Advent 1: Anticipation

This week's reading focus is the book of ISAIAH, chapters 40-49 (NLT)

Text related to the sermon/discussion at The River:   40:1-15 & 49:1-7

(Heard spoken by a first century Jew): 

The Lord is going to return... right? But how do we know he's really coming back to rescue and redeem us from all the evil forces in this world? Hasn't he said that before? Weren't we Israelites stuck in Egypt for 400 years as slaves? And when Moses led us out of Egypt, weren't we stuck in the desert for 40 years? And now we're in the "promised" land of Canaan, but everyone from the Medes to the Persians to the Greeks to the Romans have held the nation of Israel under their collective thumbs for hundreds and hundreds of years! God even allowed us to be taken from our homeland to be stuck for 70 years in Babylon to rot away as we awaited God's "rescue." Hmmmmph, that never happened... at least not in the way we had hoped... but at least we were eventually allowed to return to Israel. Nevertheless, I have a question: if Yaweh is so darn willing to rescue his people from oppression, how come we constantly keep getting oppressed by each and every superpower that emerges in the world?! If our God so good and powerful and gracious... then why doesn't he DO something already? If we're really his chosen people... why doesn't he treat us better? Doesn't he care?

Have you ever asked a question like that? "Don't you care, Lord"? "Why won't you  just return already... and rescue us from this evil world?"

Long before we came along... heck, for that matter, long before Jesus came along, Jews had been asking those kinds of questions for many centuries. I don't even pretend to have the answers... but contemplating this whole idea as to why God waits to return to this world in the fullness of his power and glory has brought to light a few things for me:

1. Like it or not... we (all humans) are an active part of the "evil" in the world. Perhaps it's not easy to swallow, but we have all fallen short of the glory of God... and therefore deserve death according to his law. Perhaps he's waiting to return as destroyer of evil because he loves us and wants to give us more time to repent?

2. God has returned - through the promised Messiah Jesus Christ. Though surprising and not exactly what we were hoping for... God gave us a new revelation of Himself by directly participating in humanity. Perhaps he's waiting to return as a warrior because we first needed to understand that God is willing to fully identify with us in our frail humanity?

3. Since we Christians have been called into relationship with God through Christ - and since we have been forgiven and redeemed - we are now His ambassadors commanded to share the good news of God's willingness to renew and restore everyone who humbles themselves and embraces His gracious authority. Perhaps he's waiting to return in full revelation to give us time to take His commandments seriously?

4. Though completely forgiven... many Christ-followers nevertheless chase after a multitude of false gods, and have grown weary in their wait for His return. Living in a wealthy, busy, and godless culture tend to take their toll on well-meaning Christians who believe in Christ... and yet find themselves giving in to all kinds of temptations that do not honor Christ. Perhaps he's waiting to return to give his followers time to decide whether or not they are willing to discipline themselves to constantly listen for the voice of God in their lives?

Hmmmmm.... I dunno why God keeps us waiting, but in some ways I'm glad he does. Though often frustrating... I like my life here on earth. I love my job, my family, and my friends. I love living near the mountains and beautiful bodies of water in this part of the world. But mostly, I love that God "comes" to those of us who will tune our ears to hear him... and adjust our eyes to see him. He is subtle... but nevertheless, he is powerful. He is unpredictable and impossible to control... but nevertheless, he is good and kind and gracious.

He is the Lord... and he is returning someday. Not as a babe in Bethlehem, but as a conquering king... the King of all Kings. Quick... everyone look busy!

May your Christmas season be filled with wonder and beauty... and the joy of knowing and following Christ our king.

Serious Faith

This week's Bible Focus: Paul's Epistle to the ROMANS


Text related to the sermon/discussion at The River: Romans 5:6-11 (NLT)


"Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners" (vv. 7-8).


Hmmmm... so, what would you do?


If someone broke into your home this very evening, put a gun to your head, and threatened to kill you if you didn't deny that Jesus Christ is Lord... what would you say to that person?


Recently, I read about two Catholic martyrs from the middle ages: Jan Hus (1372-1415), and Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556). You can read about both of them at Wikipedia.com.


Here is an excerpt about the death of Jan (John) Hus:

...He was enrobed in priestly vestments and again asked to recant; again he refused. With curses his ornaments were taken from him, his priestly tonsure was destroyed, and the sentence was pronounced that the Church had deprived him of all rights and delivered him to the secular powers. Then a high paper hat was put upon his head, with the inscription "Haeresiarcha" (meaning the leader of a heretical movement). Hus was led away to the stake under a strong guard of armed men. At the place of execution he knelt down, spread out his hands, and prayed aloud.

Wild, huh? This guy was burnt at the stake for has stand against the (at the time) thoroughly corrupt and wholly unbiblical doctrines of the Catholic Church. But did he recant his beliefs when the going got rough? No way, Jose. Here's how life on this earth ended for Mr. Hus:

At the last moment, the imperial marshal, Von Pappenheim, in the presence of the Count Palatine, asked him to recant and thus save his own life, but Hus declined with the words "God is my witness that the things charged against me I never preached. In the same truth of the Gospel which I have written, taught, and preached, drawing upon the sayings and positions of the holy doctors, I am ready to die today." He was then burned at the stake.

