Since the beginning of the year, I've been preaching through the Gospel of John . It has been my favorite Gospel for several years, but to be able to preach through it has made it even more special. The "evidence" John lays out is daunting. He writes so that his readers "may come to believe" (Jn 20:31 NRSV).
Time and time again through the Gospel, Jesus is the giver of life - always spiritual, sometimes even physical. Considering how John writes the Gospel, it seems evident that he wants his readers to understand just a bit about God's love.
Is that really possible? Can we, with our limitations, really understand that kind of love? If we're honest, I think we'd have to admit our love is conditional. It doesn't even come close to the (agape) love God has for us.
My prayer for you today is you'll understand just a bit more about God's love. I pray as you understand that love, little by little, you'll be able to love in the same way. Rest assured, I pray the same for myself.
Continuing the Journey...
Friday, March 7, 2008
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Serve instead of being served!
Those of you who know me at all, know I have trouble claiming “This is my favorite New Testament passage,” all too often. One of the passages that always comes to mind is John 13. The account is just before the Passover and the crucifixion. The apostles had heard over and over again about Christ going to die. And they still didn’t understand.
I’ve always thought this would be another time Christ would teach a huge lesson. And teach He did! But not about what you might think. “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” John says the Son of God had removed a towel from around his waist and washed the feet of the twelve. Did you catch that? God in the flesh - Jesus Christ - began to serve those around Him.
If you’ve studied the lives of the Apostles, you know there was nothing special about them. I think that’s probably a large part of why Jesus “chose” them. They were “called” as ordinary men and would later receive a mission. They were nowhere near perfect. And the perfect Son of God teaches something very important. After Jesus finishes ministering to His friends, He returns to His place . John records Jesus saying, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you should also wash one another’s feet...you will be blessed if you do them.”
You’ve noticed by now we have the opportunity to serve at the Round Rock Serving Center this Saturday. We won’t be washing feet; at least, not physically. What we will be doing is doing things for others that are often considered menial. Those of you who join us, will take the focus of life off of yourselves for a few hours. For your efforts, Jesus says you’ll be blessed.
I want to tell you how proud I am of you. The society in which we live tells us to do the exact opposite of what Jesus taught that night. “Serve yourself!” And many of us have become very good at doing that. Here’s another chance to refocus the vision on Jesus. Come join us!
Continuing the journey...
I’ve always thought this would be another time Christ would teach a huge lesson. And teach He did! But not about what you might think. “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” John says the Son of God had removed a towel from around his waist and washed the feet of the twelve. Did you catch that? God in the flesh - Jesus Christ - began to serve those around Him.
If you’ve studied the lives of the Apostles, you know there was nothing special about them. I think that’s probably a large part of why Jesus “chose” them. They were “called” as ordinary men and would later receive a mission. They were nowhere near perfect. And the perfect Son of God teaches something very important. After Jesus finishes ministering to His friends, He returns to His place . John records Jesus saying, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you should also wash one another’s feet...you will be blessed if you do them.”
You’ve noticed by now we have the opportunity to serve at the Round Rock Serving Center this Saturday. We won’t be washing feet; at least, not physically. What we will be doing is doing things for others that are often considered menial. Those of you who join us, will take the focus of life off of yourselves for a few hours. For your efforts, Jesus says you’ll be blessed.
I want to tell you how proud I am of you. The society in which we live tells us to do the exact opposite of what Jesus taught that night. “Serve yourself!” And many of us have become very good at doing that. Here’s another chance to refocus the vision on Jesus. Come join us!
Continuing the journey...
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
What's Important?
School started again yesterday. I’m trying to leave the house earlier again. Even in Hutto, the traffic between 7 and 8 in the morning is terrible. I guess it’s a “sign of the times.”
Normally, this is a great time of the year for me. My goals are reevaluating priorities, staying focused in ministry, and leading (family/church) by example. Writing those goals down is pretty scary. They all have to do with being intentional. None of them will take care of themselves.
The busyness of life will never go away. We all have the same amount of time in a day, a week, and a year. The question is: what will I choose to do with that time? Am I closer to God today than I was a year ago? a month ago? yesterday? I’ve come to believe what I once thought was pretty crazy. As we get older, time seems to go by faster and faster. For that reason, reevaluating my priorities more frequently seems to be really important.
Can I encourage you this week to reevaluate where you’re at spiritually? Is progress towards becoming like Christ still important? Has settling for the status quo been something you’ve fallen for? Will you join me in reevaluating what’s important? Hopefully, we’ll refuse to live for the moment. I pray we focus on what will last and make sure the things we say are important are evident by what we do.
Continuing the Journey...
Normally, this is a great time of the year for me. My goals are reevaluating priorities, staying focused in ministry, and leading (family/church) by example. Writing those goals down is pretty scary. They all have to do with being intentional. None of them will take care of themselves.
