Joy is something every disciple of Christ needs to understand. Let me just quote Eugene Peterson:
"Joy is not a requirement of Christian discipleship, it a a consequence. It is not what we have to acquire in order to experience life in Christ; it is what comes to us when we are walking in the way of faith and obedience. Joy is a product of abundance; it is the overflow of vitality. It is life working together harmoniously. It is exuberance. Inadequate sinners as we are, none of us can manage that for very long.
The entertainment industry in America is a sign of the depletion of joy in our culture. Society is a bored, gluttonous king employing a court jester to divert it after an overindulgent meal. But that kind of joy never penetrates our lives, never changes our basic constitution. The effects are extremely temporary--a few minutes, a few hours, a few days at the most. We cannot make ourselves joyful. Joy cannot be commanded, purchased or arranged.
But there is something we can do. We can decide to live in response to the abundance of God and not under the dictatorship of our own poor needs. We can decide to live in the environment of a living God and not our own dying selves. We can decide to center ourselves in the God who generously gives and not in our own egos which greedily grab. One of the certain consequences of such a life is joy."
May the joy you experience this Christmas be more than a fleeting moment but a life time of walking in faith and obedience.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
ACQUIRING THE SKILL OF SERVICE
Karl Barth defines service in this way: "In general terms, service is a willing, working and doing in which a person acts not according to his own purposes or plans but with a view to the purpose of another person and according to the need, disposition, and direction of others. It is an act whose freedom is limited and determined by the other's freedom, an act whose glory becomes increasingly greater to the extent that the doer is not concerned about his own glory but about the glory of the other."
With this definition in place you can see how critical for us as disciples to master the art of serving on our spiritual journey. Psalm 123 tells us, "Like servants, alert to their master's commands, like a maiden attending her lady, we're watching and waiting, holding our breath awaiting for your word of mercy."
"Unfortunately there are many so called followers of Jesus that think of religion as a far-off, mysteriously run bureaucracy to which we apply for assistance when we feel the need. We go to a local branch office and direct the clerk (sometimes called a pastor) to fill out our order for God. Then we go home and wait for God to be delivered to us according the the specifications that we have set down." ( Eugene Peterson)
We will never be true disciples until we learn what it means to serve. We desperately need to learn what it is like to be fully under our Master's leadership. Who came, by the way, TO SERVE.
With this definition in place you can see how critical for us as disciples to master the art of serving on our spiritual journey. Psalm 123 tells us, "Like servants, alert to their master's commands, like a maiden attending her lady, we're watching and waiting, holding our breath awaiting for your word of mercy."
"Unfortunately there are many so called followers of Jesus that think of religion as a far-off, mysteriously run bureaucracy to which we apply for assistance when we feel the need. We go to a local branch office and direct the clerk (sometimes called a pastor) to fill out our order for God. Then we go home and wait for God to be delivered to us according the the specifications that we have set down." ( Eugene Peterson)
We will never be true disciples until we learn what it means to serve. We desperately need to learn what it is like to be fully under our Master's leadership. Who came, by the way, TO SERVE.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
WHY WORSHIP?
So far we have detected two critical components to being a disciple. The first is a comprehension of repentance and second, how important it is to trust in the providence of God along our spiritual journey.
The third component to our discipleship journey is worship. The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 122:1 "When they said, "Let us go to the house of God," my heart leaped with joy.
Christians can find all kinds of excuses not to go to church, but a disciple seizes the opportunity. Why?
The first reason is that we all need structure in our lives. Sunday worship should give us a framework for leaving the humdrum and distractions of life so that we can focus on what is really important. Unless we set aside that time our relationship with God can become fragmented and meaningless.
The second reason we need to worship God is that it fulfills a command for us to bring praise to Him. Augustine wrote, " A Christian should be an alleluia from head to foot". Even though we may not feel like worshiping God it is something we need to do to keep our relationship with Him a priority. We need to learn more about acting our way into better feelings. One writer puts it this way, "Worship is an act that develops feelings for God, not a feeling for God that is expressed in a act of worship".
The third reason we need to worship is that we will hear a word from God. We can certainly do that alone, but there is something special about large corporate worship when the whole family gathers together. We can control what we take in from God when we are alone but when we are together there are multiple mechanisms that kick in. There is a spontaneity that flows from corporate worship. When we come to corporate worship there should be an expectation to hear from God.
So as a pastor/ leader let these truths resonate with those who you lead. Statistics tell us that there are still more people worshipping on Sunday than all the people who go to football games, hunting, fishing, taking walks and playing golf combined.
The third component to our discipleship journey is worship. The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 122:1 "When they said, "Let us go to the house of God," my heart leaped with joy.
Christians can find all kinds of excuses not to go to church, but a disciple seizes the opportunity. Why?