Can you identify with Jan Hus? Man, I want to... I really do. But quite honestly, I wonder if I wouldn't more likely respond like Thomas Cranmer when the heat of the fire - and the threat of death - was causing me to sweat profusely:

In his final days Cranmer's circumstances changed, which led to several recantations. On 11 December, Cranmer was taken out of Bocardo and placed in the house of the Dean of Christ Church. This new environment was very different from that of his two years in prison. He was in an academic community and treated as a guest. Approached by a Dominican friar, Juan de Villagarcia, he debated the issues of papal supremacy and purgatory. In his first four recantations, produced between the end of January and mid-February, Cranmer submitted himself to the authority of the king and queen and recognised the pope as head of the church.

Now, please keep in mind... Thomas Cranmer, like Jan Hus, was caught in a huge, ugly and violent web of corruption that defined the Catholic Church in those dark years. And like Hus, Cranmer (mostly) stood for the truth of God's sovereign grace in the face of all this persecution. However, it also seems clear that when the chips were down, he changed teams pretty decisively! 


Frankly, I hope never to know for certain what I would do if faced with that kind of challenge to my faith. But nevertheless, it is a good question for self-reflection and discussion, don't you think? Assuming we're a disciple of Jesus... do we love him as much as he loved us? Would we be willing to die for what we believe? Or... as Cole challenged us last Sunday in his sermon about the book of Acts, would we be willing to live for that same reason?


Okay... history lesson almost over. There is good news and bad news from Mr. Cranmer's story. The bad news? He did indeed die a horrible death in spite of his heavy-duty backtracking. The good news? In a prepared last speech, he sort of went off script, which really ticked off the religious authorities:

He renounced the recantations that he had written or signed with his own hand since his degradation and as such he stated his hand would be punished by being burnt first. He then said, "And as for the pope, I refuse him, as Christ's enemy, and Antichrist with all his false doctrine." He was pulled from the pulpit and taken to where Latimer and Ridley had been burnt six months before. As the flames drew around him, he fulfilled his promise by placing his right hand into the heart of the fire and his dying words were, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit... I see the heavens open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God."

Wow... now that is an awesome last minute save! What kind of faith stands up to that kind of torture so powerfully... so confidently? Whatever kind of pressure we're facing today... I'm pretty sure it's not as intense as what these men faced. Perhaps God can get us through our difficulties too, huh?


Anyway, hope to see some of you Ellensburgers this Sunday!

All In

This week, we're focusing on - and trying to get everyone at The River reading and discussing - the entire book of MATTHEW. The specific text relating to the sermon is 12:22-37 (The Message).


"This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you're not on my side, you're the enemy; if you're not helping, you're making things worse."


I admit it. I am a professional procrastinator. That is, more often than not, when presented with two equally sensible and/or logical choices, I have a strong tendency to do nothing rather than make a decision that could turn out to be wrong. It's humorous, really. For example, my email inbox is currently littered with hundreds of messages - most of them of no lasting value - only because I'm never sure whether to delete them (whereas they'd be gone forever), file them (but then I'd have to decide under which  category)... or just let them sit there and take up tons of space in my inbox. Sadly, it's usually the latter option by default. Anyway, as a result, it takes me forever to find a message when I have to hunt for something specific. True, my system (or non-system) eats up precious memory on my hard drive... but on the positive side, I'm sure to have practically every message I've ever received in the past six months... even the stupid ones that promise to bless me if I forward it to 10 contacts! Hmmmm, not sure that's really worth celebrating though... Besides, I'd never be able to choose which 10 to forward it to!!


Anyway, it seems to me that Jesus makes it pretty clear to his disciples that he doesn't want them to procrastinate about whether or not to follow him. In fact, when they do ponder it for very long, he usually leaves them in the dust (e.g., Matthew 8:22). So to me, this passage in Matthew 12 indicates that Jesus is definitely not interested in wishy-washy disciples... there's a spiritual war going on, and there's no time for us to sit around and decide whether or not we're willing to risk getting shot. Jesus' words challenge us: either you're in... or you're out - you decide, but don't sit around and make lame excuses. Just decide to give God everything you've got (i.e., heart, soul, mind, strength) - or at least have the guts to tell him to pound sand. Hmmm... I honestly believe atheists will have a better experience standing before Him on judgment day than indecisive believers who couldn't quite put their so-called faith into reasonably discernible kingdom action. In Revelation 3, the Risen Jesus makes a troubling statement to the "luke-warm" (halfway, partially sold-out, almost-loyal) Christians from Laodicea - that they were utterly sickening to Him, making Him want to puke because of their limp and stagnant devotion to God.


It's war, Baby... and in this battle, there is no Switzerland. In God's army, if you're not actively and passionately marching in step with His Spirit... engaging the enemy with Him (and submitting yourself fully to His authority), then frankly, you're wearing the wrong uniform. It may not seem entirely fair, or humane, or comfortable, but nevertheless, it's true. He demands all of us, all of the time - at least, according to this passage, right?


Okay.. okay. But really, what does it mean to fight in His army? How are we supposed to march in step with His Spirit? How do mere men (and women) engage the enemy of God without losing our soul? What does it mean to follow Christ with all of who we are? It's not by works that we're saved, right...? So then why all the active verbs to describe such a passive-sounding thing as living by faith? How do we know if Christ sees us as hot, or cold, or lukewarm? And why is He so bloody demanding of His followers anyway?


Legitimate questions soldier. Got any answers?

Prison Break

Text for this Sunday's sermon/discussion at The River: Philippians 4:4-9

I'm not in prison, but sometimes I feel like a prisoner. Only my jail cell does not have steel bars and an extremely large roommate. The prison I spend so much time in is called fear. In the book of Philippians, Paul tells me that Christ wants us to live with confidence leading to joy regardless of any and all circumstances... yet far too often I instead live with worry leading to frustration (and his ugly twin brother, anger).