The busyness of life will never go away. We all have the same amount of time in a day, a week, and a year. The question is: what will I choose to do with that time? Am I closer to God today than I was a year ago? a month ago? yesterday? I’ve come to believe what I once thought was pretty crazy. As we get older, time seems to go by faster and faster. For that reason, reevaluating my priorities more frequently seems to be really important.
Can I encourage you this week to reevaluate where you’re at spiritually? Is progress towards becoming like Christ still important? Has settling for the status quo been something you’ve fallen for? Will you join me in reevaluating what’s important? Hopefully, we’ll refuse to live for the moment. I pray we focus on what will last and make sure the things we say are important are evident by what we do.
Continuing the Journey...
Friday, August 17, 2007
Thinking Out Loud
I went to the ribbon cutting of a new ministry yesterday. Hope Pregnancy Center has been in Hutto for some time but recently relocated to a small house on Jim Cage. We got a tour of the new “digs.”
My experience got me to thinking: Ministry (including a pregnancy center) is proactive and reactive. I think many believe a pregnancy center to be reactive. After all, they minister to people after the conception. That of course is true. But it’s also a fact that the ministry is proactive. They attempt to intervene with education etc., prior to the conception.
While Jesus was in public ministry, he ministered in proactive and reactive ways ie. Sermon on the Mount = proactive; physical healings = reactive. The church would be wise to follow that example. The church to which I belong is evangelistic which is obviously proactive. But we also desire to be a healing church - a church that ministers to people after the challenge arrives.
A couple of questions: Is the Church that God intended to be about proactive things? reactive? What’s your ideas of ministry?
My experience got me to thinking: Ministry (including a pregnancy center) is proactive and reactive. I think many believe a pregnancy center to be reactive. After all, they minister to people after the conception. That of course is true. But it’s also a fact that the ministry is proactive. They attempt to intervene with education etc., prior to the conception.
While Jesus was in public ministry, he ministered in proactive and reactive ways ie. Sermon on the Mount = proactive; physical healings = reactive. The church would be wise to follow that example. The church to which I belong is evangelistic which is obviously proactive. But we also desire to be a healing church - a church that ministers to people after the challenge arrives.
A couple of questions: Is the Church that God intended to be about proactive things? reactive? What’s your ideas of ministry?
Thursday, August 9, 2007
I registered for school again this week. Introduction to Theology and Introduction to Christian Ministry is on the agenda this fall. i hope I never get to the point where i don’t want to keep learning. That said, Shae hopes I get to the point that it’s cheaper (about halfway there now Babe!).
With all of the good information learned through the classroom, I hope to keep the practical “stuff” a priority. After all, as one professor put it, “Knowledge without application is abortion!” I’d love to talk to some of you about that statement sometime.
Remember to apply what you learn this week! Never be satisfied with just “head” knowledge. Until next time...
With all of the good information learned through the classroom, I hope to keep the practical “stuff” a priority. After all, as one professor put it, “Knowledge without application is abortion!” I’d love to talk to some of you about that statement sometime.
Remember to apply what you learn this week! Never be satisfied with just “head” knowledge. Until next time...
1st Post
Wikipedia says, "A 'blog' provides commentary or news on a particular subject." Here goes my first shot at providing some productive commentary. Hopefully, we can meet here on a weekly basis.
We just returned from a "whirlwind" trip to the Midwest. This was our first trip to St. Louis and Chicago. We had the chance to go to Highview Christian in Washington, Il. Sunday. Mark Westman pastors there. Washington is just a few miles from Peoria.
After seeing the modern Busch in St. Louis and the legendary Wrigley (built in 1914) in Chicago, I find it hard to believe baseball won't be included in the worship in heaven.
I'm just kidding - well... kind of. Have you ever thought about what worship will be like in heaven? Contemporary or hymns? Audio Adrenaline or chanting like monks? Will there be a "Top Ten Reasons to Praise" every night? How about show and tell? Will we see what manna really looked like? Will Paul tell us the details about suffering for Christ in prison?
I can't wait to answer these questions for myself. As good as worshipping God is here, worshipping in heaven will be better. After all, it's what we were created to do. How can we worship this week?
We just returned from a "whirlwind" trip to the Midwest. This was our first trip to St. Louis and Chicago. We had the chance to go to Highview Christian in Washington, Il. Sunday. Mark Westman pastors there. Washington is just a few miles from Peoria.
After seeing the modern Busch in St. Louis and the legendary Wrigley (built in 1914) in Chicago, I find it hard to believe baseball won't be included in the worship in heaven.
I'm just kidding - well... kind of. Have you ever thought about what worship will be like in heaven? Contemporary or hymns? Audio Adrenaline or chanting like monks? Will there be a "Top Ten Reasons to Praise" every night? How about show and tell? Will we see what manna really looked like? Will Paul tell us the details about suffering for Christ in prison?
I can't wait to answer these questions for myself. As good as worshipping God is here, worshipping in heaven will be better. After all, it's what we were created to do. How can we worship this week?
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