Not Your Cause, but a King and a Kingdom

Trash

This is a great video.  Take a few moments to check it out.

Cocoa the Dog & Abundant Life

So for Christmas, the family and I were able to travel to Northwest Iowa for a week of country living on the farm.  My folks live on the Steele family homestead with a lot of hogs, some cattle and a few cats.  So when I say, “the family” that also includes the newest addition to our family, Cocoa the dog.  Cocoa is a little Japanese Chin mix who is primarily a house dog, but who loves to be outside.  Upon arriving to the farm we quickly discovered that not only do the grandkids love coming to the farm, but the grand dog loves it as well.  For Cocoa, the farm equaled Heaven!

Farms and dogs were made for each other.  On the farm a dog is free to run.  Their senses explode with new smells, and there are a plethora of animals to bark at and chase, oh and the food is so much better (table scraps from Christmas dinner).  If there is a dog heaven, I’m certain that it will look like a farm.

So what does this have to do with me and you?  Honestly, there are a lot of similarities.  (Not to mention your desire to chase squirrels and your love of being scratched behind the ears.)  Here’s the first one: We are not home.  For Cocoa, the farm is fantastic but it’s not her home.  For you and me, we have to admit something to ourselves: we are not home.  Even when we kick back and relax in our “man cave” or snuggle in close to our kids by the fire, no matter how hard we try, we are not home.  The painful truth is that sin has stolen true life away from us.  Sin has separated us from the way life was supposed to be; death, ageing, broken relationships, injustice, and pain---all results of sin.  So as we struggle through life.  Or watch the news and shake our head at the atrocities we see.  As we winch in pain from the hurtful words thrown our way, we need to remember that this is not home…this is not the way things were designed to be.  Sin has separated us from how life was supposed to be.

In response to sin, God provided a solution in his Son Jesus Christ.  Jesus came to earth to die a substitutionary death for our sins so that we may have life.  Jesus said very clearly, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” ~ John 10:10.  So while we acknowledge that this isn’t home, Jesus came to give us a taste of what life will be someday when he returns to take us to Heaven.

Here’s another similarity between our lives as Christians and Cocoa’s adventure to the farm: We were made for community.  Just like Cocoa was made to run and chase animals on the farm we were made to be together.  We were made for relationships.  So whether you are an introvert or extrovert, you were still created for community.  For you to really discover life it requires community.

So if you are a Christian and you feel like something is missing, maybe consider community.  Every Christian needs other Christians in their lives.  We need someone who we can talk to—really talk to.  We need someone who will pray with us, who will encourage us and tell us the truth when no one else will.  You were created for community, and in community you will experience true life.

Now obviously, community is difficult to achieve because of the problem of sin.  The shame of sin forces us to go and hide, but in Christ we are free to engage in the lives of people.  To experience true life, seek out at least one new relationship this year.  It might be a new face at church, a neighbor you have been meaning to have coffee with, or a co-worker who doesn’t connect with the rest of the staff.  True life waits when we connect with others in community.

Another similarity between Cocoa chasing squirrels and our lives as Christians is this: We were made for ministry.  God created you with specific talents, gifts and abilities.  Those jobs, activities, or hobbies that make you come alive or give you great pleasure were “wired” into by God for His great purpose—for ministry.  To discover the abundant life that Jesus gives requires each of us to use our talents and abilities to serve people, and advance His Kingdom.  If you want to grab hold of true life this year use your abilities for ministry.  Jesus himself said that we would be “blessed” or “happy” if we took time to minister to people.

There are many more similarities, but there is one more I want to touch on that is often overlooked.  Just as Cocoa’s nose loves all the smells of the farm, we discover true life when we make time for it.  As Christians we need to make time for abundant life. The reason so many Christians never discover true life is because they never block out the time for it.  We invest so much of our time and energy into jobs and tasks that bring us no life…and in fact take away life.  For example, we make purchases on credit that we can’t pay for, so we end up working more overtime to pay off bills—for things that we probably didn’t need in the first place.

Since God created us, He understands the need for people to take a break.  This break is called Sabbath.  God gave a Sabbath break for his people Israel so they would stop working and doing and instead focus on Him.  For there to be true life, God’s people need to create the space, and set up the boundaries so that true life can be embraced and lived.  If the abundant life Christ promises seems to be eluding you, maybe it simply requires you blocking out time for true life to happen. 

So if your life with Christ has become mundane or maybe seems to be missing something, consider some of these options.  You might just find that farm…I mean true life available to you through Christ!   

