YEARS OF SOBRIETY
On October 04, 1976, I had my last drink. I surrendered my self-will to God... and began a life more devoted to service than self. On October 04, 1976, an emptiness came over me- an emptiness that I had never known- an emptiness so powerful that it drove me to my knees.
I was sitting by myself in a restaurant in Omaha, Nebraska... when it suddenly occurred to me that I was desperately lost and in the process of dying. So, I sat my beer down and drove home, telling myself that whatever alcoholism treatment was, it had to be better than the life I was living. I didn't know what the future would bring, but I was sick and tired of forgetting where my car was and of passing out on my own front lawn. I was sick of tired of looking at my troubled, frightened, and lying face in the mirror, and I had become totally confused about what was real and what was false in my life. Deep down, I knew that I was a "good" person, but I wasn't doing much good. In my heart, I was sure that I could make a contribution to the world, but every night, I watered my own whiskey bottle down so that I myself would forget how much I had to drink. I had become vain and fearful and I told lies when the truth would have served me better. In the early days, I could hold my liquor. I could drink all night, but in the latter days, I was often drunk before the party started. And I wasn't a pretty drunk either. Whenever I drank, I slurred my words, My clothes became disheveled and too big, and I talked too much. Often, I would offend someone by being too friendly or too antagonistic, and most importantly, I had lost any sense of who I was and where I was going. In AA circles, they say that, "a man takes a drink, the drinks takes a drink, and then the drink takes the man," and I can only add "amen,: What was once my servant had become my master, and I was done. I had hit bottom, and I was 30 years of age. Let those who have ears, hear!
I was in treatment for 30 days, and while they were still concerned about my inability to express even the simplest of feelings and my refusal to talk about my past, they let me out... and my journey began. I attended AA meetings. I made amends wherever possible, and I turned my life over to the care of God, whom I had come to believe... could and would free me from the demons that were trying to kill me. I adhered to the 12 Steps of AA because I knew that, under my own direction, my life had become an absolute disaster. I wanted to be the father and husband that my wife and kids deserved, and I wanted to love the man I saw in the mirror- so I stayed active and did what I was told to do. I stayed away from temptations and sought to grow in my faith that Jesus Christ was my Lord and Savior. Yes, when I was in the treatment center, the Rev. Luther Ratmeyer called on me because he and my wife, Sherry, had been praying for me for some time. He asked me if I was ready to let go and trust in Christ, and I said "yes." He led me in the "Sinner's Prayer," and invited me to get involved in a Christian community when I left the center. He prayed for me, and he prayed with me, that day and for years thereafter, He was instrumental in my decision to enter seminary, and he listened to me when I struggled, which I did... because spiritual growth isn't magical. Surrender isn't easy and the devil (like alcohol) is cunning, baffling, powerful, and patient. I had many setbacks, some of them of consequence... but I never considered drinking again... and I never quit believing in the transforming love of Christ Jesus. Whether the walk was downhill or uphill; whether the sun was shining or it was storming like hell, I kept my feet moving because I never felt that Christ had forsaken me. He never has abandoned me, of course, and I've kept my feet moving for 14, 600 days now... and yes they have been taken one day at a time.
As a serious Bible student, I know that 40 is a powerful Biblical number. Noah rode the waters of flood for 40 days, the people of God ate manna for 40 days, Jonah preached to Nineveh for 40 days, Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for 40 days, and he appeared to his disciples and others for 40 days after his resurrection, Moses led Israel through the desert for 40 years, and many of the judges- Othniel, Deborah, Gideon- judged Israel for 40 years! We say that "life begins at 40," and according to an Arabic saying, to understand a people, you have to live among them for 40 days. I could go on, but the point is clear- 40 is an important number, and to me, it is a holy and sacred number. Thus, I am filled with joy on this, my 40th AA birthday! I am grateful to Jesus Christ, who came to me when I needed him most; to my wife, Sherry, who has been at my side for nearly 50 years; to Pastor Lu (oh, how I wish that I had been the pastor that he was), and to all of those who knew my story and loved me anyway! I don't know how many steps I have left to take... but I pray that each one of them will be taken soberly... in service to my great God. Amen!
