Life and Death

Psalm 51:12-17 - "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."


As Christians, most of us sooner or later become fed up with the theology, with not hearing from God, or just this machine called Christianity. Some of us, like Donald Miller, think it has become too showy...too much like someone is trying to sell us something that is incredibly broken. Others of us just slip into a a state of not caring about stuff that we know deep down we care about. My own struggle came when I was going through what some have deemed "the dark night of the soul." Have you ever been there? This was a time in my own life when God seemed so distant, so silent, that the loneliness and suffering was almost unbearable. To be honest, I hated God for so long. He had allowed things to take place that, in my opinion, made him not real. I am glad to say that I am not here any longer.
Through the work of his spirit and the the caring of friends, God granted me forgiveness in a way that I could not imagine and gave me back the joy that only he can give. I have a passion for my relationship with God and feel his presence guiding my footsteps. Because I am an analytical being, I have often wondered why God puts his children through their own personal "hells." The only answer I have come up with is that he wants to drive us to the very end of ourselves so that we realize our utter dependence on him. To be honest, he has to kill us before he came make us new. C.S. Lewis speaking from Christ's perspective puts it this way "Whatever suffering it may cost you in your earthy life , whatever inconceivable purification it may cost you after death, whatever it costs me, I will never rest, nor let you rest, until you are literally perfect - until my father can say without reservation that he is well pleased with you, as he said he is well pleased with me. This I can do and will do. But I will not do anything less." (Mere Christianity)

True worship and devotion to God is allowing him to do his work that is so painful in our lives, and then, just when we think he can't prune anything else out of our lives, praising and trusting him as we give the last little piece of our identity over to him. Usually, well...at least in my case this took a brokenness in my life from sin and from my life falling a part, but praise God that he carried me through this. He has given me so much freedom and so much responsibility, and has granted me such mercy.

I would love to tell you that this process was over. I would love to tell you that I am in heaven and God no longer is at war with me over my soul, but this is not the case. One of the starkest realizations that I have had is that the process of God breaking me and rethrowing me back onto his potter's wheel will never be over until I meet him face to face...and you know what? That is okay. My soul is ready, my heart is willing, though I need God's grace because my flesh is weak. This is a never ending process, restoration of joy and brokenness. Love and sacrifice. Dying to find true life. May we never forget to praise God for his love and sovereign will as he guides us through this journey called life.

Hot Coals and Chapped Lips in America

"'Woe to me! I cried. "I am ruined. For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." - Isaiah 6:5

This text was penned by Isaiah in a great time of political upheaval. It strikes me that in a time of uncertainty, God granted to Isaiah this vision which speaks volumes to us today. After staring into the face of the Almighty, Isaiah became all to aware of the darkness in his life and the darkness of the people with whom he dwelled. As I look around the current situations in America, whether it be the great financial crisis, the dissolution of the nuclear family, or the jockeying of politicians in Washington, I am forced to confront the fact that we are a people of unclean lips. I...am a person of unclean lips. Knowing this to be inherently wrong, like Isaiah sometimes the overwhelming sinfulness of this world can be quite exasperating. What should we do? How do we change? In Isaiah's own story a Seraph touches a hot coal to his mouth and says "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and you sin atoned for." This little hot lump of coal seared the sin out of Isaiah's life. The lump of coal that seared the sin out of our lives was also straight from the altar, and his name was Jesus. If we are redeemed, then what we must do is like Isaiah. We must proclaim that we are ready to go and say what needs to be said, even when it is unpopular. Our message though it can be expressed in a few simple terms is the most revolutionary political platform to have ever been conceived. Love, forgiveness, justice, patience, dying to self, doing to the least of these, Christ are all aspects that make up the gospel. This is what our people need to hear, even if it offends them. I am no longer willing to tolerate simply blaming government for all of our problems. Our problems have come from the fact that all of us, from the crack house to the Senate House, to the House of Representatives, to the White House, and to my house are all unclean. We need to touch the coal of God's Word to our mouths again and speak truth to God's people again, but it takes more than speaking. We must carry the fire from the altar into every place where people dwell. Yes, this means we may have to deal with the poor, the discarded, the people in society that politicans talk so much about and yet so often rarely ever meet, but that is our mission. God never said to Isaiah, ohhh this will be so easy and you will always hang around with people just like you. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe Christ went so far as to say that first we must die, then we must serve those least in the eyes of the people with the most. Maybe if we are doing what we are supposed to be doing, some of the desperation and utter dependence on God that those without will rub off on us. Maybe we can get a little desperate. Maybe, with God's help, we can turn a generation of spoiled and comfortable Christians with unclean lips into a people whose hearts burn with a zeal to become the people of God that He wants us to be. However, the long and the short of it is this: it all begins with YOU!!! What are you going to do or say today for your God? Are you willing to take the coal of the gospel to those around you? Are you willing to put your life on the altar?

