living for eternity today
This week is a pretty special week for those of us who are in the Lutheran Church world. This week, if you’re following a church calendar of any kind, you’ll notice was the week of the reformation. Now this isn’t something we go around talking about everyday so perhaps a quick history lesson is in order.
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It’s no secret that this is likely the easiest piece but seemingly the most overlooked. We live in a day and age in which community is something that just isn’t all that important. Think about the last time you came home from a long day at work. If you’re like many in my neighborhood, you pull your car in and close the garage door before you even get out of your vehicle. We’ve taken human interaction out of the equation in much of what we do in our day-to-day lives. Continue reading
If you were at the church I pastor, Living Word Church, this past Sunday you might have heard something of three numbers. These numbers are very important to me and I pray they gain the same significance to those in the ministry I serve. Apart these three single digits are really not all that impressive nor important. But when you look at them together and see the impact that these three numbers can have, it’s truly nothing short of miraculous. Continue reading
Pretty sure we’ve all been there. You know one of those – my life just flat stinks kind of days. You wake up and think it would have been better if you’d have just stayed in bed kind of days. This week’s song is Glow in the Dark by Jason Gray. Continue reading
Over the past couple of weeks we’ve been working our way through a book titled The Ways of The Alongsider: Growing Disciples Life2Life by Bill Mowry. The idea of an Alongsider might be an uncommon thought to some of us, but Bill does a great job detailing at the outset of the book. Then as we moved deeper into our understanding of what an Alongsider was we hit three topics of great importance to discipleship: A Way of Life, Intentionality and A Life of Prayer. Continue reading
My kids are big into The Avengers. I’m not sure if they have a favorite because all of them are so amazing. Take the HULK for instance. The man, Bruce Banner, is a fairly normal guy. He’s smart but nothing out of this world, but when he gets angry – look out! His anger turns to rage and the beast we know as the HULK comes out and there’s just not stopping him. Then there’s Iron Man a billionaire, playboy, philanthropist who likes to respond to trouble by suiting up in his home-made, jet propelled suit of armor.
But the problem is…none of these guys are realistic! They are all setting up the idea in our minds that we have to be someone with extreme powers to be worth something in the world. It’s not just superheroes either. It happens all over the place, even in the church.
Many church going people get the image in their minds that they need to preach like the Apostle Paul or they’re not good enough. Or they must have a following of someone like Billy Graham. Or they have to do as many good deeds as a Mother Theresa. These superheroes of the faith are wonderful people who did many great things, but we don’t have to be them!
The truth of the matter is everything needed for our salvation was already done. We don’t have to do anything because Jesus did everything. This means that while powerful preaching is great, it’s not necessary for our salvation. Gathering great crowds of people to demonstrate the greatness of God is a worthwhile endeavor but it’s not essential to our eternity. Doing good works is definitely something great to pursue, but even this is not a mandatory piece to gain favor with God. Everything needed for our salvation was already done for us in Jesus.
When Jesus went to the cross he completed everything that was required of you and me. His death was the payment needed for our sins. His resurrection was the completion that opened heaven for us. Now there’s simply nothing we have to do because it’s all been done already on the cross. This now opens us the world for us. We now by the power of Christ in us are empowered to accomplish great and amazing things in our daily lives. We’re not superheroes, nor are we supposed to be. But we’re ordinary people who God calls to live our lives following Him.
It’s that simple. The message of the church throughout the book of Acts was just that – Jesus did it all. Now we’re invited to follow Christ on his mission in the world today. You don’t have to do anything because Jesus did everything for you.
Several years ago I read a book that struck a nerve, but I did with it what I do all too often. After reading it, I just put it on the shelf and seemingly forgot about it. Well, I forgot until the other day when I was writing my article for the church newsletter. Then as I was writing, it hit me. I frantically started digging through my shelves for the book that had no name. Continue reading
It’s kind of amazing isn’t it? I mean go into a dark room, one with no lights or windows, then strike a match and see what happens. It doesn’t take much light to completely obliterate darkness. You don’t need a massive flashlight or a super bright lightbulb, just a small flame will work. Continue reading
There’s a lot of talk these days about safe places. These are places where people are free to be themselves. They are places that lack judgment and allow the freedom to be accepted no matter the person’s preferences, history, or genetic make-up. Continue reading
I’m not sure why but I’m intrigued by tattoos. I’ve even thought about getting one. I have a friend who has many tattoos and every time I see them, I think of the story that they tell. Like the dog-tags on his arm that tell the story of his love for his dad and brother who served in the Army and Air Force. Or the many tattoos of his favorite college sports teams. They each have a story associated with them. It’s like he has marked his story on his arms to let others see who he is and what’s important to him.
His tattoos remind me of a story about three boys. They were kidnapped by an evil man. They were forced to change their names to give them a new identity. They were then brought into a society that liked to brand or mark their captives with a special marking to show that they were no longer who they used to be. They were marked to give them a new identity. Continue reading
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