CHRISTmas - Part 2

A poor, young teenage girl received a visit from an angel stating that she would be having a baby boy, who would be the Next Big King. She was engaged to be married but had never had sex so this seemed to present a little obstacle. The angel explained the details to Mary's satisfaction. Mary simply responded with this: "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said."

But how could she be so calm, so confident, so content with this life interruption and curve ball?

In 1863, a poor poet wrote words that have resonated with generations ever since. A couple years prior he watched as his wife died in their home due to a freak fire accident. Earlier in that year his son was critically injured in the Civil War. As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow began writing a poem he despaired, to say the least. The words were of a lost cause, "Peace on Earth, Good will to Men." But while the Christmas bells rang louder that day something changed. He came to terms with the words he was writing.

But how could he find strength in the midst of such devastation, a nation at war, a dead spouse, and a critically wounded son?

Peace!

An unplanned, seemingly shameful, pregnancy is not really the formula for peace. A war torn land, death, and tragedy do not project an outlook of hope. Somehow, in the midst of these life altering circumstances, there was peace. This peace was not something the world understood. This peace does not make sense. This peace is the joy of Trusting Jesus.

Where do you need peace?
What has life dealt you that has thrown you down, kicked you repetitively, and left you hopeless?
More Jesus will mean, more peace. May you find that this holiday season and no matter what comes your way.

Say these words of Mary: "God, I am yours. I will be OK with whatever happens."

Make this Christmas CHRISTmas!

CHRISTmas - Part 1

Is your life one of CHRISTmas or CHRISTless?

In Spanish, the word mas means more. So is your life one of more Jesus or less Jesus?

In Luke 1:4-25, we read about the angel's visit to Zechariah during his burning of incense as he was fulfilling his priestly duty during temple worship. We also read that Zechariah and Elizabeth lived lives pleasing to God. They "walked in the commandments," meaning they lived a lifestyle that matched God's will for their lives. There was no doubt about where they stood before God and all who looked at them knew as well.

Gabriel, the angel, tells Zechariah that he and Elizabeth will have a baby and he will have a significant future. His name will be John. He will "turn the hearts of fathers to children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous."

The meaning is this: John will prepare people to experience Jesus. He will restore broken relationships between people. He will also bring people into a relationship with God.

Let me pose three questions for you to consider this Christmas season in light of where we might find and experience more Jesus.

1. Do you need to accept the grace God is offering to you? The people John preached to needed to move from walking in darkness to walking in the light, from disobedience to the wisdom of righteous, damnation to salvation, restoring their relationship with God. We need God's grace to begin living redeemed and experiencing the life God has planned just like the people to whom John preached.
2. Do you need to restore any broken relationships? The people John was ministering to lived in sin. And sin breaks relationships between people. Sin causes dissension, division, and destruction in earthly relationships. We need more Jesus to live in peace and harmony with the people we interact.
3. Do you need to correct any portion of your lifestyle so that there is no doubt about your walk with God? John's parents lived a life that modeled the behavior, attitude, and discipline to which God calls us. John had a wonderful example to follow and I wonder what example we are setting for our children, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. We need more Jesus to be effective in that endeavor.

Make this Christmas CHRISTmas!

Entitlement steals Gratitude

A landowner hired some guys to work in his vineyard and agreed to pay them a day's wage, a set amount. They began working. Three hours later the owner hired more. Another three hours passed and he hired even more. Two more times, in three hour increments, he hired more workers still. Finally, an hour before quitting time he hired a few more workers.

At sundown, he brought in the hired men to pay them. Starting with the ones hired last he paid them the same amount he agreed to pay the first guys hired. Those who worked all day thought they would receive even more based on their work versus those hired last. But the land owner paid them the agreed amount. This enraged those hired first. The boss simply replied saying he was being fair because that was the contracted deal. And furthermore he could handle his money however he wanted.

The entitlement these hired workers felt robbed them of their gratitude. Think about their current state at the beginning of the day. They were without work, waiting at the 'Labor Ready' station, when they were hired. They were grateful as one can only imagine. They would be paid. Life was good. Then, something changed when comparison and contrast began and the "What about me" monster showed up.

There is an Old Testament law that told the followers of God not to be greedy with their harvesting. In fact, they should intentionally leave some of their crop in the field for the needy. An explanation is given for the New Testament folks when Paul talks about which Christians are doing more work. He spells it out this way: It does not matter who plants or waters because neither one are the miracle workers of making things grow, only God is.

Then finally we see how this becomes reality in another letter from Paul. "...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Fulfilling the will of God makes the most sense in living a whole life. So I should give thanks and be grateful. This will keep me in the proper perspective and free from the sin of entitlement. Whenever that creeps in I simply need to practice gratitude, not FOR all things but IN all things.

What have you felt entitled to lately? raise, new job, new car, insurance, a house, a bigger house, family, bonus, all-star students, etc.

How has that robbed you of joy and stolen your gratefulness?

Ask God to bring you healing. Seek forgiveness for the sin of entitlement.

