Speaking of Jesus...What Might Your Words Ignite?

Alice Ho recently shared this powerful video with me. She and her family saw it at the Joni and Friends camp they served at several weeks ago.

Just imagine the ripples that could fan out from throwing one pebble of gospel grace and truth today?! One day we'll know.

A Lesson From Nerves On Race Day

Not too long ago, I ran a local 10K race. I run to try to keep in shape. I wish I loved it. I don't. So, signing up for a race provides a little added incentive to stay motivated and push myself.

The race was set for 9am on a Saturday morning. On Friday night, and even more so on Sat morning, I had some butterflies. I was a little nervous. "What is this for?! This race means nothing. There's nothing at stake. I have nothing on the line here...except...my pride. Ugh."

You see, I want to be impressive. I want to be a success and not a failure. If I perform well, then I will be esteemed -- in the eyes of those I signed up with (a couple of Bethel guys), in the eyes of other runners ("Nice time!" or "That's respectable."), even in the eyes of my kids ("Way to go, Dad!").

If I perform poorly, then I will be condemned to the outer darkness of ho-hum hack jogger-dom. I will draw no attention whatsoever to myself. I will not be accepted in the circle of decent runners. My kids might even say something like, “That’s okay, Dad. We love you anyway!”

So, if I perform well, THEN I WILL REALLY LIVE! If I perform poorly, I’ll perish -- at least my pride and reputation will be dealt a death blow.

So, there I was. Nervous. I’ve invested a bit of me in this running bit and now I want to be vindicated. I want to be pleasing in the eyes of others, not a failure or a novice. I offer up my body and hope my sacrifice will be acceptable.

As I was running along in the race, I was thinking about all of this. I was thankful for the window to my heart that this little race afforded. It's so easy for my identity to be wrapped up in/hung up on the wrong things. I need to be reminded of the gospel and believe it everyday. I am spring-loaded to justify my existence by my own performance.

Remember the old movie, "Chariots of Fire"? In it, the Olympic runner Harold Abrahams is set in stark contrast to his main competitor, Eric Liddell. Abrahams' identity was bound up in his success or failure as a runner. He said (of the 100m race),

I will raise my eyes and look down that corridor; 4 feet wide, with 10 lonely seconds to justify my whole existence. But will I?

Liddell, who was a committed Christian, whose identity was secure in the love of Jesus Christ, said,

God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.

If we are in Christ, we have nothing to prove. We don't have to justify ourselves. We don't have to impress the "judges" all around us and win their approval and accolades. We have One Judge. And united to Christ by faith we already have the verdict spoken over our lives. "There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." Because we are in Christ, the Father's approval of him is ours, "This is my beloved son/daughter, in whom I am well-pleased."

So, we do not run frantically in order to gain God's approval. We need not run slavishly to gain the approval of others. We run confidently by faith because we already have God's approval. We thus run free from the yo-yo effect of being ruled by our approval ratings.

When we remember the gospel, we are steadied when we fail and guarded when we succeed. We are not utterly crushed with shame and disappointment when we fail. Failure cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ. We do not think "think we're someone" when we succeed. Success cannot merit us the love of God in Christ. At the core, who we are is secure only in Christ. 

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

So, let's run the race that's set before us, not seeking to justify our existence, but enjoying the warmth of God's pleasure that is ours because of Jesus. 

Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore...let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Michelle Osbourn's Sermon Notes Rap

When listening to sermons, some people benefit from copious note taking. Others are helped by the pastors who put outlines together with places to fill in the blanks. Still others (I'm in this category), prefer to listen and take very few notes. To each his own. Speaking of, over the past few years, we've had some artists in our church who take notes by means of drawing pictures. Their art is a way to process what they are hearing. Some of what they've showed me has been really impressive and insightful.

During the "community discussion" on 6/29/14, Michelle Osbourn took the art of note taking in a new direction. Somehow while listening to the message on "Gospel Mission" from Matthew 28:18-20, she took notes by writing a poem/rap. I was not alone in being encouraged by it, so I asked Michelle if I could reproduce it here.

Millions of lost people

really what can I do?

Well, maybe my life

can reach just a few

Like fish on the shore

withered and dying

people are lost

the truth they’re denying

I’ll throw them in the water

to save their life

they’ll rest in salvation

will this suffice?

Their gills fill with water

they accept the truth

but what will happen

if they do not move?