I was sitting by myself in a restaurant in Omaha, Nebraska... when it suddenly occurred to me that I was desperately lost and in the process of dying. So, I sat my beer down and drove home, telling myself that whatever alcoholism treatment was, it had to be better than the life I was living. I didn't know what the future would bring, but I was sick and tired of forgetting where my car was and of passing out on my own front lawn. I was sick of tired of looking at my troubled, frightened, and lying face in the mirror, and I had become totally confused about what was real and what was false in my life. Deep down, I knew that I was a "good" person, but I wasn't doing much good. In my heart, I was sure that I could make a contribution to the world, but every night, I watered my own whiskey bottle down so that I myself would forget how much I had to drink. I had become vain and fearful and I told lies when the truth would have served me better. In the early days, I could hold my liquor. I could drink all night, but in the latter days, I was often drunk before the party started. And I wasn't a pretty drunk either. Whenever I drank, I slurred my words, My clothes became disheveled and too big, and I talked too much. Often, I would offend someone by being too friendly or too antagonistic, and most importantly, I had lost any sense of who I was and where I was going. In AA circles, they say that, "a man takes a drink, the drinks takes a drink, and then the drink takes the man," and I can only add "amen,: What was once my servant had become my master, and I was done. I had hit bottom, and I was 30 years of age. Let those who have ears, hear!
I was in treatment for 30 days, and while they were still concerned about my inability to express even the simplest of feelings and my refusal to talk about my past, they let me out... and my journey began. I attended AA meetings. I made amends wherever possible, and I turned my life over to the care of God, whom I had come to believe... could and would free me from the demons that were trying to kill me. I adhered to the 12 Steps of AA because I knew that, under my own direction, my life had become an absolute disaster. I wanted to be the father and husband that my wife and kids deserved, and I wanted to love the man I saw in the mirror- so I stayed active and did what I was told to do. I stayed away from temptations and sought to grow in my faith that Jesus Christ was my Lord and Savior. Yes, when I was in the treatment center, the Rev. Luther Ratmeyer called on me because he and my wife, Sherry, had been praying for me for some time. He asked me if I was ready to let go and trust in Christ, and I said "yes." He led me in the "Sinner's Prayer," and invited me to get involved in a Christian community when I left the center. He prayed for me, and he prayed with me, that day and for years thereafter, He was instrumental in my decision to enter seminary, and he listened to me when I struggled, which I did... because spiritual growth isn't magical. Surrender isn't easy and the devil (like alcohol) is cunning, baffling, powerful, and patient. I had many setbacks, some of them of consequence... but I never considered drinking again... and I never quit believing in the transforming love of Christ Jesus. Whether the walk was downhill or uphill; whether the sun was shining or it was storming like hell, I kept my feet moving because I never felt that Christ had forsaken me. He never has abandoned me, of course, and I've kept my feet moving for 14, 600 days now... and yes they have been taken one day at a time.
As a serious Bible student, I know that 40 is a powerful Biblical number. Noah rode the waters of flood for 40 days, the people of God ate manna for 40 days, Jonah preached to Nineveh for 40 days, Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for 40 days, and he appeared to his disciples and others for 40 days after his resurrection, Moses led Israel through the desert for 40 years, and many of the judges- Othniel, Deborah, Gideon- judged Israel for 40 years! We say that "life begins at 40," and according to an Arabic saying, to understand a people, you have to live among them for 40 days. I could go on, but the point is clear- 40 is an important number, and to me, it is a holy and sacred number. Thus, I am filled with joy on this, my 40th AA birthday! I am grateful to Jesus Christ, who came to me when I needed him most; to my wife, Sherry, who has been at my side for nearly 50 years; to Pastor Lu (oh, how I wish that I had been the pastor that he was), and to all of those who knew my story and loved me anyway! I don't know how many steps I have left to take... but I pray that each one of them will be taken soberly... in service to my great God. Amen!
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF FORGIVING SOMEONE
There are people who have unintentionally hurt you... and they need to be forgiven. Forgive them now. Those who have deliberately hurt you need to be forgiven too, even if they might burt you again. Forgive them so that your own spirit will be free... and do it soon.