TMNT Life in the Sewer - Pt 4

To finish the series we looked at Michelangelo. The orange one is also the most fun of the bunch. He does not take life too seriously and always loves a good joke. He has a tendency to not think through the consequences of his actions which cause him to miss something important.

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni was an incredible artist both as sculptor AND painter. He is considered to be one of the best EVER. His marble statues, like the Pieta and David, are unmatched in their perfection. He took a single stone and chiseled "until he set the statue free." He was very modest about his painting and felt inadequate to be selected for such a task as decorating the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (133'x46'). But he knocked it out in a short four years. Then later in his life he tackled the altar wall (40'x44'). These masterpieces have changed the course of art history and set the bar for other artists to follow.

In Matt 25:31-46 Jesus tells about the last (or final) judgment, which happens to be the name of Michelangelo's painting of the Altar wall. Jesus says very clearly that a distinction and separation will be made followed by either an eternal reward or punishment. The painting eloquently portrays this in a simple way. Jesus, with his mother, is in the middle, and angels are pulling people up into heaven on his right and taking/pushing people to hell on his left.

This is a scary question to ask sometimes - Which side would I be on? We often freak ourselves out and it causes us to "get saved" over and over again. While it is very serious the only requirement, according to scripture, is to believe, to have faith (John 3:16, Eph 2:8). God's grace is a gift we cannot earn. So if we have accepted, believed, and confessed, then WE ARE SAVED, and we should not worry. We understand that it is not about what we DO that gets us into heaven.

But Scripture also makes it clear that there must be more than simple belief. Once we believe there must be action. James 2:17 teaches that faith WITHOUT works is dead. Matt 7:24-27 quotes Jesus teaching that whoever hears his word and DOES NOT PUT IT INTO PRACTICE will be destroyed. And Prov 14:31 reveals that oppressing those in need shows contempt for their maker. So while our salvation does not depend upon our works, it appears that our works depend upon our salvation. And having NO works speaks of one's faith or lack thereof.

Jesus reveals the qualifier in his goats vs sheep message. He says, in response to the people asking why they are on that particular side, the things you did for one of the least of these you were actually doing them to him.

So are you on the Right of the Left? Are you missing something in this equation?

Who is ONE of the least of these in your life? What can you do for them - something that will give life?

Maybe today you just need to be reminded of the truth Michelangelo taught in speaking of his sculpting. "Every stone has a statue in it...just waiting to be set free."

What inside does God want to set free?

As life takes you in the sewer...stay on the RIGHT,  give LIFE to others, and let God set you FREE!

TMNT Life in the Sewer - Pt 3

Raphael is the baddest turtle with the roughest attitude. He is the most violent and aggressive. He is sarcastic and cynical and pulls no punches. This turtle is 100% genuine though - what you see is exactly what you get.

Raffaello Sanzio, better known as Raphael, was painter and architect. He is one of the highest regarded painters of his time and stands next to Leonardo and Michelangelo. He is the youngest of our Renaissance counterparts but his work is just as significant.

His mom died when he was 8. He was orphaned at 11 after his father passed away but he had already learned much skill from his father who was an artist himself and had a flourishing workshop, which Raphael took over in some regard. As he grew older his talent only increased.

His most famous works were the slew of Madonnas. A Madonna is a depiction of Mary, the mother of Jesus. He painted around 30 in his short lifetime of only 37 years. These paintings are obviously religious and were extremely spiritual for people in the 16th century. The interesting thing about this is that there is a legend that Raphael was an atheist which brings some irony to these pictures. When asked about his reasoning he stated that he painted what the people wanted not what he personally believed.

Whether or not this is true is not the focus and I do not claim it as fact. I am simply highlighting the dynamic that even if Raphael was a follower of Jesus it is not the most prominent detail of his life. And a mention of religion says he did not have any.

Our two Raphaels seem to differ in the characteristic of TRUTH.

James 2 talks about showing favoritism and warns against it. James writes that it is no different than murder or adultery. What happens is that in showing favoritism a person judges and determines who is worthy of value. Favoritism is self-full in nature as it only serves to benefit the one showing it. So in showing favoritism one is making a strong statement of life away from Christ and now there is a case for hypocrisy if one proclaims to follow Jesus.

So what is TRUTH in your life?
What do you need to own up to? Life in Jesus does not mean we are perfect but it means we acknowledge and confess when we fail! This brings freedom.

Who have you decided is NOT deserving of worth?
Who do you need to show MORE favor toward?

This is the life that Jesus came to give us as stated in John 10:10 that we have looked at every week.

What is God asking you to do? Will you do it? Model this life for your teens and kids. Their eternity is counting on it.

As life takes you in the sewer...ask God to help you live in TRUTH!

God Speaks in the Unique

A bush that burns but does not burn up, a talking donkey, the voice of God heard through such oddities. When the unique bursts forth through the ordinary, we take notice, we tune in, we perk up. And in these moments God often speaks as our hearts are open to new possibilities.

Where/How is God trying to speak to you right now?

Are you listening? How will you respond?

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.