A poetic meditation from Psalm 23

Shepherd, lead, love guide and protect
Help me your path, and your grace not to defect
Refresher of my soul, healer of my wounds
Help me yield completely and soon

For to long I have tried to lift up my name
Forgive me for playing a dangerous game
I am sorry for that advantage that I take
May I live to further the glory of your name’s sake!

Reflections on Psalm 107

One of the beautiful things to come out of the NCYM conference for me this past week was the early morning devotional that is offered every morning. What is funny, is that on the first day, the room is full, and as the week progresses, those who stay up the latest, usually begin to drop off the fastest! Anyway, in our early morning devotionals with Dr. Lavender from Lipscomb, we spent some time reflecting on what it means to receive the day expectantly.

Each day is gift of God. Every breath, every human interaction, every step of our every day can be received as an opportunity to see God at work in us, and around us. For a lot of us though we have a tendency to get so busy doing, that we fail to take time to just simply “be.” I was reminded I am a human being not a “human doing.”

One of the spiritual exercises we did together was lectio divina (prayer meditative reading). Lectio allows listeners to interact with the text of Scripture in a different way. God’s Word is powerful, and effective. He speaks through his Word. We affirm this truth to our students in our ministries, and our congregations in our churches. But we often try and dictate how God can be God.

One of the exercises we did this past week was lectio divina in Psalm 107. There are four groups of people who wind up straying away from God’s story. At the point of their greatest trouble they cry out to the Lord in their distress. It seems that they remembered that when there is no one else, there is Only One who can help. God intervenes, and brings them back into the story. We were given the task to reflect on the Psalm, and add a paragraph that writes ourselves into the story. I like doing this. For reflecting on the Word, and what we are hearing from God is beneficial.

Here’s my story.

Writing myself into the story:

And still others, such as myself bought into a different story

a story that offers death not life, offers slavery not freedom,

 despair not hope.

I once once knew THE story but the entrapments of this life were to much

I hid themselves from reality, from God, from my community, from my family

Not sure anymore if I could be loved, forgiven and useful in the kingdom

And yet, I cried out to the Lord in MY brokenness

And he does what he does best…rebuilds the broken, lifts the fallen

and offered yet another invitation to embrace his story

He reminded me, He hadn’t forgotten me

that he Himself never waivers

That he is close to the brokenhearted, and sin-sick

that he forgives fully

I will give thanks to the Lord

for his unfailing love and his

wonderful deeds for men

I will tell others of the beauty of the story of hope

Genesis 1-2: some thoughts to guide our thinking

Our congregation has begun an undertaking to read  the book of Genesis together as families. My daughters are pumped about this time each night. They grasp more of the story than I realize. I written a little in my last post about my time away from Oklahoma at  the National Conference on Youth Ministries. One of our key note speakers was Chris Seidman. Chris is the preaching minister at the Farmers Branch church of Christ in Dallas, TX. He always brings a powerful message, and he did on our Tuesday morning keynote address:

He talked about the following pertaining to Gen 1-2

• the author was writing primarily as a theologian. It is important to remember that he is not writing a comprehensive history, or even writing as a scientist. He is first and foremost a theologian.
• there’s an element where the author of the text is turning the religious convictions of the ancient Mediterranean world on it’s ear. For instance in this ancient environment there was a god for everything, and in Gen 1, the sun, the moon and stars are not to be serve, and bowed down to, but they serve God and us!
• In the ancient Mediterranean understanding of creation, there was a divine showdown between Tiamet and Marduke, but notice in Gen 1 God is powerful he merely speaks everything into existence. There is no need for a divine confrontation.
• Pay attention to Day 7, let it be known, there is no competition for God’s throne. He is king.
• Genesis is about who more than about how, more about what, then when…
• Gen 1:1 has something to say to:

1. polytheism
2. pantheism
3. materialism
4. humanism
5. atheism

The words, “in the beginning God created…” invites us into his story

• God created us not because he needs us, but because he wants us
• Chris talked about how our most of our ministries focus on Gen 3 and on, but we need to recover Gen 1-2. He goes on to point our 6 key themes to guide our understanding of Gne 1-2, but also to serve as a powerful witness to what God is up into the world:

