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.