Peripatetics: The Art of Walking

Thursday, September 29, 2005

The Story

It all happened so fast.

My mom and a friend of hers were off to dinner one night. Me and the other lady's kid were in the back seat. I have no idea why it was just the moms and us, but that was the deal this night. I guess I was about five.

They parked the car on the street downtown and got us out of the car and we walked to the door of the restaurant which was about 50 yards away.

And my mom's purse got snatched.

Stolen! Right off her arm on a busy sidewalk. And the guys who took it were young and fast.

My mom yelled something like "stop those guys they stole my purse!"

I froze.

Lots of onlookers diverted their eyes and kept walking...women, men, teenagers. Like I said, it was a busy sidewalk downtown at dinner time.

But two guys took off like a shot after the theives...who had a 30 second head-start. We just stood there in shock, I guess.

About five minutes later they came back with the purse. Sweating, they showed up about five minutes later with the purse. Apparently the guys who stole it got the cash out of it, realized some dudes were after them and ditched the purse in an alley. The two guys seemed apologetic that they didn't get to it sooner, but seemed genuinely concerned about my mom. They made sure she was okay, even if shaken, before they headed off to do whatever it was that had them downtown on a Friday night. The car keys, the checkbook, the credit cards, the pictures, and all the other stuff was in there...just no cash. So, we headed off to dinner and life went on from there.

I remember that evening vividly, even though I was little. It was the first time I encountered real, live crime, and I saw what a panic it caused. Looking back, I can see what it revealed about the human nature of the bystanders, of whom there were probably 50 or 60...and takes us to where we left off yesterday...

The story of Luke 10 progresses...

A lawyer wants to take a poll from the carpenter/religious guru who has hit town. Asks him a basic question to determine his theological/doctrinal purity:

"What to I have to do to be saved?"

The carpenter responds to the wealthy, advantaged lawyer:

"What did you learn your first year in seminary? How do you interpret those verses?"

The puzzled lawyer fires off an answer as simple to him as the ABC's are to a first grader: Love God with all possible passion and love your neighbor as yourself.

The carpenter informs the wealthy, advantaged lawyer that he indeed answered the question correctly...now, just go and do it.

Realizing pretty quickly that this particular Scripture quotation pokes a hole in the ability of humans to fully get to heaven, he has to limit the scope of the answer in order to "do it." So, the lawyer's next question does that very thing: "And, who is my neighbor?"

The carpenter then goes into story mode...one we all know since our Sunday School days seemed pretty intent on covering it yearly. If you're not familiar with it, check out Luke 10: 25--35.

The basics of the story are these:

A man is traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho and gets robbed & beaten and left for dead.

Three people have a chance to help.

The first is a priest, who crosses over to the other side of the road.
The second is a Levite, who passes by the hurt man, too.
The one that stops to help is a Samaritan, who goes above and beyond the call to help the injured man.

So, Jesus tells a story of a common occurrance: Someone travels down the Jericho road, a 17-mile stretch of bad road known for danger of being mugged...and it happened. The robbers stripped him...likely since the clothes he was wearing were probably the most valuable things on his person, and, to take care of the only witness, they beat him and leave him to die.

The priest should've stopped. Of all people, the priest would stop, right? He knows the Law! He loves people and has compassion on them since he works with and for God every single day of his life? Nope. Looks the other way and keeps moving.

The Levite should've stopped. Hey, he might not be a priest, but he comes from the lineage of priests. He is as immersed in the Law as any Jewish person of the time since his "tribe" were the caretakers of the Temple. He may not be a professional leader, but he certainly would stop to help a fellow countryman, right? Wrong. Looks the other way and keeps moving.

So a Samaritan stops. The racially mixed person. The spiritually mixed person. They took the Jewish religion and mixed it up with all sorts of practices that you could hardly find Judaism in it anymore. They were the wrong people from the wrong side of the tracks.

But he stops.

Not only does he stop, but he provides basic first-aid. He takes the injured man to the hotel to recover. He pays the initial bill, tells the innkeeper to look after the injured man, and makes arrangements to pay any other expenses the injured man incurred.

He went over and above the normal cause of service and looks out for the best interests of the injured man.

And the story forces us to make an examination of who we are and what we're about, so let's do that...

So, for today, which tends to be our reaction when an injustice occurs? How does our initial response to injustice affect our thoughts & emotions? How have you seen the Christian community do well and how have you seen it be like the two selfish people?

Brent 4:36 AM

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Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Limiting The Scope

It was my big thesis paper for my senior year in high school. There were note cards involved. Typing, back before there were computers, was involved, too. It was on Golding's Lord of the Flies. And the teacher described the weeks of research and library time and typing time and the whole bit. We'd all heard the horror stories for years, and now the assignment was put on my desk. We'd all resigned ourselves to 6 weeks of misery leading up to graduation in order to get it done...and, in fact, if you didn't do well on it, you could fail senior English and that would mean summer school to even get to graduation.

This was bad.

This was very bad.

It was especially bad because the assignment came on the Thursday before the high school baseball season rolled around on Monday. It was by far my busiest time of the year.

It was obvious that the only way I could do the assignment was to limit it's "scope." See, the teacher had a time-line drawn out for us, which involved spending a week developing your thesis statement and then three weeks of research and a week of writing followed by a week of editing and that would result in a beautifully defended essay on the nature of human nature about two weeks before the end of the school. Then, those of us who, let's say didn't exactly put senior English highest on our list of priorities, would have to sweat it out to see if we passed senior English to graduate on time.

One good thing was that I knew myself well. Once baseball season started in earnest I checked out mentally from school. Besides, who did Mrs. Swindle think created her to be the English-Is-More-Important-Than-Anything-Else lady? I had a job at the movie theater. I had a girlfriend. I had baseball. I had friends to hang out with.

I knew myself well enough to know that the only way this assignment was going to get done was over the weekend. The only way I could fulfill the requirements of this paper was to...

...limit it's scope.

So, that's what I did. I broke the time-line down into hours. I skipped school that Friday and hit the public library downtown. I switched shifts with the guys at work for Saturday and Sunday, agreeing to work nights and hit the library both of those days, too. I limited the scope of the assignment...it was the only way I could do it.

And that's what the young lawyer did in Luke 10.

Remember that this young lawyer has decided to take a poll. He's asking the carpenter, who's drawn quite a following around town, what it means to be saved. Surprisingly, the carpenter asks the well-heeled, well-schooled lawyer to give him the answer to the question of, "What's one of the most basic verses you learned in seminary?" The lawyer answered correctly, saying that the way to get saved was to love God with all your heart, mind and soul and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus then told him that he got the answer correct, and now, go "do that."

When Jesus quoted Leviticus there, it did one thing to the lawyer: It exposed that he wasn't going and "doing it." Frankly, it would expose all of us...I mean, do we really love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength? Do we really love our neigbhor as ourselves? I think we'd all admit that we really don't.

Leviticus 19:17 squarely points to the reality that God's going to have to have grace and mercy towards us if we're going to get saved. Jesus was hinting at that here...do this and you will live...sheesh. Sometimes I don't even love my wife--who is my closest neighbor--enough to give her the remote control. I certainly am going to need help getting into The Kingdom if I've got to "do it."

So, the lawyer, in verse 29: "But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

See, he understood that the only way to justify himself was to...

...limit the scope of the command.

If he could just re-define who the neighbors were, he might have a shot. Notice he didn't even bother with the God-part of the assignment. Just the neighbor-part.

"And, so...who IS my neighbor? I mean, what if I hauled off and loved somebody and they turned out not to be my neighbor? Wouldn't that be the pits?" My translation there...sorry.

Anyway, that's kinda what we do, isn't it? When it gets tough, we limit the scope of the requirments reguarding God. And we'll see how Jesus responded tomorrow.

But for today, in what ways do we tend to try to "limit the scope" of what God's asking us to do? What do we do about that reality?



P.S. I stayed up pretty much all weekend. I got the paper done, to my teacher's bewilderment (and telling me to take it back and review it for six weeks) turned in that Monday during third period. I told her I didn't need to take it back because I knew it was an "A." She concurred. Then we lost in the state semi-finals that year.

Brent 4:49 AM

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Tuesday, September 27, 2005

The Doctor Next Door

When I was a teenager a doctor moved in next door to our house. Maybe it's because I was 13. Maybe it's because I'd never actually known a doctor before. Maybe I was so impressed by the "toys" he was able to buy. Our families became fast friends.

He was the smartest person I'd ever met.

He knew the ins and outs of Kentucky's basketball offense.
He knew all about military mistakes in the Civil War.
He knew the specs or about the engine of his sportscar.
He knew all the theories of doctor's office business management.
He had all sorts of theories about marriage.

But he couldn't play basketball worth a flip.
He never was in the military and admitted that he couldn't shoot a gun.
He sent his car to a mechanic.
He took a job with another hospital because his business wasn't making as much money as he should've been making.
Both of his marriages failed.

But he was an intellectual of the highest order. One of the hardest things for a higher order intellectual is for them to actually DO the things they know about.

Which is kind of what happens in Luke 10: 25--27, from The Message:

"Just then a religious scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. 'Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?'

He answered, 'What's written in God's Law? How do you interpret it?'

He said, 'That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence--and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.'

'Good answer!' said Jesus. 'Do it and you'll live.'"