Biblical Illiteracy is Church's Dirty Little Secret

This article is spot on. The question is this: What are we going to do about it?


Biblical Illiteracy is Church's Dirty Little Secret

200 Countries--200 Years

This is very interesting.  From a theological standpoint what do you think God is doing?  From a mission's perspective, what do you see happening?  How does this impact the church and what we do?  I would love to hear some of your thoughts.

The Sabbath: Creating Space for God

For the last five weeks, as a church we have been studying the Old Testament book of Exodus.  Between our daily readings and weekly messages we have covered a lot of information in a short time period.  My goal in doing this has been twofold: 1. we need to spend more time in God’s Word.  Any time in the Bible is good and I know that it is a struggle for many of you to keep at it on a regular basis.  So my plan with Exodus was to demonstrate how we can take “small bites” of Scripture each day and not only cover a lot of material in a month, but also better understand God’s plan for our lives.  2. I wanted you to see how the Bible fits together.  For a lot of people the Bible seems disjointed.  It sometimes appears that God has two different personalities, an angry, demanding God in the Old Testament and a loving and grace giving God in the New Testament.  As we have discovered those theories are simply not true.  The God of the Old Testament is incredibly loving, gracious and forgiving.  So reading the Bible helps us better understand the Bible.

So as we move forward as a church I am going to continue to assign Scripture to you.  Each week I will provide you with tidbits of Scripture to read to help keep you in God’s Word, but also connect you with what we will be studying each Sunday morning.  If it is our goal to grow as disciples, we must continue our pursuit of reading the Bible.  So one of the things that you need to do is create a regular space in your life to read and absorb God’s Word.  Just so you know, creating space in one’s life for God’s Word is not a new thing.

                In the book of Exodus, God brings Israel all the way out into the middle of the desert so that he can spend some quality alone time with these people…in a way he creates space so that these Israelites will not be distracted.  Then God does something astounding, he marries Israel.  Many rabbis down through the centuries have viewed the Sinai event as a marriage.  You have God as the groom taking his bride, Israel and making her his wife.  There are the vows, the Ten Commandment which set the terms of this covenant relationship.  Then you have the ring.  Most of you are immediately thinking, “What ring?  There’s no ring?”  Ah, but look closer.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths.  This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy.” ~ Exodus 31:12, 13

Just as a ring is a sign of a covenant relationship between a husband and a wife, God declares that the Sabbath is a sign for all Israelites to remember their “marriage” relationship to him.  So what God is asking his “wife” to do is to simply set aside one day a week where she doesn’t have to cook, clean or go to work.  All she has to do is spend time with her husband.  (Sidebar here, married couples we should probably consider making this a part of our weekly marriage relationship as well. Yes?)  So what is God doing here?  Is he being a mean, angry, demanding God who wants his wife to follow all his orders?  No, this is a loving husband who wants his wife to not work so hard, and be busy doing things that really don’t matter.  This is a husband who simply wants to spend time with his wife. 

                So what is God asking of you in your covenant relationship with him?  He’s simply asking that you make space for him.  For a lot of us that is very difficult isn’t it?  We have filled our lives so we are overbooked, too busy and exhausted by the time our head hits the pillow.  But it’s not just busy work it’s fun and play too.  We live in a culture that worships the weekend.  We work hard all week so we can play hard on Saturday and Sunday.  What’s so interesting is that the God who invented the weekend gets pushed completely out of our minds when Friday afternoon rolls around.  We’ve got projects to do, trips to take and games to watch.  Then we wonder why God seems so distant or why we haven’t grown as disciples like we thought we would.  For a lot of us, our relationship with God isn’t about doing more…reading a new book, getting into another Bible study, or signing up for a new ministry.  For most of us it’s about creating space in our lives so we can connect with the one who truly loves us and wants what’s best for our lives.

                To connect with God you need to make space in at least three areas of your life: 1) Community worship.  You need to gather with your church family as often as possible to worship.  The church is the body of Christ; it is the most real way that we can be reminded of God’s work in this world and in our lives.  2) You need to set aside a few minutes each day to read the Bible and pray to God.  It doesn’t have to be elaborate and lengthy.  It can simply be 15 minutes, but you will be shocked at how God can connect with you in that simple space.  3) Lastly, you need to set aside time each week to meet with a small group of Christians.  Whether it’s in a discipleship group or an accountability partner you need someone with whom you can share space with in prayer and encouragement.   

                Believe me, God wants to transform your life and move you from where you are into a deeper relationship with him.  For that to take place you need to make space.  So the question I have for you is simple: What needs to go to make space for God?

