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Monthly Archives: August 2014
What would we look like if we lived in WV eating grandma’s biscuits?
The Witness of Baptism
This past Sunday after worship three men (from Wayside Cross Ministries in Aurora, IL.) publicly confessed Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior with baptism (the center three men from the left: Adrian, John, and Greg – Rich Degroat and myself on the outside who baptized them). In front of their new church family, Grace Community Church, they acknowledged their need and desire for their sins to be forgiven (Acts 2:38), their old man in sin put to death, and to have a new life in Christ (Rom. 6:1-11). They submitted themselves publicly to the Eldership of a local church (Heb. 13:17), becoming united to a visible body of believers in Christ (Acts 2:41, 20:28). Baptism is not their salvation but is evidence of it (Matt. 28:19-20). And now? A life of discipleship that lives out what baptism professes – death to sin and life to God in and through Christ! To Him be all the glory for all the great things He has done.
It was a great day!
My ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Below is a video from one of the daughters who had to bury her mother this year. Jacquie Hindi was our sister in Christ who died from ALS. She was our friend. I was her pastor for 17 years. She is now with Christ. And I too want to raise awareness in the same way that Meghan expresses. Please watch. Thank you.
How Great I Am?!
The disciples were jockeying for who would be greatest in the kingdom of God. Knowing their thoughts and their hearts, Jesus said, “whoever would be great among you must be your servant” – (Matt. 20:26). Jesus never once rebuked their ambition for greatness only their path, their motivation, and their role model for greatness and distinction.
What is ambition? It’s the instinctive desire to aspire to things, to make something happen, to have an impact, to count for something in life. Whether you realize it or not we are all ambitious creatures because we are all pursuing something that we love. Whether it’s the corner office, Mr. Right, well-behaved kids who are smart and athletic, admiration from peers, financial security – or just a long afternoon nap – we are ambitious – and it all matters to God. But what matters most to God is not only the object of your ambition but the reason behind your ambition. It’s why you want what you want.
But it is true: Whether it is to conquer a nation or control the remote – we are hard-wired to be ambitious. Dave Harvey wrote an excellent book called, “Rescuing Ambition.” He comically helps us to see ourselves as Jesus sees selfish ambition.
Ivan the Occasionally Great. Who is this? This is Ivan who has his moments. He’ll do good things for others – sometimes. But he can’t keep it up all the time. Greatness is hit and miss.
Ivan the Great-In-His-Own-Mind. This is Ivan who thinks great thoughts – about Ivan. He’s ready to offer his more-than-valuable opinion like candy from a parade boat.
Ivan the Potentially Great. This is the guy who could do something great if only he put his mind to it. But, because he fears man more than God – he never really attempts great things for God because he can’t stand the risk of failure.
Ivan the Formerly Great. Ivan has been there and done that. He remembers when things “were great” under his watch. But he has selective memory – he’s got amnesia of his own failures but can easily recall all the right things he’s done.
Ivan the Comparatively Great. This Ivan is always found in the upper class – not the top of the class, that would be too self-centered. Not perfect but better than the average joe. He’s competitive in all that he does. Tries to stay ahead of others. Is jealous that others get promoted over him. Loves to win, hates to lose. Prone to self-pity. Shifts the blame. Accusatory.
Ivan the Tomorrow-I’ll-Be-Great. This guy is up to something. He can just feel it. He just needs a little more time, a little more organization, a little more rest, a little more money. Ask him why he still hasn’t done what he said he would do . . .he’ll give you one excuse after another.
Ivan the If-Only Great. This guy just can’t catch a break. If only people understand. If only others would not hinder. If only others were more predictable and more helpful. If only others would notice his talents and what he has to offer. It feels good that God notices him but it would feel better if others did.
Ivan the I’ll Be Great If IT Kills Me. Doesn’t take no for an answer. Failure is not an option. If you’re in his way you’ll get ran over.
Apart from God, our quest for greatness is often a search for approval. I want to be applauded and esteemed. I live for praise. I attempt great things, even for God, because I crave being celebrated. But in Christ – my search for approval and greatness and distinction is over. In Christ – I am great, in Christ – I am distinct, in Christ – I am approved, not because of my ambition but because of His. All the time and energy that we waste trying to be liked or praised or to achieve something to validate our existence can now be redirected toward ambition for God’s glory. By grace, our hearts are redirected from How Great I Am to How Great Thou Art.
The Secret to Happiness is Not Seeking It
Jesus said, “Whoever wants to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matt. 16:25). Which means, if you seek your own private happiness for your life, you will lose your life – and their goes your happiness. But if you give up your life for Christ, you get to keep your life – and as a consequence, find real joy. C. S. Lewis said,
“Even in social life, you will never make a good impression on other people until you stop thinking about what sort of impression you are making . . . give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it” – Mere Christianity, pg. 190
If you are easily angered and offended, have routine episodes of self-pity, are hypersensitive and wear your grievances on your sleeve, you are seeking to be happy and unwilling to serve others. You will never know true happiness until you stop seeking it. Forget yourself and give your life away. You’ll be surprised how happy you’ll be.