Remember we have the highly educated, formally trained, socially advantaged expert in the Mosaic Law asking a question. In fact, he states that he's trying to test Jesus. Don't make too much of that. It's really more like he's trying to take a poll. I'm not so sure it's an antagonistic type of question, but it's certainly one of intrigue in that he's trying to figure out where the carpenter and son of peasants stands on a crucial issue:

How do I get saved? That's how a first century audience would've interpreted that question.

The carpenter says something along the lines of "Tell me what you learned in 1st grade." Sorta asking this highbrow intellectual to say his ABC's.

So, he does. Quotes a couple of OT verses...the basics. Deuteronomy and Leviticus.

The carpenter rewards him. "You got it right!"

The confused smile likely wound up on the lawyer's face. "Of course I got it right. It's the ABC's for crying out loud. Any 6 year old would've gotten it right? What's this guy up to?

Jesus actually quotes more Scripture in v.27. "Do it, and you'll get saved."

Uh-oh.

It isn't intellectual anymore.

Now it's practical. Theology always has a practical application, and now the lawyer is face-to-face with it.

And, you know what? We're all face to face with it.

There's so much that we, as American Christians, know. We know so much about getting saved (using the first century understanding of salvation--that it has a past, a present and a future--which is used in a more encompassing manner than we use it today with our focus on the past) that we don't actuall DO IT.

So, for today, what are some key things that the typical Christian knows and simply doesn't DO? How does this hurt the Kingdom?

Brent 3:38 AM

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Monday, September 26, 2005

Two Different Worlds

"How did I get here?"

That's the thought that ran through my mind seconds before I preached my first sermon in Holland in 2000.

The moment was quick. I had work to do: Giving a sermon in English and waiting for the translation into Dutch. But that thought ran through my brain while standing behind the podium.

There wasn't much to suggest that I'd ever do something like that. I mean, I was an average kid from an average suburb who made average grades in high school. It didn't change much in college, either. I was in an average fraternity and made average grades while we followed an average football team.

I never rose to the top of my chosen profession. I still haven't. I'm simply a youth pastor in an average suburb in average America.

Yet, there I was...about to be the first in my family and the first from my church to preach a sermon--tell others about the reality of Jesus Christ--in Europe. It was a pure life moment for me. There were others at my church more qualified to do it. There were others in my Bible study from college more qualified. There were others in ministry from my high school more qualified. But I was the one doing it.

God's funny that way.

And that must've been the perspective of the guy in Luke 10: 25, from The Message:

"Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus, 'Teacher what do I need to do to get eternal life?'

He answered, 'What's written in God's Law? How do you interpret it?'"

From strict observation there are two people in the story...and they are vastly contrasted.

First, we have a "religion scholar." The NASB calls him a "lawyer." The reality is that he is highly educated. An expert in the ins and outs of the Mosaic Law. He'd dedicated his life to the study of those words.

Keep in mind that in those days, the highly educated likely came from privilige. Their families had the resources to get them the best educations and the best teachers and they had every possible advantage. The class system was alive and well and worked for him.

It didn't work for the other player in the drama, Jesus. A carpenter by trade. With humble beginnings from humble parents from the poor section of town. Hung out with the riff raff. Any advantage Jesus gained was due to overcoming his circumstances, not benefitting from them.

A tradesman had developed quite a following around town. So the religion scholar is going to find out some information...which we'll look at in detail tomorrow.

But for today, how are we affected by other people's station in life? Do we pre-judge others based on superficial criteria? If so, what are some examples you see of it? How do you overcome the judging a book by it's cover syndrome?

Brent 6:53 AM

Comments:

Judging a book by its cover, eh? That's very hard to overcome for many people. I sometimes don't even have to see the person. I just play an Internet game or see some e-mail adress or simply see a driver on the road and judge them from that. The best way I try to overcome that is by thinking as many possibilites why they could be doing that aside from negative responses. For example: A speeding driver. Well, he might not know the speed limit, he may have a newborn baby, he could be in an emergency, or simply needs to use the bathroom real quick.
Beside the point, sometimes my family will take turns thinking of different positive possibilities, but I get your point about the lawyer judging Jesus the way he did.

posted by  Anonymous : 11:22 AM

 

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Sunday, September 25, 2005

Getting Ready For Class Tonight

In order to get amped for class tonight, you'll want to read Luke 10: 25--37. It's the parable of the Good Samaritan and a story that you've likely read or heard of, but pay attention to some particulars this time, okay? Who are the people in the dialogue and what are their occupations? What are their questions and what verses do they use to support their answers? What's the nature of the questions? Who are the three people who could've helped the Samaritan? What point is Jesus trying to make by using them as an example? What is the lawyer's original question and how does Jesus turn it around on him?

Also, you'll want to go through John 13: 31--14:6. Pay close attention to the context of the story, too. When are these things being discussed? Why would the disciples have been highly confused? What is Jesus' primary interest in verse 32? What do you make of Thomas' question in 14? What does that have to do with love?

Remember, we'll be finishing up our 3-part sesson on "love" in the context of the Galatians 5 and the fruit of the Spirit discussion we'll be having all semester. So, see you in class tonight at 6:30PM!

Brent 4:50 AM

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Saturday, September 24, 2005

The Results of Following

Yesterday, I talked about minding your own business...and in the case of Peter, minding his own business meant following his Savior his own way. The Savior in control, doing what He wants with your own life.

Staggering when you think about it, isn't it?

I think deep down we like that idea...but it's scary, too.

I mean, Peter did that. Three years previous, Jesus asked him to follow Him. No real plan. No real agenda that he could discern. Just drop your nets, big fella. Come with Me. No time for questions. No time for packing up. Let's go.

Three years of miracles and highs. Three years of confusion and lows. Ending in a brutal crucifixion. Well, not really. Ending in a dead Messiah coming to life. But even then, there's more confusion. Now, Peter, follow Me...even though I'm not going to be here...and you're going to die kinda like I did.

I think Peter liked that idea...but it was scary, too.

Yesterday, I talked with a teenager who I like very much. She was telling me of a camp she went to in which the staff spent the entire program getting them to focus on the now. In the morning you got up...there were no clocks. They staff would sometimes go to breakfast with you...sometimes you went hiking. "When's breakfast?" you might've asked. The staff answered with, "That's F.I." Future information. You'll find that out later. Trust God with the "right now." "How long's the hike today?"

"That's F.I."

That's really perfect when it comes to the spiritual life.

Follow Him...in the right now. Trust God and do the next thing.

But what's the result going to look like if we really LOVE God?

To me, it looks as if there's an end result being prayed for in Colossians 1: 9--12 (from The Message):

"Be assured that from the first day we heard from of you, we haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul--not the grim strength that endures the endurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us."

So, following Him, looks like...

A thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. How do we do that? "F.I."

That you'll live well for the Master. What does that look like for me? "F.I."

I'll learn how God works and how I'm supposed to work. I have work to do? What work? When? Where? With whom? "F.I."

I'll stick it out over the long haul and endure stuff. I have to stick it out? What out? I'll have to do this for a long time? It's a marathon and not a sprint? What will I have to endure? "F.I."

He has something for us? What is it? When will I get it? "F.I."

Minding my business.
Walking with Him raises more questions than answers. Ugh.
But the command is to follow.
Drop the nets and go. We've got plenty of time to sort details.
Just walk...and live faithfully in the NOW.
And remember that it's all "F.I."

Brent 8:04 AM

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Friday, September 23, 2005

Minding Your Own Business

I really don't want to give good kids bad ideas...so I won't go into the story for you here. In fact, I'm really tempted to tell it because, in retrospect, it is very funny. At the time, it was very serious business.

See, I was in the assistant principal's office my junior year in high school. The word suspension was being tossed around.

Let me back up a bit.

Me and two friends had pulled a prank. It was harmless in intent, but, like most teenage pranks, there was a newspaper photographer who thought it was funny, too, snapping pictures at our prank when he was supposed to be covering the game. This was going to paint our school in a light they evidently didn't want to be painted in. The administration acted quickly and swiftly...and yes, I was definitely involved.

Back to the office.

The vice-principal layed out his proof of my involvement. It was pretty iron clad, seeing as how I'd done it. So, I confessed. Fully and completely. I didn't turn my friends in, though. Said I acted alone.

I wasn't thinking that they were pretty much having cases laid out against them, though. They confessed, too. Told the whole story.

So, my "case" got revisited. My punishment was increased.

I was really upset about that.

"But what about them?! They were MORE involved than I was, but all of a sudden I'M the one getting the most punishment?!"

The assistant principal responded with something along the lines of, "You just be concerned about yourself and your actions, which include being involved and lying. If I were you I'd be more concerned about your own situation." Except he didn't say "situation." It was a three-letter word often used to describe your backside.

Well, that's mildly similar to John 21: 18--21 right after Jesus had forgiven Peter and established him as leader of the ministry (from The Message):

"'I'm telling you the very truth now: When you were young you dressed yourself and went wherever you wished, but when you get old you'll have to stretch out your hands while someone else dresses you and takes you where you don't want to go.' He said this to hint at the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And then he commanded, 'Follow Me.'

Turning his head, Peter noticed the disciple Jesus loved following right behind. When Peter noticed him, he asked Jesus, 'Master, what's going to happen to him?'

Jesus said, 'If I want him to live until I come again, what's that to you? You--Follow me.'"