Let today be the day when you begin to forgive. Let today be the day when you discover the joy of letting go. Forgive those who forgot your Birthday and broke the confidence you invested in them. Forgive those who never really listen to the important things you have to share with them. Forgive those who never seem to notice the tears that well up in your eyes. Forgive those who don't laugh at your jokes and who make jokes at your expense. Forgive those who have misled and deceived you. Forgive those who have taken advantage of you and who have betrayed you. Forgive them today and experience the joy of being "lighter" that you were.
In fact, make a point to forgive. Take an inventory of those who have wronged and hurt you. Make a list of the people who make it difficult for you to be your best self. Identify those who have caused you your greatest pain and forgive them... so that you can experience your greatest joy.
Forgive, forgive and forgive again. Forgive seven times. Forgive 70 times 7. Forgive as a way of life. Forgive until you, yourself, feel foolish about it... and then forgive some more. Forgive those who secretly work, or even cry out, for your crucifixion. Forgive those who mock you and threaten you. Forgive those who stone you... and you will be very, very close to your God! Amen.
Let today be the day when you begin to forgive. Let today be the day when you discover the joy of letting go. Forgive those who forgot your Birthday and broke the confidence you invested in them. Forgive those who never really listen to the important things you have to share with them. Forgive those who never seem to notice the tears that well up in your eyes. Forgive those who don't laugh at your jokes and who make jokes at your expense. Forgive those who have misled and deceived you. Forgive those who have taken advantage of you and who have betrayed you. Forgive them today and experience the joy of being "lighter" that you were.
In fact, make a point to forgive. Take an inventory of those who have wronged and hurt you. Make a list of the people who make it difficult for you to be your best self. Identify those who have caused you your greatest pain and forgive them... so that you can experience your greatest joy.
Forgive, forgive and forgive again. Forgive seven times. Forgive 70 times 7. Forgive as a way of life. Forgive until you, yourself, feel foolish about it... and then forgive some more. Forgive those who secretly work, or even cry out, for your crucifixion. Forgive those who mock you and threaten you. Forgive those who stone you... and you will be very, very close to your God! Amen.
Thursday, August 11, 2016
ARE YOU CHAINED AND POSSESSED?
For some time now, I've been interested in the Bible's great questions. I celebrate them, I am challenged by them, sometimes and I struggle with them. Questions like, "Am I my brother's keeper," "What must I do to inherit eternal life," "Why do you seek the living among the dead," "Who do you say that I am," and "Jesus, what do you have to do with me," which is the subject of our passage today.
"Jesus, what do you want with me? What are you doing here?" These are the questions that our pride, fear, and demons ask... and I'd like to focus on them today... by referring to Jesus' encounter with the Gerasene demoniac . They had just gotten out of their boat, when a naked and troubled man rushed up to them. He was "out of his mind," "beside himself," "possessed," to the point where he was no longer fit to live in community. He wasn't fit to hold a job, sit around the family table, or act in a civil manner toward others. He wasn't welcome at church, or at town hall meetings, or anywhere else because he had lost control of himself. His family and neighbors couldn't control him, so they chained him to the tombs in a graveyard, but even then, he broke free and ran wild among the hills, crying out in disturbing and frightening ways. No power on earth could break the grip that something evil had on him! He needed to meet Jesus of Nazareth, and that's exactly what Mark 5:1-20 is all about. I'm sure you know it. When Jesus met the man possessed, the demons within him cried out, "Jesus, Son of God, what have you to do with us?" They took His power very seriously, and it turned out that they were right to take it seriously... because he drove them into a sizable herd of swine, who then rushed into the lake and drowned... which left 1) a serene man who was now in his right mind, fully clothed, and demon-free, 2) a legion of demons who were no more, and 3) an angry group of pig owners who had lost their money. Indeed, they were so angry that they told Jesus to get out. If allowing Jesus to have his way meant that they would lose their pigs, he had to go... which he did because He doesn't stay where he is not welcome... and the man who was freed asked if he could follow Jesus... because he knew that he was indebted to his Savior. Jesus could have said, "Yes." He often called men to follow him, but instead, he told the man to go home- and experience the joy of being in community, while he told others what God had done for him."