Why do we need sad songs?
On the way home from WV last week, I put in my “Best of Fleetwood Mac” cd after Joseph woke up. He just turned 2, mind you. On disc one, tracks #14 and 15 played “Landslide” and “Songbird” respectively. As Christine McVie began to sing “Songbird”, Joseph commented, “. . . sad song . . .” Even a two-year old can hear the difference between happiness and sadness – his life already contains both. Here are the two songs that we listened to and they both speak about getting old and dying, and losing someone you dearly love, and the sadness of it all. After the songs, I have a few things to say.
Here are a few reasons why we need these songs:
1. Because we need others to know when we’re sad. When someone writes a sad song we are comforted by their empathy – they also know the dark days and they know that you have them too.
2. Because it’s ok to be sad. If you are never sad it’s because you refuse to take an honest look at life. So much of our culture does not permit deep sadness, but fills up the days with more and more silliness as a distraction. This is not healthy for us.
3. Because we need to cry. It’s good for the body and the spirit. It’s part of what it means to be human and it’s part of what it means to be an emotionally, healthy person.
4. Because we know that happiness has an opposite. When someone is hurting you do not laugh. You cannot eat popcorn at the side of a hospital bed. Tears are the only appropriate response to many things in this life, and it is dishonest and unloving to rejoice with those who weep.
5. Because we instinctively know there is something seriously wrong with our world. Sadness works like a billboard for our minds – it tells us that this is not the way it’s supposed to be.
6. Because we long for a time and a place where there will never be things that draw out tears again. Which is why I’m not going to trust anyone else other than Jesus when it comes to my future happiness and joy. I don’t trust Charles Taze Russell or Mary Baker Eddy or Confucius or Joseph Smith or Tom Cruise or Dr. Phil or Dick Clark or Johnny Carson or Joel Osteen. Christ alone and those who faithfully represent Christ have the only answer for my sadness (Psalm 42 and Revelation 21:4)
I am very thankful that this sad song has been mercifully postponed by the Lord, for now.
I love you dad!
The #1 Love Song – part 2
I’ve taken time off from writing – but it’s time to get back to it.
In the previous post I quoted from the #1 Love Song of all time – “Song of Songs” by Solomon. It is expressive and shameless in its celebration of sexual intimacy between a husband and wife. But since Jesus says this song is ultimately about him (Luke 24:44), and that human marriage refers to his marriage to the church (Eph. 5:31-33), then what you believe about love, sex, and marriage reveals what you believe about Jesus. And what you believe about sex, the when and between whom, also reveals what you believe about Jesus.
Jesus said that this (song of songs, love-making in marriage, one flesh union, skin on skin intimacy between a man and a woman) is to help us see who is this God that would “so love the world that he would give his only begotten Son” – to die for a bride and win her heart forever. This is why Jesus approves of only one kind of sexual intimacy that is recorded in the Song of Songs. The kind between one man and one woman because there is only one male Jesus Christ and one female bride, the church.
In the Song of Songs, only a male speaking to a female and a female speaking to a male can do this. Two males or two females can’t ever speak to each other in such a complementary and diverse way. Only a male and a female can be husband and wife and only a male and a female were made to literally, physically, anatomically, spiritually – fit together. And it is only a male with a female in married love that displays Christ and the Church.
Therefore, I make these applications based upon what Jesus said and modeled:
1. If your spouse is a member of Christ, his bride, you cannot love the head while you despise his members, one of which is your spouse. Your relationship with your spouse is out of reverence for Christ. How you treat your spouse is how you treat Jesus. Jesus takes it personally.
2. Sacrificial Love on the husband’s part, and sacrificial respect on the wife’s part reveal both our sinful rebellion and need of Jesus Christ at the same time.
Remember, you have to be told to love and to respect. You have to be told to walk in love and submit to one another (Eph. 5:1-2). Your spouse did not create sinful rebellion in your heart – it was already there when you said “I Do”. You’ve always needed Christ to conquer and captivate your heart.
3. You don’t need a perfect spouse to love him/her, you need a perfect Savior to change your heart to love the way he loves you. The challenge is to know yourself as the bride of Christ, eternally loved from before time – so that you can have the kind of love that lasts a lifetime.
This raises an interesting question:
Why didn’t Jesus get married to better display what married love is all about?
Answer: Because he already was married to a woman – the church! This means that no matter what your status is, married, single, widowed, or divorced, you can know true love by knowing Christ.
the sound board 