TMNT Life in the Sewer - Pt 2

Donatello is our turtle of the week. He is a bit of an extremist. By that I mean that he is the least violent of the turtles and yet he can be the most devastating. He is a scientist, a brainiac and is a weapons specialist. With his intelligence he has the capacity to create mass destruction if necessary. This is the framework for the rest of our lesson.

Now looking at our Renaissance man number two, Donatello. Donato di Niccolo di Betto Bardi, was nicknamed Donatello at an early age by his friends and family, probably because they could not nor had time to pronounce his name. He quickly became a master sculptor creating things that surpassed his instructors and mentors. He sculpted with stone and metal, in 3D and on flat surfaces. He was brilliant.

His early career saw him sculpting things with a Gothic feel, emotionless faces yet still high in detail or the rest of the body. He became famous for his "larger than life" sculptures. Then at some point he made a change. He began to incorporate high emotion into his works. This brought controversy when he depicted a Mary Magdalene with such distress she was a horror to look at. He too made a drastic shift from one extreme to the next.

These two characters set the stage for our scripture. Matt 8, Mark 5, and Luke 8 hold the story of the demon possessed man whom Jesus healed.

The man was so dangerous he had to be excommunicated from society. No one could pass by because he was such a threat. But not only did he harm others he was in absolute devastation internally as well. He would weep and yell every night and cut himself. Although the demons oppressed him and would take control this man still had feelings and understood his despair or at least felt it to the core of his being.

Have you ever felt this way? Have you felt fine one minute and full of anger, bitterness, hate, greed, lust, fear, insecurity, inferiority, loneliness, depression, pride, self-fullness, anxiety the next? I believe this is the demon within us. What is yours?

Jesus and the disciples got off the boat to be greeted by this man (and his demons). The scene played out in that Jesus engaged the demons and, at their request, sent them into a heard of pigs for their fulfillment of destruction and death wish, delivering this man from his prison. The man was restored, not only in himself but with his community as well.

What have you been separated from because of your demon? What damage to you, to others, or to your relationships has it done? Will you let God break the chains and deliver you TODAY? Stop right now and bring it to Jesus, fall at his feet. He is the one who can handle it. Then what you do after that is up to you. The man in the story was to become a missionary amongst the people who he had hurt, who had seen him decline. Will you obey what God asks of you?

As life takes you in the sewer...ask God to deliver you from the demons within!

TMNT Life in the Sewer - Pt 1

In 1983, two struggling artists were sitting around brainstorming and drawing. One of them drew a turtle with a ninja costume. The plot began to unfold, more turtles were added, and in an almost satirical manner, the storyline emerged. Japanese names were originally given to the turtles but that seemed too obvious, so the two artist went with a more ironic path and used famous Renaissance artists. So Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Donatello were born. It stuck and the rest is history. Now we enjoy the heroics of these sewer dwellers.

Leonardo wears blue and is the leader of the four deemed so by their master sensei, Splinter. He is tactical, smart, courageous, always calm, cool, and collected. Wielding 2 long swords, Leonardo is the authoritative, sensible, and responsible character of the four and his ability to see the big picture enables him to make well informed decisions.

Leonardo da Vinci is a different sort of character with the biggest difference being in his humanness. He was the true Renaissance Man, a master of much. He was an painter, sculptor, inventor, scientist, and architect. He loved to learn and was driven to discover. Being so skilled he sometimes had a hard time finishing projects because he was quickly consumed by something else. The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper are two of his most famous works.

In his wisdom and intellect he discovered many things. And being an artist and learner he felt that sight is man's most important sense. But he added something that goes beyond sight. "Saper Vedere" (knowing how to see)  was CRUCIAL to living all aspects of life full. This is like the story in Mark 8 when Jesus heals a blind man and when asked what he sees the man replies, "Trees walking around." Then Jesus touches him again and the man not only sees but understands.

In John 5 a man who has been crippled for 38 years lays every day by a pool of healing hoping to get in the pool in order to be healed. Jesus encounters the man and tells him to get up, take his mat and walk. The man obeys but finds ridicule from those who adhere strictly to the Sabbath rules, which states a person cannot carry his mat on the Sabbath.

Jesus has a fantastic response to both of these "lives in the sewer."

To the man healed he tells him that his 38 yrs of disability will be nothing compared to the HELL that will be if his heart does not change.

To the good Christian church going folks he says that do good is more important than following rules.

Both groups need the wisdom of Jesus, echoed in the words of da Vinci, "knowing HOW to see." Jesus, Leonardo da Vinci, and Leonardo the Turtle give the example that we must continually expand our perspective in order to experience the fullest life possible.

What are you seeing? In yourself, in others, in the world?
What does God want you to see?

As life takes you in the sewer...ask God to help you learn how to see!

