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Reveal Part 1

March 21, 2010 in Preaching, Resources, Sermons with Comments Off

I had the opportunity to preach this week and since we spent the first part of the week skiing I got to prepare most of my sermon while on the mountain. As I was thinking and praying about what to share this week an overwhelming sense of thankfulness and gratitude filled my heart at the thought of how we serve a God who is not hidden. Our God has made himself known to the entire universe. He has REVEALED Himself throughout history and continues to REVEAL Himself everyday.

The word REVEAL comes from the Greek word we use for apocalypse meaning to “take off the cover, to disclose, to pull back the curtain.”

When I think about this idea of pulling back the curtain to REVEAL a mystery I think about the movie “The Wizard of OZ.” Remember, the great and powerful OZ appears to Dorothy, Tinman, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion as a massive face with a loud and booming voice. Fire and smoke fills the room. The Wizard instills fear and trembling into Dorothy and her friends… but not Toto.

Toto pulls back the curtain to REVEAL the true nature of the Wizard. He is not great and powerful but weak and sad. The Wizard was nothing more than a con-man with a laser light show and a fog machine. The Wizard wanted to remain hidden behind the smoke in order to boss people around. His power came from the mystery.

The REVELATION of God couldn’t be more different than that of the “great & powerful OZ.” While there is and always will be some element of mystery surrounding God, He has INTENTIONALLY revealed Himself to us. He pulls back the curtain and says, “Look, see this is my nature. These are my plans. This is WHO I AM.”

God is powerful not because He is hidden but because he has made Himself known.

We could talk about the millions of ways that God REVEALS Himself to us but we would be here until Kingdom Come. This week I want to talk about 4 Ways God REVEALS Himself to the world. Tomorrow, we’ll look at how God REVEALS Himself through His CREATION.

The Star Maker

September 14, 2009 in Campus Ministry, Faith in Action, Ministry, Sermons, The Word, Wrestling With Scripture, Youth Ministry with 3 Comments

Psalm 147:4
He determines the number of the stars & calls them each by name.

Growing up I always felt pretty average. I wasn’t ever the best at sports or the smartest in class or anything like that. I was smack in the middle. Completely average in every way.

In football, I was the only starter under 6 feet. I played hard but my name never appeared in the paper next day and there was never any chance that I would play beyond my four years in high school.

As for my grades, I graduated 25th in my class… out of 54. It doesn’t get more average than that!

Even today I still feel pretty average. I’m not the best looking or the most talented. This average guy is just pretty plain vanilla. Rather than feeling sorry for myself I feel pretty great about my average status. When I look in scripture, I see a plethora of average or below average individuals. Even a cursory reading of the Bible makes me see that I am part of a very large group of average men and women. Some might even have called these people losers. They started life out as average joes and janes but they didn’t remain average for long. These average people rose above themselves and became great and powerful, amazing and world-known. These individuals went from average so-and-sos to international super stars. Let’s take a quick look at a few nobodies to find out who they were and what they became.

David- When we first meet David he is a mere shepherd boy so average that his own family essentially forgets about him. When Samuel comes calling looking to annoint a new king they “conveniently” forget he’s even a part of the family. However, this shepherd boy showed his mettle when he killed Goliath, became a feared warrior, and became a great and mighty king. Don’t forget that he also came to be known as a man after God’s own heart. Average no more.

Gideon- In Judges 6, Gideon is told (by the angel of the Lord no less) that he is a mighty warrior. Gideon’s reply shows just how average Gideon saw himself. “How can I save Isreal?” he asks. “I am the least in my family.” The least in his family ended up leading the army of Israel into a great battle where they triumphed over an army that greatly outnumbered his own.

Moses- He left Egypt as a disgraced prince and lived for 40 years in utter obscurity as a shepherd. He returned to Egypt in order to lead the Israelites out of slavery and triumphed by standing toe to toe against the most powerful man in the world.

