"I Am the Vine"

A sermon I gave this morning.

**********************************************************
On this 2^nd Sunday in Lent we continue a series entitled “The I’s of Jesus”. We are going to be spending the majority of our time in John 15:1-11, focusing especially on verses 5-11. My hope this morning is to key in on 2 main themes of this passage: Jesus as the True Vine and Being Connected to the Vine.

Jesus as the True Vine

Notice that Jesus uses the phrase “I Am” two times in this passage and follows each of them with the “true vine” and the “vine”. It’s important that we recognize the significance of these few words. Remember the story of a guy named Moses (Exodus 3:11-14) who was out in the wilderness watching his father in-law's sheep and how he comes across a bush that was burning but wasn't burning up? God starts talking to Moses from this bush and tells him to go get the Israelites out of Egypt. After some discussion Moses is finally convinced to go but before he does he asks a very logical question, “Who should I tell them has sent me?” because he knew that the people would ask. God’s response…”I am who I am. Tell them I AM has sent you.” Jesus is making a statement of authority and His relationship to God the Father by using this phrase.

The other word that is significant, “vine”. Many times in the Old Testament Israel is symbolized as a vine but is usually noted as lacking something. An example of this can be found in Jeremiah 2:21, “I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?” Another example of this is Isaiah 5:1-7. Notice the contrast between an unfaithful, disobedient Israel and a completely obedient and righteous Jesus.

Jesus is letting us know that what He has to offer is like nothing else out there. He calls Himself the “bread of life”, “good shepherd”, “light of the world”, “the way, the truth and the life”. He tells a Samaritan woman (John 4:1-26) at a well that He has “living water” to offer her so that she won’t thirst anymore. She’s confused because she doesn’t see how He is going to make that happen since He doesn’t even have a bucket but eventually she tells Him the Messiah will come and explain everything to her. Jesus politely responds, “I who speak to you am he.”

Jesus is telling us that He is the real deal. He is telling us that He can be trusted with our hearts, our minds, our relationships, our families, our careers, our worries, our doubts, our questions…our very lives. Look at verse 4, this is a promise. Jesus has no intentions of going anywhere unless you and I tell Him to. Verse 5, apart from Jesus, we got nothing. Every other vine that you and I try to hold onto; power, prestige, wealth, all the earthly desires of our hearts leave us flat on our back and empty in our heart because they can’t handle the weight of our shame, guilt, regret or the weight of our desires to be sustained, fulfilled and joyful. This is what makes Jesus the True Vine. There was an image that kept coming to mind as I spent time on this message…

Now, please don’t think I’m telling you this because I work for a church and I get paid to say these kind of things. I am saying this as someone whose life has been changed by holding onto Jesus.

Being Connected to the Vine

Now, there may be a few questions that come up at this point like:

How do I know if I’m connected?

How do I stay connected?

What is this fruit that I keep hearing about?

You know you are connected to the Vine when you have told God that you are going to let go of all of the other things that you have been holding onto instead of Jesus and hold onto Him. When you have allowed Jesus to be your Savior AND Lord. What I mean by this is that you haven’t simply used Jesus as a ticket to heaven and then continued to live however you please but rather give Him not only your eternal life but your daily life. This is called discipleship. Verse 7 & 8, I know I’m connected when the things I wish for are the very same things God tells me in His Word He desires for me. The things He wants to do in me and through me. Jesus is not telling us that we have access to a personal genie but rather He is telling us what it looks like to be a disciple. This means we are going to bear fruit because that’s what happens when you and I are connected to the Vine but please understand that this is not easy. It requires commitment and sacrifice and discipline to produce this kind of fruit.

What’s the fruit of a disciple look like…love, a love that is self-denying and self-sacrificing. Paul talks about this fruit in Galatians 5:22-24. A love that through obedience leads to complete joy, verses 9-11. A couple religious guys are talking to Jesus when they ask this question in Matthew 22:36-40. You are a disciple of Jesus if you obey His commands to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself. This is the fruit that we are expected to bear as disciples to everyone we meet.

Let’s talk gardening for a second. Honestly I know very little about it but as I spent some time researching the process of pruning, I came to a better understanding of why Jesus calls God the gardener and why you and I need to be pruned every so often. I’m sure many of you know about pruning and how it is a process of trimming away things that stunt growth, things that keep the plant from producing the most fruit possible. Discipleship, which requires being connected to the Vine involves spiritual pruning. God shows us places in our lives that are getting in the way of loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and others as ourselves and wants us to offer them to Him so He can cut them away from our lives.

How do we stay connected…We stay connected by allowing God to prune away the things in our lives that get in the way of us being disciples. Sometimes we don’t know what needs to be pruned or if we’re honest, don't want to be pruned but we must trust God as the gardener knowing that He wants us to have complete joy in Him. There may be something that comes to mind as you’re sitting there right now that the gardener needs to prune from your life, things like envy, greed, lust, pride, jealousy, deceit. The Holy Spirit uses different tools to prune us, a couple examples of those tools would be; Scripture, prayer and community (aka the church). To stay connected to the Vine we have to make these a significant part of our lives because it’s in these that we find encouragement, support, challenge and growth. We cannot stay connected in isolation.

And so the questions that we’re left with as we wrap up our time together…

Are you connected to the True Vine? If not, what is keeping you from connecting with Jesus?

Have you fallen off the True Vine and do you need to reconnect?

And if you’re connected, are you finding ways to stay connected?

Don't Call It A Comeback?

On my way into the office today I was listening to the news on NPR and in between the news of GM nearing bankruptcy and the poor leadership of AIG I caught a glimmer of hope....earth's true friend Captain Planet is making a comeback! I'm not sure how you feel about this or how many of you even know who Captain Planet is but this could be HUGE not only for the environment but also for the economy(?). Think of all the new action figures that will need to be made, not to mention the solar powered flashlights (figure that one out).

And so the million (or maybe billion if you've recently received any sort of bailout) dollar question is...Which one of the 'Planeteers' would you be and why?

A Week In So Far

It can become so easy to forget about Jesus. We lose Him in the midst of day planners, iPhones, budgets, Facebook, text messaging, work stress, Twitter, relationships, etc. It's scary when I realize how often I forget about Him throughout my day. If it really is all about Him (which I believe it is), then I do a pretty poor job at times of really making it all about Him.

I find this time of year, the Lenten season, to be a powerful reminder that it is all about Jesus and what He endured on our behalf. Lent is a perfect time to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross" (Heb. 12:2). And so it seems appropriate to ask ourselves the question,

We're a week into Lent and...??

Catching Up

Remember when I started reading Jesus Wants to Save Christians: A Manifesto for the Church in Exile by Rob Bell and Don Golden a month ago? Well, I finally got around to finishing it up in between all of the reading I have for the 2 classes I'm taking right now. I think I like this one the most of the couple that Rob Bell has written. Overall I thought it was pretty good; a quick ready but it also had some interesting points to think about and certainly be challenged by. They draw some extreme parallels that I'm not sure I agree or disagree with at this point but nonetheless they have given me some things to think about.

On a completely separate note, have you ever been so frustrated with something that it actually makes you feel exhausted?

Movie Reviews

This past Saturday Tai and I, along with a couple friends, went to a movie marathon at a local theater that showed the 5 films nominated for "Best Picture". The first movie started at 10:30am and the last one started at 9:45pm. Needless to say it was a great day of sitting around, eating lots of popcorn and drinking lots of coke (and we cheated because we had already seen one of the movies so we left for about 3.5hrs while our friends stayed the whole time). Below are some of my thoughts on the 5 movies in the order they were played on Saturday.