Catch the scene. Peter has just been more or less appointed the leader of the group again. The reality is that he was still the rock upon which Jesus would build his church. Jesus forgave him publicly, and, in front of the group, told him three times that he would lead the sheep or tend to them.

Like most situations like that, Peter and Jesus were alone...or so they thought...and Jesus was likely telling Peter the responsibilities and hardships this leadership would cause him. He pretty much told him that, because of his new leadership position he'd probably die a violent and painful death by crucifixion.

Peter, like most of us, would have likely had trouble dealing with such a dire prediction. Unlike most of us, he'd already made promises to Jesus about how well he'd do under pressure situations and failed miserably. Well, now that I think of it, that may be like us.

Jesus then commands Peter to follow Him...no matter what, even to death.

Anyway, Peter notices John following along behind them. Peter, like most of us, fires off a question to deflect the attention to John. The tone is more or less, "He, if that's going to happen to me, what's going to happen to THAT guy?"

Then Jesus does something that we've all heard 1,000 times before: He tells Peter to mind his own business. Peter's got enough on his plate in leading a ministry and following Jesus (not necessarily in that order) and now he's wondering about John's ministry.

Jesus reminds him that it's pretty much irrelevant to Peter if he wants John to remain alive until His return (did you catch that Jesus was in effect telling them He was going away again?)...Peter was supposed to mind his own business and follow Christ.

So, for today...what is it about us that is always comparing ourselves to others in a spiritual sense? Why does it seem so difficult to focus on our own following of Christ and allow others the grace to do the same thing?

Brent 4:02 AM

Comments:

A real creative blog. Don't stop now. Maybe you can tell me how to improve my blog about free web site design:-)

posted by  Anonymous : 4:17 AM

 

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Thursday, September 22, 2005

Food For Thought

John 21: 15--17, from The Message:

"After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?'

'Yes, Master, you know I love you.'

Jesus said, 'Feed my lambs.'

He then asked a second time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?'

'Yes, Master, you know I love you.'

Jesus said, 'Shepherd my sheep.'

Then he said it a third time: 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?'

Peter was upset that he asked for the third time,'Do you love me?' so he answered, 'Master, you know everything there is to know. You've got to know that I love you.'

Jesus said, 'Feed my sheep.'"

From Pete Greig in The Vision and the Vow:

"Next I invite you to imagine that you are looking beyond the words on this page, into the face of Jesus, and as you do so, His eyes are kindly, quietly burning into yours. You can feel them like lasers probing your heart. And as He looks at you, her Him speaking your name. Notice how softly He repeats it. But as He says your name, you glimpse a slight furrowing of the brow and a hint of pain dulling the kindness in His eyes. Seeing this, you become slightly self-conscious, aware that you are naked of ambition and pretense, nobody but yourself alone with Him. And Jesus is looking more deeply into you now than anyone has ever done before. He speaks your name with that hint of pain, and then comes the question we have been preparing ourselves to hear--the challenge is more painful than any other.

The question is this:

'Do you love me?'

That's it. Just four words. Big deal.

And of course you know the answer right away. With a relieved smile, you reply immediately: 'Yes, Lord, You know I do.' You've sung it a million times in church, and so, without a second thought, you say, 'Yes.' We all say, 'Yes.' Hey--we're people who read Christian books! 'Yes, Lord, of course I love You!'

But the Lord's gaze is unbroken, and He is not mirroring your grin. He seems troubled by your reply. The question is coming again.

'Do you really love me?'

A second time--does He doubt me? A little offended, you pause before answering, and as you do so, the question begins to penetrate. The intensity in Jesus' eyes is even greater, the dark probing lasers of His question going deeper still. And of course, you know why He doubts your first reply. He of all people sees those sins you've allowed to float to the surface. This is the question God has been wanting to ask for a while now, and at last you are coming to Him with ears to hear and a vulnerable heart that will not simply dodge the question without a little thought. It's a real question from a Friend you sometimes hurt and a Lord who knows you deny Him more often than you let on. Hence the pain when He speaks your name. As you reflect on these things--your quick confessions of love, your easy infidelity, and your embarrassment now--you notic Him nodding very slightly as if readin gyour mind. And, maybe, just maybe, there is the faintest mist of a tear appearing in His eyes.

Whisper your reply.

Perhaps there is a hint of pain and shame in your features now, because something changes in the face before you. You see tears welling up, unmistakeably, but instead of sadness, there is joy. The eyes of your Lord looking at you seem now to have melted into such kind puddles of utter affection that you feel loved as deeply as you realize you are known. Of course, you understand by now that the question must come a third time, but you never expected there to be such surprising vulnerability in the One who asks:

'Do you even like me?'

So, for today...what do you think about when you read this?

Brent 7:09 AM

Comments:

I know I'm not in high school anymore...and I have restrained from commenting for a LONG time. But I just can't believe that no one out there has something so say about this post. In all seriousness this stirs up tears and hurt in areas that I don't want them to be. It just highlights the fact that I even need God's love to love him back.


"you deny Him more often than you let on"- if you can't identify with that I would love to meet you, because you're 100 times the man I'll ever be....sorry for commenting, Brent. I couldn't hold it in.

posted by  Craig : 3:16 PM

 

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Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Putting First Things First

I entered seminary in January of 1995. Well, the second time. There was a short stint in 1987 which neither Dallas Theological or myself are very anxious to bring up, but I returned in January of 1985.

It was on the heels of a terribly exciting youth ministry. I was working with Youth for Christ reaching out to high school students on public high school campuses and by any measure of success, we had it. Not to mention that it was simply a lot of fun being newly married and building all these relationships with teenagers...lives were changed, fun was had, and life-long relationships were built.

I was experiencing professional recognition as well. I was promoted through the organization into a position where I was managing volunteers and writing some stuff for little in-house ministry idea books and I actually got promoted to Executive Director.

Which is what literally exhausted me...and gave me an ulcer.

See, the business end of the ministry was in trouble. I was working long difficult hours trying to save the ministry from going under, and at the same time trying not to let the kids see the stress and pressure. Not to mention this eerie feeling that my gifts were primarily in the area of discipleship, not evangelism.

I'm going a long way to tell you this: Upon my arrival, seminary was a much needed breath of fresh air in my life at that time. This high-pressure, high-stress lifestyle had taken it's toll, and knowing that I would have two years to focus on the study of God's Word and ministry training to enhance my experience was just what the doctor ordered.

And I put first things first.

My prayer life was as fervent and vibrant as ever.

My time in the word was life changing and I really felt like every day I was getting to know God more and more deeply. Some days, in class, I would simply tear up at the idea of God and His mercy and grace to me.

My time in fellowship was great as I was getting to know so many cool seminary friends. Even found a church with some folks that became our best friends...who we even shared a duplex with them.

My family life was resuming normalcy.

My jobs I had to support us weren't very demanding.

Until...

...somehow...

...someway...

...I lost sight of the most important things. It took about six months, I guess.

My prayer life became the last thing on my to-do list instead of the first (or constant).

My time in the Word became just another assignment.

Friends began to take a backseat to pretty much everything else.

My jobs began demanding more hours...and the ministry was talking off, and well, me and kids...well, I'm a sucker.

First things were now last. My own little topsy-turvy priorities.

Which is why I enjoy the story in John 21 regarding Peter. Remember, after we left off yesterday, they had gone fishing...and caught nothing, and then figured out who Jesus was in a serious case of deja vu.

So, we pick it up in John 21: 7 from The Message:

"When Simon Peter realized that it was the Master, he threw on some clothes, for he was stripped for work, and dove into the sea. The other disciples came in by boat for they weren't far from land, a hundered yards or so, pulling along the net full of fish. When they got out of the boat, they saw a fire laid, with fish and bread cooking on it.

As we usually see in Scripture, Peter was a man of action. He was working...fishing all night, and now part of the day...because he was tired of waiting on Christ again. Not knowing where or when He'd show up again, he decided to go fishing. Besides, it what he did for a living, and a little cash couldn't hurt, right?

He fished all night without success. A "stranger" on land told him to fish the other side of the boat. Peter obeyed.

And then realized that it was Jesus on the shore.

He threw on his clothes, which had been discarded for ease of working, and simply dove in the water. He splashed to shore. Swam about 100 yards or so...and I can't imagine what was going through his mind.

He'd betrayed Jesus.
I'm sure he wanted to restore the relationship (but not as much as Jesus did, as we'll find out tomorrow).
Not knowing when or if he'd see Jesus again, he had to go see Him.

But what about the fish?

Not for Peter. There were 153 of thos suckers. Big ones. Cash in the nets. The other discples had that under control, apparently...in the little boats.

But Peter had the most important thing on his mind.

For whatever reason, it was to drop everything and get where Jesus was.

I'm encouraged by his reality that his relationship was more important than anything else at that time. Money. Friends. Power. Prestige. None of it mattered. It all paled in comparision to whatever time he could get with Jesus.

And that encourages me.

And humbles me.

So for today, what tends to get in the way of our putting first things first? How do we avoid those pitfalls and traps?

Brent 3:27 AM

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Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Daylight Pick Off

I used to play catcher sometimes in baseball. I didn't play it very often, so a lot of times in practice I wouldn't get to be involved in some of the "finer" points of the position because I was practicing another position. Well, one day our coach had gone over something called the "daylight pickoff" which depends entirely upon the catcher. I missed the lesson.