1. We were made for relationship with God

• God speaks to human beings
• have you noticed that humans are more like God than anything else God created
• we were made in his image, and he breathed into us

2. We were made to choose

• Psalm 135:6
• God doesn’t impose himself on us, if he did we would cease to bear his image

3. We were made to live from the blessing not for the blessing

• blessed in Hebrew means “bow the knee in dignity”
• before God gives the first man and the first woman a command, he blessed them — gives them dignity
• listen: humans are significant because of who they are, not what they do. We need to contrast that image with the false narratives of our world that tell us our worth is based on our jobs, our incomes, our toys, our homes, etc.
• There is freedom here: living from the blessing, not for the blessing of what other people think of me
• Jesus himself lived from the blessing, not for the blessing

4. We were made to rule

• we were made to rule resources, not be ruled by them
• God gave us a measure of authority over the planet
• ruling and authority: that which allows life and growth. Gen 2:5, helping God to release creation to reach potential

5. We’re moral beings to an extent

• Roma 2:14-15

6. We were made for community

• In these early Gen chapters, God is spoken of as a compound oneness. There’s two Hebrew words for oneness. Mathematical oneness, and compound oneness
• Community is the HOV lane of life — you can travel faster the stories of life together

Jesus is the 2nd Adam

• note in John 20 Jesus is mistaken by Mary as the Gardener, John is emphasizing the new creation being innagurated by Jesus victory of death
• John 19 — from the cross Jesus says “it is finished” sort of echoing the finished work of God at the beginning

Isn’t it interesting that there’s a garden and the beginning of the story and the end of the story in Revelation?!! Even in the middle of these two gardens there is another one… Gethsemane. For in this garden Jesus refused to live out of his own story.

May we too refuse to live out of our own story.

Back from NCYM, Story, Family and Us!

I have been back now from NCYM for most of the week. As always the time away from ministry renews and fills me to enter again the world of serving and giving. It is nice to be poured into, after pouring out so much for the sake of others.

The conference is great. But, I got a week or so to have with my wife. We walked the beach in Daytona, held hands, talked, enjoyed one another’s company. It was like a marriage retreat, disguised as a youth minister’s conference! I am so thankful and humbled by the beautiful woman that has become my wife.

One of the neat, has-to-be-a-God-thing moment comes from the theme of NCYM. The theme was the Story, and one of the questions that haunted me all week was “whose story are you living in?” Whose story am I living in? I realized that there are lots of times I live in my own story. You know, where ministry becomes about “my” desires, about “my” plans, about “my” leadership, etc. I was reminded of a better story, a story that has God has author and us as his co-creators of the story. See, this first part of year here at Chisholm Trail, we are emphasizing reading the Book of Genesis together as a family, talking about what we read together and praying together as family. One of the huge takeaways from the week in Daytona was “don’t assume spiritual things are taking place at home.” I think sometimes those of us in youth ministry pretend everything in the homes of our students are hunky dory. But, the reality everything is always ok. What about our homes? If we are emphasizing faith at home, are we ourselves living out this example?

You want to know my answer? It is…

Yes, but I need to do better. I pray with and for my children, we are reading Genesis together. But, I haven’t prayed with my wife for a long time. So, we are working currently on changing that up.

Dads, or soon to be dads, or guys who one day want to be dads…listen up. Our wives, future wives, our children, the church needs us. There can be no more sitting on the sidelines. Parents are the most significant spiritual influence in the lives of their kids. We are either a good example or a bad example. The point is, we are a leaving a legacy in our children’s lives. I pray that we are leaving a good example.

