gospel

Transformative Worship

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1How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 2My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.

3Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!

Selah

5Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. 6As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. 7They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.

8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob!

Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!

10For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.

12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Psalm 84

Christian worship enters into the communion of God via the invitation and righteousness of Jesus Christ. Worship is a response to His grace. However, worship has a history and a future. We do not enter into the worship of God in a historical vacuum. Before the Temple, before the building of buildings, He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He met them in their journeying and in their tents.

When we rise to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we acknowledge the delight of being with Him in sacred community spaces and the reality of His presence with us through the journey of our lives. This Psalm of the Sons of Korah recognizes both realities.

Sacred space framed by architecture
“How lovely is your dwelling place.”
“My soul longs for the courts of the Lord.”
“Even the sparrow finds a home… at your altars.”
“Better is one day in your courts”


The reality of journey with God
“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.”
“No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
If your worship is space dependent I fear your journey with Jesus will not be transformative. But if your worship of God resonates with a Spirit-fuelled delight in God, then I trust your journey with Jesus will yield transformation wherever you live, work, or play.

Scarcity and worry. Part 3.

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32For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:32-34

One of the traits of an entrepreneur is that she is asking, “What do I want to do next?” I believe there is a related and similar question for the follower of Jesus.

However, scarcity and particularly worry about scarcity can keep us from asking the question and from giving our lives to the answer. Jesus is resetting the internal automation of the disciple. His Spirit is turning our affections and our questions towards Him.

So Jesus assures His disciples, My Father cares for you. My Father knows you. And now He assures them, if you are seeking His kingdom and His righteousness, God will add the “things” you require.

Here’s the question followers of Jesus are free to ask and to give themselves to daily: “My Heavenly Father, would you show me what you are doing in the world, and how you would like me to be a part of it?”

The question must come with a declaration of intent: “Lord, even as I go about the work of this day, I’m available to you for your Kingdom and for doing life in your ways.”

We really do have a hard time acting like we believe the Lord has an abundance of what we need for the trouble of this day. How often has obedience to Him been stopped in its tracks by worrying about “what if I don’t have enough… ?”

Let’s give our selves to the Lord Jesus Christ again believing He has enough.

Things I learned on the way to becoming a Christian

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testimony picture
(My mom’s testimony to a church group in the early 80’s.)
There are 5 topics or truths that I want to talk about.
1.  As the title implies, becoming a Christian isn’t a one-shot, all-at-once experience, though sometimes, we get the impression that it is.   Often, too much emphasis is placed on the initial conversion experience, and not enough on what difference it made in the rest of a person’s life.
            I used to worry about not having a dramatic conversion story to relate.  A 12-year old who went to church and Sunday school before and after conversion doesn’t quite make the TV talk shows.  Not dramatic enough.
            But I didn’t become a Christian that night during the summer revival, I only began the process.  I didn’t know that then, I just knew I felt great joy the day I was baptized in the river along with my brother and my father, and I felt great relief thereafter at not feeling guilty when the altar-call was given.  And that leads to the second point.
2.  Becoming a Christian means more than just being saved from Hell.  For awhile, I was happy just having that fire insurance.  I grew up hearing nothing but fire-and-brimstone preaching—- how hot the flames were for sinners.  It was some time before I gradually became aware of another aspect of being a Christian, my third point.
3.  We are saved for something, not just from something.  It was exciting to think that I, in all my uniqueness, was saved by God for something.  I had a responsibility to him—- I was accountable to Him to keep His spiritual laws.  And I planned what I would do for Him.   I was committed, I was willing, I would serve, I would witness, I would live a good life, and I would do great things for God!  The truth is, I did precious little for God.  For we are unable to achieve in our own strength.
4.  I had part of the story correct; I am responsible to God, I am accountable to Him to keep His spiritual laws, but the rest of the story is that it is only to the extent that God lives and works through me that my life counts for Him and I can fulfill my responsibility to Him.
         God lives and works through my life by His Holy Spirit.  The great interest in the “charismatic movement” several years ago stirred me to a greater realization of what being a Christian is.  Hearing people pray in tongues and seeing them “slain in the spirit” left me bewildered and feeling a little “left out.”  I became a seeker.  I began a prayerful study of the Bible concerning the Holy Spirit.  And I found Him—He was there all the time!
          Scripture tells us that we are the temples, or tabernacles, of the Holy Spirit.  Sometimes the tabernacle has to be cleaned out before He can dwell in it.  Some things that may clutter the tabernacle are hypocrisy, white lies, insincerity, cruel thoughts, whispered stories, gossip, hard criticism, jealous longings, pride and love of money.  Mine was full of self.
          If you are having a problem with the Holy Spirit living in your life, check your tabernacle, it may need cleaning out.  God doesn’t dwell in smokehouses and wine cellars and He can’t dwell in an already full tabernacle.  And another thing, not a pleasant topic to bring up, but one we can identify with— tabernacle-keeping is a lot like house-keeping.  An annual cleaning won’t do.   Monthly and weekly cleanings are good, but a daily tidying up is what is needed.
5.  The last point is that God is there all the time.  He works in our lives while we are just bumbling along, rolling with the punches and blowing in the breezes.  He works His purpose through us when we allow ourselves to be used and He rewards us with joy and peace.  That was something else I had to learn on my own, God’s joy and peace.   He gives joy in the midst of pain, peace in the midst of chaos, and courage in all trials.
I didn’t become a Christian at 12 years old, I just started to become.  I’m still becoming.
I have related to you some of the things I’ve learned over a span of thirty years.  I’m a slow learner.  Those of you who are also becoming, and especially beginners, I pray that your becoming will be more rapid than my own.
To summarize:  Becoming a Christian happens over a long period of time. We’re not just saved from Hell, we’re saved for God’s work, not by our own effort, but through His Holy Spirit in us, and God doesn’t give up  on us.  He is there all the time.  He is our strength.

the Resurrection of Jesus & the “new normal”

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Jesus who was crucified, is Risen.  To accept the Resurrection of Jesus as a new normal is to challenge what you believe about God, life, and yourself, it is to begin a journey with a new guide, and with new rules:  live by faith, not by sight.  The resurrection of Jesus as a new normal changes the way you do business.