The first reason is that we all need structure in our lives. Sunday worship should give us a framework for leaving the humdrum and distractions of life so that we can focus on what is really important. Unless we set aside that time our relationship with God can become fragmented and meaningless.
The second reason we need to worship God is that it fulfills a command for us to bring praise to Him. Augustine wrote, " A Christian should be an alleluia from head to foot". Even though we may not feel like worshiping God it is something we need to do to keep our relationship with Him a priority. We need to learn more about acting our way into better feelings. One writer puts it this way, "Worship is an act that develops feelings for God, not a feeling for God that is expressed in a act of worship".
The third reason we need to worship is that we will hear a word from God. We can certainly do that alone, but there is something special about large corporate worship when the whole family gathers together. We can control what we take in from God when we are alone but when we are together there are multiple mechanisms that kick in. There is a spontaneity that flows from corporate worship. When we come to corporate worship there should be an expectation to hear from God.
So as a pastor/ leader let these truths resonate with those who you lead. Statistics tell us that there are still more people worshipping on Sunday than all the people who go to football games, hunting, fishing, taking walks and playing golf combined.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
God's PROVIDENCE
One thing we have learned is that discipleship is a journey. As Eugene Peterson states, "It is a long obedience in the same direction." The first step in that obedience, is truly owning the concept of repentance.
As we move on in our journey we must also understand the message of God's providence in our lives.
It has been described pretty well in Psalm 121. The Psalmist says that his strength doesn't come from the mountains, or anything natural, but from God. Essentially he is saying that nothing in life will sustain us in those difficult times other than God.
The Psalmist goes on to say that we have a guardian God who will never fall asleep on the job. In other words nothing falls through the cracks of life without God's watchful care, as his child. The Hebrew writer tells us that he will never leave us forsake us.
It is absolutely critical for us as disciples to comprehend these truths about our God. We must understand that no matter what circumstances we are in, God still cares and is ultimately in control.
These truths can only be comprehended through the ups and downs of living our lives and experiencing his providence through 20/20 hindsight. The more we see in the mirror of our lives the greater this truth becomes a reality.
As we move on in our journey we must also understand the message of God's providence in our lives.
It has been described pretty well in Psalm 121. The Psalmist says that his strength doesn't come from the mountains, or anything natural, but from God. Essentially he is saying that nothing in life will sustain us in those difficult times other than God.
The Psalmist goes on to say that we have a guardian God who will never fall asleep on the job. In other words nothing falls through the cracks of life without God's watchful care, as his child. The Hebrew writer tells us that he will never leave us forsake us.
It is absolutely critical for us as disciples to comprehend these truths about our God. We must understand that no matter what circumstances we are in, God still cares and is ultimately in control.
These truths can only be comprehended through the ups and downs of living our lives and experiencing his providence through 20/20 hindsight. The more we see in the mirror of our lives the greater this truth becomes a reality.
Monday, November 7, 2011
How to Measure a True Disciple
I have heard discussed over and over again in the local church the definition of a true disciple. Most discussions end with the concept of student, learner, or follower of Jesus Christ. While these are good definitions, we also know it doesn't define the aspects of being a disciple more specifically.
I have been reading a book by Eugene Peterson called " A Long Obedience in the Same Direction" with the subtitle Discipleship in and Instant Society. Peterson walks through Psalm 120-134 gleaning the qualities that must be present in a true follower of Jesus Christ. For the next several blogs I will try to summarize the qualities that may help shed some light on what we need to be modeling and teaching as we attempt to disciple others.
The first concept we need to understand is "repentance". We do not become a true follower of Jesus until we come to a point of turning from our sin and intentionally turning toward a whole new lifestyle of following Christ. I truly believe that one cannot become a disciple until there is true repentance.
Unfortunately too many people want to come to Christ with an emotional decision that does not come with the mindful disgust of the world around us and a deep desire to live out something totally different.
The Psalmist writes in Psalm 120 I'm in trouble. I cry to God, desperate for an answer: "Deliver me from the liars, God! They smile so sweetly but lie through their teeth." Do you know what's next, can you see what's coming, all you barefaced liars? Pointed arrows and burning coals will be your reward. I'm doomed to live in Meshech cursed with a home in Kedar. My whole life lived camping among quarreling neighbors. I'm all for peace, but the minute I tell them, they go to war!
Repentance sees with disgust the world we live in and is convinced to live life differently.
Mencius said, "Before a man can do things there must be things he will not do.
I have been reading a book by Eugene Peterson called " A Long Obedience in the Same Direction" with the subtitle Discipleship in and Instant Society. Peterson walks through Psalm 120-134 gleaning the qualities that must be present in a true follower of Jesus Christ. For the next several blogs I will try to summarize the qualities that may help shed some light on what we need to be modeling and teaching as we attempt to disciple others.