But when Paul wrote this amazing little, four chapter letter - he was in an actual prison. And we're not talking Folsom Prison either... we're likely talking about a dark, dank horrendous place where prisoners had their ankles in heavy chains. There was no television, no outside time, no education program... from what I can gather, it was a terrifying and utterly depressing place to be held against your will.

Yet Paul told us to be joyful... not only did he tell us... he WAS joyful even though his immediate circumstances seemed rather hopeless. How could he be so lighthearted... so full of life and vitality... so joyful while sitting in a place of such pain and anguish?

Because - even though he was physically in that dark prison cell, he was spiritually in the presence of God Almighty. Somehow, Paul was so caught up in the reality of Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior... his passionate love of God overwhelmed the very suffering of his body. Paul had faith that was so utterly real and powerful, he was no longer capable of worrying or being fearful. Prayer had become more than a simple "conversation with God"... somehow, it lifted Paul out of that prison cell and transported him into the presence of Jesus - and joy bubbled out of him like he was the guest of honor in a plush palace suite!

"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

Oh, God... teach me how to pray like Paul. Help me to trust you even to the point of experiencing pure joy in the midst of life's challenges, frustrations and downright scary moments. Help your children offer up prayers of praise and worship that mysteriously, yet powerfully raises our mind and spirit out of the evil of this place, and opens our eyes to the reality and beauty of your glorious kingdom come. Make us whole again, Jesus... even if for a mere moment to connect with your holy love. Please, I pray, come in your fullness and displace worry at the center of our lives. Amen.

Word of God

Text for this Sunday's sermon/discussion at The River: Hebrews 4:12-13 (TM)


You've heard it before... probably many times in church. "Read your Bible." Like an exhausted mother of 4 children telling her kids to eat their vegetables, somewhere along the line you've probably heard a slightly annoyed, oft-frustrated, even desperate-sounding pastor plead with you to, "Read your Bible... p-p-please!"


So you do. You make the decision to read the Bible for yourself. The very next morning, you get up early, make a cup of java, turn off the television, open your big 'ol study Bible to Genesis, and three (or maybe ten?) chapters into it... zzzzzzzzzzzzz.  Huh? The next thing you know, you're waking with a jerk, wiping the drool off your face, and wondering what the heck happened to day one of your great Bible reading adventure! Then comes day two, day three... and then the whole exercise just seems to slowly fade from your memory.


But wait... doesn't Hebrews 4:12-13 say the Word of God (aka, the Bible) is, "sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey?" If that's true, why does it seem more like a great sleep aid than a knife? Or, playing off the surgery metaphor more precisely, why does the "Word of God" often seem to function more like the anesthesia than the scalpel? Is the Word of God really as powerful as it claims to be... or it it just an old book of stories and moralisms about people long, long ago... you know, more or less meaningless for more "sophisticated" people of today's world?


Well, you probably already know what my answer is to that question... duh, I'm a pastor! Of course I'm going to tell you the Bible is eternally powerful and effective... of course I'm going to advise you to read it (think of it as a spiritual vegetable!)... of course I'm going to do everything I can to help the Bible come alive to people who are seeking to know, and hear the voice of, and follow the Son of God - Jesus Christ! Sheeeesh... what kind of pastor would I be if I didn't attempt to do that?


But... are we pastor-types (and other varieties of Jesus Freaks) right about the Bible being the very "words of God"? C'mon, does a mysterious old book really have the power to breathe divine life into the spiritual death of humanity? How?


In order... I strongly believe the answers are: Yes, yes... and it is a divine mystery. One in which we can never fully grasp this side of heaven... but nevertheless, that which we can participate in with only a minuscule amount of faith.


So... if indeed the Bible can change lives... the questions then become something like: okay, so how do we approach it? How do we hear God's voice? How do we listen without falling asleep? How do we interpret its teachings? How do we become a "Christian?" How do we know we're following God's will? How are we supposed to live our lives as disciples of Jesus Christ? Just how the heck are we supposed to believe, and understand, and tackle, and READ this humongous book anyway? I believe it's powerful... but for goodness sake, how do I take it all in!!????


Well, dear reader... I'm so glad you asked. It's one of my favorite topics.  :-)

The Touch

Text for this Sunday's sermon/discussion at The River: Acts 3:1-11 (NLT)


The guy lived a pretty miserable life. He was reduced to begging at the temple of God, ironically at the Gate called Beautiful. I wonder if he ever contemplated the ridiculousness of it all... he couldn't get welfare, couldn't sue anyone for making him crippled since birth... couldn't go anywhere without being carried by whomever cared about him most (if anyone)... and couldn't even go in to the temple to worship God. Actually, he wasn't so sure he wanted to worship the One who made his life so miserable... all this, and he was placed each day at the Gate called Beautiful! Ha, funny joke, only he was the punch line. We can only surmise that he felt completely stuck in an endless loop of hopelessness, fear, and utter frustration at his lot in life.


"Stranger, do you have any money to give a poor crippled beggar?," he would ask anyone who came near him at the gate. More than likely, most people ignored him, some were rude to him, and occasionally someone might give him a modest handout so he could eat his next meal. Talk about desperate. But then one day, his life changed in a most dramatic fashion.