The sharks of life come

the fish lie as easy prey

Unmoving they sit

torn apart by the hardships of the day

Maybe I can teach them

how to swim with me

teach them the skills & tools

to fight the enemy

So more than get people

to life eternal

keep them from hell

from life infernal

I’ll teach them the way

the way to serve Christ

They’ll be able to stand strong

They’ll be able to fight

I go alone

this a misconception

with the voice of Christ

I can share redemption

But who will help me

clear the shore?

I’ll gather my brothers, my sisters

we can reach many more

But here’s what’s more

those people I teach

who knows the number

of people they will reach

So more than throw fish

into the sea

let’s teach them to go

disciples they’ll be

June 29 2014

LT on Preaching to Yourself

Several weeks ago during our "community discussion time," (Coach) Lonnie Teasley shared how he fights for his faith by writing raps. He usually does so on the themes of the gospel, to help keep himself focused on Christ. The one he shared with us on 6/15/14 was really encouraging. If you missed it, or if you want to benefit from it again, here it is:

He is the maker of lights
Breather of life
Giver of sight
He is perfectly right
Can you start to feel man's greatest plight?

All are accountable to God the Creator
We're dead in our sinful nature
We've all turned away and made an enemy with our Maker
God's judgment, all will see sooner or later
And we can never try to make ourselves worthy
Our sin is too dirty
Undeserving of the Holy God of mercy

But
God is merciful, God is gracious
To his creation he shows his patience
Abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness
But He won’t clear the guilty
He's the God of justice
He will get his due penalty

But what's this?
Jesus the Christ
The One of One
The God-man, God-Son
The Greater than
The One who sits at the right hand
The founder of salvation
For my sins, he made purification
Perfectly obedient to the Father

He suffered for many tribes and nations

For those who repent and believe
He was crucified so we could be clean
Through the blood of Christ
No blemish
Makes us right
In a Holy God's sight

He came to save the poor/rich, the saint/sinner
The loser/winner
The gay/straight
The real/fake
The blacks/whites
The wrong/the right
The addicted
The inflicted
His grace
Reaches every place

Draw near, seek His face

I know he's able to save
I experienced that amazing
Supernatural saving
Totally undeserving

Saved my soul from the flaming
Mind-crazing
Heart-changing
Can't stop raving
God praising
Grace

If you share in the glorious calling
Fix your eyes on the Son, guard against drifting or falling
Hold firm to the calling
By the truth that has freed us
Rely on the Son who feeds us
Know that the rain and storms help to kneed us
Into the likeness of the Holy Jesus
Melchizedek foreshadowed One better
Praise to our Priest forever

Happy Father's Day

Oh, how we need more models of godly fatherhood like this! It's a great blog post entitled, "A Father Worthy of Imitation." Hat tip to Greg Caskey for pointing it out to me.

(By the way, one of the quotes in the blog post is from John Paton's autobiography. I can't recommend that book highly enough. The story about his father is worth the price of the book, but there is so much more that will repay many times over the money paid and the time taken to read it.)

Preference: Rebuke or Flattery?

Which do you prefer to...give?

I didn't ask which you prefer to receive, though that would also be telling.

Consider Proverbs 28:23:

Whoever rebukes a man will       afterward

find more favor

                                 than he who flatters with his tongue.

Here is the sweet irony of God's wisdom -- kind of like God telling us that pragmatism doesn't work.

Why do you flatter? In order to win or preserve favor. But flattery is like cotton candy. "Ooooh! Cotton candy!" You eat some. But if you keep eating it, it makes you sick. (Truth be told, cotton candy is actually better for you than flattery.)

In the long run, flattery isn't good for finding favor. Ironic. If you want real, substantial, loving relationships with people, speak the truth in love. Even (especially?) when the truth they need to hear is hard, if they are wise, they will know you really love them. And you will find more favor than the cotton candy man who always seems to have a flock of buyers begging favors. 

What Do You Think Of Calvinism?

Let's do a quick round of the word association game.

I say: 

"Calvinism."

You say:

"(?)"

For the first half of my life, I would have responded with things like, "arrogance" or "theological system over scripture" or "then we're just robots" or "frozen chosen" or "de-motivator to missions and prayer." Near the end of my time in college I was confronted with words and texts in the Bible that I did not like. But they were in the Bible. And I knew I couldn't just ignore them or sweep them under the rug of feigned ignorance. Thus began a multi-year journey to understand what these doctrines meant and whether or not I believed them.