1.  God matters.  Life is not about me.  God becomes the main character in the story of my life.  Its not about me or my family, or my country, its about Him.  The glory, honour, praise, of life is to be His.  True worship is something that seeps from my life because of WHO God is, not what I want Him to do for me.  To stand before the Resurrected Lord with Pride in my heart seems ludicrous and in fact can only produce fear or denial of Who Jesus really is.  To stand before the Resurrected Lord with humility and with the confidence of His acceptance of me is to know that life is not about me.  Its about Him.

“You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.  He has risen!”

If God is the main character of our life story, then our acceptance of the Resurrection of Jesus as the new normal promotes Him rightfully into the star role and not just our audience for whom we are performing.

“He became obedient to death—even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Philippians 2:9-11

The Sovereignty of God or the supremacy of Jesus over all things is not something we run from, but something we joyfully embrace.  For then life’s pain, suffering, trails, are not meaningless, but instead are made meaningful by the knowledge that the one who suffered on the Cross and was raised to life is able to accomplish His purposes and retain His glory in them and through them.

2.  Jesus is the victory.  Jesus has victory over death.  Jesus has the power.  Jesus has been promoted by God as judge over the living and dead.  By entrusting myself to Jesus and believing on him I have one who claims me as His own and is able to judge between all situations.

When a day’s work is done…you go home.

“He is headed to Galilee.”   Jesus is going home.  Death did not keep him down.  He is not stuck outside Jerusalem in shame.  He is going to Galilee.  He is going home.  He is going home victorious.

The new normal.  When confronted by my fear of people and the “death” they may inflict on me, the new normal of Jesus’ resurrection, reminds me that my life is hidden in Christ.  He is victorious over death.  Death is not the end.  physical death By entrusting myself to him and by believing on Him I am freed from the bondage of sin, of my sin, of the fear of death.

This is a new normal that I confess I am still getting used to.  This past year to be at the bedside of one of our members who was dying…  To share in that moment with the family… to have confidence of our eternity in Christ.  Jesus is the victor.  Paul said, “Oh death where is your is your victory where is your sting?” The sting of death is sink and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Corinthians 15:56-57

3.  My life matters to God.  The angel said, “Tell his disciples and Peter.”  To take a big view of creation is to be confronted with the smallness of ourselves.  To read the Scriptures is though is to be confronted with the bigness of God and His big interest in people.  I matter to God.   You matter to God.

Because the Resurrection of Jesus is the new normal the Cross of Jesus becomes a sign pointing to a new reality:  my life matters to God.

John 3:16 becomes personal

“Brothers, think of what you were when you were called.  Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  But God chose…”  1 Cor 1:26-27

“I chose you…”  John 15:16

God has chosen to share His mission of redemption with people.  He entrusts his Gospel to women and to men and says share this.  He takes an interest in the lives of people.  God is big enough for this.  And you matter enough to Him.  He knows your name.

The resurrection of Jesus created a new normal for the disciples’ view of the cross.  They would come to know that the cross showed that God would take extraordinary measures to show the glory of His grace.  Your life matters to God for it is intended to show the glory of His grace.  Sin distorts and hides His grace and glory.  You matter so much to God, that Jesus accepted the cross for the joy set before Him—the glory of the Father and the incredible treasure that would be His—people redeemed and saved.

4.  What Jesus says matters to me.  “There you will see Him, just as He told you.”   Christ is the authoritative voice in my life.  To accept the Resurrection of Jesus as the new normal is to accept that Jesus is now the authoritative voice for life.  Everything Jesus taught has new authority.  And now by the power of His Holy Spirit made available by the Resurrected Jesus I enter into a real living relationship.

Jesus is exalted as Lord of my life, and has become my shepherd’s voice.  So as I look back on His teachings I am also seeking to hear his voice for today.  Jesus is a living Lord, not a dead voice speaking from the past.  His voice and word is present, not just past or future.  Today Jesus can speak to me and guide me into his paths of life.  I expect that the Word of God is a living Word giving not only wisdom for my relationships, but directives about what I do in response to this grace of God.  I am united with Jesus in his death.  I am united with Jesus in his resurrection.  The disciples were to go to Galilee to meet Him.  But now by His Spirit He meets me wherever I am.  Learning to hear His voice and know Him is the essential relationship I now enter into when I accept the Resurrection of Jesus as the new normal.

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he will strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”  Ephesians 3:16-17

You and I lack spiritual comprehension.  Unless the Holy Spirit intervenes we are left with only. hearing about the resurrection of Jesus.  By the power of the Holy Spirit we We miss the new normal.
A new normal is on your doorstep.  To be with Jesus in His Resurrection is to let Him create a new normal in your life where
1.  God matters to you & life is not all about you.
2.  Jesus is the victor.
3.  Your life matters to God.
4.  What Jesus says matters to you.

To face life with the Resurrected Jesus means that when life presents me with “new normals” that challenge the very core of who I am, I face them not alone, but with Him.

The Gospel in all its forms, by Timothy Keller

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Last night I ran across this article again by Timothy Keller on The Gospel in All its Forms.  I appreciate the article because Keller pulls back together confidence in a clear, straightforward and “simple” presentation of the Gospel and respect for the breadth of the Gospel.  Read