In his usual way, he begged the two guys coming through the gate... but this time it was different... one of them stopped and looked him in the eyes very intently. “Look at us,!" said Peter. Then he said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”


Peter didn't give the guy money - that which he thought he wanted. Nope, he gave him that which God wanted to give him - the gift of freedom, the gift of walking and running and dancing, the gift of hope. The one gift that could wholly and completely change his life!


I want to be like Peter. So full of confidence in God that I don't give people what they want... but what they most need in the depths of their soul. Money is good, and important, even necessary... but mere money doesn't accomplish what healing can do in individuals who desperately need hope. Money can buy a new school or new hospital... money can pay a missionary or dig a new well... but the personal and powerful touch of Jesus being given by (and through) one of his disciples can nevertheless transform a person's life forever. 


Many of us don't have much silver or gold to give away to the needy... but all of us can breath good news into the lives of spiritually crippled people. We can help lift them out of the depths of their depression. The good news of Christ can strengthen weak legs and give hope to those who feel reduced to mere survival in a seemingly dreadful world. Of course, many invalids don't know (and don't care) that they can't walk - but nevertheless, many people do hunger and long for something new and fresh and powerful that will give them new strength. They may not know it at first... but the source of that power and strength is not found within... it's found in the touch of Christ.


So... I wonder, what does that say about the body of Christ? We are his hands and feet, right? How then can we touch people with His love? Are we willing? Are you willing? What could we do to "heal" the spiritually crippled beggars of our day? You might get your hands dirty... are you ready to do that? Are you ready to change lives? Lord, give us the confidence to believe as Peter believed... and the touch to heal our neighbor.

The River - Garth Brooks

Text for this Sunday's sermon/discussion at The River: Matthew 25:14-30


I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
- Garth Brooks, ("The River")


"The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.'"
- Jesus of Nazereth (Parable of the Talents)


So... how does Jesus want us to live here on earth? Does he want us to timidly go about our business and stay out of trouble so people will like and admire us? Does he want us to anticipate every possible scenario and act only when we can fully determine a positive outcome? Does he want us to throw caution to the wind and spontaneously act in whatever ways we believe he might be commanding?


As with most kingdom things... I believe the answer is somewhere - not really in the middle, but - above all those choices, rooted in his kingdom economics. God wants us to be good stewards of the resources he has entrusted us with. And yet, God wants us to take bold risks... live dangerously. He wants us to listen for his voice and willingly obey his commands. However, he doesn't want us to recklessly respond to every whim we "feel" he might be guiding. Hearing the voice of God is not easy. He doesn't speak up just because we try to manipulate his will upon demand - he's our Lord, not a spiritual vending machine. On the other hand, God does have ways of speaking to his people. When, how, and by what means he choose to reveal his will is completely unique to each of his followers. But suffice to say this: if God speaks to you and you're not terrified by the impossibility of what he's challenging you to do... then perhaps you're not really hearing from God. Perhaps instead you're hearing from the enemy who poses as our Father... but is really the deceiver. Hey, don't blame me. I'm just sayin'...


Anyway, we at The River have been endeavoring to hear the voice of God more clearly and concisely, especially lately. We are struggling to become a self-sufficient ministry in this town, but in all honesty, to this point it has been a struggle. However, last month, we set a financial goal and shared our progress with everyone each Sunday morning... and we came within a few hundred dollars of making it! (Our coffee bar sales put us over the top). That is huge, because it just about doubled our typical giving amount! Meanwhile though... life goes on... dreams continue... opportunities arise... and God speaks to His children if and when they REALLY listen. What he seems to be telling us lately kind of seems audacious... crazy... financially unwise... utterly frightening! He seems to be telling us to do - not one, but TWO things that would again put us way over our budget. (Please note: this is not an attempt at fundraising... it's merely sharing about our collective wrestling match with God). However, just in case, we do accept Visa and Mastercard!  :-)


Anyway... does he want us to do one or both of these things and potentially commit financial suicide for The River? I dunno... at least not for absolute certain... not yet. Frankly, it kind of makes me want to rein things in and play it safe. After all, that's what he'd want, right...? Bury our head in the sand? (Or keep our future "safe" by burying the money we have?). Actually, according to the text we're exploring together this week... I don't think he likes it much when his followers play it safe in terms of investing our whole selves in his kingdom.


Hmmmm... this last song in the School of Country seems to be asking a rather intriguing question for the people of this church community: Are we willing to risk our (relative) security if he clearly calls us to do so? In other words, do we want to "never reach our destination because we never try," or do we want to invest everything we have and everything we are for the sake of his kingdom?

The Devil Went Down to Georgia

Text for this Sunday's sermon/conversation at The River: Ephesians 6:10-20 (NLT)

So, how do we fight the devil? I mean... he is the Prince of Darkness, right? It's his world - him and his minions (i.e., evil spirits, demons, etc.) - so how are we supposed to do battle with such a powerful enemy? Do we just ignore him so he'll go away? Do we look deep within ourselves... finding our inner warrior with which to defeat him? Do we band together and take him on with ams locked together and determination in our hearts? Do we just give up and retreat from him wherever and whenever we can? For that matter, is he even real...? Did "the devil really make me do it?" Maybe the presence of evil is real, but it is just that... a nameless, faceless foe that is more a figment of the imagination than reality? What the hell are we supposed to know about the devil? (Sorry, couldn't resist!)