Here’s some staggering statistics that Mark Holmen shared at NCYM:

• 60-90% of our kids are walking away from the faith after high school. One of the main reasons these young people cite as the reasoning for abandoning our churches: hypocrisy. They are looking for something real.
• Here’s a stat that just breaks my heart: Less than 10% of Christian households pray together. I am not sure if this includes meal times or not. I commend you if pray at meal time. But, listen, our kids need to hear us in prayer for them. Our faith is important to them. Let them see us wrestle in prayer for them. This isn’t rocket science, you don’t have to pray gran elaborate, beautiful prayers with all the “thees, and all the thous,” I am not sure God even likes to be called “thee,” anyway! You can approach God anytime, anywhere. He knows you better than you know yourself anyway. Don’t be fake with God. Talk to God like you would a best friend.
• Another sad statistic: 28% of kids have talked to their mothers about faith matters
• Even more sad: 13% of kids have talked with their dads about faith matters. As we consider these two stats together, I think the point is this. We are losing an opportunity here to shape positively our children’s images of following Jesus. I think we need to remember Deuteronomy 6 and Moses telling the Israelites to impress the commands of God on their hearts, before they share it with their kids. But, Moses depiction of doing life together involves talking about what God was doing in the world in the morning, on the road, at home, in the car (okay, they didn’t have cars back then), at bed time, at meal times, everywhere. This isn’t about trying to sound overly spiritual or impressing our kids with what we know. This is intentionality to live out our faith in the context of our families in such a way that our love for what God has done, and is doing will spill out of us everywhere.
• Mark Holmen helped me to grasp something I think I had forgotten: He says that this issue that we have been discussing is not about what’s happening at church it’s about what’s not happening in the home. We are a people who have a lot in common with those Moses writes to in Deuteronomy 6:10-12: “¹⁰ When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, ¹¹ houses filledwith all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied,¹² be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” Did you catch what is taking place here; when we live in a land of plenty we don’t need God.

I close with these words and this plea:

“⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impressthem on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

The home is to be a place where we meet with God, see God, share God, but help the younger generations to be caught up in a better story.

Sermon Outline for Christmas Sunday: The Jesus Story: The Gift That Keeps Giving (Col. 1:1-6)

Grace and peace to you from God our Father (Col 1:2)

• Grace – the free gift of God
• Peace – Shalom, wholeness and holiness (Luke 2:14)
  • Between God and man, and man with man

Faith and love spring from hope (Col 1:4)

• Their faith and love was contagious (Col 1:3)
• They were living out their mission to be extensions of the kingdom of God
• N.T. Wright, “a mission shaped church must have its mission shaped by hope; that genuine Christian hope, rooted in Jesus’ resurrection, is the hope for God’s renewal of all things, for his overcoming of corruption, decay and death, for his filling of the whole cosmos with his love and grace and his power and glory” (James Bryan Smith, The Good and Beautiful Community, p., 48)
• Hope comes from the gospel (Col 1:5)
  • Hope is confidence in a good future
  • The message of truth
  • A story worth sharing
  • A story that inspires

The Gospel: What is it?

• Counter-narrative to the Pax-Romana
• Proclamation of the arrival of new King, a new Lord
• Fundamentally the gospel is the revelation of who God is and who we are and how we can be reconciledto him
  • The gospel reveals the glory of God (Luke 2:10-14)
  • The gospelconfronts us with the hopeless of our sinful condition
    • We are sinners (Rom 3:23), wanderers
    • We cannot fix this problem on our own
  • The gospel reveals our desperate need for God

A four part story of hope: death, resurrection, ascension and return

• Death – (Col 3:3, For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”)
  • Death to false narratives of self and the ways of the world
• Resurrection– (Col 2:12, “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.”)
  • New identity
  • New narrative
• Ascension – (Col 3:1, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” )
  • Lord of all
• Return – (Col 3:4, “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”)
  • Now and not yet

If God did, He still can and does

If God could create the heavens and the earth, and all that goes with it, if God could cause a worldwide flood, and send ten plagues on Egypt, part the Red Sea, care for Israel for 40 years in the wilderness, speak from a mountain, pursue his children in spite of their wanderings and waywardness from him over and over again, if God could allow himself to come to earth himself and make himself vulnerable by becoming a human child, if Jesus could heal the sick, the demon-possessed, give sight the blind, make the lame to walk, eat with sinners, feed the multitudes twice, calm a raging storm, walk on water, if Jesus could raised the dead to live, and willingly drink fully the cup of God’s wrath on the cross for us, I believe there is nothing He cannot do. If God through Jesus did all these things, I believe that he can free from my idolatries, my wants, negative desires, deliver me from my selfishness. I believe that He can and will carry out his transformation in my life to make me more like Jesus, to use me to reach those He has placed in my path. I believe that He isn’t through with me yet.