Joseph- Joseph was seen by his brothers as some punk with a loud mouth and a big head (full of crazy dreams). To silence him they sold him into slavery. After toiling away as a slave and then in prison, Joe rose to the ranks of a great leader and literally saved the world from famine and starvation.

The Woman at the Well (John 4)- She was an outcast so outside of her community that she had to fetch water at a time when no one else would be at the well. But after a chance encounter with The Living Water she went back into town and became a powerful witness for the Gospel. “Come and meet a man who told me everything I ever did.”

The Apostles- They were simply a rag-tag group of no names and nobodies. They were simply average men living in the middle of Palestine, a obscure Roman outpost. It is hard to believe that these nobodies took the message of Jesus to the masses and turned the world upside down.

But let’s be clear. In fact, I want to be crystal clear that these people became stars because of one reason and one reason alone.

They didn’t become stars because they were the smartest, the best looking, or the most talented. It wasn’t because of their titles or their deep pockets. They didn’t become stars because they were born that way.

The only reason these average people became stars is because they had the faith and the courage to obey when they heard the voice of God.

One more time: The only reason these average people became stars is because they had the faith and the courage to obey when they heard the voice of God.

The world around you will encourage you to be average. The world wants you to look and be just like everyone else. They will tell you to just go along. Don’t stand up for your beliefs or stand out in the crowd. Don’t cause a scene. Do as your told. Blend in.

That is no way to live your life. Nobody should shoot for average.

The only way for us to shine out like stars is to give our lives over to the Star Maker. No one in the kingdom of God is average. Jesus Christ came to this earth to invite us into the family. The Father takes us in and through the power of the Spirit average lives are transformed in to the extra-ordinary.

In order to shine like a star you must have the faith and the courage to obey when you hear the voice of God.

So here’s the question.

What is the voice of God calling you to today?

Do you need to make that apology? Do you need to confess that sin? Patch up that friendship? End that relationship that is dragging you down?

If you want to rise above mediocrity- to be more than average- you have to step out in faith and into obedience.

5 Ways to Avoid Graduating from Your Faith

June 1, 2009 in Discipleship, Preaching, Sermons, Wrestling With Scripture, Youth Ministry with 1 Comment

We celebrated Senior Sunday yesterday as we honored and blessed the class of 2009. The point of my message was to challenge these teens to not graduate from their faith when they graduate from High School.

I based my message on 2 Timothy because it is probably the last letter Paul sent the young minister. Paul’s life was coming to an end and in this letter he lays out the “non-negotiable” for Timothy. Paul’s final words to his young friend highlight the things that will help Timothy grow his faith long after his mentor moves on. I think this letter has a lot to say to you and me and our young graduates.

1) Don’t Be ASHAMED of Your Faith

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self–discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,” (2Timothy 1:6-8 TNIV)

This culture- especially the culture found on many college campuses- wants you to be ashamed of your faith in Jesus Christ. You will feel the need to apologize for being different or for having a different morality than those around you. It was much the same for young Timothy. The minute you begin to apologize for what you believe or the minute you begin to be embarrassed by the gospel is the minute you begin living on your own understanding and move away from living in the power of God.

2) PURSUE Righteousness

“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” (2Timothy 2:22-26 TNIV)

When you step foot on your college campus or when you start in the workforce you are going to see people in pursuit of many things in their lives.

People will be in pursuit of grades.
They will pursue power.
People pursue glory for themselves.
People will be pursuing what feels good.
They will pursue what’s easy or what they can get away with.

They will pursue all kinds of things but not necessarily what is Right or what honors/glorifies God.

3) ENDURE with God’s help and protection

“You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2Timothy 3:10-15 TNIV)

Keep on keeping on. Once you decide to not be ashamed of the gospel and set you heart/mind to pursue God’s ways with your whole being- ENDURE!

Find your pace and trust that God will carry you through.