Role of Women In Church

As many of you know, John McCain's choice in Sarah Palin has sparked quite the debate in Evangelical Christian circles (as well as just random circles in general) over the ability of women to lead in our government or in church. If you look at Newsweek's website, "On Faith" is a panel that has currently asked the question about women's role in the church. To be honest my friends, I continue to struggle with this very issue to this day. However, we must all agree that if we wish to debate this issue, then Holy Scripture must be our standard. So, here is my problem at hand. I understand most interpret 1 Timothy 3 as restricting the pastorate to men alone because it says "husbands of one wife." Yet, I sometimes feel it is simply assumed from this statement that women are automatically disqualified because it only mentions them as wives. However, this particular Scripture does make for strong evidence against women in the pastorate. Next, we have passages like Romans 16:1 that specifically mentions a "deaconess." Now traiditionally, two theories dominate this occurence. One, their were women that functioned in a servant leadership role in the early church and were given the title of deaconess. Two, this term merely refers to the wife of a deacon. This particular piece of Scripture, more than any other to my knowledge, seems to allow that women could perhaps lead in some capacity. This is notably not necessarily a teaching position of authority like a pastor or elder, but one of service. Therefore, I do not see a theologically issue with female deacons within the local church. In regards to 1 Timothy 2:9-15, I am not precisely certain of what these restricitions refer to. Is Paul talking about something specific to the church where Timothy is? Is he talking about the marriage relationship? Is he talking about a universal rule for churches? These questions become very interesting because the very same Apostle Paul also says that there is neither male or female, but we are all one in Christ. Therefore, I must conclude that I do not yet fully know what I think about women in the pastorate. I have seen some do wonderful work for the kingdom of God. So, to all my biblical scholars out there, what do you think?

Dad and Memories

I was casually searching the internet today and found my dad's funeral picture slideshow from the funeral home. As I looked through pictures that span the years of my father's life, I am again reminded of how much I miss him...how much he is still a large part of who I am. Two of the pictures really stood out to me. One is the last hike we did together in the Smokies in Elkmont where our family was from. On that trip, dad annointed me with the dirt and water from that place, read from his 1970's era FCA Bible, and consecrated me to God for his ministry. It snowed on us the whole way over and as long as I live, I will never forget that hike. The second photo is of us smoking our pipes together. We both loved this as it usually stemmed great conversation. I believe it is just simply talking to him that I will miss the most. But he has gone to a place where I cannot follow...for now. He is now having the "great conversation" with a God that always has and always will continue to speak to his creation. Thank God for fathers, both heavenly and earthly, and thank God that they love to talk to and spend time with their children. Take time today and tell your dad that you love him.

Central High School Shooting and Uncertainty

Well...not even a month outside of a church shooting, some kid made the decision to settle a score that ended in the death of a 15 year old boy. When a commmunity is rocked by violence, I am at a loss as to any explanation or words that provide consolation to all. I am again reminded of the brevity and uncertainty of all life, and how...time holds the unprecedented and unpredictable. Sometimes...I am beginning to think that when God looks down on his creation and sees his children acting in such ways, he must be terribly disappointed with what we have done to ourselves in this thing called life. At the same time, the only place that I do find comfort is in his Word. Psalm 119 speaks of how God is literally every place that humans can go and can't go. He is even in the midst of terrible things like church shootings and school shootings...constantly moving...constantly drawing people to himself in spite of any circumstance. I take comfort in knowing that God is a God of purpose, of love, of mercy, and of justice. This wonderful God that has the ability to take the ugliest events in society, cover them up with the paint of his blood, and start repainting the picture of his kingdom all over again. He never gives up on what he knows is important, and neither should we. Thoughts???

Knoxville Church Shooting - Progressive Theology

George Orwell said, "In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." Once again, Christianity in various forms has hit the news with tragedy. I am sure you all will mourn the loss of the family members and friends at the Unitarian Church. Please understand that though we differ drastically theologically, I still love them as fellow children of God. When the recent news station revealed that the man accused of murdering several congregants did so over an anger at their progressive views, I must admit that I was deeply saddened. I believe that the church has grown way too soft on very important issues that stem from topics as broad as sin and as specific as the role of homosexuals in the church. I am angry that instead of ministering in the culture of this world, we have let the prince of this world and current culture infect the church and our way of thinking. I am angry at the times when we have sat back and watched injustice and done nothing to change the hurt in the world, however; under no circumstances are you ever going to change hearts of people to Christ by shooting at them. What this man has done will have ripple effects for the name of Christ in the media in ways that can only make demons delighted. So people are liberal (whatever that actually means, I find it more of a loaded term) and have poor biblical theology, I am sure that when Jesus looks into the deepest darkest sins in our hearts he thinks we are quite liberal too!!! Please understand that I am not making an argument for tolerance of bad religion and theology, I just do not understand why the man killed people over their religious stance. Jesus ran up against all sorts of liberals and people of other religions. I do not ever remember him killing anyone for not accepting the gospel. In fact, he would tell stories, ask questions, confront sin, but never killed anyone. He never forced his beliefs on anyone. In fact, he loved the very people that crucified and killed him. Yes, the church does need to return to sound biblical theology, but not at the cost of killing other people Thoughts anyone? Why do you feel this man did this?

The Parable of the Two Servants

I would like for as many who wish to read the following passage and tell me what it means. I am preaching on this soon and would like just some other people's impressions as to what Jesus is telling us in this parable. When I have finished my sermon outline, I will post it as well.
Matthew 24:42-51 (New American Standard Bible)
Be Ready for His Coming 42"Therefore (A)be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.
43"But be sure of this, that (B)if the head of the house had known (C)at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
44"For this reason (D)you also must be ready; for (E)the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.
45"(F)Who then is the (G)faithful and (H)sensible slave whom his master (I)put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?
46"Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.
47"Truly I say to you that (J)he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
48"But if that evil slave says in his heart, 'My master is not coming for a long time,'
49and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards;
50the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know,
51and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be (K)weeping and gnashing of teeth.