So, at a practice a few days later he wanted me to play catcher and he wanted me to run the "daylight pickoff." I told him I didn't know what that was so he explained it...but that didn't mean I could do it. So, we tried it a few times and I was a total disaster.

See, the way the "daylight pickoff" works is supposed to be simple. Whenever the other team has a runner on 2nd base, the catcher would call for the play to be run. What that meant was that I was supposed to stand up in front of the plate and hit each knee with the catcher's helmet. That let the pitcher and the shortstop know we were going to run the play.

Well, when the runner took his lead of 2nd base while the pitcher was looking at the catcher about to throw to the batter, the shortstop would break behind the runner. When the catcher sees "daylight" between the shortstop and the runner, he drops his glove. At which time the pitcher turns around and throws immediately to 2nd base. The idea is that the runner would get caught off guard because the pitcher wasn't looking behind him, and you could "pick off" the runner and get an easy out.

It sounds good in theory, but if the catcher's timing is off it goofs everything up. If he drops his glove too early then the pitcher will throw the ball into centerfield because the shortstop couldn't get there in time...and if he drops it too late you lose the element of surprise and the runner gets back easily, and that's if the pitcher doesn't make a mistake and "balk."

Since I hadn't practiced it before, my timing was really bad. We practiced it probably 10 times and I was either too early or too late...thankfully, the coach was in a good mood--probably because I didn't play the position much--and it was a running joke that I was goofing everything up. Of course, I laughed at myself...but the daylight pickoff day was something I never forgot.

In fact, a few years later I was talking with the catcher of my college baseball team and he was telling me had a tough day at practice because he struggled with the daylight pickoff! Immediately, it reminded me of my own coach a few years earlier.

In a similar way, that happened in John 21. The disciples got reminded of their mentor because of the recurrence of an event a few years earlier.

Remember yesterday that we saw that Jesus had died and resurrected and the disciples jumped back into their routine...their rut. Waiting for Jesus, they decided to go fishing. That's where we'll pick up the story today (from The Message):

"The rest of them replied, 'We're going with you.' They went out and got in the boat. They caught nothing that night. When the sun came up, Jesus was standing on the beach, but they didn't recognize him.

Jesus spoke to them: 'Good morning! Did you catch anything for breakfast?'

They answered, 'No.'

He said, 'Throw the net off the right side of the boat and see what happens.'

They did what he said. All of a sudden there were so many fish in it, they weren't strong enough to pull it in.

Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It's the Master!'

When Simon Peter realized that it was the Master, he threw on some clothes, for he was stripped for work, and dove into the sea..."

Now, at first glance the story might seem a little odd. I mean, some professional fisherman go fishing on a lake they were very familiar with and they come away from a full night's work with absolutely nothing.

A bystander on the beach asks them how it went...and they tell him about the wasted effort.

The bystander tells them that the problem was likely that they were fishing off the wrong side of the boat.

Yeah, okay...sure. That's the problem. Right?

But, interestingly enough, they head out and heed his advice. They caught a tremendous haul of fish. So many that they couldn't haul them all in.

John gets clued in: It's Jesus!

Peter knows, too. He heads to the beach immediately. He's got some unfinished business with the Lord (which we'll study tomorrow).

But why would this remind John of Jesus?

Because of Luke 5. It's the story of the original call of the disciples some three years earlier. The exact same thing happened to them some three years earlier...before they'd seen all the miracles. Before they'd heard all the teachings. Before they'd seen the crucifixion. Before they'd witnessed the resurrection.

It was a red-letter day that had been pushed to the back of their minds because of everything else over the last three years. But then it happened again and they figured out that it was Christ Himself.

Just like when I heard the term daylight pickoff again after a few years, it brought me back to that day in practice with my coach.

So, for today, can you think of a time that you've seen God work in the same way in your life and it reminded you of Him in some way? Tell us about it...

Brent 4:04 AM

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Monday, September 19, 2005

I'm Going Fishing

It was a very interesting time in my life. The ministry I was serving was going great guns. Teens were coming out of the woodwork to our meetings. We were putting them in small groups. I was building relationships that were meaningful as well as influential...to me as well as the teens. It was everything you'd want a ministry to be.

But I wasn't at peace.

I couldn't explain it, either. I should've been happy. I should've been content. But deep down I simply wasn't. I would come home from meetings that went as planned and be disgruntled. After six years we were finally where I wanted the ministry to be. All the hard work was coming to fruition. But I wasn't content.

So I started praying about what God wanted.

And I waited.

And I waited.

And I waited some more.

No answers.

No nothing.

I wanted to hear from God...was talking to Him and all that...and I waited.

And I waited.

And I waited some more.

Which is why I can relate to Peter in John 21, verses 1--3 (from The Message):

"After this, Jesus appeared again to the disciples, this time at the Tiberias Sea (the Sea of Galilee). This is how He did it: Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed "the twin"), Nathanial from Cana in Galilee, the brothers Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. Simon Peter announced, "I'm going fishing." The rest repleid, "We're going with you."..."

The key words are "after this." See, that gives us a time frame to deal with. The "this" that John is talking about is after the death and resurrection of Christ, and two other times He had appeared to the disciples, showing Himself to be alive.

And then they had to wait for further instructions.

They'd wait.

And they'd wait.

And they'd wait some more.

Three years they'd followed Jesus. They saw it all. The miracles. They heard the teachings. They'd seen a man crucified and then come back to life. They'd heard all His predictions about what they'd do when He came into His kingdom. And now, somehow, someway, this was happening. They likely had more questions than answers.

And they waited.

And they waited.

And they waited some more.

And they decided to do what comes most naturally: They went back to their comfort zones. The things they did before all that took place. They went fishing.

The fell into their rut of routine. Since God is being silent, I'll just do what I always do.

They fished.

I, on the other hand, just worked harder. I dove into my work just like they did. I wasn't hearing from God at all, so I fell back into my old habits. I spent more time with kids. I formed more Bible studies. I tried to train more leaders. I tried to come up with more creative Bible lessons. It was simply my form of fishing.

And I wonder if that's what we all do when we get tired of waiting on God. We fall into ruts of behavior that keep us from focusing on the task at hand...

So, for today, I'll ask: What are the ruts we tend to fall into when we're waiting to hear from God? Are they good things or bad things? How do we usually wind up getting out of those ruts?

And tomorrow, we'll see how they did...

Brent 6:51 AM

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Sunday, September 18, 2005

Getting Ready for Class Tonight

Remember, we're studying the fruit of the Spirit this semester, so you'll probably want to re-read Galatians 5: 16--25 for contextual purposes.

Secondly, you'll definitely want to review "love" from last week's first session (of 3) on that word...so flip through 1 Corinthians 13: 1--8 and Colossians 3: 12--14 to remind yourself of the importance of love and the nature of it.

Finally, we'll be spending some time in John 21. It's a narrative so it won't require a whole lot of deep study, but ask why Peter's the focal point of the story as well as why you think this story is so emotionally charged (hint, the type of fire mentioned has specific connotations!).

See you in class tonight at 6:30PM, and Kristy Brown is leading worship tonight so please get there a few minutes early and get "settled" so you won't have to rush into that time. Also, we'll be watching a scene from the movie "Sweet Home Alabama" tonight and talking more about love. So, we'll see you then!

Brent 5:10 AM

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Saturday, September 17, 2005

Sucker For Weddings

I gotta admit it: I'm a sucker for weddings. I always have been...even as a kid.

I know I'm a guy and I'm not supposed to be that way about 'em, but I am.

Don't get me wrong...I definitly don't dig all the hoopla. You know...the things that frustrate everybody about them. Stuff like the griping about the price of flowers or the bickering over the caterer or the other minutae that seems to come out of it. And, lots of times, I don't like taking part of my Saturday to go to them becuase I'd really just like a nap or whatever.

But I do like seeing the bride come in with her dad or somebody else special to her. I like watching the groom watch the bride come in. I like the vows. I like the exchanging of rings. I like the kiss. I like the first dance. I like the cutting of the cake. I like the toasts. I like the garter/bouquet deal. I like throwing the birdseed or fireworks or bubbles or whatever.

And one afternoon I tried to think of why I liked all that stuff...and I think I figured out why:

Weddings are reminders of hope.

Of higher ideals.

Of things that give joy to the human spirit.

Two people getting into a covenant relationship. A full-blown commitment. For better or worse. Richer or poorer. Sickness and health. All that sappy stuff.

In other words, two people choosing to love each other no matter what the future holds. Forever.

Love never ends, right?

Not according to 1 Corinthians 13: 8, anyway.

So, for today, how does the reality that love never ends give you hope?

Brent 10:16 AM

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Friday, September 16, 2005

Rejoicing In Unrighteousness

Luau.

It was our fraternity's biggest party of the year. We'd spend a month making runs to a local bamboo field and everybody would take turns cutting the bamboo, loading it onto trucks and bringing it back to the house, setting it in organized piles. The engineering majors and civil engineering guys would design a system of making a "river" flow through our house, complete with elevated bridges and even a swinging bridge. Other guys would head off to the Gulf Coast to get pickup truck loads of shrimp that we would boil later.

We'd spend about three weeks setting up the bamboo in such a way that little of our huge fraternity house was visible. It looked like a huge Gilligan's Island hut, with decks made from bamboo and hammocks and all that.