The first concept we need to understand is "repentance". We do not become a true follower of Jesus until we come to a point of turning from our sin and intentionally turning toward a whole new lifestyle of following Christ. I truly believe that one cannot become a disciple until there is true repentance.
Unfortunately too many people want to come to Christ with an emotional decision that does not come with the mindful disgust of the world around us and a deep desire to live out something totally different.
The Psalmist writes in Psalm 120 I'm in trouble. I cry to God, desperate for an answer: "Deliver me from the liars, God! They smile so sweetly but lie through their teeth." Do you know what's next, can you see what's coming, all you barefaced liars? Pointed arrows and burning coals will be your reward. I'm doomed to live in Meshech cursed with a home in Kedar. My whole life lived camping among quarreling neighbors. I'm all for peace, but the minute I tell them, they go to war!
Repentance sees with disgust the world we live in and is convinced to live life differently.
Mencius said, "Before a man can do things there must be things he will not do.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Shepherd or CEO
One of the things I have discovered in the church today is that pastors are being held accountable to be the visionary leader for the church. This is a necessary ingredient for any church or organization, but it puts a not so subtle pressure on the pastor to be a CEO rather than a shepherd.
Our first priority should always be the shepherd. I believe we are called pastor not president or chairman.
Lest any of us fall into the trap of minimizing our need to shepherd the flock let me remind you that we were created for community. God was not pleased with his creation accept in one area. "It wasn't good for man to be alone".
When pastors turn into CEO's they can slowly remove themselves from the community. Let me share a paragraph from John Ortberg's book on community.
"To live in and contribute to God's dream of community is the reason you were born. It is what you were created for. Neglect this, and it doesn't matter what else you do--how many pyramids you build, how impressive your resume--you are at cross-purposes with the Gulf Stream. Neglect this, and you will die a failure. Devote yourself to this one task, to loving "as-is people" and no matter what else you may not achieve, you will lead a a magnificent life.
While being a visionary leader is important let us remember that first we are shepherds, guarding and protecting the integrity of the flock so that no sheep is left behind including ourselves.
Our first priority should always be the shepherd. I believe we are called pastor not president or chairman.
Lest any of us fall into the trap of minimizing our need to shepherd the flock let me remind you that we were created for community. God was not pleased with his creation accept in one area. "It wasn't good for man to be alone".
When pastors turn into CEO's they can slowly remove themselves from the community. Let me share a paragraph from John Ortberg's book on community.
"To live in and contribute to God's dream of community is the reason you were born. It is what you were created for. Neglect this, and it doesn't matter what else you do--how many pyramids you build, how impressive your resume--you are at cross-purposes with the Gulf Stream. Neglect this, and you will die a failure. Devote yourself to this one task, to loving "as-is people" and no matter what else you may not achieve, you will lead a a magnificent life.
While being a visionary leader is important let us remember that first we are shepherds, guarding and protecting the integrity of the flock so that no sheep is left behind including ourselves.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Temptation's Pitfalls
What is difficult for me as a pastor to pastor is to see various leaders lose their ministries because they have fallen to temptation. In my recent study of Joseph I was impressed by this young man's integrity in the incident with Potipher's wife. As I was reading Swindol's take on this incident I was impressed by his 4 requirements that we must meet in order to resist temptation. So here they are:
1. You must not be weakened by your situation. Often when we are the most trusted, respected, and secure in our situation we can be blindsided by temptation. It is not always when we are tired, vulnerable and burned out.
2. You must not be deceived by the persuasion. There are many rationalizations that become very persuasive in our minds to deceive us. The most common rationalization: "Just this once,", or "Who will ever find out?" "Isn't that what grace is all about?"
3. You must not be gentle with your emotions. In times of temptation our emotions try to dictate our behavior. It is in those times we need to keep them in check the most.
4. You must not be confused with immediate results. Just like Joseph, when we take the high road there may be some immediate consequences. The immediate results on the other hand can be very satisfying for the moment but in the long run bring grave consequences.
1. You must not be weakened by your situation. Often when we are the most trusted, respected, and secure in our situation we can be blindsided by temptation. It is not always when we are tired, vulnerable and burned out.
2. You must not be deceived by the persuasion. There are many rationalizations that become very persuasive in our minds to deceive us. The most common rationalization: "Just this once,", or "Who will ever find out?" "Isn't that what grace is all about?"
3. You must not be gentle with your emotions. In times of temptation our emotions try to dictate our behavior. It is in those times we need to keep them in check the most.
4. You must not be confused with immediate results. Just like Joseph, when we take the high road there may be some immediate consequences. The immediate results on the other hand can be very satisfying for the moment but in the long run bring grave consequences.
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