Good for Jesus. Good for the demoniac. Shame of the town folk who put their property first. We could talk about the Greek involved in this passage, or explain where the Gadarenes lived...BUT the better question is: what is God saying to us? Are we in the hands of a demon? Are we out of our minds? Beside ourselves? Have we made a deal with the devil? Are we in over our head? Are we chained to money, addiction, sin, guilt? Is Jesus inviting us to let him drive our demons out? Can we hear Jesus calling us to come and worship him so that he can set us free? Is there a voice within you that keeps crying, "Jesus, O Son of the Most High God, what do you want with me?" I'd like to be free... but not at any cost- not if it means changing my values...or losing my pigs! I'd like a helping hand, Lord, but I don't need to be saved, and I certainly don't want a Master. Martin Luther was fond of saying, "I'm a beggar- that's for sure." and we know that the demoniac was a beggar too. But what about us? Do we see that we're beggars too?
Friends, the real Jesus IS DISRUPTIVE because that's what salvation requires! So, the question is not what the swine owners thought- but what we think. Would we welcome a Jesus who drove our income into the river as he saved just one among us? Are we concerned because Jesus is challenging us to give up our sins... or because he isn't? Is your Jesus small or huge? Does he somehow agree with everything you believe, say, and do... or does he challenge you to ask WWHD! The real Jesus can be very disruptive because he insists on reshaping us. As a dashboard figure, Jesus is delightfully harmless and non-invasive, and I love the picture of a laughing Jesus but our God is not small and we cannot reframe Jesus as an easy-going buddy who understands that we put ourselves first. It's tempting to believe that Jesus is just a good-hearted poet... but this is NOT the real Jesus! This is NOT the Jesus of the Bible! This is NOT the Jesus who hung on Calvary's cross. The real Jesus intrudes in our lives, expects us to forgive more and sin less, stalks us with his presence, and fills our hearts with a nagging sense of right and wrong.
Mainline Christians have a hard time seeing themselves chained to tombstones, or being "possessed by demons." I know that, but I also know that people ARE chained, possessed, and in the hands of forces they cannot control. I know that people look for love in all the wrong places and that many have given their hearts to the lesser gods of this world. I know that many people worship themselves in a loud voice because it's easier than worshiping God. I know that many good people won't raise their hand and say, "Here I am," because they're afraid it will cost them too much. I know that the hell we know may be more comforting than a heaven we can't imagine... but listen- this Jesus who challenges and even torments us... is the Lord of lords... and he can set you free in an instant!
Friends, the real Jesus is a liberator- so come out from behind your desks, your hymnals, your excuses, your gated communities, and your comfort zones. Deep within you, some voice will surely holler out, "Jesus of Nazareth, what do you want with me?" Part of you may feel that way, but the heart of you longs to be free- so take a leap of faith... and discover what He really wants to do with you! It may be nothing more than going back home; it may involve greater service or greater giving; it may involve joining, singing, teaching, tending property, or simply showing up; it may involve telling others how he set you free. He may send you to a distant mission field, or to seminary. I don't know... but I do know that you will receive a full and purposeful life in Christ... and that you will never be chained to anything else again! Amen.
"Jesus, what do you want with me? What are you doing here?" These are the questions that our pride, fear, and demons ask... and I'd like to focus on them today... by referring to Jesus' encounter with the Gerasene demoniac . They had just gotten out of their boat, when a naked and troubled man rushed up to them. He was "out of his mind," "beside himself," "possessed," to the point where he was no longer fit to live in community. He wasn't fit to hold a job, sit around the family table, or act in a civil manner toward others. He wasn't welcome at church, or at town hall meetings, or anywhere else because he had lost control of himself. His family and neighbors couldn't control him, so they chained him to the tombs in a graveyard, but even then, he broke free and ran wild among the hills, crying out in disturbing and frightening ways. No power on earth could break the grip that something evil had on him! He needed to meet Jesus of Nazareth, and that's exactly what Mark 5:1-20 is all about. I'm sure you know it. When Jesus met the man possessed, the demons within him cried out, "Jesus, Son of God, what have you to do with us?" They took His power very seriously, and it turned out that they were right to take it seriously... because he drove them into a sizable herd of swine, who then rushed into the lake and drowned... which left 1) a serene man who was now in his right mind, fully clothed, and demon-free, 2) a legion of demons who were no more, and 3) an angry group of pig owners who had lost their money. Indeed, they were so angry that they told Jesus to get out. If allowing Jesus to have his way meant that they would lose their pigs, he had to go... which he did because He doesn't stay where he is not welcome... and the man who was freed asked if he could follow Jesus... because he knew that he was indebted to his Savior. Jesus could have said, "Yes." He often called men to follow him, but instead, he told the man to go home- and experience the joy of being in community, while he told others what God had done for him."