I believe the answer to those questions kind of depends on what (and whom) you see as your spiritual authority. Is the Bible just another book...? That is, an ancient religious book - a literary classic - that nevertheless was written by mere men a long time ago...? Is it nothing more than a collection of stories designed by liars (or well-intentioned folks) to manipulate and control weak-minded people looking for answers to their deepest questions? Or is the Bible somehow... some way the very breath of God...? That is, more than mere information... but actually a (continuously) divine revelation from the Creator to His creation? Is God real...? And if so, could he (if he so chose) communicate with us?


I believe yes - He is real. So is His word. He has found a way to reveal his mysterious, powerful, gracious, forgiving and deeply loving self to us - a broken and disconnected creature that seeks to be fixed. But we are no mere creature. We are humans - created in God's image - and therefore, we (most of us) desperately seek the salvation of, and reconnection to the only one true God powerful enough, and willing, to make it happen.


And that same Bible - the living, breathing, dynamic revelation of the insanely personal, wholly relational and utterly illogical God who went to the ends of the earth to save us - tells us that Satan is real, and is frighteningly powerful. So powerful, in fact, that we are not capable of defeating him and his army in and of ourselves. Unlike "Johnny" in the old classic country song, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," we are not wise to try and take him on directly... because if we do we'll lose miserably. And losing to Satan is like losing to the Borg (for you Trekkies)... "resistance is futile." In the end... if we don't turn to Christ, we'll simply become absorbed into the realm of darkness - the very darkness we attempted to defeat - and become just another of the devil's minions.


Luckily though... we don't have to do all that much in this battle. Mostly it's about resisting the enemy by staying close to our commander in three primary ways. (1) Listening (for the breath of God), (2) Praying (to the Spirit of God)... and (3) Obeying the will of God. In essence, our call is to simply trust the One - the only one - who has the power to utterly and completely destroy Satan and his ilk. It takes nothing more than the faith of a child to defeat the enemy of our soul. Hmmmm... who woulda thunk it could be that simple?


Thank God.

Looking For Love (in all the wrong places)

Text for this Sunday's sermon/discussion at The River:

Ephesians 2, verses 1-10, & 19-22 (THE MESSAGE)


We all desire to fit in somewhere, don't we? Whether it's a prison yard, a place of business, a social club, a political group, or even a coffee shop... we all want to find a place where we feel as though we're accepted - that we belong. Some of these places are inherently good and healthy (as long as they don't become an obsession)... and some are just plain destructive.


I used to spend a lot of time drinking large amounts of beer in college. Okay... we're not talking murder or theft or some other horrible crime (most of the time anyway). We are, however, talking about a profoundly hollow lifestyle that was just about as alienated from God as a person would ever want to become.


My favorite hangout on weekends was The Tav (which by the way, still serves awesome "Super Mother" burgers!). But it wasn't really the place that defined our community per se... it was the alcohol. Most everything we did revolved around consuming lots of booze until we achieved our profoundly simple goal of total drunkenness. This tended to accomplish many things: It made us more talkative (even though our conversations had no depth); it gave us more courage to attempt to pick up girls (even when they weren't interested); it made us feel as though we could fight better (even though we proved otherwise on a couple of occasions)... and it made us believe we could drive responsibly (even though we obviously couldn't). By the time you factor in the massive hangovers, the murdered brain cells, the messed-up (and complicated) relationships, the close calls with the law, the shadowy memories of what you did or said the night before, and the profound sense of emptiness that overwhelms after a long night of partying... it just doesn't seem nearly as exciting or worthwhile or fun the morning after. Don't get me wrong... I had a lot of fun times... but honestly, I never really experienced anything close to meaningful or purposeful or joyful... nothing that felt real inside. Sure, it was a kind of community... but in the end it was just a shallow and lonely way of life.


Have you ever experienced "community" like that? Perhaps it doesn't revolve around beer (or other alcohol)... perhaps we're talking a less ethically-challenged group more focused on shared interests and hobbies... or sporting events... or business networking... or other religions... or even (gasp)... another church that seemed to lack the vibrancy of creative and purposeful belonging. Whatever your story, I'd like to hear it sometime. Really, I would.


Anyway, somehow, some way I eventually stumbled upon (or was beckoned to) a real community of people who seemed to offer more than merely altering my mind... or the pursuit of self-centered companionship... or immediate gratification. They offered Christ to me in a shockingly new and beautiful way. And once He took up residence and became rooted in my heart... life has just never been the same.


So I gladly say sayanora to mindless tavern hopping. I may have met some great people along the way... but nevertheless, I would never want to go back to that old way of life... to that kind of empty (and costly) community... ever. I much prefer to be a part of something much bigger and better and fuller and richer and deeper. I much prefer to be a (flawed yet dearly loved) disciple of Jesus Christ. So, how about you... what's your take on it?

Immerse Yourself

Text:  2 Kings 5:1-19 (NLT) 


Ahhh, Naaman. Such a proud man. You are a mighty warrior. Kings admire your courage and bravery. You have won great victories. People look up to you.

But you have a problem. In spite of having everything... you don't have that which you desire most. Healing from that nasty, ugly disease that controls your life... leprosy.


But there is a solution, Naaman. Not one that requires your cunning or valor... not one that can be violently torn from your enemy on a battlefield... not one that can be bought or bargained for or manipulated with brute force.


Nope... your solution is to humble yourself. Your solution is to listen to this nobody of a prophet from Israel... the man who won't even come outside to personally greet you (even though you're a man of great importance)... when you journey a great distance to seek the help of his God.


“Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.” (Actually, I like how it's put in The Message: "Immerse yourself").


The Jordan River? Really? It's a foreign mud hole! Damascus has much bigger, much cleaner rivers than the Jordan. What a stinking insult!