Soiled

While I was a little disappointed to dismiss our own youth group for the evening I am always encouraged by the ecumenical collaboration and worship of the community of youth groups. I realize and want to emphasize, that the larger work of God - his kingdom, is more important than our own small context at Mustang Church of the Nazarene, or even our own life. This is why we met and what we experienced Wednesday as we gathered with 3 other youth groups from Mustang.

Matt 13 has the account of Jesus telling the parable of the sower. The parable (story) is about the individual doing to planting and there are some significant truths from that perspective. But there is some strong implications for us to consider when looking at this story from the other side.

There are four types of soils mentioned - hard, shallow, congested, and fertile. The self reflection and conviction comes when identifying the condition of the soil of our heart.
   - too hard to receive new life, produce fruit, allow for growth
   - too shallow because of broken state from things past
   - too congested with things that choke out any attempts at growth
   - receptive to new life and able to sustain fruitful growth

There is an additional truth I want to add. The thing to note about the sower is that he sows all his seed in the SAME field. All four soils exist within the same place!!!

So what areas in your life need some serious work; too hard, too shallow; too congested? What places need ground work done in order for new life to be seen? Maybe your whole heart is in a certain state or condition which means your relationship with God is pretty much non-existent and the whole thing needs work, needs faith. But maybe, you are like me and most people who call themselves Christian, and some parts are wonderful and full of the evidence of Jesus' work in your life and other areas are disaster zones. Take faith in what Paul says as he experienced this very issue: "When I am weak...then I am strong." 2 Cor 12:10.

Fighting Forgiveness

Why do we fight forgiveness so much? It happens on both sides of the conversation, giving and receiving. We fight receiving it because we do not want to OWE someone something. We feel we deserve their anger, frustration, punishment, etc. Once we get the consequences of our actions we feel justified and we are relieved...sometimes...for a time. We also fight giving it because we think it will empower them to act repeatedly in such ways, treating us as less than human. We become vulnerable and vulnerable is a scary place to live.

One question that stuck out from our discussion on Wednesday I would like to pose before you so that you can incorporate this into family discussion as well as simply process it personally. Here is the question: "How do you really forgive someone without just saying what they did to you is OK?"

This developed quite a response and meaningful conversation. Some other questions that this raised were:
   What does it mean to forgive someone?
   How does God forgive us?
   What does it mean to forgive someone '70x7 times'?
   Is it always necessary to tell the person they are forgiven?

It is something we wrestle with and somehow we think that we are supposed to forgive AND forget. It is impossible to erase memories and scars people impose upon us, especially when we HAD a relationship with them. So we are to forgive but we let the memory remind us of what grace looks like and how God forgives us.

Think of the unmerciful servant in Matt 18. Peter asked this question of the appropriate amount of forgiveness extensions to give someone. Jesus tells this parable. A servant owes thousands of dollars debt to his master. The master forgives it. A man owes $5 to this servant who was just excused of his debt. The servant shows no grace and throws the man in jail for $5.

God has forgiven us in the most exponential way, saving our sinful souls from death. We have a hard time forgiving other sinful souls for cutting us off in traffic, calling us a hurtful name, stealing from us, or hurting us. It doesn't quite add up, does it.

We know that forgiveness means the score IS settled.
We believe that forgiveness only comes if we are in Christ. There is no way to forgive like God unless He is living in us.
We understand that we MUST forgive in order for God to forgive us.

This isn't something EASY or LIGHT but necessary and freeing. How will you forgive today? WHO do you need to forgive right now?

Living forgiven means we will forgive others. Then we will experience real freedom in Christ.

Invent ways to love

3 of the top inventions of all times (in my opinion) are the baby carrier, pb&j, and the spork. You may suggest electricity, the light bulb, the automobile, or the internet. But those are so mainstream and life could go on without them. But to carrying your baby is so consuming. Men found a way to hold their babies without holding them - genius. The pb&j combination is unmatched. Its creamy, nutty, sweet, and fruity properties slide their way to bliss in one's mouth and stomach, leaving a delectable aroma lingering on the lips. (I think I need one now.) The spork in undisputed in this title of most ingenious inventions. How is one supposed to eat ice & cake or a combination platter from Taco Bell? With what utensil should one properly navigate the solid-liquid nature or firm-runny state of these conglomerations? None other than a part spoon, part fork, a spork.

Why do we constantly see new inventions? Why are these invention in existence? Necessity breeds invention. We are prone to create where there is a need, a lack in efficiency, or struggle in work. It's part of life.

Paul writes to the Romans about something they have been inventing, "...ways of doing evil." (Romans 1:30). This was something that happened throughout scripture. Exodus 32 - Aaron and the Israelites invent an evil way of worship, a golden calf. 1 Cor. 11 - Christians recreate with evil execution the Lord's supper. It becomes a drunk buffet party for some leaving others starving.