Good for Jesus. Good for the demoniac. Shame of the town folk who put their property first. We could talk about the Greek involved in this passage, or explain where the Gadarenes lived...BUT the better question is: what is God saying to us? Are we in the hands of a demon? Are we out of our minds? Beside ourselves? Have we made a deal with the devil? Are we in over our head? Are we chained to money, addiction, sin, guilt? Is Jesus inviting us to let him drive our demons out? Can we hear Jesus calling us to come and worship him so that he can set us free? Is there a voice within you that keeps crying, "Jesus, O Son of the Most High God, what do you want with me?" I'd like to be free... but not at any cost- not if it means changing my values...or losing my pigs! I'd like a helping hand, Lord, but I don't need to be saved, and I certainly don't want a Master. Martin Luther was fond of saying, "I'm a beggar- that's for sure." and we know that the demoniac was a beggar too. But what about us? Do we see that we're beggars too?
Friends, the real Jesus IS DISRUPTIVE because that's what salvation requires! So, the question is not what the swine owners thought- but what we think. Would we welcome a Jesus who drove our income into the river as he saved just one among us? Are we concerned because Jesus is challenging us to give up our sins... or because he isn't? Is your Jesus small or huge? Does he somehow agree with everything you believe, say, and do... or does he challenge you to ask WWHD! The real Jesus can be very disruptive because he insists on reshaping us. As a dashboard figure, Jesus is delightfully harmless and non-invasive, and I love the picture of a laughing Jesus but our God is not small and we cannot reframe Jesus as an easy-going buddy who understands that we put ourselves first. It's tempting to believe that Jesus is just a good-hearted poet... but this is NOT the real Jesus! This is NOT the Jesus of the Bible! This is NOT the Jesus who hung on Calvary's cross. The real Jesus intrudes in our lives, expects us to forgive more and sin less, stalks us with his presence, and fills our hearts with a nagging sense of right and wrong.
Mainline Christians have a hard time seeing themselves chained to tombstones, or being "possessed by demons." I know that, but I also know that people ARE chained, possessed, and in the hands of forces they cannot control. I know that people look for love in all the wrong places and that many have given their hearts to the lesser gods of this world. I know that many people worship themselves in a loud voice because it's easier than worshiping God. I know that many good people won't raise their hand and say, "Here I am," because they're afraid it will cost them too much. I know that the hell we know may be more comforting than a heaven we can't imagine... but listen- this Jesus who challenges and even torments us... is the Lord of lords... and he can set you free in an instant!
Friends, the real Jesus is a liberator- so come out from behind your desks, your hymnals, your excuses, your gated communities, and your comfort zones. Deep within you, some voice will surely holler out, "Jesus of Nazareth, what do you want with me?" Part of you may feel that way, but the heart of you longs to be free- so take a leap of faith... and discover what He really wants to do with you! It may be nothing more than going back home; it may involve greater service or greater giving; it may involve joining, singing, teaching, tending property, or simply showing up; it may involve telling others how he set you free. He may send you to a distant mission field, or to seminary. I don't know... but I do know that you will receive a full and purposeful life in Christ... and that you will never be chained to anything else again! Amen.
Monday, August 8, 2016
10 THINGS THAT CHRISTIANS MUST DO
In the 5th chapter of Matthew, Jesus called his disciples aside... and begin to teach them about God's kingdom. Life is different in the kingdom of God, he said. Values are different. Attitudes are different, and things are measured in different ways. In the kingdom, he said, those who are last actually win and those who turn the other cheek are honored. In the kingdom of God, he said, those who mourn will be blessed and those who seek God will be blessed.