Overall a pretty good movie. Homosexuality is such an interesting topic and I think the movie did a good job of making the point that discrimination for any reason is NOT cool. And though I don't think this particular lifestyle is God's plan for His creation it was a good reminder to me that the Church must be a place of love, love through truth and grace.

I thought Sean Penn did a great job as Harvey Milk by capturing the viewers attention and emotions throughout the entire film. Overall I would rank this movie at #3 (though extremely close to being a tie for #2) out of the 5 nominations.
*Disclaimer: strong sexual themes, language


I did not find this movie to be particularly interesting or really that good for that matter. I was somewhat surprised to see Kate Winslet win "Best Actress" for this film but I also did not see any of the other movies containing the "Best Actress" nominees. I personally did not think that the plot, storyline or characters of this film were strong enough to wade through the uncomfortable amount of awkward and unnecessary nudity. Overall I felt like the movie was fairly weak and did a poor job of engaging the viewer. This movie was #5 of 5 and would not earn a recommendation from me.
*Disclaimer: nudity


I thought this was a fairly entertaining film but that goes to figure as it is based off the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald written in 1922. I liked that the story was something different and found it interesting but they should have taken note from the original in that it was a short story. The movie is 166mins long and seems much longer still. A good story but not strong enough to be strentched into an almost 3yr movie. I thought Brad Pitt did fine, nothing spectacular and in my opinion, not even worthy of a "Best Actor" nomination. This gets my #4 of 5 for the day. I would recommend it if it didn't feel soooooo long toward the end.


Great movie! Completely deserving of winning "Best Picture" as it was by far the strongest overall film of the day. Everything from the story, characters, music, scenerary fit perfectly together. This film is put together extremely well and takes the viewer on an emotional adventure through the valley of loss, desperation and longing onto the mountaintop of joy, perseverance, determination and love. I'm not sure I can say enough about how good a movie I thought this was. While I found this film to be quite entertaining I also couldn't help but notice the extreme poverty that so many people in the world live in with little to no chance of every breaking the cycle. I think a good movie is one that can entertain, engage and humble the viewer at the same time. This easily gets my #1 of 5 vote and a recommendation.


This movie pleasantly surprised me as it was the last movie of the marathon day, starting at 9:45pm. My initial thought was that this was going to be a killer movie to see as the last one because it had the potential to be incredibly boring but ended up being quite enjoyable. Though the whole Watergate scandal is still fairly confusing to me, even after watching the movie, I thought it was well done and well put together. There were enough things going on that kept me engaged in the story, despite the fact that it was centered around the idea of 2 guys sitting down talking to each other for something like 12hrs. I thought that both Frank Langella as Nixon and Michael Sheen as Frost did a great job. Surprisingly enough, I would recommend this movie as it got #2 of 5 on the day.
*Disclaimer: language

2 Questions: Part IV

I've been taking some time to read, study and think about this whole discipleship thing. I feel like the more time I spend with this idea of discipleship the closer I come to the conclusion that it has become something that is seen as optional in the life of a Christian, and to be honest, I'm not really sure Jesus gives us the option or not. I mean, it kind of seems like we're either going to follow Him or we're not. None of this lukewarm stuff, hot or cold.

I don't think Jesus intended discipleship to be something on the menu of Christian faith as a side item. "Yeah, I'll take the forgiveness & salvation combo meal with grace as my dessert. Can you leave off the discipleship cause I'm not really feeling that right now." I'm just not convinced it works this way and as a matter of fact, I think being a disciple comes with the whole I'm-a-Christian package. Is it possible that to be a Christian is to be a disciple? Can one be a Christian without being a disciple of Christ? Maybe it's our level of discipleship that is the question not necessarily our level of Christianity (ha, whatever that means)?

It would seem that in order for one to know where one is in his or her discipleship journey it would be important to understand what a disciple of Jesus looks like. We'll spend some time going over that in 2 Questions: Part V. Look how much fun we're having with just two "simple" questions.

2 Questions: Part III

Thanks to everyone that took some time to read and respond to 2 Questions: Part I and 2 Questions: Part II. I've really enjoyed checking out what you had to say in response to those 2 questions. Certainly plenty to think about and hopefully continue to discuss.

My thoughts:

• The purpose of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus.
• A disciple, in its most generic form can be described as a student, pupil or follower who makes it his/her primary purpose to learn from and be like the one s/he is following or being taught by. With that being said, a disciple of Jesus is someone who makes following Jesus through thought, word and deed his/her focus.

Back in Jesus' day, not unlike today, it was possible to tell which leader a disciple was learning from based on the way the student acted and reacted, talked and thought. It's the idea of the student trying to be so much like the teacher that the student starts to take on the identity of the teacher. In our case that means that as we grow closer and closer to Jesus, people begin to see more of Him and less of us.

Discipleship is a process and a journey in our relationship with Jesus. This discipling relationship that Jesus invites us into is never stagnant so continually asking ourselves whether we are moving closer to or further away from Him is a great way to gauge where we are in the process of becoming a disciple of Jesus.

Pride & Anger

My sermon from this morning.
**********************************************************
Pride & Anger

We are going to take a look at a story about a journey inward. A journey that pride and anger can take us on that turns into an obsession with ourselves. We’ll see how they magnify and pervert the natural love for self into a disdain for others. And so the challenge for us is to see ourselves in this story because our natural thought process begins with the thought of ‘me’.

2 Chronicles 26

Some background…at this point in the history of the Jewish people the kingdom is divided between Israel to the north and Judah to the south. It is during the reigns of Jeroboam II in Israel and Uzziah in Judah that the borders of the kingdoms briefly reached the extent they had been under the united kingdom of David and his son Solomon, some 140yrs earlier. This would be extremely significant to the citizens of the two kingdoms because it was reestablishing the kingdoms’ power and glory of old and the kings who were able to do such a thing would be greatly loved by the people. So, keeping all of this in mind we begin our story in 2 Chronicles 26.

Uzziah was “born into” what he had and his position.

-he found support from his family

He did right in the eyes of the Lord. (4)

He sought God (5)

-God was his first priority, his first thought

He was instructed in the fear of the Lord.

God gave him success as long as he sought Him. (5)

He went to war and God helped him. (6)

-he found support from God

His fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful. (8)

-a sense of entitlement starts to creep in

He built towers and wells and fortified the city. (9-10)

He had people working in his fields and vineyards. (10)

-pride makes us think that we are doing people a favor by allowing them to work for us or be in our presence

He had a well-trained army that was ready to go out. (11)

-another example of support

His fame spread far and wide because he was greatly helped UNTIL he became powerful. (15)

-pride usually shows up when we are at our best

-pride makes us forget the support we have received from others and twists it into the thought that we have somehow made it on our own

-he found support until he abused it

His power, which led to pride, led to his downfall. (16)

He was unfaithful to the Lord and blatantly disobeyed God’s commands. (16)

-pride is that thing that makes me think I have all the right answers or the right to judge others as not having them because in the back of my mind, I believe God agrees with me.

-as Christians sometimes it’s easy for us to fall into “spiritual pride” which can take a couple different forms:

-it can be the mindset that I have the ability or right to judge another’s spiritual condition

-it can also be the mindset that believes I have the ability or right to hold onto things even after Christ has forgiven them, whether they were committed by myself or someone else

-“pride made the soul desert God, to whom it should cling as the source of life, and to imagine itself instead as the source of its own life.” Augustine

He was confronted with the painful truth. (17-18)

-it takes courage (and sometimes other people) to confront a prideful person

PAUSE (to take a look at Anger)

At this point he has a choice…

He became angry. (19)

-he could deal with his anger in a Godly way or sin in his anger

-notice that the leprosy doesn’t show up until the misuse of anger, the raging

He rages against the priests. (19)

-he took it out on others, people who even cared for him.