The Circumcision of Moses' Son - Exodus 4:24-26

This question has popped up a few times during our reading of Exodus.  Here is a good explanation by Peter Enns as found in the NIV Application Commentary.

"Without wading through the interpretive muck and mire, let me suggest that these verses presage the importance of circumcision in 12:43-49.  We are able to make several fairly safe assumptions: (1) The object of God's wrath is Moses; no one really disputes this, and it makes the most sense in the context.  (2) God is probably angry with Moses because his son (or perhaps both he and his son) is not circumcised.  In any event, circumcision has something to do with it.  (3) Zipporah's circumcision of her son appeases God's wrath and causes him to relent.
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What we see in 4:24-26 is the zeal with which the Lord guards this most important rite (circumcision).  We must remember that circumcision as a sign of God's covenant was commanded of the patriarch Abraham (Gen. 17:1-27).  Throughout the opening chapters of Exodus we have noted the importance God attaches to the patriarchs, particularly in connection with God's name (Ex 3:15-16; 4:5).  It is in his connection to the patriarchs that God is to be known, and it is for the sake of the patriarchs that God will deliver Israel.  Yet this connection to the patriarchs also imposes a covenant obligation on Moses and the Israelites.  They have been delivered by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  They are, therefore, to observe the command given to them: Circumcise your male children." ~ Peter Enns

Speak With Conviction

Steve Deace: Big Talker

I love talk radio and listen to it whenever I get a chance.  One of the personalities I listen to is Steve Deace.  Deace in the afternoon airs on WHO from 4:00 to 7:00 pm  on weekdays.  Here's a recent story that was written about him.

Big Talker

Who Is God?

In our culture, everyone assumes they know God; whether atheist, agnostic or Christian. But isn't that a very dangerous assumption? To think we actually know and understand God? 

So, one of the most important questions we can ask is simply: "Who is God?" As we read the Bible we need to ask, "Who is God?" As we pray we need to ask, "Who is God?" As we listen to a sermon we need to ask, "Who is God?" Our lifelong journey here on earth is to continually answer the question, "Who is God?"

Let me tell you why this is such an important question to answer. Theologian and New Testament scholar NT Wright tells this story of the time he was the campus chaplain at Worcester College in Oxford, England. As chaplain he would make it a point to meet all the students each year. In introducing himself, a number of the students would say that they probably wouldn't be seeing much of each other because they, the student, didn't believe in God.

Wright had a stock reply. He would ask, "Oh, and what god don't you believe in?"

The student would give a puzzled look. So Wright would say, "Describe this god that you don't believe in."
So the student would describe a god who was distant and uninvolved in the goings on of earth, and who was ultimately angry and upset with people. 

Wright would listen, nodding his head. And when the student was done, Wright would reply, "I'm not surprised you don't believe in god…I don't believe in that god either."

We live in a culture and we live lives that assume we really know God. That kind of ignorance and arrogance keeps us from really truly knowing God. One of the priorities of our day should be to humbly approach the Bible and prayer to simply better understand who God is. Why is this so important? As we better know God we are able to move into a closer relationship with him—and isn't that what we are truly are looking for?

What People Wish Their Pastors Knew About Church - Part 3: The No.1 Most Important Thing

I came across this blog post...good stuff!  This is why I spend so much time getting ready for Sunday.

