A Love/Hate Relationship

SOMETIMES I JUST WANT TO KILL those blasted deer that raid and pillage my garden!!! Then there are times I just sit and watch with wonder as they stroll along, mom and two fawns. Yes, it is truly a love/hate relationship, and that works for those little furry squirrels that destroy my bird-feeders!

It’s this love/hate relationship that drives me crazy. If I didn’t really care for the critters I would do something drastic to them, but I really do care for them…I just want them to go eat somewhere else! To rewrite a turn of phrase, I want them to have their cake, and I want to eat mine too. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so.

That seems to be the problem in so many areas of life, even in my relationship of following Jesus. There is this love/hate relationship. As Jesus says in John 12:25, I must hate this life if I am to truly bear the fruit that declares my love for God. I cannot have it both ways. Jesus calls us to death so that we can live. Truly, I would like to have it both ways. But, as Jesus illustrates, a seed must die to itself if it is to accomplish the goal for which God has designed it. What is true of the seed’s God-design, was also true of Christ’s God-design, and must be true of the Christ-follower.

This hating of life is not a loathing of our existence, but rather a loving of that for which we were created, and of course a greater loving of the One who created us. The seed, in dying for what was created, experiencing a greater glory that it could have never experienced had it remained only a seed among other seeds. Maybe this is what Jesus was referring to when He said that we would share in His glory, if we followed Him in His death. (John 17:10, 22; Romans 8:17)

Is truly a love/hate relationship. The question is who do you love?

MAVERICK'S

THE LOCALS KNOW ABOUT MAVERICK’S. That rise in the sea floor off our coast that makes for some totally gnarly, and near-impossible-to-surf waves that only the highly experienced surfer would even to dare to ride. Even just trying to get out to them can be a death-defying act of courage and skill. Let’s face it, for the vast majority of surfers and surfer-watchers, the best place to enjoy the power of Maverick’s is from the shore, and yet year after year some hardy souls risk the danger and get the ride of their lives.

This past week of Vacation Bible School I was privileged to watch a select group of individuals paddle out past the break and into the deep water of service and receive the opportunity to experience the exhilaration of riding some monster, heart-stopping waves. In many eyes they are “Maverick surfers”. Almost 100 people from junior high to senior adults joined together to serve the children of our community. It was thrilling to watch, and a blessing of which to be a part.

Our ability to get out there and “surf the big ones” was made possible by some “Master Surfers.” I would like to honor those here who made it possible for the rest of us to enjoy the ride as well. So, a gnarly and bodacious thank you to, Faith Filey (Director), Cay Ellen Thornley (Registrar), Marci-Beth Maple, (Snacks), Kari Thornley (Crafts), Andy Williams (Games), Kahleen Edeal (Bible Lessons), Robin Patrick (Drama), Brittany Overbeck (Music), and Trinity Kay (Missions). I know that there were many others that cut wood for crafts, got the church grounds ready, helped with cooking, counted the mission offering, lovingly cared for and escorted the children from place to place and of course bent their hearts in prayer seeking God’s help and blessing for this week, to each and everyone, I give my humble thanks.

Only eternity will reveal the full effect of your loving service, but until that day let’s all keep hitting those waves. Surf’s up, Dudes and Dudettes!

SOAKED!

WATER-DAY, ONE OF THE BEST DAYS at Vacation Bible School, and usually the one guaranteed day of drizzle and low-lying clouds, but no matter, most of the kids of VBS love Water-Day! Water balloons, hoses, water-relays, and even a fire truck fills game time with lots of opportunities to get soaked!
It is fun to watch (from a safe distance) the kids as they enter into the various water games that the Game Guys have planned for them. Some of the kids come ready for action. They have no fear of getting soaked. They don’t care if it’s cold and drizzly outside, it’s Water-Day and they are determined to thoroughly enjoy it to the max. Their goal is complete immersion.

Then there are those who are a little more tentative. They enter in a toe at a time, running from the dropping water bombs and the spaying hose, but after a short period of getting more and more wet, they fully enter into the fray.

There is a third group who desire to play the games, but will do everything within their power to not get wet. They will run and dodge and hide behind others, all in the attempt to fully enjoy the game, but also to stay completely dry.

Lastly, there is a group that will not even get close to the action. They hang-out a very safe distance, determined to neither get wet or even to have fun. They are content to watch and allow others the enjoyment of the day.

I have watched this scenario played out year after year. Some years those who have held back in years past join in the present year’s activities, discovering the joy they have previously missed. They have discovered that they will not melt when immersed in gallons of water. They have come to the conclusion that getting soaked is not such a bad thing after all.

How about you? To which group do you belong? When it comes the immersion of the Spirit, do you stand off praying not to get wet, or are you skirting the edges satisfied with a light spray, or are your ready to enter, but at your speed? Or, are you ready and willing to get soaked?

The Price of Worship

IN 2007 THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME for those living in California was $69,932. You may be wondering what that opening sentence has to do with worship, well let me direct you to a section of Scripture we shall be addressing in my sermon this morning. It is the response of Judas to Mary’s pouring of expensive oil on the feet of Jesus. Judas responds, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.”

A year’s wages! Yikes! Now, if you check your footnoted Bible it might say that a year’s wages as only 300 denarii, doesn’t sound like much, in fact some of you might even give $300 a month into the church offering. But wait, a year’s wages is still a year’s wages whether we’re talking the year 33 AD or 2009.