I was always on the Tiki brigade. It was our job to make these "Easter Island" kind of statues...you know...those large faces that look out over the ocean that they do the National Geographic specials on? Yeah, those. Anyway, we'd get the chicken wire and paper mache and paint and get after it for about a week. Other guys were on the volcano crew, designing something that would actually erupt every hour or so.

It was a lot of energy and effort, from organizing the trucks to to getting the requisite t-shirts printed up. We loved it and looked forward to it each year as it was quite a spectacle...over 1,000 people came. The party lasted for 96 hours. No kidding.

Now I'm sure some of you are saying that sounds like a party that you'd want to go to. Sounds fun, right? And I didn't even mention the two bands that came and played party music.

Despite all the energy and expense just to get ready for the party...

...I didn't mention the bill for alcohol. It was around $8,000 if I remember correctly.

And this fueled all sorts of deviant behavior and debauchery that I'm not really comfortable listing here. Suffice to say that the party each year turned into something that we'd never have let our parents see. Sure, maybe the well-screened photos, but not all of them.

What got me around my junior year (the first two years I was so blown away by the effort that I wasn't thinking much about the philosophy of the party...I was just excited to be a part of it and go to the party) was the laughing and joking as they rehashed the events of the very long weekend.

There was laughter at what should've caused sadness.
There was high-fiving of what should've caused shame.
There was celebration of what was degrading to others.
There was enthusiasm for stuff no one should be doing.
There was open discussion of things that shouldn't have been thought of.

In short, there was rejoicing in unrighteousness.

Sure, there is a time and a place and a reason for the blow-out celebration...God even built it right into to the lives of the nation of Israel. Don't get me wrong...I love a good party as much as the next guy.

But it was the reason and attitude behind this one that highlights verse 6 of 1 Corinthians 13: "(love doesn't) rejoice in unrighteousness; but rejoices with the truth."

See the party was a chance to celebrate unrighteous behavior. The behavior was sinful in many cases (sure there were pockets of us who did stuff like be designated drivers and kept some semblance of order, and getting ready for the party was especially fun with the guys, etc.) and it was rewarded and encouraged and everybody thought it was funny. "Boys will be boys" kind of mindset...and that's even more dangerous when it's college boys with no adult supervision.

In fact, if you mentioned the "truth," you'd've been laughed at. I know. I defended some of my behavior with "truth" on occasion. At the very least, my stances were misunderstood. At most, laughed at and ridiculed...so don't feel too sorry for me like it was government persecution or something, but it was enough to squelch me from talking about my later thoughts on the matter.

At any rate, I got to thinking about how we, in our society today, do the exact same thing:

We rejoice in unrighteousness without even realizing it...

So, for today, how and where do you see that going on...the celebration of sinful behavior? Where do you see rejoicing of truth (because that's out there, too!)?

Brent 3:55 AM

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Thursday, September 15, 2005

Confession Time

I was all prepared to teach my Sunday School lesson on "love" last week. As most of you know, our class is on a fall series taking a look at the fruit of the Spirit in great detail. I'm very excited about it, actually.

I'm also preparing for a class with my senior guys on the "minor" prophets. This particular week we were studying Amos, and I read over the lesson on Sunday...and the part I focused on was how much God hates (the Bible actually used the word "hate") our worship when it isn't done with a genuine heart. Amos, speaking for God Himself, was really bent out of shape about it, too.

So, as the Sunday School class was convening we kicked things off with a bit of worship. In this case, some singing.

Our worship leader started up and the first few rows of kids were involved, but there was a lot of milling about still. I figured kids were coming in from the parking lot and it might take a few minutes to settle down. No biggie.

Next song starts. I'm beginning to notice some freshman girls to my right in full-blown conversation...not looking for a seat or trying to find a friend, but having a conversation going on about school. They definitely didn't realize how loud they were being. Or how rude. Not really a biggie...yet.

Third song starts. In between the songs, I could hear some younger guys discussing the Texas-Ohio State football game that had been on the night before. They didn't stop when the song started, either. Keep in mind they were completely across the room from each other. They definitely didn't realize how loud they were being. Or how rude. Slowly becoming a biggie.

Fourth song starts. No change in attitude or behavior. It is a full-blown biggie. Every fiber of my being wanted to strangle some teenagers. I was as livid as I've been in a long time. If I'd followed through with what I really wanted to do to them at that moment there'd probably be an awful lot of paperwork filed and I'd probably be doing hard time. I've got a wide-open conviction about the heart of worship going from my afternoon study of Amos and now I've got people in direct violation of what I'm about to talk about.

Worship ends.

I'm still livid...

I decide to go with a little bit of a lecture at the beginning. Wrong move, in retrospect, but I really felt like I should say SOMETHING, for crying out loud...we had some visitors! Evacuees from the hurricane, too!

So, I give the little lecture. It was actually well-recieved all things considered.

We go on with the study. During the opening prayer time I told God I wanted to teach them what he'd taught me about love.

And I got to 1 Corinthians 13: 5, "(love does) not act unbecomingly; it does not seek it's own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered."

Does not act unbecomingly? Lemme see...so, is giving an anger-fueled, guilt-inspiring lecture what one might call unbecoming?

Does not seek it's own? Lemme see...so is being bent out of shape about what I wanted to see (a room full of teenagers heartfully worshipping God) and certainly not wanting to be embarrassed in front of some visitors seeking my own?

Is not provoked? Is letting some younger teens, most of whom are just beginning to walk with God and it's all very elementary to them, get under my doing-this-for-17-years skin being provoked.

Does not take into account a wrong suffered? All of a sudden this was about "my" kids misunderstanding what we're about in "my" ministry during the preparation time for "my" lesson...does thinking this is all about "me" and how they wrecked it constitute a "wrong suffered."

And there I stood.

Full-blown conviction while teaching verse 5.

Teaching on love.

Not loving.

Clanging cymbal. Noise noise NOISE NOISE! I tried to repent right then and there. I surely was convicted and prayed right while I was teaching. Teaching on love when you aren't being loving. Sheesh.

So, for today, pray for me and my heart. Sometimes the lessons I teach are really God just teaching me while on my walk with Him.

Brent 3:46 AM

Comments:

Brent - You gotta love it when He teaches so demonstrably, right. I have loved the last several posts on here. But today may just be the best, knowing the Pastors get that rap on the head too. Priceless. But, in consolation, I was talking to one of the young evacuees on Monday and his take on your ministry was that it was great.

posted by  Anonymous : 1:48 PM

 

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Wednesday, September 14, 2005

You Invade My Soul

In the classic teen romance movie "Say Anything," there's a scene that reminds me so much of society's idea of love.

The scene starts out with Lloyd (played by a young John Cusack) warning an acquaintence, Joe, not to "mess with her head." See, he has a friend, who is Joe's old girlfriend. Joe's old girlfriend has "written 65 songs this year, Joe. They're all about YOU. They're all about PAIN. She's a human being, man. She's fun and she's talented."

Joe: "I know. Why do you think I keep all her tapes? They're going to be valuable someday."

Earlier, Joe's old girlfriend had said that if she runs into Joe at the party she's only going to say, "Hi, Joe. How are ya?" and keep walking. She spends most of the party playing those 65 songs about Joe...pretty much depressing the listening partygoers.

Later at the party, while she's on a break from depressing everyone, she's at the fridge getting a soda. Joe comes into the kitchen and she says, "Hi, Joe. How are ya?" Immediately followed by, "I love you."

He says, "I love you, too." She follows it up with, "You invade my soul."

She has her emotions all tied up in this relationship. Joe tells her that his current relationship is on shaky ground and he's going to break up with her. When she hugs him, he says, "Have sex with me, okay?"

She's devastated. She says, "Goodbye, Joe." and leaves the room.

But, he said the words, "I love you." It was evident from his actions, both to Lloyd and to her that the reality is that he didn't love her.

How's one to know if someone loves them? What is love? Can you love spaghetti or the new rock band and Jesus and your parents and all that?

Well, 1 Corinthians 13: 4--8 gives us an excellent description of love. It follows from yesterday's lesson that if you're using all your spiritual gifts but don't have love, it's really just a lot of noise. So, Paul feels it necessary to define what love is:

"Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brad and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek it's own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails..."

So, first of all, love is patient. The Message says that love "never gives up." It's pretty cool that God never gives up on us no matter how silly we get in our thinking or our actions.

Next, love is kind. The Message says it cares more for others than for self. God did that for us...pouring out His diety to take on humanity for one purpose: To seek and save that which was lost.

Love is not jealous. The Message says that it doesn't want what it doesn't have. God loves us so much that He gave us a free will to either choose or reject Him. He never forces us to choose Him or His ways and he gives us freedom.

Finally, for today, love doesn't brag or is arrogant. The Message says that love doesn't strut. God was the opposite of a braggart or arrogant. He took the form of servant and was obedient unto death, even death on a cross.

Yes, the correlation I'm trying to make is obvious: Jesus embodied agape love...a love for which no sacrifice is too great. And, He's the model of what human love should look like on a day to day basis.

So, for today, can you give evidences of true love you've seen lately based on the words we camped on today? How have you seen someone be patient? Kind? Lacking jealousy? Being humble?

Brent 4:16 AM

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Tuesday, September 13, 2005

1 Corinthians 13: 1--3, The Motivation of Love

In our little community, "drum lines" are very good.