UNPAUSE (back to Pride)

His pride continued even in God’s presence. (19-20)

-once he realized it, he wanted out

-there is a sense or feeling of regret but the damage had already been done

His pride resulted in loneliness which led to pain, isolation and eventually death. (21)

-pride eliminates every life-giving relationship we have to enjoy

The remedy…

Service. The very thing that Jesus calls us to be is a servant because it forces us to think outside ourselves, to look outward as opposed to inward. True service naturally requires humility. We are forced to recognize that it is not about me.

2 Questions: Part II

Thanks to everyone that took some time to read and respond to 2 Questions: Part I. I've really enjoyed reading over and thinking about your comments. I thought there were some really great points made in response to the 1st question, I would love to hear you elaborate on a few of them. I found it interesting that no one used the word 'disciple'.

For me the purpose of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus.

Over the past couple weeks there has been some buzz surrounding 2 questions at our church and I thought it could be kind of interesting to get your thoughts on those very same questions. I'm not going to give any explanation or share any of my thoughts yet because I would hate to 'taint' your view but would invite you to comment and join in on the discussion that follows. Notice the 2nd question below. Please feel free to respond to either or both if you haven't already and you want to share your thoughts. I'll give you a few days to think and share and then I'll post some thoughts and ideas.

The 2nd of 2 questions is:

-What is the purpose of the church?
-What is a disciple?

"Jesus Wants to Save Christians: A Manifesto for the Church in Exile"

I just started reading Jesus Wants to Save Christians: A Manifesto for the Church in Exile written by Rob Bell & Don Golden. I'm only 2 chapters in but find it to be a pretty easy read (once you get past the odd formatting and wasted page space) and not too bad so far. I like the way the book retraces the Old Testament story and am hoping it doesn't quickly become a political commentary. I guess only time will tell. A couple things that jumped out at me so far:

"This God doesn't need images in the form of wood or stone or marble, because this God has people.

This God is looking for a body." (Pg 33-34)

"God gives power and blessing so that justice and righteousness will be upheld for those who are denied them." (Pg 44)

"Weeping leads us to reconnect with God." (Pg 53)

"Our tears are sacred. They water the ground around our feet so that new things can grow." (Pg 53 *possible quote from Anne Lamott as noted by the authors)

"The first exodus was just a hint of the redemption God has in mind for all of humanity." (Pg 56)

Midwinter Rooftops

I was awakened this morning at 4:27am by the steady, rhythmic sound of an unidentified dripping. It took me a minute to locate the drip and figure out where it was coming from. It was about this time last year when the drip was actually landing in our bedroom but fortunately this time the drip was only able to get as far as the outside windowsill. Over the past couple days we've gotten over a foot of snow and after lying there for a couple minutes I decided I had to do something about this persistent little drip. So I told my wife that I was going to go up on the roof and shovel it off and after explaining to her that: a) yes I meant right then and b) yes I was aware what time it was she told me to take my phone with me in case of an emergency.

Fortunately the only thing I used my phone for was to take some pictures after I finished clearing off the roof. Though it was a little chilly I found it to be quite peaceful as I looked out over the snow-covered rooftops in my neighborhood thinking that I was pretty thankful to have a roof to have to shovel off. I also realized that I am thankful for the people that get up that early on a regular basis to do things like clear roads, turn on lights in buildings, make coffee, warm-up school buses, make sure things are working like they should, etc. for the rest of the world that wakes-up hours later.

Reconnection

I don't know if you've ever had the chance to reconnect with a relative after a number of years or what that experience might have been like for you but I had the opportunity to do just that tonight over dinner. I came to find out that one of my cousins works for a company that has a regional office here in Indy and he decided to call me up to see if we could get together and I'm glad he did.

A little background...My dad's side of the family is from Bay City, MI (which is where I was born) and we would travel there every year to celebrate Christmas with that side of the family. Well, as I got older and eventually moved to Indiana and got married I was not always able to make it up there during Christmastime. This year was no exception but apparently as my dad was there with his side of the family he was talking to this cousin who mentioned that he traveled down to Indy quite often and so my dad gave him my cell number. I got a call this past Friday night from my cousin letting me know he would be in town for a couple days this week and so we planned to get together. Which we did tonight.

I honestly don't remember the last time he and I have had the chance to sit and talk like we did tonight but I know it was certainly before either of us had "real" jobs, wives or houses. It was great to hear that he and his wife were doing well, that work was going well for him and share some memories we had of Grandma & Grandpa's house during family gatherings. Besides getting a chance to reconnect with him it was pretty cool to be reminded that I am a part of something bigger, that goes beyond myself and my little world. Thank God for inviting us to be a part of something even bigger still.

2 Questions: Part I

Over the past couple weeks there has been some buzz surrounding 2 questions at our church and I thought it could be kind of interesting to get your thoughts on those very same questions. I'm not going to give any explanation or share any of my thoughts yet because I would hate to 'taint' your view but would invite you to comment and join in on the discussion that follows. I'm only going to ask 1 question to start as the 2nd question is dependent upon the potential responses to the 1st. I'll give you a few days to think and share and then I'll post some thoughts and ideas.

The 1st of 2 questions is:

-What is the purpose of the church?

A New Chapter to a Great Story

The significance of today can not be understated. For the first time in our nation's history we have elected someone other than an older white guy as our president. Not only is this a HUGE step for the Unite States as a country but also for the way in which we are perceived around the world. I hope and pray that other nations will begin to see that our internal race relations are moving in the right direction and though we still lag behind other countries, progress is being made.

It's important in the midst of all the hype, historical significance and celebration that we remember the role that Christ plays in this unprecedented event. Especially as people who would call ourselves Christian because if it were not for Christ, none of this would be possible. Let us be reminded of two important things as we commemorate this day:

1. Paul tells us in his letter to the Ephesians, "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility" (2:14). Jesus has always been and will always be about tearing down the things that divide us...gender, race, economics, education, politics, etc. Jesus is all about life-transforming change and it's in this type of change where we are able to truly find hope.

2. God puts leaders in their place of leadership and uses them to accomplish His purpose. God is telling a story through His Son and through His Church, the authorities have been put in place to not only be a part of that story but also to advance it. You may not agree with the party affiliation, the policies or the rhetoric but as Christians we can not argue the fact that God is in control, has a story to tell and is going to make sure it is heard. We are simply called to play our part.

Congratulations are due to everyone for whom this day holds special significance, which in reality should be every single citizen of the United States. I am excited to see the changes that God will bring about through a new administration which, whether they are aware of it or not, will be used to tell His story.

When is Enough Enough?

The war in Gaza has to stop! It is getting sickening hearing the reports of Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip over the past couple weeks and the relative silence from the international community. I know that various international organizations are calling for an immediate ceasefire but refuse to put any "teeth" behind these calls for peace and so the result of these calls has been nothing. In fact, Israel has actually "stepped up" their assault into Gaza which has caused more than 1,000 deaths, over half of which have been civilians.

I understand that we are about to witness two history making administrations enter and leave the office of president but can we continue to sit in silence as a country, blindly (in my opinion) giving our support to any action that Israel feels they need or want to take? Of course I know there are various views on this sensitive subject but at what point is enough enough? I have no doubt that there is a lot of information that I am not aware of concerning this conflict between Israel and Palestine, is there enough for me to keep from describing Israel's actions as 'excessive force', not sure. I can't help but think about the story of a young shepherd boy who faced off against a giant, armor covered warrior carrying a spear, sword and shield...which is somewhat ironic since most Israelis would know this story quite well. What's sad is that the young boy in our story today doesn't stand a chance.