What People Wish Their Pastors Knew About Church 

IC Church of Christ: Next Steps for September

It is so humbling to think that God would invite me to have a front row seat in the work he is doing in Iowa City and in our church. To be able to hear the stories and see the work going on in and around our church is so exciting. Let me share one of the awesome ways that God is working in our church. So far, through the month of July, we are on record pace in regards to our giving towards missions. By the time 2010 is done, we will have given more for missions than any other time in the history of this church! Do you know what makes something like that happen? What makes people generous with their money is their close relationship with a generous God. To truly know God means we understand his love and generosity and it changes us. With all that God is doing in our church, here are some "next steps" that we will be taking in the month of September.
First, we are going to launch a second worship service at 8:30 am, starting Sunday, September 5th. This service will be identical to our regular 10:30 am service, it just will be earlier. The reasoning behind the move to add another service was twofold. 1) Our main 10:30 service was 2/3rds full and we were having some parking issues, especially during the winter. A second service will provide more space for both of our worship services. 2) We wanted to provide another opportunity for people to worship with us. We understand that schedules and conflicts can arise and 10:30 doesn't always work for everybody. Now, there is a second option available. Please be praying for this second service launch and consider possibly making this service your regular worship time.
Second, in addition to this new service we are also launching a spiritual growth campaign called Prodigal God. This campaign is based on Jesus' parable from Luke 15, in what is commonly known as the prodigal son. The structure for the campaign is based off of the book, Prodigal God, written by pastor and author Timothy Keller. This spiritual growth event will begin on Sunday, September 5^th with a video sermon preached by Pastor Timothy Keller. This sermon will unlock the message of the prodigal son in a way you have never experienced. How you understand and relate to God has the potential to be radically changed.
To get the most out of this campaign there are three things that I would like you to do. First, commit to attending every worship service during this campaign (September 5^th – October 17^th). The worship and preaching experiences are designed to help you grow throughout this event. Second, sign up to be in a small group Bible study. The best way to apply the teaching you will be receiving is to have a group to talk, pray and study with. Small group sign up will begin August 22^nd. Third, purchase a Prodigal God book ($15)…and read it! This book will be your guide throughout the study. It will help you unpack what Jesus teaches in this powerful parable. Books will be available in the foyer starting Sunday, August 22.
God is doing some incredible things, the question is: Are you ready to follow? As the saying goes, "You can't go with God and stay where you are." I think it's time to take some next steps!

Prodigal God

Coming Sunday, September 5th, IC Church of Christ is going to launch into a spiritual growth campaign entitled Prodigal God.  Here's a video trailer describing what Prodigal God is all about.

How To Fool A Baboon

I used this YouTube clip for my sermon on Sunday.



 What's the point you say? Well, how about this:  What do you need to let go of so you can find freedom?

What's the Best Way To Change a Church?

Here's a video from my friend Jim Powell, the Lead Pastor at Richwoods Christian Church in Peoria, Illinois.  The church he leads has under gone some dramatic growth over the last few years.  In this video he shares what the key component was in turning things around.


Untitled from The Nines on Vimeo.

Who Do You Depend On?

  The last few months have been very challenging for me on a spiritual level and I thought it would be good for me to share with you some of the things that have been convicting me. As most of you know, we have been studying The Sermon on the Mount for the last 12 weeks at church. Couple that with my A.B.F. Class on The Chronological Study of the Life of Christ and it's clear to see I have been fairly focused on Jesus' teachings for the last few months—and that is the issue. One cannot spend time with Jesus and his teachings and not be challenged or downright convicted. That is what has been happening to me.

  As I read through the Gospels I am continually trying to figure out which of the people in the narrative I would be: am I Peter, the tax collector, Judas, the rich man, Lazarus, or am I the Pharisee? More often than not I find myself as a Pharisee, and here's why. The main reason why the Pharisees didn't understand Jesus and his Kingdom message was because they were too confident in their ability to obey the Law and the Prophets; their righteousness came through their own strength and ability. In contrast, the Kingdom of God was all about complete dependence upon our Heavenly Father.

  So I making this realization I began to ask myself, "Am I living my life in complete dependence upon my Heavenly Father?" Or am I dependent upon my own abilities to be good, moral and Christian? This is a challenging question that we as Jesus followers need to continually ask ourselves. To help answer this question I looked around the Gospels looking for some type of indicator…some way of knowing if I am living in complete dependence upon God. In Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus gives a very clear description of what Judgment Day will look like. He says:

³¹ "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left." ~ Mt 25:31-33

  Jesus uses a typical shepherding reference. In Jesus' day shepherds would allow the flocks to graze together, but when it was time for shearing there would be a time to separate the sheep from the goats. So his audience connects with this image of separating one type from another. What we learn is that when Jesus returns a second time there will be a time of separating as well; sheep to the right and goats to the left. Next Jesus says:

³⁴ "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

³⁷ "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

⁴⁰ "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'~ Mt 25:34-40

  What determines whether someone is a sheep or a goat? Like every other judgment scene of the New Testament it is made on the basis of deeds (Mt 16:27; Jn 5:28-30; Rom 2:5-11; 2 Cor 5:10; 1 Peter 1:17; Rev 20:11-15). So what I have learned from this teaching is that what I do reflects my dependence upon God. Here the sheep engaged in loving and serving people, they were dependent upon God to do his work. What is interesting is that they didn't even realize they had served Jesus. These sheep were just doing the work of their Heavenly Father. So the question I need to ask of myself is this: Am I putting myself in situations where I am dependent upon God to do his work in this world?

  This teaching does raise another question: Does this contradict salvation by grace? How can one be saved by grace but judged by works? It is simply this, when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, the only thing that will really matter is our relationship to Jesus—have we trusted in him? The answer to that question is not in our talk but in our walk. How we live our lives is the surest way to tell what we believe. Our good deeds don't save us. But they clearly demonstrate our primary commitments. They determine how dependent we are upon God.