You know what I'm talking about. The part of a marching band that focuses exclusively on percussion. They have the big bass drums, sets with harnesses called "quads," cymbals and even xylophones. While they're an integral part of the marching band at each area school, they're also their own "team."

They work over the summer when none of the other band members are working.
They get their earlier.
They stay later.
They work on flashy moves that impress the crowd.
They have their own time during the halftime show.
They work on the music.
They work on the show.

They work. So hard that one of them consistently wins national championships...which pushes the others to compete and there isn't much difference in them.

And part of that work involves making lots of racket.

See, when they're in the parking lot of the school when none of the other band members are working, they're often drumming together to get symmetry.
The drum earlier.
The drum later.
A lot of that flash and dash comes from cymbals spinning around and then crashing together.
The halftime show involves hitting the rims of the drums to make this clicking sound.
Their part of the music involves deep bass stuff and keeping cadence and all that kind of stuff.
Their show is loud enough to be heard in stadiums, sometimes with 20,000 people in them.

That's what the real estate agents don't tell prospective buyers of homes in the neighborhood that is closest to the practice lot of the drum line. You hear lots of drums beating in that neighborhood, I'd imagine. In the words of Dr. Suess, "Oh the noise, noise, NOISE, NOISE!!!"

And that's what God's word says that good works done without the proper motivation are: Noise, Noise, NOISE, NOISE!

From 1 Corinthians 13: 1--3 (NASB): "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and I know all all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith so as so remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing."

If we have our spiritual gifts going at full force, and aren't showing love: Drum line practice at 5:30AM next door.
If I know everything there is to know about God's plan: Drum line practice at 5:30AM next door.
If I have enough faith, but don't have love: Drum line practice at 5:30AM next door.
If I serve mankind with everything I have, but don't have love: Drum line practice at 5:30AM next door.

Yesterday we learned that LOVE is the highest order of the Christian.
Today, we see that unless we choose to make LOVE the highest order, even the best of our works are NOISE. Worth nothing and profiting nothing.

Obviously, the converse is true, too.

Just like the marching bands get the reward of their hard work on Friday nights as they entertain thousands with excellence and win awards and give our community pride...

good works done with love are worth something, have meaning, and give glory to God.

So, for today, how do you know the difference between a good work done in love and one done for personal reasons other than that?

Brent 4:33 AM

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Monday, September 12, 2005

Good vs. Better

There are some traits we admire in people that are all very good traits to admire in people.

My mom is a very sweet lady (and, frankly, able to take a joke, too, as she's put up with all my "Charlotte The Scar" barbs for about a decade now).
My dad was very laid-back...you couldn't ruffle his feathers.
My grandfather was a very successful professional.
My grandmother was generous.
My paternal grandmother was very hospitable.
My paternal grandfather was a hard-worker and an enterpreneur.
My boss is a deep thinker.
My other boss is consistent.
My co-workers are diligent, passionate, capable, gifted, and enjoyable to work with.
My best friend in high school was hysterically funny.
My wife is pretty and smart.
My kids are intelligent and joyful, and pretty polite.
The guy at the car place today was courteous.
I have some teenagers that have shown great compassion lately.

I could go on and on...you should get the point by now.

There's a lot of good things to see in people. If you look with any depth at all, you should be able to find something admirable in pretty much every person you meet. Good things in people.

And, since some people are Christians, you could find some good things in them, too.

And you should...

Check out Colossians 3:12--14:

"So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humilty, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And, regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it." (from The Message)

So, let's be honest. We all care what people think about us and what they see in us...our "wardrobe" as Dr. Peterson puts it.

Who wouldn't like to be seen as compassionate?
Who wouldn't like to be known as kind?
Who wouldn't like to be referred to as humble?
Who doesn't want an inner, quiet strength?
We all want a little more discipline in our lives, right?
Even tempered is good, right?
Being content with 2nd place...maybe being a little less competitive than we are is actually a breath of fresh air, right?
We'd all want to be a little more forgiving...especially since Christ forgave us so readily, right?

In fact, those all sound like a pretty good ad for church, don't they? "Hey, come see all the compassionate, kind, humble folks at Our Church!"

But, oddly enough, those admirable traits are all secondary to...

...love.

The highest of ideals.

The noblest of goals.

In fact, Christ never said anything like, "They will know you are mine by what 'clothes' you put on, and they should see good discipine, quiet strength and void of competitive spirit." Or, "They'll know you know me by how quickly you forgive your neighbor."

Nope...he said, "By this they'll know that you belong to Me: That you LOVE one another."

So, for today, how much do you think we strive to enhance the "wardrobe" we wear rather than the heart underneath those clothes? What do you see the Christian community being known for these days? Should that focus change, and if so, how?

Brent 9:03 AM

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Sunday, September 11, 2005

Getting Ready For Class Tonight

You'll want to review a bit by reading Galatians 5: 16--25, and remember the context: We are to live a life of freedom from the Law, and the balance of this is that we are to walk by the Spirit. This will keep us from using freedom to live in the flesh and going into chaos.

You'll also want to review the lists that make up what are works of the flesh and fruit of the Spirit.

You'll want to read over Colossians 3: 12--14. What are characteristics of the "chosen?" What are we to put on over and above all these traits?

Finally, read through 1 Corinthians 13: 1--8. What use are our gifts if we don't use love? Then, in verses 4--8, look at the components of the list and try to put each word into your OWN words so you can get a practical idea of what love looks like? Do you see any reality these characteristics have in common?

See you in class tonight at 6:30PM, and get there on time as worship starts promptly at that time!

Brent 4:03 AM

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Saturday, September 10, 2005

The Fruit of the Spirit

Some kids are just good kids.

I was one. In high school, I stayed out of trouble. I never drank. I didn't do drugs. I played sports. I was president of my senior class. I was in "Who's Who of American High School Students." I never had a car wreck that was my fault. I dated a really sweet girl-next-door type. I was involved in my church.

I just wasn't spiritual. At all.

See, I didn't drink or do drugs because I didn't want to disappoint my mom. She'd cried a lot after my dad died, and I just inherently knew that it would hurt her a great deal if those were habits I chose.

I played sports because it was what my friends did mostly. True, I loved baseball...but I don't think I ever played so I could glorify God. I just had fun doing it.

I wasn't president of my class because it was a way to serve my classmates. I ran as a joke on a dare and won because everybody thought that was pretty funny. The better guy lost.

I didn't make the grades that my friends did. I got into "Who's Who" because that's when they still counted grades in courses like Art the same as Biology. So, those A's in Music Appreciation balanced out the "C" in Calculus (oh yeah, there wasn't inherent grade inflation in the system as there is in our community today, but that's an entirely different blog). I was far from learning because it would help me discern my giftedness and uselfulness to God. I was manipulating a system.

I was a safe driver because I was paying for my own insurance and my mom explained to me how much the rates would go up per claim filed. Also, I had a car that I loved and babied. I got a ticket once, too, and paying that money seemed to me like throwing it in the street...so I avoided that deal like the plague.

The girl I dated steadily was really a good kid, too. We really valued our relationship and were pretty cautious with it...we were shy and naive and really weren't in any hurry to rush things physically.

I got all sorts of props for my church involvement. Plus, it was pretty fun at times. I had good Bible study leaders who really took an interest in me, so that made it pretty easy.

All in all, my mom had it pretty easy.

But notice none of it was spiritual. It was behavior management...all outward actions that I could control...my heart and desires were far from righteous. Secretly, I wanted to drink because it led to all sorts of behavior that my friends got popular for. Drugs were a temptation primarily because of curiosity, and I ws rarely in places they were being done, but I didn't despise them or see them as inherently foolish. Sports got me on the "B" list of popular and there were all sorts of pride and ambition those brought out. Grades were, at best, a necessary evil to manipulate so I could have freedom or keep my mom off my back or get into some other college or life situation that would better myself. I kept the laws so I wouldn't lose cash or driving privileges. Church was just what you did...and I don't know that I truly ever worshipped in high school. And this is hardly the place to discuss what I'd like to have done with my girlfriend.

I was a legalist. Plain and simple.

But the key to the spiritual life is that inward realities, heart changes, are the key to the spiritual life. That way, you can have your outward manifestations be genuine...and it explains how somebody like King David could be an adulterer and a killer while still being a man after God's own heart. The Lord sees not as man sees, but He looks at the heart. And that's what God wants us to change.

See, the fruit of the Spirt: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (read Galatians 5:22 ff) are all inherently coming from inside. Fruit is the outward manifestation of what goes on inside the tree...

Same for the spiritual life...

...and we're going to begin talking about the fruit one at a time during the fall semester.

But, for today, how much of our daily lives do we spend focusing on cleaning up the outside against how much time do we focus on fixing the heart?

Brent 6:30 AM

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Friday, September 09, 2005

The Works of the Flesh

I came to know Christ as a 5-year-old. Church youth group. Good Chrisitian friends in college. Married a Christian girl. Started working for a youth ministry. Been in church circles pretty much all my life. When I think about it, it's truly been a blessing to have been surrounded by God and the people of God pretty much my whole life.

Since I work for a church to this day I get to meet people who didn't come from that background at all. I have friends who were bartenders and didn't get saved until 25. I have friends who never even went to a church until they were married and had kids. I had friends who married party girls who never really grew out of that stage. I have friends who can't understand Christian conversations because we use so many "God type words" that don't have meaning to somebody not in our circles.