If God did, I believe He still can does!

The true Spirit of Christmas…

Saturday my daughter’s and I along with some other good people we worship with and serve at Chisholm Trail church of Christ delivered food baskets to some folks in our community. I wanted my girls to be a part of this good work. After all, Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” We aren’t saved by our good deeds, but saved to do good. One of the highlights of the morning was the conversations in my vehicle. My daughters were asking things like: “Daddy, why are taking food to these people?” “Daddy, why are there people in the world who don’t have food anyway.” “Daddy, do these families have children?” “Do those kids get to open gifts on Christmas morning?” All of these are good questions, I tried to answer them the best I could. I talked about our responsibilities as followers of Christ to take care of those who can’t take care of themselves. I talked about  how God has always wanted his people to look out for those who are poor (cf. Deuteronmy 15; Jas 1:27; 2:14-17).

Telling your kids about the importance of extending the borders and boundaries of the kingdom of God is one thing, but doing it together is another thing entirely. What good is just talking about it helping others, if you aren’t actually doing it?

After delivering to our folks on our list, we went to Walmart. As were walking in, my girls are singing, and smiling. Right in front of us at the doors are the Salvation Army volunteers jingling their bells and collecting money. Walking out of the store and very loudly talking about her shopping conquest was a woman with her husband and one of her children talking about who they have finished for and who was left. Her conversation is negative, her tone is nasty, and her words were interesting to say the least. The last thing she offered was “I don’t give a_____, they _____ better enjoy this ______.” (I can’t repeat what she wrote, it is not wholesome!!) I was just waiting for one of my little ones to ask me what “_____” meant. Thankfully, my kids didn’t respond.

But I was frustrated with this lady. I believe she is entitled to her own negativity and so on, but I am frustrated with her blindness. She and many others and unfortunately even those of us who attended churches, miss the true spirit of Christmas. The angels announced to shepherds in the field the goodnews of great joy that would be for all people that long awaited deliverer, the Messiah had come. Don’t miss the subtly of what Luke announces. Luke proclaims goodnews. The emperor’s usually had sole claim on this phrase, and goodnews was used to announce his birthday, or other important events of his reign. Jesus was born during the time of Pax Romana, a time of increased safety and security, of new building projects, new roads, economic growth. But notice, Luke announces the arrival of the true King, the one who lead his people on a new exodus out of the slavery of sin, and restore true peace, the shalom of God to his marred creation:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14)

The angels were announcing peace was now possible between God and man, and between man and man. A peace that was lasting, holy and present in the arrival of the God-man (infant) that was placed in cloths and lying in a manger.

When we will we learn Christmas isn’t about standing in line Thanksgiving evening, or even about getting what we think we want to impress those we really don’t like, by purchasing those things we really can’t afford. What if instead of cuss words and bitterness we somehow could convey the shalom of God that has broken into the world in the arrival of newborn King? What if instead of commercial pursuits, the church began to truly bless those in need. What if we traded in our materialistic impulses and instead poured ourselves out on behalf of those who are without? I think then we would capture the true spirit of Christmas!

…See the animals and pet baby Jesus…?

Last night, about 60 of my teens and adults caravan -ed to Chickasha, Oklahoma to attend a youth rally and then go see the Chickasha Christmas lights. We were late getting to the church building, had more kids arrive than I was expecting and scrambled to find transportation. We got there safely! More importantly, our kiddos had a good time. I am thankful for our kids and the adults who are willing to drop everything in a moment’s notice to drive a church van or a personal vehicle!

