While reading materials, blog posts and Tweets today, I ran across a familiar word several times. When we talk about the message we have of God’s love, Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection, and the Spirit’s work in our lives, we tend to use the term “gospel.” But are we really doing justice to the term as we use it today? Or are we throwing the Gospel out into the world where it collides with unrealistic expectations and preconceived notions?
Tag: Life
Cheer `Em On
Isn’t it amazing how, regardless of the location, you rarely find empty seats in an Olympic venue? Here we are, a few days into the 2010 Games, and I can’t help but think of some implications the place we make for the Olympic Games versus some of the other elements of life.
Maybe it’s because football season is over, but do you take notice of the efforts spectators make to cheer on the representatives of their own countries? Thankfully we don’t see much of the shirtless, painted face variety that NFL stadiums attract. We do, however, see country colors, flags, and “official” Olympic gear. We hear chantings, screams of joy, and cow bells. We cheer on our favorite individuals and teams, and at times, we cheer on the other guys, too.
Because of “stuff” going on, I am reminded of a scene from a number of years ago. It holds a special place in my heart. It reminds us that sometimes the cheering of the “crowd” can motivate, encourage and breathe life into those in our church who often go unsung.
Lost Hope
Just finished Sunday’s message. I WANT TO LET IT OUT! I’ll try not to blog it early, but no promises.
As a way of getting around that, here are some lines I wrote in my journal today. Only a slice of it made it to the message, but it is definitely worth thinking about…
Sunday is Coming…Are You Ready?
Sunday the 24th we finished the “Life’s Healing Choices” series at our church. LHC was produced by Rick Warren and the Purpose-Driven crew, based around the book by John Baker. The series takes you through eight choices that, when put in place, help us find “freedom from hurts, hang-ups and habits.”
I heard about LHC through Rick Warren’s regular e-newsletter. It wasn’t long after first hearing about it that I felt we needed to bring LHC to our church. As assistant pastor I often recommend ideas to the senior pastor, and I put this one to him as soon as I felt confident of the need. A day later I received an email from him stating that he had seen something about it and was already considering LHC for the fall. With my email it became plain that God was leading us in this direction. We did have one hurdle to LHC. We were in the middle of a home group program we devised that was supposed to relaunch that fall. It was not a light decision to forego that program for LHC.
As we prepared to launch LHC, we announced it every Sunday, made 11 x 17 posters, hung a banner on the front wall of the sanctuary, put it on the website, and made special bulletins. We went all out. We announced that God was leading the leadership of the church to this program to help with some of the major issues in our local body. We announced that it was so important that other programs we were dedicated to would take a back seat to what God had led us to for the fall.
I received a call from the pastor just the other day. He mentioned an email he received this week from a member of our church. As the sermon closed on Sunday, this person realized that LHC was over, and they had missed the opportunity to really listen and respond because they had attended with no expectation. Now they were in a place where they wished they had listened and participated. Thankfully we have a plan to revisit LHC in the near future, and we keep recent sermons available to listen to online and on iTunes. But for this person the first crack at LHC had blown by without impact.
Sunday is right in front of us. What attitude will you bring to the table? What are you prepared to hear? Are you prepared at all for what is coming as you enter God’s house?
Do not let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity pass you by. For the hour or two that you will spend inside those doors, the music, the sermon, the altar call will only fit together in this way this one time. God will bring something new next week. But for this Sunday, He has put together a particular message for your heart. Will you be attentive? Will you heed what is placed before you? Or will you walk out unchanged, missing the point, only to find out later that you needed what was given that day? The choice is before you. Hopefully you get this warning in time.
Free from … ?
Before the holidays I started a discussion on the implications and uses of Romans 8:1. The first post reminded us that there is hope in Christ that when we sin, we are not condemned again and lose our salvation. Rather, having been made new in Christ and striving to live a life of holiness, we can be confident that we are in the hands of God and His grace extends to us when we fail, for we shall certainly do so until the day He returns or we are taken to be with Him.
I am reading my second title of the new year, and it has spurred me on to finish this thought started so long ago. The book is “The Pursuit of Holiness” by Jerry Bridges, and you will see a review of the book here when I finish reading it. For now, though, let us continue our thoughts on Romans 8:1.
Free from Condemnation
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…
(Romans 8:1, NIV)
Most Christan adults have read or heard this verse, written by Paul to the church in Rome. It is a verse that is quickly set to memory, and so finds itself quoted often.
I think, though, that this statement is often misused. Is it true? Indeed…and its truth is powerful and essential to our lives. The trouble comes when we misunderstand what is said, resulting in terrible misapplication.
Chris MacKinnon 