Sometimes I wonder why I didn't have to go through a lot of the stuff that gives grownups something we now politely call...baggage.

But, see, I have my own baggage. It's just different baggage.

And it started me working on a theory...because I have the privilege of serving teenagers who by and large are having experiences spiritually speaking (and otherwise now that I think about it) very similar to my own. And that theory is that experiencing the grace of God is something the Holy Spirit has to stamp on our souls in order for us to "get it."

Here's what I mean: When you get saved at 5 you begin to think with a renewed mind. You generally are surrounded by people who are helping you grow and want you to learn more about Christ. You learn a behavior that gets rewarded by others and to a certain degree gives you personal joy. You stay out of trouble...you walk worthy...

...and you never really FEEL that bad. A "sinner" becomes a sliding scale because you never really did anything "that bad."

People who got saved later from lives of unwise choices almost experience the beauty of grace almost immediately. They know the rot from which they were pulled out of and are inherently thankful and appreciative of the work God did for them.

In my case, the Holy Spirit had to redefine things for me in order for me to experience the freedom and beauty and joy that grace can bring...and, no kidding, Galatians 5 is one of the place the living and active word of God became a reality for me: (from The Message):

"It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex, a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage, frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness, trinket gods, magic-show religion, pranoid lonliness, cutthroat competition, all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants, a brutal temper, an impotence to love and be loved, divided homes and divided lives, small minded and lopsided pursuits, the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival, uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions, ugly parodies of community. I could go on."

The NASB calls this list "works of the flesh." Even says they're "evident."

And, man is that list ugly.

And the Holy Spirit had to show me that I did them...a lot.

Okay, maybe not the cheap sex...

...but see that's the problem with lists. Immediately we go to making sure that we didn't or aren't doing those particular ones. It makes us feel better when we can say that we don't do half of them or whatever.

And Paul has a caveat on this one, too. The list isn't complete. He says, "I could go on." The NASB says, "and things like these." The list is simply the tip of the iceberg.

Ugh.

See, I maybe wasn't having cheap loveless sex, but that didn't mean I didn't WANT to. I cheated. I lied. I gossipped. I got angry. I won't bore you with the rest of the grocery list...but the Holy Spirit showed me quite clearly that I needed to live by the Spirit. That I needed His help to walk through life. That I need grace as much as the guy with the year-long heroin addiction who served as a male prostitute to support his habit. That the community I was in was full of redeemed people with different stories who each have their own baggage and experiences with God's grace.

It's what makes us a "living letter" to the world, too. Our story.

And, living in the flesh is evident...

...and so is walking in the Spirit. It has it's very own look to it, too, which we'll look at tomorrow.

But, for today, what do you think about my theory (which I have more evidence from Romans about, but it's only a theory and worthy of open discussion, I think)? Do you think that those who grow up in the church have to allow the Holy Spirit to show them the nature of their flesh while others who live life outside the family experience grace on a more experiential level? And, what do you think when you read the list of the works of the flesh? What thoughts go through your mind?

Brent 3:54 AM

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Thursday, September 08, 2005

Flip Wilson & The Church Lady

There was a television show on in the 70's called the Flip Wilson Show. It was a variety show of sorts, with music and magic and comedy skits and such...shows like that were big then. One of those skits, which, if memory serves correctly had Flip Wilson in a dress & wig, usually ended with this catch phrase: "The Devil Made Me Do It." That phrase wound up on t-shirts of the day, too.

Saturday Night Live has been around for decades, and one particular comic had a long list of memorable characters. Dana Carvey was famous for renditions of presidents and candidates, the grumpy old man, and one in particular: The Church Lady. The Church Lady was this obnoxious overbearing church lady who belittled everybody and would ask various celebrities why they did such stupid things, following it up with the question, "Who could've caused you to do THAT? Oh, I don't know. Who could it be? Who could it be? Could it be....hmmmmm...SATAN?!"

Both of those little phrases gained a lot of popularity in popular culture of the time, and I've found that while they make people laugh, they aren't really biblically accurate.

See, we've got two natures...lemme back up for a minute:

From Galatians 5:16ff (from The Message), "My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as a free-spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so you cannot live at time one way and another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don't you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compusltions of a law-dominated existence?"

There's plenty of observations found here, primarily, though, there are two...first, we're commanded to live freely, being controlled and motivated by the Holy Spirit (more on what that means some other time).

Second, we have the option of being controlled by "selfishness." Our own very compulsions can control us as well.

Notice that "the devil made me do it" and "SATAN" aren't in the mix?

Nope, it appears that we're either Spirit-led or led by our self. There's no inbetween...and our self usually leads us to sin.

In other words, we have a choice to make on any given day...or any given minute...that we're going to be led by the Spirit or led by our self.

Tomorrow, we'll look at what the results of those choices are, but for today, why do you think it's so difficult to choose to be led by the Spirit? How do we do that? Do you think the power of self is really that powerful? Why or why not?

Brent 5:04 AM

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Wednesday, September 07, 2005

More Thoughts On Freedom, From Chuck Swindoll

Yesterday, I commented on being free (which, frankly, I think is crucial to understanding a true spiritual life) in Christ. Today, I'd like to share with you the very words that got me started on this grace-based spiritual life:

"...But as much as I would like to say that all are in support of our pursuit of a grace-awakening freedom, I cannot. Be warned, there are grace killers on the loose! To make matters worse, they are a well organized, intimidating body of people who stop at nothing to keep you an dme from enjoying the freedom that is rightfully ours to claim...Legalism was my security, and making certain that others marched to my cadence was a major part of my daily agenda. No longer.

Scarcely a day passes when I am not reminded of theneed for a book emphasizing the full extent of grace, giving people permission to be free, absolutely free, in Christ. Why? Because so few are! Bound and shackled by legalists' lists of do's and don'ts, intimidated and immobilized by others' demands and expectations, far too many in God's family merely exist in the tight radius of bondage, dictated by those who have appointed themselves our judge and jury...

Too many folks are being turned off by a twisted concept of the Christian life. Instead of offering a winsome and contagious, sensible and achievable invitation of hope and cheer through the sheer power of Christ, more poeple than ever are projecting a grim faced caricature of religion-on-demand. I find it tragic that religious kill-joys have almost succeeded in taking the freedom and fun out of faith."

So, for today, do you agree or disagree with Dr. Swindoll (taken from his book "The Grace Awakening" published in 1990).

Brent 4:21 AM

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Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Freedom

My graduation gift from my church youth pastor when I was in high school was something called "The Spiritual Journey Notebook." It was a small, three-ring binder with all sorts of tagged dividers to separate the pages (which you could easily order for refills) for various aspects of the spiritual life. You know...Bible verses to memorize and check off. Areas of service in the church to check off. Bible study plans to do and check off. Giving records to keep up with. Missionaries to pray for. Other lists of things to pray for.

I think it's fair to say that it was a pretty comprehensive day planner.

And I became a slave to it.

I know that the people who gave it to me were very well meaning. In fact, I'm sure it was their firm conviction that they were downright helpful. And, truly, I did appreciate the gesture.

But my spiritual life became this checklist to complete.

I'd read a section and check it off.
I'd memorize a verse or two and check them off.
I'd sub for a Sunday School clas and check it off.
I'd give and check that off, too.
I'd pray for missionaries and teachers and pastors and check it all off.

I tried. I really did.

But then these well-intentioned (and certainly helpful to anyone's spiritual growth) lists were robbing me of the joy of my walk with Christ. I was doing things only to check them off.

And then it haunted me when I left it alone.

When things weren't so structured when I went off to college, it sat on the shelf. A reminder of all the things I was SUPPOSED to be doing. Which only increased my guilt factor and that robbed me of my joy, too.

Then my bible study somehow veered off on a tangent one night during our Bible study of Romans. We wound up in Galatians and talked about the verses from chapter 5. From the Message, they read:

"It is absolutely clear that God has called you to live a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love. That's how freedom grows. For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom..."

A free life!

How in the world of an entire year of intense spiritual growth and me miss that? Freedom really never sounded so good.

It wasn't about lists...it was about showing love to others.

And man, can we as Christians make lists, too. Movies, music. Television. Books. Clothes. Political leanings. Hair length. You name it. We can make lists...and sometimes the lists are actually beneficial in their inception.

But the ends DO NOT justify the means in this case. Or in any real case I can think of off-hand.

But we're supposed to be living free. That's the bottom line.

So, for today, what have you been a slave to? How do these verses affect that? What are the dangers of this freedom, and how do you balance that out?

Brent 4:02 AM

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Monday, September 05, 2005

Changes

I don't like change.

I don't mean in the general sense that most people say they don't like change. I REALLY don't like change. I don't even like it if we rearrange furniture in a room in my house. I don't like it if I move my desk in my office. Really, I don't even like the idea of change.

So, I'm not sure I can imagine what it would've been like to have been growing up in the first century...about 20 years after the death of Christ.

Your entire life would've been in upheaval if you'd decided to follow Him. This is WAY more than furniture moving. This is your entire way of living life.

Let's say you were born to the nation of Israel, and you'd grown up under way of relating to God. It involved keeping the Law. Not only keeping the Law, but also the addendums that people put on those 10 commandments that would make it "easier" for you to keep those 10 Commandments.

Your entire daily life was centered around the Temple system. You'd go to the Temple to make the requisite sacrifices for the various breeches you'd committed during the week. There'd be offerings to make, tithes to give...