Routine

I like to pretend that I am the sort of person that likes to "fly by the seat of his pants", is super laid back and not only doesn't need a routine but will actually go against any resemblance of one. I must confess that I think the routine is back and I'm looking forward to it.

The past couple weeks have contained holidays, travel, family, me turning 30, vacation, and a week down in Kentucky taking a class. I'm finally home with no major holidays in the near future or any anticipated time off and I think I'm actually excited. I think I'm looking forward to heading into the office tomorrow morning ready to find my groove and get some stuff done. It's almost like the new year has officially begun for me this week. I'm feeling weirdly motivated, disciplined and excited to get things going and the idea of a routine makes me think those things might just be possible. I guess only time will tell.

Caller ID

So often we hear people talk about their "calling" in life and typically we take that to be the thing they were meant to do. When someone who identifies himself or herself as a Christian talks about "calling" we generally assume the same thing with the added caveat that it is God who is doing the "calling".

Today was the first day of a class I'm taking this week at Asbury Theological Seminary for my Masters in Christian Leadership. The class is called Christian Leadership Development and today we spent a little time talking about people's callings. We talked about how what you do is not the calling; teaching, writing, administrating, painting, singing, etc. but rather where you do it is the calling. If you have been given the gift to teach, then you should know that and do it wherever you are regardless of where that is, God will call you when He wants you to do it some place else.

This got us thinking a little bit about where God might call you and I to go...Is there anywhere He doesn't call us to go? Is it possible that He has called some of us to go to places that we might normally be ashamed to go? Might there be some of us out there that have heard the Holy Spirit calling to us to go somewhere but we were too afraid of what people might think or say if we actually went? All the more reason to be walking closely with Him so that when He does call, we know exactly who it is.

Another Year

First let me say "Happy New Year!" I hope that your new year festivities were safe and great. I don't know if anyone made resolutions for 2009 but I'm still thinking, so if there are any suggestions let me know.

Today also happens to be my 30th birthday. Now, I don't say that to get birthday wishes but simply to say that I've been thinking about the past 30yrs of my life. It's interesting to look back and see the different ways, places and people that God uses to impact, direct and guide our lives. While the new year turns our attention to the future, I think it's important to keep in mind the things that God has brought us through to get to this point.

"Out with the Old..."

A sermon I gave this morning.
**********************************************************
I'm not sure if you've been to the new Indianapolis Airport but I’ve been there quite a bit over the past 2 weeks to drop off and pickup different family members. I have yet to actually go inside but from the outside it seems pretty nice. My sister and I were getting ready to leave my house to get her to the airport when she heads inside, grabs the bathroom scale and begins weighing her luggage in my driveway. There is a certain weight limit and if you go over it you have to pay extra and as I’m talking to her about her giant piece of luggage, which was as a matter of fact over the weight limit, she told me that most airlines are now charging for checked baggage. It’s hard to believe that you have to pay for even 1 checked bag and to check 2 cost even more. I guess the more baggage you have, the more it will cost you.

We find ourselves again at the end of another year. Christmas has passed, the visitors have all left the manger scene and we’re left cleaning up after all of the holiday parties. The beginning of a new year is such an interesting time to me because we hear so much about doing this or doing that. Maybe like me you find yourself saying things like, “This year I’m really gonna do it.” or “Things are going to be different this time around.” and yet we find ourselves lugging around baggage that we’re still paying for.

This morning I want to talk about a couple things that perhaps are weighing some of us down. Things that need to go. Baggage that you and I need to check at the feet of Jesus because it’s costing us way to much to keep carrying around. My hope is to challenge us to be thinking along the lines of “Out with the Old, In with the New”. Next week Rodney will be talking about “In with the New” and on this last Sunday of 2008 I’m going to spend some time talking about “Out with the Old”. There are a couple things that come to mind when I think about Scripture with this “Out with the Old” perspective that I hope will challenge you and I to think about the things we have been carrying around that need to go.

Names were a big deal in Bible times. They were more than just simply something to call someone, they were a person’s identity. A person’s name described their perceived purpose, calling or personality. A couple examples: (Gen. 17:4-6) Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of many), (Gen. 25:25-27) Jacob (he grasps the heel, figuratively he deceives) and Esau (may mean hairy but he was also called Edom which means red), (Matt.16:17-18) Peter (rock), the different names of Jesus….. Names were a means of finding identity, sometimes good and sometimes not so good. The key for us is this idea of identity. Is there baggage in your life that is keeping you from the identity that God desires for you? This baggage might be our own fault or the fault of someone else and yet everyday that goes by with us still holding onto it, we pay a price.

You might remember a story in the early Old Testament about this guy Moses who was out shepherding some sheep when he saw a burning bush. God tells him to get his brother Aaron and go tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. After a number of visits and signs Pharaoh is convinced to let them go. So over 600,000 people leave Egypt for the Promised Land but on the way some of the people start to have bad attitudes. They start to whine and grumble, cursing their leaders and doubting God. All of this even after God provides for their needs and guess what God says, “Out with the Old.” Numbers 14:26-35. Are we holding onto a resentful or bitter attitude that needs to go? Is a certain perspective costing us our ability to love and be loved? Do we need to take a second look at the perception of God we have been carrying around for some time now?

So much of what we hear about resolutions for the new year have to do with getting rid of baggage that we have been carrying around for way too long. I’m not talking so much about the baggage around our midsections, though almost half of the top resolutions deal with weight and health, but rather the baggage we carry around from past hurts, choices, attitudes, words said or not said, actions done or left undone. We have been carrying some of this old baggage around for long enough, isn't it time to let it go? That baggage might have to do with family, friends, a spouse, an ex-spouse, a co-worker, yourself or even God. What better time than now to get out with the old so that we can get in with the new?

Christmas Kaleidoscope

Welp, it's the day after Christmas, we are currently experiencing a thunderstorm(got to love midwest weather, they are saying it could be 65 tomorrow?!?) and it's been a long time since I last posted. Overall I would say I did a pretty decent job of keeping things simple throughout this holiday season and am hoping to continue this concept of simplicity right into the new year.

How did you manage? Did you find Christmas time this year to be especially meaningful or special? OR Did you find it particularly difficult to find the Christmas spirit this time around?

Tai and I had a great time visiting friends and family, volunteering with an inner city church that provided presents, clothes and food to over 100 families for Christmas, see people excited about gifts they recieved and experienced people being way too generous to us. Overall it has been a great past two weeks. Here are a couple random pics for no particular reason.

*Here's our Christmas tree. You could probably say it is "non-traditional" but that is the advantage of being married to an artist. In the picture on the right you'll also notice our new front door that was about 2yrs in the picking out/deciding/ordering/scheduling/having put in....

*Not only am I not good at picking out gifts for other people, unless of course you're my brother who likes everything I like which makes it really easy, I am also really bad at wrapping presents. I bet you can't guess which gifts Tai wrapped for me and which ones I wrapped for her. We had a hard time keeping the camera still and getting it to focus as you can see in the blurriness.

Keeping It Simple?

How have you been doing so far this holiday season? Have you been finding ways to slow down and keep it simple? I know I haven't posted in a while and I apologize for those that have been paying attention but I'm sure like me you are finding that it's not so simple to keep things simple.

I had the opportunity, as I do every year, to read the Christmas story to a group of kindergartners from one of our preschools yesterday. I always think it's going to be harder than it ever is. I worry that the little kids will think I'm boring or won't pay attention or even worse, start crying and yet, none of those ever happen.

I leave my time with these little kids always reminded of the simplicity of the season. It starts from the very beginning of my time with them when I ask them what Christmas is all about and some 5yr old shouts, "God sends us a present!" and another one follows with, "It's Jesus' birthday!!"...I'm not sure I could say it any better myself.