Just do it, Naaman. Humble yourself. Listen to this man's God. Don't try to make sense of it... just listen to what your heart tells you (and swallow your pride for once). You'd risk your life to be cleansed... why not immerse yourself in the river seven times and see what happens?


"So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child’s, and he was healed!"


I love how God works. The cleansing of our soul (just like Naaman's cleansing of his body)... isn't dependent on our own strength or wits or brains or power. It's all about immersing ourself in the River of God's grace. It's about swallowing our pride, and taking a risk... a leap of faith... (to beat this collection of mixed metaphors to death)... a willingness to dive in to God's healing waters... into something much bigger and greater than ourselves.


To me... that's what the Christian life is all about. And (to relate this story to this Sunday's big event at Irene Rinehart Riverfront Park... that's also what baptism is all about. Humility... obedience... faith... immersing ourselves (or allowing someone else to immerse us) into the death of Christ... and being raised up in His resurrection power. Baptism is many things... including (but not limited to) an outward sign of an inward grace. In other words, a public expression that God has circumcised your heart... and you want to tell the world that you have been marked for Him.


If you consider yourself a child of God, but you haven't allowed yourself to be baptized yet... then Christian, you need to check your heart and ask why. Pride? Feelings of worthiness? (Who among us is worthy?). Laziness?  Whatever it is... I have a solution.


Immerse yourself. And if you wanna do it this Sunday in The River... let's talk.

Shema

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.  - Deuteronomy 6:4-9

The above portion of Scripture is a very important one in the Jewish faith. It is often repeated in morning and evening prayer services, and Jewish mothers teach it to their children before they go to sleep at night.

You know, some people just encapsulate the love of God. They may not know it, but their words and their passion for Him overflows out of their hearts and into others. Cole and I have met a young man like that recently... and through our sometimes long conversations, we have both been struck by his bold faith in spite of some overwhelming circumstances. As a result, he has managed to bring us closer to Christ as he just sort of bubbles over with God's Word. Something about this guy just reeks with the love of God... and it's the wonderfully contagious aroma of His salvation.

When I heard his story... I knew the people of our community of faith needed to hear it as well. So this Sunday at The River, we're going to hear a testimony that I'm sure will surely shake us... and challenge us to reevaluate our own hearts, and walk with God. I don't know about you, but in spite of my tenaciously deep-rooted self-centeredness, I deeply desire to love the Lord God with all my heart and soul and strength. I'm pretty sure this young man's story will do nothing but strengthen our desire to know and to serve the Author of Life. After all, we're supposed to talk about them when we sit at home and when we walk along the road, when we lie down and when we get up... right?

See ya Sunday.  :-)

Lover, Lover (You Don't Treat Me No Good No More)

So, ya... another country song about love - love, that is, through the eyes of a songwriter who may or may not know the first thing about the One who designed us to love. I was going to talk about the biblical approach to love in the context of marriage (and the panorama of struggles that come about)... but after a couple of long phone conversations this week, I decided on a new approach to this song... and this Sunday's sermon topic.


Text:  1 Corinthians 13:4-7


Have you ever known an older person - a person who's been a Christian for years and years - and been positively affected by their enthusiasm for life? You know what I mean, right...? They are so positive, so bubbling over with joy, that you can't help but feel good in their presence. Their deep, abiding faith in Jesus Christ sustains them through thick and thin... and they continually lift up prayers to heaven on behalf of anyone and everyone around them. I love encountering that kind of person... it's rare, but every once in awhile, you meet an elderly person who just exudes the love of Jesus Christ - and it makes you feel good.


Then there's the grumpy, even bitter old person who gripes and complains about every last thing. The years have not been kind to their body (and/or their mind)... so they make it their mission to take it out on anyone and everyone around them. Not just the occasional complaint mind you... I mean an old coot who seems obsessed with (possessed by?) a spirit of anger and bitterness. Nothing is ever good enough, and happiness is nothing more than a distant memory of yesteryear (presumably when everything functioned better). 


So, what's the difference between these two types of Christ followers?


One Sunday per month, I used to hold a "worship service" at a nursing home in Kansas City during my (many) years as a seminary student. Believe me... preaching in a nursing home is a humbling experience to say the least! If the folks weren't medicated to the max... and/or otherwise completely out of touch with reality... then they were almost guaranteed to be one of two things: Really joyful and full of life and optimism, or really grumpy - with a thick protective outer layer of frustrated pessimism. Unfortunately, in the nursing home the really grumpy types always seemed to win by a wide margin. One old grump I often encountered was a former pastor (or so he claimed). I can't remember his name... but let's call him George. Man, you'd think a pastor might be the one person who's most excited about preparing to stand before Christ! Nope. George was reduced to nothing more than a grumpy old man in that place.


But one person, Helen, really did stand apart from everyone else - in that she loved the Lord her God... no matter what her circumstances. She was nearly as old as dirt (sorry, but she was really old, ok?)... and consequently she had long ago lost the ability to walk on her own or see very well. Let's face it, she lived in an impoverished, relatively dirty, smelly, seemingly lifeless nursing home located in the wrong side of town. As I said, most of her peers were completely out of it most of the time. As far as I know, she didn't get a lot of visitors. And frankly, the nursing staff didn't seem overly thrilled about her love affair with Jesus either. Most of them were there to do a job and collect a paycheck (with lots of cigarette breaks in between). 