So, let’s consider the passage with fresh eyes, Mary’s anointing of the Lord Jesus was an act of love, humility and sacrifice. Her love for the Lord brought her to her knees before Him to not only pour out this extravagant gift, but also in an act of deep humility, to wipe His feet with her hair. This public display of her devotion filled the room with its fragrance so that all present were given a gift as well.

Some today might even join Judas in his admonition that her gift was unwise and an act of poor stewardship. Her gift might have been used for the furtherance of the ministry. Yet, Jesus expounded the truth that costly, extravagant, fully devoted and humble worship is never the wrong gift to give. Giving it all is never too much to give to the Lord.

Come! Now is the time to worship!

Mission Possible

A CRYPTIC MESSAGE FOLLOWED BY A PUFF ON BLUE SMOKE. That is how one of my childhood television shows, Mission Impossible, would begin each week. What followed was an hour of bits and pieces that sometimes seemed unconnected and sometimes seemed to fail, only to bring about the desired end by the time the show was over. Mission Impossible¸ always turned out to be mission possible.
As those who call Jesus Christ Lord, we too have been given a mission to accomplish. A mission whose end is the spreading of the good news about Jesus Christ to the whole world all for the glory of God. God’s glory proclaimed and experienced through the Gospel is the mission to which we have been called.
Let’s face it, sometimes we feel that this is more like mission impossible than mission possible. The goal seems to large for us; the process to daunting and yet it is to this mission we have been called. But just like those behind the tape recorded and blue smoke, God has not left us without the people and skills and power needed to accomplish His mission.
Much like the television show, each person in the church, the Body of Christ, has a part to play. Sometimes our parts may seem unrelated to the goal, sometimes we may even feel that we are not moving forward is seeing the mission accomplished, and yet when all is said and done, I believe we shall see the mission completed to the glory of God.
Surely there will be twists and turns along the way, and even an unforeseen set-back from time to time, but as we submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit, as we rest in His direction and His empowering, I know we shall see the Gospel of Jesus Christ spread and the glory of God seen. It is good for us to remember that in all this it is not about us, but about Him. We must be those willingly give ourselves to His plan and design, trusting not in our own world-view and wisdom, but in His.
In all this I am reminded of the writing of the Apostle Paul, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:6-11)

Reimagining the Church

OVER TWENTY YEARS AGO, I “officially” left the hallowed halls of professional youth ministry and entered into that rarified position of “senior pastor.” Though I have kept my fingers and toes inside that specialized area of ministry from time to time, for all intent and purposes I have passed that responsibility on to those with more energy than I. Much has changed since I first entered into that ministry, and in the words of the old Oldsmobile commercial, “It’s not your father’s youth ministry anymore!”

It has been said that the youth our the future of the church, and if that is true, I believe we have much to be excited about. The church of the 21^st century is not, and must not be, the church of the past. We live in a world that is changing before the ink dries on the newspaper announcing the change, that is if you actually can find a traditional newspaper to read. As in a related point, people ask me why we don’t have a newspaper ad, or a larger ad in the Yellow Pages? Truth is less and less people use either of them to “find” a church. The way we live is changing and how we live out the reality of being the Body of Christ is changing as well.

Now, I realize that there are good and bad changes. I realize that we must guard the truth about who Jesus Christ is, and what it means to be His follower. I also realize that for us “older ones” some of these changes, and those changes looming around the corner, are nothing but scary to us, but that does not mean it is time for us to hunker down and rebuild the walls, no it is time for us to move forward even more steadily upon the knees of prayer.

It is time for us to join our hearts in prayer for those who are the church, and will continue to be the church in the days ahead. It is time for us to join our hearts and hands in praying for, and encouraging, our youth. We, who have journeyed this path longest, must pray for and with our youth so that the Apostle Paul’s admonition will be true for them, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” (2 Timothy 4:12)

How to Read

DR. SEUSS ONCE WROTE, “I can read with my left eye. I can read with my right. I can read Mississippi with my eyes shut tight.” This might be good reasoning in “seussic poetry,” but it really does make reading difficult, if not down-right impossible. Sadly, this is how many of us approach our reading, be it newspapers or Scripture. We read what is before us, but often with the eyes shut tight.
We sometimes sing the chorus, “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord,” but along with the eyes of our heart we need to have the eyes in our head open as well. Open so that we can see what is before us and to see the deeper realities that lie beneath the surface of what we are reading. We need to see the real people contained in the stories we read in the news articles and in the events of Holy Scripture. Too often we read with our eyes shut tight, and we do so in order to not encounter the depth of trial and pain which lie before us.
As followers of the One who declared Himself the Light of the world, we are called to open our eyes and see. The Lord Jesus tells us to see the fields of lives that are ready to be harvested and brought into God’s bountiful kingdom. (John 4:35) He admonishes us if we see a person in need to minister unto that person’s need. (Matthew 25:31-40) These activities are difficult to accomplish if we do not keep our eyes open. We need to pray for open hearts and open eyes. To have a heart ready to lovingly and actively extend the grace of God and eyes that are open to see the need of those right in front of us.
So, if the challenge to keep our eyes wide open seems a bit overwhelming, let us at least heed the final words in Dr. Seuss’ poem,

If you read with your eyes shut, you’re likely to find
That the place where you’re going is far, far behind.
So that’s why I tell you to keep your eyes wide,
Keep them wide open ... at least on one side!