He went on to announce other blessings in what is now known as the "beatitudes," but his sermon on the mount went on for three full chapters! It was a long sermon, and in addition to that, Jesus talked about "kingdom living" throughout his ministry... because we are called to live as his people right here on earth. There are many ways in which the kingdom of God differs from the broken world we know,,, but based on his sermon and other things he said, it seems to me that these are some of the things that we are called to do as his community on earth:
1.
We must walk humbly with God... because people who are "full of themselves" or "drunk on their own wine" will not see the kingdom of God;
2.
We must see that we cannot see because there are none as blind as those who cannot see that they are blind. Without God's grace, we are destined to see the world through eyes of self and sin. Without Christ, our vision of who we and our neighbors are... is dim and distorted;
3.
We must mourn for a broken world. We must take time to pray for our broken world... and for the strength to repair our little corner of it. The world is filled with people who are troubled, lost, and empty and with those who are oppressed and abused; and for the strength to do what we can to repair and heal our little corner of it. Everyday, people die in needless ways... and the wounded-ness that comes from all of this sin and death... cries for someone to hear, care, and get involved;
4.
We must seek our God-given vocation. In the theological world, we call it a "calling," but you don't have to be a minister to have a calling. On the contrary, God has equipped each one of us with talents and spiritual gifts... and he has also given us the opportunity to use them for his kingdom here on earth. It may take courage, it may take patience, it may even take preparatory action... but God has a unique work for each one of us;
5.
We must choose faith. We must take a leap of faith because we cannot reason our way to God Reason is not the enemy of faith. God has blessed us with great knowledge and with the ability to solve many problems, but we are not God and we cannot reach God with our own efforts. Indeed, faith goes on where reason falters... and we must choose to believe in things that we cannot explain. After all, the greatest things in life are inexplicable and unmeasurable;
6.
We must be radically inclusive and reach out with utter abandon because there is NO male or female, no young or old, no black or white, no rich or poor, no abled or disabled, no straight or gay ... in Christ. Judgmental and disqualifying barriers are inherently unfaithful;
7.
We must be the salt of the earth and the light of the world because we are the body of Christ on earth. It is our job-our purpose- to give life in all the ways that the world needs life. It is our job to preserve the world... and to flavor it with joy and hope. In Christ, we are the light of the world because there is no other real light!
8.
We must love our neighbors as ourselves... and make forgiving a way of life. As Christians, we must forgive again and again and again... We must forgive until people make fun of us and we feel a little silly about it ourselves ... because God's forgiveness knows no bounds. We must throw our judgments and our scorecards away and immerse ourselves in God's grace alone;
9.
We must trust God and live in the moment alone, letting others carry the burdens of the past and the worries of tomorrow, if they must. We dance with today because today is all that we ever have ... and therefore, we seek God today, we make a decision for Christ today, and we begin to live like a Christian TODAY;
10
Stay the course, Jesus noted. Don't give up. Keep on asking. Keep on praying. Keep on working... to see Christ in others and to "be Christ" to all, especially to the least among us.
Everyone who hears my words and acts on them WILL receive the kingdom of heaven! THIS IS WHAT HE PROCLAIMED. LET THOSE WHO HAVE EARS... HEAR. AMEN.
He went on to announce other blessings in what is now known as the "beatitudes," but his sermon on the mount went on for three full chapters! It was a long sermon, and in addition to that, Jesus talked about "kingdom living" throughout his ministry... because we are called to live as his people right here on earth. There are many ways in which the kingdom of God differs from the broken world we know,,, but based on his sermon and other things he said, it seems to me that these are some of the things that we are called to do as his community on earth:
1.
We must walk humbly with God... because people who are "full of themselves" or "drunk on their own wine" will not see the kingdom of God;
2.
We must see that we cannot see because there are none as blind as those who cannot see that they are blind. Without God's grace, we are destined to see the world through eyes of self and sin. Without Christ, our vision of who we and our neighbors are... is dim and distorted;
3.
We must mourn for a broken world. We must take time to pray for our broken world... and for the strength to repair our little corner of it. The world is filled with people who are troubled, lost, and empty and with those who are oppressed and abused; and for the strength to do what we can to repair and heal our little corner of it. Everyday, people die in needless ways... and the wounded-ness that comes from all of this sin and death... cries for someone to hear, care, and get involved;
4.