But Helen was truly a bright light in a dark place. In spite of her circumstances, she couldn't keep a smile off of her face. She always seemed happy whenever I saw her. Every time I came to set up my CD of instrumental hymns, and prepared to preach the word (at several decibels above my comfort level... just so everyone could hear and stay awake), I would be greeted by Helen and her effervescent smile and kind words.


Helen is a hero of mine. I so want to be like Helen as time marches on, atrophy sets in, and my body (and mind?) begin to diminish. Assuming I get to live a long life on this earth, I so want to be carried by Christ into old age and dance before the Lord (at least in spirit)... rather than becoming disillusioned and bitter like George.


But do I have the faith... no matter the circumstances?

Family Tradition

SUMMER SERMON SERIES: SCHOOL OF COUNTRY

Text for this week's sermon/conversation at The River:  Luke 14:25-35 (NLT)

Hank Williams Jr:  "I am very proud of my daddy's name, although his kinda music and mine ain't exactly the same. Stop and think it over, put yourself in my position. If I get stoned and sing all night long, it's a family tradition."

Jesus of Nazareth:  “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple."

Hmmmm... so here's a question: What does it mean to be a "Christian" anyway? Is it merely a matter of coming to a place of emotional meltdown... whereas you want to give your life to Jesus, so you fall on your knees and ask for forgiveness - and subsequently ask him to take residence in your heart?  Or does it mean that your life radically changes forever... whereas your priorities are turned upside down, and all of your presuppositions are challenged in light of what the Bible has to say?

Yes... exactly.

Becoming a Christian is an event which can often happen in a specific moment... when a person becomes acutely aware of the totality and heaviness of his or her sins - and desperately seeks to live in alignment with the teachings and promises of Jesus Christ.  In a terrifyingly beautiful intersection of human despair and divine peace that passes all human understanding, a person becomes simultaneously emptied and filled in a profound way that defies accurate description. And yet...

Becoming a Christian is a process that lasts an entire lifetime. On this side of heaven, authentic followers of Christ have the awesome (and divine) empowerment of the Spirit of God to develop and grow in our spiritual depth and maturity (holiness). As we read the Word, serve others, and participate in the fullness of the community of Christ, we have the awesome potential to become more and more like Jesus of Nazareth. Over and over we are challenged to forsake our old lives and submit ourselves more completely to the will of God. So, as we learn to trust in His character, therefore continuing on a journey of faith in the path of holiness - He firmly but lovingly molds us and shapes us more and more into the very image of Yahweh, our Creator.

Confused yet?

Let me put this all in a different way. If your old network of relationships (including your family) does not somehow develop and nurture your faith in God and His kingdom - then frankly, you need to establish a new network.

Actually, I don't think it's about your relationships per se... but about the priorities (and influences) in your life. Are your eyes firmly fixed on the kingdom of God... or on things (and people) of this earth? If your ties to your family or friends suck you downward and encourages godless behavior... then perhaps you need to cut your ties completely. Either that, or you need to tell them the good news (even if it means persecution). Ya, it's harsh, I know. But God does not sugar coat this issue whatsoever. In this passage, Jesus in a very in-your-face manner challenges us to ask ourselves: are we really willing to do whatever it takes to demonstrate God is the center of our life, rather than people or things? Would you be willing to abandon anything and everything if He asked you to do so? Or would you rather follow a long-held family tradition of embracing the hollowness of this world... and consequently rejecting the holiness of God?

"So don't ask me Hank, why do you drink? Hank, why do you roll smoke? Why must you live out the songs you wrote? Stop and think it over. Try and put yourself in my unique position. If I get stoned and sing all night long, it's a family tradition!"

So, Christian... which do you love more... (family) tradition or true discipleship?

Crazy

Text for this Sunday's sermon/conversation at The River: Psalm 78 (The Message)

"Crazy, for thinkin' that my love could hold you,
I'm crazy for tryin, and crazy for cryin
And I'm crazy for lovin' you....."


Why does God love us? I mean... really? What have I done to deserve a relationship of love with him? What have you done?


Well... speaking for myself... nothing, nada, zip, zilch.


I want to repay him (or at least give myself to him) for creating me... nurturing me... watching over me... caring for me... saving me... extending mercy to me... being patient with me... giving me a future that transcends life on earth.


But two problems: (1) I can't... and, (2) Essentially, I'm a selfish fool - a spiritual prostitute who stupidly turns my back on God as often, and as furiously, as the wind blows in Ellensburg. And you, my friend, are not likely any different!


And yet he loves me. And he loves you... in spite of some major character flaws we inherited from Adam. God loves us profoundly (and inexplicably)... and what do we do? We return that love with a level of mistrust that would border on comical... were it not so tragic. So, why is God so crazy about us? And why oh why are we so stiff-necked, short-sided and self-consumed?


The story of Israel in the desert is the story of a passionate, patient, yet jealous and sometimes wrathful God who is enormously frustrated with his chosen people's unwillingness and/or inability to simply love the One True God. Instead they continually turn to stupid, lifeless, false gods they form together with their own hands. Over and over, God became frustrated and angry at his people's faithlessness and threatened to wipe them out... then relented and extended forgiveness and grace instead. Why? Why not just wipe them out and start all over again?


He gives and gives... and we take and take. 


My conclusion: He's crazy. Crazy about us. Crazy for loving us... knowing we have no capacity to reciprocate... crazy for believing in us for no logical reason... crazy for having faith in a creature that shows no willingness to put their faith in their Creator.


Eventually, he did what any slightly insane, illogical, passionate, loving being would do... he lowered himself down and did what we couldn't raise ourselves up to do...