4) Fall in Love with GOD’S WORD

“All Scripture is God–breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2Timothy 3:16-17 TNIV)

How do you know the power of the Gospel- the truth of Jesus? How do you know what is right and how to follow it? Where can you find encouragement to endure? You find these things in God’s Word.

5) Intentionally RECOMMIT- Everyday/Every way

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2Timothy 4:1-8 TNIV)

Everyday and in every way you have to recommit in your heart to follow Jesus Christ. Living out and believing in the Gospel takes recommitment everyday.

Every one of us is just one day away from graduating from our faith. Each day brings its own troubles, challenges, & changes that jockey for 1st position in our hearts.

These graduates aren’t the only once susceptible to the world around them. Each one of us in here must pledge allegiance to the Gospel of Jesus Christ every single minute of every single hour of every single day.

Are We Human?

January 26, 2009 in Discipleship, Ethos, Leadership, Ministry, Sermons, Theology, Thoughts, Wrestling With Scripture with Comments Off

I had the opportunity to speak at the junior high and senior high chapels at my alma mater this morning. I really enjoy speaking and teaching and so I try to take every opportunity that comes my way. I look at it as “honing my speaking skills.” Jay Leno hits the comedy clubs. I hit the guest speaking circuit.

I was given the assignment to speak on “What is the definition of humanity?” Real easy huh?

I decided to approach defining humanity by the way we treat others who are different from us. Meaning, our humanity depends on us treating all men with dignity, respect, kindness, and compassion.

This first issue the church dealt with was with racism. The Jewish Christians were unwilling to fully accept the Gentile Christians. This bred hostility and an attitude of exclusiveness.

“We’re in. You’re out. Deal with it!”

In Ephesians 2 Paul reminds us that, regardless of our past, we all have a brand new beginning with Jesus. Because of his mercy and grace, we have been brought inside. We belong to one another and to him. He goes on to say,

“It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God’s ways had no idea of any of this, didn’t know the first thing about the way God works, hadn’t the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God’s covenants and promises in Israel, hadn’t a clue about what God was doing in the world at large. Now because of Christ—dying that death, shedding that blood—you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything.

The Messiah has made things up between us so that we’re now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody.

Christ brought us together through his death on the Cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father.” (Ephesians 2:11-18 MESSAGE)

We are part of a New Humanity. Being human means that we live out the Greatest Command not just in our cozy holy huddles but by loving those who are considered outsiders. Loving the unloveable. Jesus is our example and our mark.

Through the story of the Good Samaritan we learn that being this new human means we care for those who are a different race and religion than we are.

Through the woman at the well and the woman caught in adultery we learn that this new humanity show compassion to those whose moral compass points a different direction than our own.

Through watching Jesus heal the lame, the diseased, the poor we see that being human is loving the broken.

Have have you shown your humanity to others today?

What is Vision?

March 27, 2008 in Ethos, Film & Theology, Leadership, Ministry, Popular Culture, Preaching, Remarkable, Sermons, Stories with 1 Comment

Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18 KJVS)

I began thinking about this verse and I remembered a scene at the beginning of one of my favorite movies, Seven Samurai.

Kurosawa’s 1954 classic film begins with a gang of bandits tearing through the Japanese’s countryside. They come to a stop at the top of the a hill overlooking a small, poor, insignificant village. They are about to attack the defenseless hamlet when their leader reminds them that they attacked this village last season. He tells them that they should come back when the barley harvest is in so that they could really wreak some havoc. They agree and they ride off vowing to return and destroy everything. An older man from the village had been hiding on the hill and he overhears the bandits plans and he rushes down the hill to warn the people.

The very next scene show the entire village weeping and wailing and sitting in the dirt in the center of the village. Some are crying out they they wished that they could die right now. Doom and gloom is all around. Most have given up every ounce of hope.