"Black Friday" Etiquette

No, I did not get up ridiculously early to go stand outside in the cold and wait in line only to walk away empty handed. Actually, I didn't go at all. I know my sister and her husband did, it seems as though they have made this a sort of tradition for themselves. He got up at 3:45am and headed to a popular electronics store after which he headed home to pick up my sister because she wanted to "sleep in" until 4:30am. The two of them proceeded to navigate their way through the maze of sleepy-eyed shoppers and deals galore (or so I've heard).

On our way to our relatives on Thanksgiving day we passed a popular electronics store where there was already a tent set up outside the front door and it was only 12:45pm. This got me thinking and led to some discussion later in the weekend about the proper etiquette for waiting in line during the wee hours of the morning on "Black Friday"(click to find out why it's called that if you're not sure)...

1. If you get there early and setup a tent, do you have to stay in the tent or are you free to leave it and come back when you want to?

2. Is it possible for some object or person to save your place in line?

3. Is it common for people to take shifts waiting in line? If so, are the other people in line cool with this?

4. What is the deal or what would the deal have to be in order to motivate an individual to forfeit an entire night of sleep to go wait outside in the cold only to go shopping?

5. Are there any sort of "deals" that are being made while in line? Trading/selling item coupons or tickets, place in line, coffee, etc.? Is that generally frowned upon?

6. Shouldn't the fact that a store worker in NY was trampled to death as the doors were opened early Friday morning make us question our priorities as a society?

If you know the answer to any of these questions or have experienced any of these different "Black Friday" scenarios, please tell. Or if you have a story or a great deal that you got because you decided to wake-up before the rest of the world did, let us know.

That Time of Year

I'm sitting here at my dining room table looking outside noticing that pretty much all of the leaves have fallen off the trees in my neighborhood, it's cold out, and the holiday season is upon us as Thanksgiving is now only days away. Before you know it, it will be 2009 and we'll all wonder where the last month of the year went. I don't know about you but it's at this point in the year for me when time seems to fly by. Between all of the hussle and bussle of the season, traveling to see family, Advent events at church, using vacation time before the end of the year, scrambling to figure out program budgets for 2009, end of year meetings, etc etc I start wondering if I'll be around for the holidays, let alone enjoy them.

I was driving around town the other day and saw a bumper sticker that said, "Put Christ back in Christmas." I started thinking about that and two thoughts got stuck in my head:

• Bummer for anyone that has already taken Him out of it.
• Christmas is about Christ, it's that simple.
  

Our senior pastor just finished leading a class called 'Simplifying Christmas', which talked about practical ways to keep the holiday season simple. You know, things like don't buy an excessive amount of gifts for people, don't spend all of your time running around but enjoy the friends and family you're with or don't waste a lot of money on presents. I like this time of year and am not someone that gets stressed because of everything going on but I can get too busy and then I find myself missing the main points...a) be thankful and b) the coming of Christ. I am determined to keep this time of year slow and simple.

The Humility to Change

I have to admit that I have never really thought about the relationship between change and humility until 'dk', a now frequent commenter to this blog, brought up the question. (See his comment here.) The more I think about it, the more I see humility being a necessary component for change. And when I say change, I mean life transforming change that actually moves us from one point to another in our lives, not just changing something temporarily only to go right back to the beginning.

As I mentioned before, I think there is a certain amount of surrender that must take place in order to change and to do that, humility is required. To get to the point of realizing that you can't do it on your own and to give up control (though many times we realize we don't really control as much as we think) is a humbling experience because in a sense we are saying that this situation or needed change is beyond me. I have tried on my own to make this change and have failed and now I must give the power, control or whatever you want to call it to someone else. Humility allows me to admit that I can't do it on my own which then allows the process of change to begin.

Something else that was brought up was the idea of authenticity as a prerequisite to change, is it or isn't it? I think it is. Just as humility is needed to experience change, I think authenticity is needed to have humility. I've got to be real with myself in order to realize that I need to put my pride on the shelf so that I can be humble enough to experience change. It is so easy to convince myself that I am much better off than I really am, that the change that needs to take place in my life is really not that urgent or that I can get around to changing whenever I decide to. I almost think that humility and authenticity are so closely related it's hard to tell one from the other, because I wonder if you can truly be humble without being authentic. It is in my authenticity that I come to see that I am really nothing special, can't do much on my own and fail more often than I succeed and yet somehow through the mystery of Christ, it is then that change can begin.

Pocket Change

A sermon I gave on Nov. 9th.
****************************************

We have heard a lot about change over these past few months. And when you hear this word, a couple of things might come to mind: a change of clothes, political change, the coins you find under your car seat. Something I find funny about change is how each of us reacts differently to it. Some of us thrive on change, we need that sense of newness or spice to liven up the status quo. Others of us can’t stand change. We like things the way they are and don’t see any reason to mess things up.

Tai and I were eating breakfast earlier this week and I was complaining about my cereal and her comment was, “well maybe it’s time for grown-up cereal.” And I said, “but I like my Cocoa Krispies." Some things just don't change.

Some of us are paralyzed by the fear of change because we can’t always predict what the outcome will be or look like. We see this often in abusive relationships, where someone has become more comfortable with the emotional or physical abuse then the thought of the change that might come from leaving the relationship.

I want to talk about change but not change on a global, national, or local level; not any sort of change that has to do with politics or outfits or the coins you find between the cushions of your couch. I want to talk about change that can touch your heart. I want to talk about something that can change your life. I would encourage you to, even if just for a moment, forget about all of the other things that need to be changed in this world and focus on the things that need to change in your relationship with Jesus.

James writes in 1:17 and the writer of Hebrews says that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. It’s you and I that need to change, not God. He has been and will continue to do His thing…being faithful, just, loving, forgiving, merciful, etc etc. All of the things that I am so often not.

Jesus says in Matthew 18:1-4 that we must change and so I’m wondering if there are any of us that have things in our lives that need to change. Things that are getting in the way of knowing Jesus better; things like pride, busyness and the excuse of “not having any time”, selfishness but not the kind of selfishness that says, “Gimme, that’s mine and I want it.” but more of a subtle selfishness that says things like, “I don’t really feel like serving, helping, fill in the blank…” or "I'm sure someone else will step up to help or volunteer." Many of us want to change and have been telling ourselves that we will change but here we sit, dealing with the very same lack of change in our relationship with Christ.

We’ve just finished a stewardship campaign that not only touched on financial stewardship but stewardship of our time and talents as well. This change that I’m talking about is not to try and get you to volunteer or give more because in my opinion, that’s not what it’s about. What I’m asking you is what is it that needs to change in order for you to be closer to Jesus. We see the change we want to make in our lives, we have every intention of making it but we just can’t seem to do it. And you know what, we can’t. It’s kind of like what Paul says in that sometimes confusing passage in Romans 7, the one with all of the “do’s” and “don’t do’s”. We can’t make life transforming change on our own…

To change is to let go. We have to hand over control, take our hands off the wheel and let someone else drive. The only way I have found to ever really change something in my life is to surrender it over to God. This was not something that happened overnight, it was a process and at times a difficult one. It involved a lot of prayer, discipline, accountability and support from others. It wasn’t until I realized that I couldn’t make the change on my own that I started to see change taking place.

2 Corinthians 5:16-18…verses 16 and 18 are good stuff and really could be separate sermons for another day but what I really want to focus on right now is verse 17. No doubt there are some of us here in this place that need to hear that, we have the power to change our lives, not because you and I are all that great but because Christ is. “If anyone is IN Christ…” To be found in Christ is what it means to be a Christian. No, it doesn’t mean you’re perfect or even close but it does mean that you trying to be like Him. If you call yourself a Christian, if you have a relationship with Jesus then this promise is yours to claim. I heard someone say, “Jesus loves you exactly where you are but He loves you way too much to leave you there.” I don’t know what change needs to take place in your life but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Holy Spirit has laid something on your heart as you’re sitting there that needs to change. Isn’t it time to make this life transforming change that comes through Christ more than just pocket change?