One of things that I enjoyed about last night at the park was the addition of a live nativity scene/ re-enactment. It was neat. The actors were prepared, they knew their movements and parts well. There was a small crowd of on-lookers though, and at times other park patrons unaware of the retelling of the most significant event in human history were threatening to impede the re-enactments unfolding. I think that is what is most profound was the general lack of awareness. I know a small retelling of the birth of Jesus doesn’t require a large crowd, but seeing the story retold in dramatic fashion amongst the backdrop of reality hit me hard last night.

God became a vulnerable, new born infant. And many in Jesus’ day were unaware. The shepherds knew, the wise men knew, and even Herod knew something significant happened. But many others missed it.  I think for a lot of us that are supposed to know our lines and parts in our own stories we miss the wonder of this Immanuel-moment all too often. We miss the significance of Christmas when we are more concerned about Black Friday Deals then we are about the homeless man sleeping in the cold again. I think we miss the importance of Christmas when we more concerned about where to put our Christmas decorations than about the families on the other side of the rail road tracks who are struggling to even buy food, let alone gifts. I think we miss the magic of Christmas when we complain about whether or not our churches are going to have even meet on Christmas Day than about living out the incarnational mission in our neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, etc.

After the live nativity was over, the actors who played the shepherds invited the crowd to come pet the animals and see the baby Jesus. I misunderstood her and thought she invited us to see the animals and pet the baby Jesus. I think that is how most of us operate though, unsure what to do in the presence of this story. Do we pause to consider that the babe in the manger grows up to be the man on the cross? Babies aren’t threatening, are they? This one is. No longer can the status quo remain, our very lives are called in to question. What and who are living for? The birth of the God-man is the continuation of the unfolding drama of God’s great reclamation effort to restore humanity and the divine to Edenic peace that once permeated all of creation. For all our failings and steps away from Eden, God’s great love is such that He enters the human condition and begins to move humanity back towards Eden.

Sermon Outline: Mark 5:21-43

“Double Faith Cheeseburger”

I. The Background:

A. Mark 5:21-43 is an example of literary technique called “doubling”

B. The larger context: Mark 4:35-5:43 – Jesus’s power is on dramatic display

C. The sandwich features: A –5:21-23; B – 5:24-34; A’ – 5:35-43

II. The Story:

A. Jairus

1. A synagogue ruler approaches Jesus (5:6,22)

2. He is one of the few characters in Mark with a name besides the disciples & Jesus

3. Jairus has a need, a need to heal his unnamed dying daughter (5:23)

4. Jesus sets off toward Jarius’ house, but a large crowd impedes his progress (5:24)

B. The unnamed bleeding woman (5:24-34)

1. She’s ritually impure (Lev. 15:25-30). She has been bleeding and dying for the same amount of time that Jarius’ daughter has been living

2. She’s  desperate & takes a great risk seeking the anonymity of the crowd (5:26-29)

3. Her risk paid off (5:29), she’s found out (5:30-33) and falls at Jesus’ feet

4. The unnamed woman, once a social outcast is given back her “insider status,” and is called “daughter” (5:34)

C. The unnamed dead daughter

1. This scene is interrupted with the dreadful news of death (5:35)

2. Will Jarius have faith after what he has seen? (5:36)

3. At Jairus house they are greeted with commotion and grief (5:38)

4. Jesus risks becoming ritually impure himself, reaches out for the hand of the dead girl

D. Common Themes

1. Both stories involved touching

2. Both stories involved unnamed women, both are called daughter

3. Both stories involve fear and trembling

4. Both stories emphasize the importance of faith/belief

5. Both stories portray Jesus as the bringer of holiness & wholeness to places it has not previously been

6. Both stories affirm the power of Jesus

a. Jesus has saved people from the threat of chaos, from spiritual bondage, from

illness and isolation and from death

III. Our story:

1. Faith stirs the response of Jesus

2. Stepping out in faith helps to overcome any obstacle

3. Faith is meant to be visible

4. Stepping out in faith leads us to know that Jesus is enough

5. Faith doesn’t answer the “why” questions but always provides assurance that God is near! Maybe a better question is a “what” question? What can I appreciate about this journey that I am on? What can I learn about the faithfulness of God, myself, others, etc?