One young man stands up and proclaims passionately that the villagers must fight the bandits. Most of the older men shout him down telling him that his idea is ludicrous. The older men agree that the course of action must be decided by the leader of the village. Every villager stands up and marches to the old mill where the oldest and wisest man living among them resides. The old man will tell them what they must do.

After much deliberation and thought the old man agrees that they must fight these bandits off. He tells them that they must hire samurai to help protect the people. Many of the men argue with the old man’s words saying that they could never afford to hire samurai. They ask him incredulously, “What Samurai would work for barley and rice?”

The old man responds to their doubt by saying, “We will look for hungry samurai.”

That’s vision.

Without his vision, the people would perish. The old man knew that his people were in trouble. He knew their fears and he knew their limitations. They needed help and they needed a different perspective. The old man exhibited vision to see beyond excuses.

Effective vision is most often the most practical. The people were focused on what prohibited them from surviving. The old man focused on what they had and what would help them survive.

Quit whining and crying about your situation and what you think is keeping you and your people from success.

Go find you some hungry samurai and protect your village.

Life in Transition

May 23, 2007 in Discipleship, Leadership, Ministry, Sermons with Comments Off

Sunday was our Graduation Sunday.

Next weekend each of these students will be graduating in ceremonies all over the area and in a few weeks each of them will be moving from their homes and onto college campuses. There has been a lot of preparation for this moment by their parents and families. Lots of apprehension and a little bit of anxiety as these students take the big leap and head out into the world.

Life is full of transitions. Graduation from high school is but one of the many stages of life that we pass through. While Seniors are leaving for college their parents are having to transition into a new stage of life as well. The only constant in life is that things change.

The message I delivered on Sunday was on the life of Hannah.

I think Hannah has a lot to say to us today. Hannah transitioned from a life without children to having a child to dedicating that child to a life of service in ministry.

Here are some of the highlights from my message on Hannah:

I believe the story of Hannah speaks to those you who are parents. I think is Hannah were here today she would ask each of you who have been blessed with a child,

“Have you given your children back to God.”

Right off, let me say that Hannah is not telling you to drop your kids off here at the church office for me to raise!!! If you did that I would respond like Eli and ask you if you’ve been drinking!!!

No, by asking you if you have given your children back to God she is asking you if you have fully invested in your child’s spiritual life. Are you making real sacrifices so that your children can know God?

Are you praying for and with your child? Are you living in such away that your children know, without a shadow of a doubt, that the love of your life is Jesus Christ? What are you teaching them about the importance of growing and maturing in their faith?

Do they know that their relationship with God is the most important thing or is it something that they can work on only after their school work, sports team, or other extra activities their are involved in?

Samuel had a relationship with God because his mother had the courage to do something radical. She showed him true faith looked like.

What does radical sacrifice look like in your life? What sacrifices might you have to make to ensure that your children know God and have a deep, rewarding relationship with Him?

Does it mean that you pull you child from one extra activity so that you can have a family devotional?
That they see you or your spouse reading the Bible more?
That you make a stand and keep a hedge of protection around Wed. and Sundays even if it means that they can’t participate in …. (you fill in the blank)?

I think I would have a hard time giving Hannah any excuses as to why I was letting the good things of the world get in the way of the greater things of God. Hannah shows us that faith and devotion often require radical sacrifices.

The story of Hannah doesn’t just speak to those who are parents.

Hannah speaks to everyone who’s life is in transition because she shows us what it means to grow up.

Growing up means…

Making Decisions

Hannah made the decision to lay her broken heart and her broken womb before the Lord. In times of transition are you more apt to try and work everything out on your own or are you willing to ask the Lord for help?

Making Sacrifices

Hannah made the ultimate sacrifice to make sure that the Lord was honored and that she followed through with her promise. Are you making any sacrifices to keep the promises that you’ve made to God?

Making Connections

Hannah made connections with the Lord (1 Samuel 2:1-10) and with her son Samuel (2:18-20). Are you connecting with God and with the people in your care?

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