Day After

It is 72 degrees and sunny on November 5th in central Indiana. The day after our country has just elected the first ever African American as President of the United States. Surreal.

What lies ahead for us as a nation and especially for those of us who call ourselves Christians is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create unity. No one likes to lose but we cannot let the color of our political party divide us, whether you're RED or BLUE. We have a beautiful opportunity as the Church to "reach across the aisle" and give our support, prayers and service to our fellow man being reminded that it's not about you or me, this political party or that one but rather it's about Christ who calls us to serve Him by serving each other. The words of Paul's letter to the Philippians should not only echo in our hearts but in the things we say or don't say, do or don't do...

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

And Your Vote Goes To....??

Election day is only days away and some of you may have already voted but I thought I would take a little poll of 'A Journeyman's Catalog' readers to see who you are voting for and why or if you are undecided at this point, which way are you leaning or why still undecided.

I recognize that some of you may not want to share this information and I respect that so for those individuals might I suggest leaving an anonymous comment with your choice. It is simply the curiosity of the politics of those that read this blog that make me ask this question, not to mention I think it could be kind of fun to see what kind of response we get and the conversations that might follow. Feel free to get it started or keep it going.

Common Decency

This post is a few weeks overdue but I have finally gotten to the point where I can't take it anymore. Have we lost all decency as a consumer society that the lines have become so badly blurred that I have not only seen Christmas things in various store windows but have even seen Christmas decorations on the houses and in the yards of private citizens weeks before Halloween?!?

I feel like I'm a pretty tolerable person. It doesn't bother me in the least to have your yard telling me which political candidate or party you support; heck, go ahead and turn it into a used car lot but when I see an inflatable "snow-globe" at the beginning of October then we might have some issues. They might be my issues or theirs but clearly there are some issues.

Don't get me wrong, I really like Christmas, especially when it's Christmastime but since I've recently made a personal commitment to Fall as my favorite season, I'd like to enjoy it without being blinded by Rudolph's nose.

A Delicious Slice of Mudpie

"He who slings mud generally loses ground."

-A.E. Stevenson

Election day is getting closer by the minute and the mud flying through the air between the two campaigns is getting heavier and more frequent.

We all know there are people out there that don't like you or me for whatever reason. They would like nothing more than to throw a juicy mudpie right in our face or maybe they already have. What happens when the mud doesn't stick? What if, not only our elected leaders but you and I lived in such a way that because of the things we say or don't say, do or don't do the mud can't stick? What if we stop trying to serve up a delicious slice of mudpie to someone we don't like, wouldn't that make it that much harder for the mud on our face to stick?

If we want to clean things up, then we need to quit playing in the mud.

Angels Unaware

It was around lunchtime and I headed to the bank just down the road from my office at the church, literally less than a mile away. There happens to be a Speedway right across the street from my bank and so I thought I would zip in there really quick to fill-up then maybe grab something to eat before my 1:30pm meeting. It didn't quite play out that way for me. I was just about to get in my car after filling my tank when I noticed a lady walking toward me. I smiled politely and that's where the "adventure" began.

"Excuse me sir, I'm trying to get to a church a little further north from here and have walked quite a ways to make it this far. Is there any chance you could drop me off at the church?" Right or wrong I immediately started to size this lady up and wonder things like...could I take her in a fight if I needed to?...what if she has a gun?...I know exactly where the church is she's talking about and it really would be easy to drop her off...I have a meeting in less than an hour...weird that she is asking for a ride and not money. Those were thoughts that went through my head before I said, "Sure, hop in."

After introducing ourselves she proceeded to tell me how her grandma had just recently passed away in Orlando and she was trying to get help to pay for a bus ticket to get down there for the funeral. She shared how times have been tough for her as of late and that her disability check doesn't come until Nov. 3rd and that she was short the necessary funds right now. I asked her if the church knew she was coming and how they were planning to help her and that's where the story takes another "twist".

"Well the church didn't really say they could help but I was hoping to see if they could help come up with the remaining $77 I need for my bus ticket. I know that the church office is closed from 12:30-1:30pm for lunch so maybe you could find it in your heart to help me and we wouldn't even have to go to the church?" Of course all of this is taking place while we're driving north to this church and are over half way there. She goes on to ask if I would be able to drop her off around 42nd St. which is in the opposite direction we are currently traveling.

After turning around and promising she'll pay me back $100 I tell her that I don't have that much cash on me. She proved to be extremely flexible and courteous as she mentioned that she would not mind if I needed to stop by an ATM so that I would have enough cash to meet her request. At this point I'm thinking I need to end this "adventure" so that I can make sure I'm back in time for my meeting. I tell her that $100 is not going to happen but that I would give her $80 to cover the remaining cost of her bus ticket. So I get the cash, buy her a sandwich and drop her off at 42nd St. only to get back to the office to have the meeting be rescheduled.

I have no idea who this person was and I in no way condone or recommend letting strangers into your car. I have no idea if I got scammed. Is there a possibility that I did, of course but there is also a possibility that I didn't. I had a similar "adventure" a few years ago and I remember talking to our senior pastor about it and I'll never forget what he said to me, "If you're going to err, err on the side of generosity because ultimately it's between the individual and God." Was this inconvenient, yes. Was it awkward, yes. Was it the right thing to do, no idea. The only reason I was able to have the patience I needed to enjoy this "adventure" was because of Christ, it had little to do with me. I couldn't help but think of Jesus' words, "Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me." and who knows, maybe the writer of Hebrews had a point when he said, "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it."

Racing To or Running From the Church

Certain crises require different responses than others obviously but what I find interesting is our response to the Church in the midst of these different crises. A natural disaster or catastrophic event typically garners the response of people racing to the Church. People are seeking comfort, reassurance, support that the Church usually does a good job of giving. I'm wondering if this economic crisis is causing people to run from the Church. I'm afraid that people have a perception that the Church is out for their money and when people don't have a lot of it, they avoid going to church so they don't feel guilty for not giving. It's not so much that the Church is making people feel guilty on purpose but I think the guilt comes from inside the individual because they know the offering plate is going to be passed each Sunday.

Now I know this might not make sense but I honestly think that the best response to this economic crisis is to give. Giving to God is not about the Church, your checkbook or the economy. It's about forcing us to get our priorities in order which will not only help each of us make it through this crisis but I would argue any others that might come our way; whether globally, nationally or personally. I hope you don't find yourself running from the Church in a time when we can all benefit from what, or rather who, it represents.

Evil Inside vs. Evil Outside

"Evil" is such an interesting word, when used it tends to evoke strong emotions or reactions in people. I'm guessing part of the reason is because it sounds so extreme, so final, so...well, evil. If you checkout the definition of the word it's pretty interesting and really would seem that a lot of different things could be considered evil by a lot of different people. Does that make "evil" relative? Oh man, well enough of this, though it's definitely something to think about but not even what I want to talk about.

Remember just over 7yrs ago when a group of men used 4 planes as weapons and thousands of innocent people died and remember how the word "evil" was associated with that act? The response of our country was profound. We were united against a common foe, an evil from outside our borders that was attempting to instill fear into our hearts but we would not have it. We stood together and we stood tall, and though some have strong feelings about our current stand today, we continue, especially our dedicated men and women who serve in the military.