Short primer on the Holy Spirit

I have been doing a lot of thinking, reading as of late about the Holy Spirit. I am convinced that Francis Chan is right on, that the Holy Spirit is the Forgotten God. What if we regained  a deeper sense of the Spirit’s work in the world in and through the church? I think for the most part the idea of the Holy Spirit bothers us, scares us, and maybe even confuses us. We have books on our shelves that are titled, the Purpose Driven Church, the Externally Focused Church, The Servant Drive Church, the Prayer Driven Church, the Missional Church, the Simple Church, etc., but where is the book(s) about the Spirit Driven Church? What would it even look like?

I have more reading and pondering to do, but for now here is short primer on the Holy Spirit:

One of the most amazing truths revealed throughout Scripture is God’s desire, promise, and fulfillment of his intention to live with His people. We see the first traces of this great truth in the Garden, where God walked with Adam. Then throughout history God desired relationship with us, and even dwelt among in the Israelites in the temple. At our baptism, God promises to come again to live with his people, only this time instead of a temple with priests and incense, we become the temples of the living God (1 Cor. 6:19). 

Here are some further thoughts with a whole of Scripture to consider just what the Holy Spirit, is/does in and through us!

·         Read together: Gen. 1:1-3;  Ephesians 1:13-14; Acts 2:38-39; John 3:5; Titus 3:3-7; Matthew 1:18; Luke 11:13; John 14:26; Acts 1:8; Acts 1:16; 10:45; 20:28; 1 Cor. 6:19; Eph 4:30; Gal. 5:19-23; 2 Cor 5:17; Gal 3:26-28; Romans 8:10, 14-16, 18-27, 29; 2 Cor 3:17-18; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; John 16:7-15

·         This list of Scriptures is not exhaustive: But a couple of observations

o   The Holy Spirit is often referred to as the third person of the Trinity or the Godhead

§  The trinity is idea that God exists as a singular plurality, not many Gods but one God who manifests himself in three persons (Father, Son, and Spirit)

o   The Holy Spirit is/was active and present at creation

o   The Holy Spirit is active in recreation/restoring humanity and the earth (2 Cor 5:17; 2 Cor 3:17-18; Eph 1:13-14)

o   The Spirit also reminds us of the teachings of Christ (Jn 14)

o   In the book of Acts, the Spirit is present in almost every chapter, on every page, what might we say about the Spirit and the church?

§  That the two need each other

§  The book of Acts is about what God has done in and through Jesus Christ, and is continuing to do in and through Spirit through the church (Acts 1:8)

o   The Spirit gifts the church for good works for the good of the world (Eph 2:10; 1 Cor 12, 14)

o   The Spirit glorifies Jesus, or makes a big deal about Jesus, puts the spotlight on him (Jn 16:7-15)

o   The Spirit is presented as indwelling believers (Acts 2:38-39; Eph 1:13-14; 1 Cor 6:19; Rom 8:29) (1 Cor 2:12-16)

§  This is important because there are those who believe that Spirit only indwells the Word

§  This just isn’t true! The Spirit certainly uses the word (it is after all the sword of the Spirit Ephesians 6:17

§  While certain miraculous powers have ceased it is a mistake to limit the Spirit’s power to the confines of the pages of Scripture (1 Cor. 13:8-11)

o   He teaches those who belong to him, convicts us of our sinfulness, and sanctifies us for his service (John 16:8-11; 1 Corinthians 6:11; John 3:3-5; Ephesians 2:18; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 1 Peter 1:2).

o    He gives Christians joy, comfort, unity, love, etc. (Romans 5:5; 14:17; 15:13; Ephesians 4:3; Acts 9:31; Galatians 5:22-25; 1 Thessalonians 1:6).

·         If the Holy Spirit is so important, why then is He often neglected, overlooked, forgotten?

o   The Spirit is the power of God to live the abundant life Jesus has come to give us