...not to mention the sacrifices.

To atone for your sins...just to get a temporary covering for your sins you'd committed...you'd go to the Temple. Maybe buy some birds or larger animals. Then you'd make a blood sacrifice to God for them. Sometimes maybe burning a grain offering. Others maybe pouring out wine for the relationship with God. It was gross. It was nasty. It was a picture to the Israelites of what was coming when the Messiah came and would offer up the sacrifice once-for-all...but the payment for sin would always require the shedding of blood.

Then the Messiah comes and sheds the blood once-for-all. It would never have to happen again.

You accept the free gift after an apostle who walked with Christ told you about it...and now your entire way of living life changes.

You're free.

You never have to go to the Temple again. The debt has been paid once-for-all. Now you can live a Spirit-led life...just like David and others. How sweet would that be?

But then, over time, you begin to lose a sense of who you are. Of what made you unique. Of what set you and those like you apart from the rest of the nations. Maybe you get a twinge of jealousy of those who weren't Jewish getting to accpet the same free gift of the Messiah. They never had to go to the Temple and make the sacrifices. They never had to go to the festivals. They never had to do those things. They never got to experience what it was truly like to be a nation set apart for God's own purpose and be unique and special to Him...

That combination gets you to a point where it makes you more comfortable to put the "furniture" back in the spot where it was before. You decide there's got to be something in the middle. A balance between the two. So, maybe you can get the best of the Jewish religion and balance it out. Get the new converts to become Jewish first. Circumcision to signify being grafted into the covenant of the nation. Teach them the ways of sacrifice. Teach them the essence of being Israel. And, you get Christ, too. What could be more meaningful.

I get it. It's scary how much I understand the line of thought.

But I also get what Paul had to write Galatians to deal with that line of thinking.

That's the backdrop of the letter.

Rules that make your relationship with Christ "better" or "more as it was intended" can quickly rip the fabric of what a relationship with Christ is supposed to be and take it into the realm of people doing things to gain His favor...which is really nothing more than Modern Day Phariseeism. And the results are scary.

So, I understand the passion with which Paul writes...and I see the same things every day.

For today, let's come up with a list of some of the rules of the modern day Pharisee stuff we see in our Christian culture...I'll start...

...You must have a "quiet time" (whatever that is) every day.

Ready...Go!

Brent 6:46 AM

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You have to feel the spirit moving in you when they dim the lights, pull out the accoustic guitar, and chant the same chorus about a thousand times?

posted by  Hollywood : 2:57 AM

 

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Saturday, September 03, 2005

Getting Ready For Class Tonight

Tonight, we'll be starting our new series on the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians, so our introduction will be looking back on the context of that entire book.

So, to get ready for class, think through this question: What is the Christian's responsibility about keeping the Ten Commandments? What other "rules" do we seem to add to make our spiritual walks "worthy?"

Also, read through Galatians 5, especially verses 15--26. What two natures do we deal with as new creatures in Christ? What are the characteristics of each one? What are we encouraged to choose and what will be the results?

See you in class at 6:30PM!

Brent 10:02 PM

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2 Timothy 4: 4--8

It was going to be a difficult meeting. Not because everybody didn't have the same goal in mind. They did. They all wanted to have peace and harmony in the home.

The reason it was going to be a difficult meeting is because both the teen and the parents were, as called in Christian circles, "walking in the flesh." They were in sin...plain and simple. They were both dishonoring God with their behavior.

The teen was out of control with behavioral choices. Very unwise and blatantly againt what the Bible was very clear about.

The parents were responding very poorly, too. Sure, it was a rough situation, but the parents were equally going against what the Bible was very clear about.

Don't get me wrong. Nobody deep down wanted to be involved in this. Remember, I said their goals were all to have peace at home.

But the reason it was going to be a difficult meeting was I was going to have to point out those very clear directives. I'd rather have had something to make every body feel better. To tell the kid that they were plenty old enough to make whatever decisions they wanted regarding their behavior. To tell the parents that they were in the right and the kid deserved everything they got from them. Maybe there was a pill they both could take that would make everybody peaceful. Maybe there were books to read that would solve the issues. Maybe this was a very simple solution of just everybody sleeping 20 minutes longer.

I wish.

Nope, this wouldn't be a situation in which I would "tickle ears" and tell them what they wanted to hear. Not at all. This would be one in which I had to fulfill my ministry by giving a Biblical perspective.

Reminds me of 2 Timothy 4: 3--7 (from The Message),

"You're going to find that there will be times when people have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food--catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They'll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you--keep your eye on what you're doing; accept the hard times along with the good. Keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God's servant."

There is something in all of us that wants to hear only the good stuff. It can be difficult to hear some things about us that are negative. Maybe our ears are too big or our hair too dry or we're out of shape or...

...even worse: We're in sin. Something we're choosing to do that is hurting us.

Nobody likes it. And it can be dangerous when we ignore all those spiritual insights given by others and begin to surround ourselves with people who only support what we're doing. They say things like...

...well, you're in love, so it's okay.
...you're not getting drunk, just buzzed.
...God'll forgive you anyway, so do it.
...it's only homework, it's not like copying a test.
...how can it be bad if it feels okay?
...your parents/boss/teacher/coach won't ever find out...

...stuff like that.

Sometimes the most loving thing...the way you can fulfull your ministry and keep the Message alive...

...is to speak the truth in love.

...Scripture doesn't say anything about being in love, sexual immorality is sin.
...drinking alcohol if you're underage is sin.
...cheating is sin in all it's forms.
...your feelings can lie to you, Scripture never does.
...deception of authority is unwise.

So, the reality is that we all have to allow Scripture to be the authority, no matter how much it doesn't "tickle our ears." It demands a response of some type...

For today, what is the general response of people when confronted with the truths of Scripture? Why is it so difficult to hear the hard things? Why is it hard for people to lovingly confront each other? What are some other ways we can "fulfill our ministry and keep the Message alive?

Brent 9:16 AM

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Friday, September 02, 2005

2 Timothy 4: 1 & 2: Being Ready

First impressions generally stay with us. Even if we were completely wrong about that first impression, we still can recall that impression if only to laugh about how wrong we were.

I chose to attend Dallas Theological Seminary mainly because I trusted the people who were discipling me. I mean, I knew that I wanted to get seminary training so I could be more effective in ministry, and I had some boundaries based on things I believed, but there were four I would've been pretty comfy attending. When I'd rattle off the names of the four I liked to people when I was seeking advice, everybody seemed pretty convinced that DTS would be best.

So, I went through the process of filling out the necessary forms and waiting on a letter to find out if I got in or not...while waiting to graduate from college. I got a letter about 6 months before college graduation saying I was in, and I made plans for dormitory housing and meal plans and financial aid...the whole bit.

All without ever having been to Dallas (although I had seen an episode or two of the TV show) or seen the campus (except in pictures in the catalog).

The first impression DTS made on me was the sign out front. It's made of some sort of concrete, with the simple phrase on the front: "Preach the Word."

I remember thinking that it must be a pretty important phrase in that place if they're going to have it right on the sign out front. And I wasn't incorrect in that statement at all.

In classes, professors reminded us the importance of being a faithful handler of Truth. Outside classes, they emphasized the importance of our lifestyle. In our ministries, they encouraged us to speak the truth in love, and speak boldly where Scritpure did and be quiet about the rest.

In a nutshell, that's what DTS is about: Preaching the Word. The God-breathed Word of God. Everything they did fell under that umbrella somehow.

Turns out, that's what Paul was telling Timothy to be about: Preaching the Word. The God-breathed Word of God. Everything Timothy did should fall under that umbrella somehow. Check out 2 Timothy 4: 1 & 2 from The Message:

"I can't impress this on you too strongly. God is looking over your shoulder. Christ Himself is the Judge, with the final say on everyone, living and dead. He is about to break into the open with his rule, so proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don't ever quit. Just keep it simple."

When Paul says he can't impress the following words on Timothy too strongly, he's really being serious. Other versions say he solemnly charges Timothy with Christ as the witness. Think about that. These are the words of a man on "death row" and it's even close to the end of the letter. So, you know these words are going to be very important. So important that Paul can't say it and emphasize it enough. Let that sink in a bit.

Then he tells us that Christ will ultimately return to live and rule and reign here on earth, and it could happen at any moment. That alone, if we followed it to its logical conclusion, would change out entire worldview if we applied it. Heck, it'd change the very next five minutes of our lives if we fully believed it.

Since these are strong words, and since Christ is coming at any moment to be King, well...

...tell people about it.

Preach the Word. The words The Message uses are "Proclaim the Message with intensity." The word translated 'proclaim' are the same words used to describe a herald yelling out his news in the public squares of old. We're supposed to proclaim the Word.

We're supposed to do it with intensity...with urgency.

We're supposed to keep on our watch...to be alert. Be wide-awake to what's going on in reality around us.

Well, what does this "look" like in our culture?

We're to challenge the status quo with the Truth.
We're supposed to warn people of this reality.
We're supposed to encourage them.

Without fail over the long haul.
With great patience and instruction...or "keeping it simple."

So, for today, knowing that these are the words of a death-row hero, what are some ways we can "preach the Word?" How do we maintain a sense of "urgency?" What does it mean to be "wide-awake?" How do we challenge the status quo with Truth? How do we keep the message "simple?"

Brent 3:41 AM

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