Fast forward to now. Our country (and arguably the world) finds itself facing another crisis as a result of what some could consider evil but the difference this time is that this evil is coming from inside. Through the greed of our very own banks, lenders, financial institutions and a lack of leadership from our government (both parties are at fault and I would hope we could all agree on that) we have actually created this crisis ourselves, the evil is coming from the inside.

Notice the different reactions in the face of these two evils. One united us as a country by allowing us to point our national finger at an evil from the outside; where we saw people do extraordinary things for other people and where heroes who sacrificed everything were made. The current evil is breaking us apart, making the divide between those that have and those that don't have as much wider than it ever has been before. Our national mood swing of "I'm going to get mine" to "I'm going to protect mine" is causing us to do extraordinary things to other people. It's as though we'd rather cut our hand off then point the finger at ourselves but maybe that's just the loss of blood talking.

So Many Thoughts

With all that is happening around the world right now I am finding that I have so many thoughts running around in my head that I'm having a hard time keeping track of which ones are coming and which ones are going. So over the next couple days I'm going to try and share some of them starting with this one...

I don't know how many of you know or care (either of which is understandable) that I work for a church but I have been wondering how the current economic and political times will impact the Church (I use 'C' to mean the church around the world, not just my local church or even a specific denomination). Will uncertain economic times cause us to "turtle" and retreat into our shells with an attitude of having to "hunker down" and ride this out? I can't help but think that this mentality doesn't exactly match-up with that of Christ's. The reason I say this is because as times continue to get tougher for so many people, whether losing jobs or homes, it seems that with so much need all around us the worst thing we could do as followers of Christ is retreat...is "protect" ourselves. I hope that if we've learned anything from this whole economic debacle it's that the very idea of "protecting ourselves" has been blown out the window.

What an opportunity for those of us that have to help those of us that don't have as much. I can't help but think about when Jesus said that those who have been given much, much will be asked.

Some other thoughts I've had that I'll be sharing: evil inside vs. evil outside; racing to or running from the Church; a delicious slice of mudpie as well as responses to any of your thoughts or comments...

Autumn

I know that Fall "officially" began on September 22nd but it is actually starting to feel like Fall and that made me remember how much I like Fall. It is easily one of my favorite seasons and quite possibly my favorite overall. There are a few things that are very vivid in my mind when I think about this time of year...

...the smell of fresh grass on a cool, sunny afternoon...

...pumpkins (carving, making pumpkin pies from scratch, roasting pumpkin seeds)...

...growing up in Michigan playing backyard football with my brother and friends...

...Halloween...

...blisters on my hands from raking leaves, which I HATE doing by the way...

...always wondering how fun it would be to go deer hunting with my uncles and now that I'm a little older realizing that the idea of sitting in the woods being really quiet and potentially never seeing anything actually sounds kind of boring.

Asking the Right Questions

I know it's been a while since I've posted...my sincerest apologies. Here is a sermon I gave yesterday.

********************************************************
We have just finished a sermon series over the past couple weeks entitled Faith 101 which talked about some of the basic elements that make-up Christianity: creation, faith, temptation, this guy named Jesus and a few others. I want to spend some time this morning talking about taking time to ask questions. Can you think of a time when you found yourself in a situation, (maybe at work or school) when you weren’t exactly sure what was going on or maybe were a little confused but for whatever reason didn’t take the time to ask any questions? You walked away feeling unsure of what was expected of you because you missed the opportunity to ask a question.

Check out Luke 2:41-47. Jesus took the time to ask some questions, even as a 12yr old boy.

It can be the same way with our faith. If we don’t allow ourselves or others to ask questions and sometimes pretty tough questions, we fail to give faith a chance to grow. Typically, the point of asking a question is to get an answer, to gain some sort of knowledge or information. And when we ask questions about our faith, our faith is given the opportunity to grow because sooner or later we will ask a question we won’t be able to answer, at least not now. Paul says in I Corinthians 13:12 that there are some things we only know parts of now but we'll know fully then. It’s the lack of immediate answers that forces us to lean on our faith. I have no doubt there are some of us here that are questioning…asking why this or why that, how could this have happened, God how could You or why would You?

I was talking with a student the other day, just kind of catching up and I asked her how things were going and she mentioned that school was good, friends were good, family was good and then she said, "You know Matt, I’ve really been questioning my faith recently. I’m not sure I believe in God anymore." And I said, "Oh, cool. I would really love to hear about your questions." I believe that the God of Christianity isn’t scared by our questions or tries to ignore them but that He actually delights when we ask. When we take the time to ask questions, it shows that we are engaged, that we are thinking and paying attention to what is going on or what is being said.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:7 & 8 to ask and seek so we'll find. I went to a small Christian school in college where I heard a saying that has stuck with me, “All truth is God’s truth” and it’s one of the reasons why I love questions. I love asking them, I love hearing them asked and I love discussing possible answers. I get excited when people start to ask questions of God, I don’t get nervous that there is a question out there that if asked will disprove Christianity or God for that matter. I’m thankful that we serve a God that is much bigger than any question we could ever ask.

I want to wrap-up our Faith 101 series by giving you some encouragement. Don’t forget that though there are times when all of the things that have to do with faith, religion, the Bible or whatever can seem overwhelming, it ultimately all comes down to a relationship. You may be just starting your faith journey or maybe you’ve been on it for a while now or maybe you haven’t even left yet, wherever this journey may be for you don’t stop asking questions. One of the things that I find really attractive about Christianity and Jesus especially is that He will meet you on your level but love you too much to leave you there. Maybe you've heard Christianity described as a river, deep enough to swim in and shallow enough to get your toes wet, regardless of how deep or shallow you may be in this river of faith, know that Jesus is holding your hand the whole time.

Too Big To Fail

This is a phrase that I've heard a number of times this week and has really made me wonder about the attitude not only of our financial institutions but our country as a whole. Whether it's Bear Stearns, Countrywide, Washington Mutual, AIG, Lehman Brothers or some other giant financial institution there is no doubt you have heard about the crazy economic times we find ourselves in. Most of this is a result of questionable management of some of these very corporations and has to make you wonder "Why?". Are greed and arrogance really the driving forces that have pushed our economy to this point? Greed that drives people to get as much as they can by whatever means possible coupled with an arrogance that thinks we are too rich, big, smart to fail will only ever equal disaster at the worst and disappointment at the least.

I've been asking myself this week if this economic mess we find ourselves in is really proving to be a barometer for our overall attitude as a country. Is it possible that this is just one area in which this attitude of "Too Big" has caught up with us and other areas such as: our relationships with other countries, our military presence, educational standards, our response to natural disasters, or our cultural influence around the world (just to mention a few) are next in line? If nothing else, watching some of these different institutions fail has solidified my belief that there is a better way, not only a better way for millionaire CEOs to manage giant corporations or a government to run a nation but also for little old me to live my everyday, boring life.

Hide-N-Seek

There are things we would rather not be found. Things we hide away inside our thoughts and our hearts that we hope no one would ever be seeking, and if they do, we'll do just about anything we can to keep these things hidden. Does the phrase "skeletons in the closet" sound familiar? I wonder how many of us walk around so afraid that we are going to be "outed" that we end up being a different person entirely, sometimes unfamiliar to even ourselves.

I've been thinking about this today because one of the things I like to read in my devotional time is Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, and today's was talking about the things that can sneak-up in our lives and we attempt to hide them away. Chambers writes, "Maintain a continual watchfulness so that nothing of which you would be ashamed arises in your life." Wow. Ouch. Certainly not an easy thing to do.

It can be pretty easy to hide things from other people, even people that are close to you but then I'm reminded that regardless of who I'm able to hide things from I just can't seem to hide them well enough from Christ. When I stop for a second and think about it, I guess I don't really need to hide anything from God partly because I can't and partly because He doesn't care. It's not that He doesn't care but unlike people who may treat or think of us differently if they found what it was we were hiding, He will only treat us with grace and love. It's pretty incredible to think that though I try to hide this and that from Him, He continues to seek me. A game of hide-n-seek where I don't mind being found.