In our world we do this in a variety of ways. Take the middle finger on your hand. It was created to be the strength of your grip and an asset in feel and manipulating things. It has been recreated to mean 'F' You. Or look at the rainbow...a beautiful creation of God's signing a promise he made thousands of years ago has now become the sign, symbol, stamp, and sticker of homosexuality.

We, as humans, have a tendency to take something beautiful or pure and distort it, turning it into something wretched.

WHY? Necessity breeds invention, right? So what is the need? Love, acceptance, fulfillment. We make sure we have value...even at the expense of others.

Look at the flip side: Can we invent ways to love? Yes but not on our own. God is the pioneer of love, the creator, the entrepreneur, the originator. He has created beauty and creativity and compassion. Gen 1:1 says, "In the beginning, God..." And in 1 John 4 we read "God is love." So substitute love for God and you get this in Gen. 1:1, "In the beginning LOVE..." If we are to invent ways to love then God must be the originator in our hearts. We must first receive His love and respond to his grace.

Do you need to repent of your evil inventions, receive God's grace?
   Let God cleanse you and make you new, restoring life to that which is dead.
Do you need to pursue inventive ways to love, extending God's grace?
   Find something to do with your family, at work, at church, in your neighborhood.
Maybe you just simply need to start "in the beginning" with God's love.

Caterpillar Conundrum

In my early childhood I had the privilege of collecting Monarch caterpillars, housing and caring for them, and then watching the transform into beautiful butterflies, and then releasing them. This was always so fascinating to me and the miracle of transformation blew and still blows my mind. But I learned something recently that added even more awe-inspiring reflection upon this divine feat. A caterpillar, in its DNA, is NO DIFFERENT than a butterfly. In fact if you were to compare the strands of a butterfly and a caterpillar they would be identical. I know your mind is blown as well. :)

The thing that is so fascinating is that a caterpillar is already a butterfly in every way except for how it functions in and engages its world. The only thing left to do for a caterpillar is to be transformed so the physical evidence is seen.

Jacob in Genesis 32 gets a new name, Israel. From birth, he was already Israel but he did not function as such in the world. He was deceitful, arrogant, and self-full. God saw Jacob as Israel from the beginning, being the one who would carry out the promise to Abraham.

This means that God sees us for the butterfly we can be, that he created us to be even though we are a chubby little insignificant worm. Unlike the Monarch, however, who goes through this process somewhat mindlessly and automatically, we must choose Jesus...everyday. Our transformation happens because we allow God freedom to change us. We get out of the way, dying to ourselves, and trust Him with our lives.

Do you know you are worth more than what people say about you or what your current state of existing is?
Have you begun the transformation process or are you still living a spiritually slow and low life?
Have you started the process but things are holding you up and you are stunted from growing?

Why crawl through life when you could be flying?

Soul Survivors - pt 2

Romans 8:28-39
So we're Soul Survivors if we are living for Christ. Good. And we learned last week what all that entails: in the face of problems, times of need, harassment, desperation, shame, fear, and death. So what about the good?

Romans 8:28 says "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Let me break it down taking key words in this verse and expounding.

KNOW - we are confident, sure, fully aware

ALL THINGS - every detail and event, tragedy, victory, difficulty, and celebration, and not just in our life but throughout history

GOD WORKS - not us; It's not up to us and our strength or capabilities. God is in control. Another version says 'work together.' This is from the Greek word 'sunergeo' from which we get synergy. Simply put: God works two or more elements together to make something brand new that couldn't be produced in the individuals alone, something better.

GOOD - this is an eternal kingdom type of good, not ice cream and cake kind of good. A bigger picture of good is needed. Jesus says in response to the compliment of "good teacher" that only His dad is good. Good, in this sense is heavenly and eternal. In essence, the good that comes about is our own deeper relationship with God.

THOSE WHO LOVE HIM - this is the qualifier. This promise isn't for everyone - only those who reciprocate God's love and even further more who respond to the call.

WHO ARE CALLED - God initiates, reaches out, desires. Not everyone who is called responds accordingly.

So what do we do with this? Ask 5 questions from this verse and allow the Spirit to lead you in truth. When you feel called or prompted by God's Spirit:
   Do you love God? Start with the basic. Enter a relationship.
   Are you eternal kingdom minded? 'I' am NOT the most important thing in this world. I must be others' minded.
   Are you trying to do it on your own? Recognize God is the one who creates, sustains, and transforms, not us on our own strength.
   What certain things or experiences do you need to give to God? Let go of specific events in order to see bigger picture of what God is doing.
   Are you confident/Do you trust in the 'good' God is doing? The good is making you like Jesus.

Let's be soul survivors TODAY!