We must seek our God-given vocation. In the theological world, we call it a "calling," but you don't have to be a minister to have a calling. On the contrary, God has equipped each one of us with talents and spiritual gifts... and he has also given us the opportunity to use them for his kingdom here on earth. It may take courage, it may take patience, it may even take preparatory action... but God has a unique work for each one of us;
5.
We must choose faith. We must take a leap of faith because we cannot reason our way to God Reason is not the enemy of faith. God has blessed us with great knowledge and with the ability to solve many problems, but we are not God and we cannot reach God with our own efforts. Indeed, faith goes on where reason falters... and we must choose to believe in things that we cannot explain. After all, the greatest things in life are inexplicable and unmeasurable;
6.
We must be radically inclusive and reach out with utter abandon because there is NO male or female, no young or old, no black or white, no rich or poor, no abled or disabled, no straight or gay ... in Christ. Judgmental and disqualifying barriers are inherently unfaithful;
7.
We must be the salt of the earth and the light of the world because we are the body of Christ on earth. It is our job-our purpose- to give life in all the ways that the world needs life. It is our job to preserve the world... and to flavor it with joy and hope. In Christ, we are the light of the world because there is no other real light!
8.
We must love our neighbors as ourselves... and make forgiving a way of life. As Christians, we must forgive again and again and again... We must forgive until people make fun of us and we feel a little silly about it ourselves ... because God's forgiveness knows no bounds. We must throw our judgments and our scorecards away and immerse ourselves in God's grace alone;
9.
We must trust God and live in the moment alone, letting others carry the burdens of the past and the worries of tomorrow, if they must. We dance with today because today is all that we ever have ... and therefore, we seek God today, we make a decision for Christ today, and we begin to live like a Christian TODAY;
10
Stay the course, Jesus noted. Don't give up. Keep on asking. Keep on praying. Keep on working... to see Christ in others and to "be Christ" to all, especially to the least among us.
Everyone who hears my words and acts on them WILL receive the kingdom of heaven! THIS IS WHAT HE PROCLAIMED. LET THOSE WHO HAVE EARS... HEAR. AMEN.
Friday, July 29, 2016
IS THERE ROOM IN HIS KINGDOM FOR YOU?
In
what was often "refined" Greek, Luke wrote the gospel that bears his name and the
book of Acts ... to set the record straight, as he told Theophilus (which means
friend of God). He didn't pretend to be the first to write about Jesus, but he
wanted to organize the stories that were circulating, and he wanted to tell us... that
Jesus has 1) a big heart, 2) a wide circle of grace, and 3) a bias toward the poor, the disadvantaged, the disenfranchised, and
the lost. A central theme in Luke’s gospel is that Jesus came to seek and save
the lost, which is good news for us because we’re all lost at times. We get lost- some of us from time to time, some of us most of the time, but we get lost! We get
lost in our pride, in our addictions, and in our sins. We forget who we are, whose we are, and we
lose sight of our north star. One of Jesus’ central
missions was to seek and save the lost, and it fills my heart with joy to know that heaven stands and applauds when a single sinner staggers home.
Luke wants those of us who are lost to know that Jesus is knocking at our door, but he also wants us to know how much Jesus valued women in a patriarchal
world. Luke traces Jesus’ lineage through Mary’s family, and in Luke, Mary sings her Magnificant, in which
she praises her son and prophesies that he will tear the powerful off of their
thrones and bless the poor. Luke alone tells us about Mary and
Martha, and how Mary was not only allowed to sit at Christ’s feet, but praised
for doing it! If you’re lost, left out, forgotten, oppressed, or undervalued, Luke wants you to
know that Jesus is on your side.
Mark is
about discipleship. Matthew about righteousness. But
Luke is about justice and social ministry... to those who are alone, silenced, imprisoned, or oppressed in a hundred different ways. Luke wrote a book about compassion and justice, and he believed that Christ has a
bias for those who are the poor, broken, and vulnerable, and he showed
us what he meant in three stories that he alone told us. Here's the first.