Righteous Kill

I just saw Righteous Kill starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. Maybe I was unfair to the movie going into it because my expectations were pretty high as I really like both of these actors, which could have led to some of my disappointment as I walked out of the theater. Besides the fact that a movie cost $10 (which is another rambling for another day) I came out of the movie thinking it was so-so. It certainly wasn't amazing but it wasn't awful either. I think what really bummed me out was that Pacino and De Niro are great actors, and both did a nice job but it just felt like the story wasn't deep or developed or intense enough to really let them work their magic.

This movie is rated 'R' for a reason and so I would certainly not recommend anyone under 18 seeing it or anyone that is offended by very strong language or violence. Ya know what's funny, as I just wrote that last sentence I thought to myself, "Shouldn't we all be offended by strong language and violence?" I guess I kind of just nailed myself to the wall on this one too huh?!? Well anyways, overall I would give it a B/B- and tell you to save your $10 and rent it when it comes out on dvd (and this is coming from somebody who typically loves Pacino and/or De Niro movies).

Made From Scratch

One of the promises of Christianity that I really like is the ability to start over with a clean slate. Of course this doesn't mean that the consequences of decisions or choices we've made disappear but it does mean that we don't have to be defined by them any longer. It really comes down to the idea of identity. When I enter into a relationship with Christ I no longer have to be defined by the stupid things I have done or said, the hurts I've caused or failed attempts at being "good".

No doubt there are times in our lives when we wish we could just start over. Sometimes it's as though we get caught in this cycle of doubt, depression and despair (sometimes out of our own creation and sometimes the result of others) and we begin to find our identities in these things rather than who we really are. I love that Jesus desires to burst into our lives and give us a fresh start that is only possible in and through Him. How many of us need to hear that promise that the old has gone and something new has come or is coming? Think of all this promise could mean for you in your life; your relationships, your attitude, how you deal with struggles, your physical and spiritual health...sometimes 'scratch' isn't a bad place to start.

6 Years and Counting

Today is mine and my wife's wedding anniversary. The big number six. For our anniversary we (mostly Tai but I was cool with it) decided to take a roadtrip to IKEA in Cincinnati. Now, if you have never been to an IKEA store before it's kind of like an airport, museum, tourist attraction, mini-United Nations, and a more modern design of Target all rolled into one. I have to admit that I really didn't know what to expect other than it was supposedly one of the greatest places on earth according to my wife of 6yrs and as soon as I walked in the door, I was blown away. It's HUGE and there seriously TONS of people. It was crazy!

After spending 2hrs there and only getting lost once we were able to find the checkouts and leave with a couple of things we're both pretty excited about. By this time it was about 6pm and we were pretty hungry. We wanted to do something somewhat special for the occasion so I suggested Skyline Chili but that was quickly vetoed, not to worry as we quickly decided to wait until we got back to Indy to hit up Naked Tchopstix in Broadripple for quite possibly the best sushi we have ever had. Though I was pretty hungry when we left IKEA, it was well worth the almost 2hr drive.

Well, I think I'm going to call it a great day and see if I can get some sleep while my wife works on putting a dresser together....

A Great Day for a Parade

When was the last time you marched in a parade? For me, it was this morning. I am the JV coach of a girls volleyball team for a high school in the area, an area which happened to be having their annual "Fall Fest" this weekend. Apparently, part of the festivities is having a parade through the middle of town and some how, some way the high school volleyball program got "invited" to be in the parade today. Fortunately for everyone involved it ended up being a beautiful day.

Believe it or not, this is not the first parade I have ever been in. See, when you grow up in Holland, MI you experience this thing every year called "Tulip Time" which lasts just about an entire week and has 3 separate parades on 3 different days. So needless to say there are plenty of opportunities to march in a parade one way or another. I wish I had a pic or two of me all decked out in my Dutch costume but I can't seem to find one, if I do I'll be sure to let you know. I was able to take a couple pics with my iPhone from the parade today...

*the names have been blurred to protect the innocent

A Decision for the Ages

Research suggests that something like 80% of Christians make a decision to follow Christ before the age of 18 and after that, the percentage drops significantly of people that decide to follow Christ. I was talking with a couple guys a day or so ago and one of them mentioned how they knew a guy that had decided to be a dentist when he was 18 and now in his 40's, has come to the conclusion that dentistry is not for him.

This led us to start talking about what the implications might be for someone who chooses to become a Christian at an early age, say sometime before they turn 18. Does the immaturity of the individual at the time of "conversion" make a difference in the significance of the decision? Or does the idea that choosing to follow Christ is more a relationship that grows and matures with the individual mean that it doesn't matter how young someone might be when they decide to follow Christ?

I think there is a difference between choosing a career-path at a young age and choosing to have a relationship with someone at a young age, especially if that relationship is with Jesus. It seems like a career "is-what-it-is" whereas a relationship is always able to change, grow, and adapt as the individuals involved change, grow and adapt to life around them but maybe I'm biased since I started my walk with Christ when I was 11.

None of Your Business??

With the Democratic National Convention behind us and the Republican National Convention underway it has been an interesting week or so in American politics. Obama gave a nice speech, lots of stuff he's said already and McCain picked a running mate that not many people could have guessed, Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska.

Now, I'm not going to spend any time talking about whether or not she's qualified or has the experience or what reasons McCain might have used to giver her the nod as his VP selection (but you are certainly welcome to and I look forward to hearing your thoughts) but I will take this opportunity to say something about the recent "scandal" involving her pregnant daughter.

I think Obama said it best when he said that "family is off-limits in presidential politics, especially children." It seems unfair to judge the competency of a candidate because one of his or her kids makes an unfortunate decision as a 17yr old. Sure you could try to make an argument about "what kind of parent" he or she might be if his or her daughter gets pregnant but that argument seems to fall to the wayside when we all realize that we have all made stupid choices at one point or another and weren't able to blame our parents for it anymore. I'm impressed that the candidates have no desire to even discuss this issue, showing a level of privacy and respect that seems somewhat uncommon in our more recent political campaigns and yet the media insists on pushing this so called "scandal".

What I've found interesting today is hearing how both sides, Republican and Democratic supporters respectively, are using this issue to make the point that she clearly is or isn't the appropriate choice as the potential VP. You say to-ma-to, I say to-ma-to...

The Wheels of Justification Go Round and Round

It's amazing to me how often we find ourselves giving in to temptations that we would have never imagined ourselves giving in to. I'm sure we all know someone that after doing this or saying that has found themselves in a situation they would have never thought possible. Maybe it's just me but I find it scary how easy it is to justify just about anything to myself. I wouldn't say that I am a masterful debater by any means but when it comes to convincing myself of why I should or shouldn't do something, I can make a strong case.

I'm finding that how I deal with temptation and the justification process that starts to take place in my puny little brain go hand-in-hand. I start telling myself things like: "I need this", "I like this", "I will gain something from this", "I've earned this", "I am the only one that will be impacted by this," and so on and so on.

I am guessing we all face different temptations on a daily basis, I know I do and ya know, sometimes I win and sometimes the temptation wins. The difference between who or what wins I've realized has to do with my focus. Obviously as someone who is trying to be like Jesus, my focus must first be on Christ and then on everyone else and when I find that I am out of focus, I become much more susceptible to giving in to temptation, even temptations that seem like they would never be a temptation for me. It's a slippery-slope when our focus becomes all about "me", its then that we find ourselves looking up from the bottom of the ditch wondering how we got there.