He gave up everything for you and me... became poor so we might become rich.


I tell you, he's crazy. Are we?

BLT

Text: Acts 10


Just when I think I know what it means to follow Christ, God throws me a curve ball as if to say, "You're far from finished, Jeff. There's so much more about me that you need to learn."


When I was a new Christian, life was good and fairly simple. I consumed myself with Christian radio, especially talk radio where I could hear sermon after sermon about living the Christian life. The Bible held all the answers to life... and where I couldn't understand it, I had the resource of some masterful teachers who gave me great insight as to what God's Word is all about. Sure, there were difficult things in the Bible that were hard to understand... but by and large, answers to every question in life are contained between those beautiful pages.


Then I went to seminary... and one by one, many of my "safe" presuppositions about what the Bible is, and how it transforms the human heart were kicked out from under me. Don't worry... I'm not a Bible basher... in fact, just the opposite. Anyone who's ever been to The River will tell you that I'm huge on getting people to read large portions of the Bible. I may have changed my thoughts about how God intended us to interact with the Scriptures... but nevertheless, my passion remains. In fact, I would definitely say it's grown deeper and deeper as I've allowed my entire self to be studied and interpreted by the words of God, rather than merely being the study-er that stands over the Scriptures in a purely intellectual pursuit.


I wonder if that's how Peter felt after his crazy dream about eating non-kosher food. Here he was, a good Jewish man who was raised to believe the Jewish Law is the absolute and final word on religion... only to meet Jesus the Messiah who turned his Old Testament beliefs about God's Son upside down. Then, when he gets over that hurdle, God hits him with another challenge to his system of belief: God is not limited to saving the Jews only... that is, any more than Jews are limited to eating food that is "clean" according to the Law of Moses.


What? Didn't God give Moses the Law? Wasn't it Yahweh who mandated that Jews cannot eat pork? Why the change of heart? How are we supposed to just let go of what we deeply believe as biblical truth, when God commands us to break His very rules?


Now let's bring it in to our context... what would you say are the prototypical sinful behaviors listed in the Bible that are absolutely wrong according to God? Of those, which ones seem to be getting violated by people in this world on a daily basis? What I mean is... which of the sins listed in the Bible has the world tried to condone and show tolerance toward?


Got one in mind...? Good. Now here's the follow-up question: What should our response as God's children be to those 'sinners?' Shall we stone them? Shall we shout them down? Shall we curse them? Shall we haul them off to court? Shall we make jokes about them? Shall we make them feel less than human?


Perhaps we should say it's not really sin. Perhaps we should distort God's Word to placate our cultural difficulties? Perhaps we should appoint these people as leaders of our churches? Perhaps we should pretend that sin is not sin? Perhaps we should just look the other way so the world won't hate us anymore.


Hmmmm... then again, perhaps we should love them the way Christ loves us. 


The question is... how?

Blinded by the Light

Text for this Sunday's sermon/conversation at The River: Acts 9:1-31


He was just minding his own business. Actually, he was tending to business... on his way to Damascus to arrest those filthy, stinkin' followers of the Way, a.k.a., disciples of Jesus Christ. But something happened to Saul the Pharisee on that fateful day somewhere outside of the city. He encountered the living, breathing, utterly powerful, and not-so-subtle - resurrected Lord.


He was so positive he worked for God... he was so absolutely certain Jesus was a fake Messiah, and his followers were either mindless losers, or elaborate liars. Either way, they deserved death for perpetrating the message that Jesus, son of a common carpenter - and executed like any common thief - was the Son of God who would deliver Israel from her oppressors.


But they were right. All those people he had arrested... all those families whose lives were interrupted... all the pain Saul the Pharisee had caused the Christians... and they had been right all along!  Oh, God... what had he done?  More importantly perhaps... what could he now do to serve Jesus, the One he had so violently persecuted for so very long? How could he serve God... and this time, in the right manner? He would do anything, go anywhere, tell anyone, endure any hardship... he would die in order to share the Good News that Jesus Christ is not only alive - He is the Lord who forgives and restores and transforms anyone... EVERYONE who comes to the end of themselves and cries out to God for deliverance.


The story tells us that Saul was blinded that day... but we know better don't we? We know that, though his physical eyes might have been blinded... Saul's spiritual eyes were opened... and his life was thoroughly, irreversibly, violently, and beautifully re-directed. Once he was baptized and given food and water... Saul set out to become the world's best known missionary and church planter... and ended up writing letters to the churches that became more than 40% of what we know as the New Testament.

They were caught off guard by this and, not at all sure they could trust him, they kept saying, "Isn't this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem among the believers? And didn't he come here to do the same thing—arrest us and drag us off to jail in Jerusalem for sentencing by the high priests?"

But their suspicions didn't slow Saul down for even a minute. His momentum was up now and he plowed straight into the opposition, disarming the Damascus Jews and trying to show them that this Jesus was the Messiah.

Oh, Lord... I want to be like Saul the Pharisee... who's identity was changed to Paul the Apostle (and passionate follower of the Way). I want to be as zealous as Paul... I want to be as willing to embrace suffering... I want to trust You with all that I am... I want to obey you, even if it means dying for your cause. Amen.


Wait, wait, wait... I need to clarify: I said I want to be like that... but I'm not exactly certain I have arrived there yet... perhaps I'm still waiting for the scales to fall off my eyes? Geez, He sure does want a lot from us, doesn't he? 


So... assuming you're a disciple... what has following Jesus cost you?