I started out with strong visceral resistance. I moved (slowly) on to reluctant acknowledgement. I eventually ended up, having been maddened and sobered and scared and humbled and thrilled in the process, in a place of joyful embrace. John Piper, through his writing and preaching, was one of my main guides in this journey.

There are plenty of caricatures of Calvinism out there that I repel. There is much misunderstanding of what Calvin actually taught (have you ever read him?), and what "The Doctrines of Grace" (as they are commonly called) actually teach. There are also many "Calvinists" out there who give Calvinism a bad name. None of that means it is not true. That must be determined humbly and rigorously as we submit our minds and hearts to the whole counsel of God's Holy Word.

So, I wonder what your associations are. And I wonder if the following videos might help. In my opinion, these are some of the things that ought to be associated with the label.

First, John Piper's brief testimony: 



And secondly, a poetic description he wrote:



HT: JT here and here

The Race Set Before You

Have you ever been tempted to slow up because you don’t like the course you’re on?

You’ve got cancer or some other disease and everyone else seems to be the picture of health and wellness.

You’re unemployed and everyone else seems to be getting a job or busy at work.

You’re working like a dog and everyone else seems to have more time and days off.

You hate your job and everyone else seems to like their job.

You’re failing at your job and everyone else seems to be succeeding.

You’re struggling financially and everyone else seems to be getting along just fine.

You’re single and everyone else seems to be married or getting married.

You’re unhappily married and everyone else seems to be enviously single or enviously married.

You can’t get pregnant and wombs everywhere seem to be bursting with life.

Your kids seem to give you nothing but grief, while happy homes everywhere mock your pain.

You're aging not gracefully but painfully, and everyone else appears younger and carefree.

You look around and bitterness and resentment begin to rise. And you slow up. And your hands drop to your sides. And your knees hurt and feel weak. And the path seems always uphill and rough. And you’re tired. And you want to quit. And it seems fruitless to fight (after all, any fight you’ve waged in the past has only resulted in this!). Maybe some relief will come by giving up the fight. Maybe you’ll find some rest at the edge of the path as you brood over/wallow in your disappointment and frustration and self-pity. And you coast. And you wander. And you stop even being bothered by it.

The book of Hebrews was written for you.

There is a race set before you. It’s not the same race that is set before the next guy. You weren’t called to run his race. Don’t worry about him (see John 21:21-22). You have a race set before you. And you were meant to run it. Not sit on the side of it. Not give up on it.

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

In the preceding context, the writer gives us a list of people who have already crossed the finish line. They are part of the great cloud of witnesses that are set all around us. They made it. And they are cheering us on as we run toward the finish.

Some of them seemed to cross as victors:

Hebrews 11:32-35a And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets--who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection.

Some seemed to cross as victims, tacked to a circumstantial cross by their seemingly victorious enemies:

Hebrews 11:35b-38 Some (through faith!) were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated--of whom the world was not worthy-- wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

So, which of these two categories would you like set before you? I’m guessing you’d like the former set before you. But God may choose to set the latter before you. Does the latter necessarily mean you don’t have enough faith to be victorious? No. Does it necessarily mean God is not pleased with you? No.

Hebrews 11:39-40 And all these (the conquerors and the conquered; the victors and the victims), though commended through their faith (they were pleasing to God by faith, not because they won or succeeded; their acceptability with God was not necessarily evident in earthly success, but in the fact that they kept trusting – through thick and thin), did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Instead of fixing your eyes on the difficultly of the race set before you; instead of looking around at everyone else who seems to have it better than you, fix your eyes on Jesus. He had a race set before him that makes even the most difficult race look like a cake walk. He endured it for the joy set before him. He blazed the trail by faith, for the sake of your faith. He’s the pioneer and the perfecter.

The real reward and the real victory and the real joy is not victory on this earth. It’s not earthly success. If, in the race set before you, you experience success and victory, keep looking to Jesus and know that you only win by his grace and for his glory. If, in the race set before you, you experience failure and defeat, keep looking to Jesus and know that these trials can’t take the true victory and reward from you. God doesn’t love only the successful conquerors. In fact, it's often the pain of defeat and trials that are filled with his loving fatherly training.

Hebrews 12:5-11 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. … For [our earthly fathers] disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but [God] disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Have you ever been tempted to slow up because you don’t like the course you’re on? Do you see how the book of Hebrews is for you? Hear and heed... 

Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away…

Hebrews 12:12-16 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive (Run after!) for peace with everyone, and (Run after!) the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it (with your eyes fixed on Jesus) that no one fails to obtain the grace of God.