Jesus was walking by the village of Nain, when he encountered a funeral
procession... for a widow who had lost her only son. It was a walk of sadness- a walk of emptiness-a walk
that I've taken over a hundred times- for my dad, mom, two brothers, and a
hundred friends. It's a walk that many of you have taken too, and this one was worse because the woman had
lost her only son- who was her ONLY source of support. I've never lost a child, but there may be no deeper pain on this earth. We all experience pain and die any number of little death, but Jesus comes to us in the midst of
our pain.
When Jesus saw the widow of Nain, Luke tells us that "his heart went out to her," and he said, "don't cry." “Don’t cry. Don’t cry.” Friends, we have a God whose heart breaks when our hearts break, and who walks with us when we walk from the hearse to the grave! Luke is also the only one to tell us about the Loving Father whose prodigal son wasted his inheritance on wine, women and song. It's bad enough that he took his father's money and ran, but to make matters worse, his father threw a party for him when he finally stumbled home. Yes, he threw a party, and when his oldest son, who had stayed home and carried the load, found out about the party, he refused to enter the house. It didn't seem fair to him, even when his father said that grace demanded a party.
Friends, our God is a God of radical grace, and for me, this is very good news. You may want God to give you what you deserve, but as one who has been prodigal myself, I'm glad that grace abounds and that you don't have to be good to be loved by God. Finally, I cite the parable of the Good Samaritan because it is also a story that only Luke tells. To illustrate the essence of goodness, Jesus told about a man who was lying along the road, badly beaten or dead, and as he lies there, three men of the church walk by- without doing anything to help! They're afraid, disinterested, who knows- but they were neither neighbor nor Christ to the man… but a hated, no account Samaritan was! O friends, for people who embraced boundaries of status, gender, race, education, wealth, age, and ethnicity, Jesus story was radical indeed. It's another story of radical grace- another story of Christ's huge circle of love-another story that challenges the self-righteous and tickles the sinners, and that’s why Luke included it.
Luke believed that God’s circle of grace is big enough to include women, shepherds, misfits, malcontents, ne'er do wells, Samaritans, and sinners like me. If you believe that our God has a huge heart and endless compassion, Luke is for you! If you believe that women, minorities, and disabled people have great status in God's eyes... and that the lost, the broken, the vulnerable, and the forgotten may even have a little more, Luke is for you. If you believe that God forgives people that we won't and that his grace is so great that it doesn't seem fair, Luke is for you! Amen!
When Jesus saw the widow of Nain, Luke tells us that "his heart went out to her," and he said, "don't cry." “Don’t cry. Don’t cry.” Friends, we have a God whose heart breaks when our hearts break, and who walks with us when we walk from the hearse to the grave! Luke is also the only one to tell us about the Loving Father whose prodigal son wasted his inheritance on wine, women and song. It's bad enough that he took his father's money and ran, but to make matters worse, his father threw a party for him when he finally stumbled home. Yes, he threw a party, and when his oldest son, who had stayed home and carried the load, found out about the party, he refused to enter the house. It didn't seem fair to him, even when his father said that grace demanded a party.
Friends, our God is a God of radical grace, and for me, this is very good news. You may want God to give you what you deserve, but as one who has been prodigal myself, I'm glad that grace abounds and that you don't have to be good to be loved by God. Finally, I cite the parable of the Good Samaritan because it is also a story that only Luke tells. To illustrate the essence of goodness, Jesus told about a man who was lying along the road, badly beaten or dead, and as he lies there, three men of the church walk by- without doing anything to help! They're afraid, disinterested, who knows- but they were neither neighbor nor Christ to the man… but a hated, no account Samaritan was! O friends, for people who embraced boundaries of status, gender, race, education, wealth, age, and ethnicity, Jesus story was radical indeed. It's another story of radical grace- another story of Christ's huge circle of love-another story that challenges the self-righteous and tickles the sinners, and that’s why Luke included it.
Luke believed that God’s circle of grace is big enough to include women, shepherds, misfits, malcontents, ne'er do wells, Samaritans, and sinners like me. If you believe that our God has a huge heart and endless compassion, Luke is for you! If you believe that women, minorities, and disabled people have great status in God's eyes... and that the lost, the broken, the vulnerable, and the forgotten may even have a little more, Luke is for you. If you believe that God forgives people that we won't and that his grace is so great that it doesn't seem fair, Luke is for you! Amen!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)