  It would probably be a great benefit to you to stop for a moment and take inventory of your life. It is so easy to just roll through life and not pay attention to where you are going…we assume way too much! Take inventory of how you are trusting God and relying upon his power to carry out the great work of his Kingdom! You may just discover that you are farther away from your Heavenly Father then you thought. Maybe it's time to come home.

The Acid Test of Being a Christian

I came across this blog post by Tim Keller and it grabbed my heart.  If you are a Christian you need to read this.


The Acid Test of Being a Christian

What Kind of Summer Are You Going To Have?

With the start of summer comes a myriad of different opportunities to do stuff: vacations, holidays, fun in the sun, and ball games just to name a few. Summer is to be enjoyed and celebrated! However, there is some risk involved in the activities of summer as well, and I'm not talking about sunburns and mosquito bites. I'm talking more about a Christian's spiritual health. Often times during the summer (and others seasons as well) we put ourselves in situations that are risky; compromising situations which have the potential to move us away from God, not closer to Him.

The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 teaches this truth to the Christians in Corinth. He reminds them that while God was with Israel in rescuing them from Egypt and providing for them in the wilderness, many Israelites died and never reached the Promised Land because they put themselves in compromising situations. Read Paul's teaching:

"These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. ¹² So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! ¹³ No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." ~ 1 Corinthians 10:11-13

The core teaching here is simple: Don't assume anything. Don't assume that you can put yourself in a compromising relationship and come out unscathed. Don't assume that you can miss out on regular fellowship with other Christians and not be affect. Don't assume that you can ignore a regular diet of God's Word and still grow in your faith. Be careful that you don't fall!

God will always provide a way out, but our God is a gentleman—He's not going to make you do what you don't want to do. If you're in a situation that you shouldn't be, He's not going to pick you up and move you to safety. If you have missed out on fellowship with your church family, He's not going to forcibly pick you up and plant you in church. Your discipleship is dependent upon you intentionally putting yourself in situations where you avoid temptation and are surrounded as much as possible with God's people and His Word.

Please understand that I remind you of these things because I care about you. For too many Christians, summer is a time to "take a break" from their faith. But what if summer was a time of genuine spiritual growth? What if summer provided you with more time of fellowship with Christians? What if summer provided you more time to read the Bible? What if summer provided you more time to walk and pray? What if summer allowed you more time to serve?

Summer is officially here. What kind of summer are you going to have? You choose.

The Gift

"About to graduate from high school, a young man from a wealthy family was anticipating his gift. It was the custom in that affluent neighborhood for the parents to give the graduate a new car. Jason and his father had spent months looking at cars, and the week before graduation they found the perfect car. Jason was certain that this car would be his on graduation night. Imagine his disappointment when immediately following the graduation ceremony, Jason's father handed him a small, elegantly wrapped package. It must be the keys to my new car, Jason thought.

Upon opening the gift, though, all he found was a Bible with his name imprinted on the front. A Bible? He took it out, looking to find car keys in the box. Empty! Jason was so angry that he threw the Bible down and stormed out of the house. His father tried to stop him, but Jason kept on running. He and his father never saw each other again.

News of his father's death finally brought Jason home again. As he went through the possessions he was about to inherit from his father, he came across the graduation Bible. Brushing away the dust, he opened it and began idly flipping through the pages. A paper tucked inside caught his eye and he pulled out of the Bible a cashier's check, dated the day of his graduation, in the exact amount of the car he and his father had chosen."

This short story very accurately describes how many of us approach our relationship with God. We expect certain things from God because he is our Heavenly Father and he is supposed to be good. If God is good and loves us, we naturally expect things to go well in our lives; good health, great job, obedient talented kids, a full bank account, a fantastic marriage and most of all happiness. Don't tell me that you haven't had those types of expectations of God—we all have.

So how do you respond when things don't work out? What is your response when the job falls through? How do you react when you find out its cancer? Do you run from God? Do you become angry with what He has allowed to come into your life? Or do you stop to rummage through and look into the situation? If we would just stop, and instead of running from God simply ask the question: "God what good thing do you want me to learn?" Or maybe, "God thank you for this gift to teach me ________."

 

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴ Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." ~ James 1:2-5

What Are You Looking For?

I stumbled across this video I made back in 2007 for Easter Sunday.  I thought I would repost it because the message is timeless.  Enjoy...oh and what are you looking for?