Snow Day!

On this snowy Friday morning, I figured that I would take a small break from my normal routine of reading the book of Acts and do a little devotion on snow.  It may seem a bit crazy to do a devotion on the light fluffy stuff but give me a minute and hopefully you understand where I'm coming from.

For some of us we're probably fed up with the whole snow thing.  That's often what happens when the snow sits on the ground for over a month without melting.  We're now on something like day 7 of snow days in a year when we only get 3 approved by the Ohio governor.  This all makes for many happy for the moment school children.  But what does all of this white fluff have to do with the bible?

Snow is a pretty important theme in the bible.  Perhaps you've heard the saying as white as snow.  This saying is critical for us as Christians.  You see the idea behind white as snow is the way the snow looks this morning.  It's perfectly white.  It hasn't been driven on.  It has no salt and grime in it. 

Now I'm anything but perfect.  I'm not as white as snow. I'm often grimey, dirty, covered in the gunk of life.  But in Christ none of that matters.  The sin and wrongdoing all cover and infect my life with the same ugliness that this snow will soon be infested with. 

In our lives as believers in Christ, we know that it's not about our doing, saying, or even believing that makes us white as snow.  It's the work of Jesus that makes us white.  It's his death and resurrection that turn our sin stained lives into beautiful, white, and even perfect lives in Christ.  When God sees us, he no longer sees the dirty stuff of our sin - he sees the perfection of his son.  That means that all of our wrongs and dirt have been removed (not covered - removed).  There's no residue left from our sin.  It's as if the sin never even existed. 

So today go play in the snow.  If you don't want to go play in the snow that's fine - just look at it and realize that this is how God sees you.  Perfectly pure.  Free of all imperfections.  And the great thing about this, it's not conditional. There's nothing that you or I could do to make God love us any less (or more). 

So today enjoy your snow day!

Lord - thank you for snow!  For the reminder that it gives us of the perfection that you give us in your son Jesus.  Help us to rejoice in the snow that we see outside this morning.  Amen.

Even THEM?

Have you ever been a part of a members only type of club?  One of those elite organizations that only certain people are allowed to enter?  Perhaps a gated community?  Maybe a country club with membership restrictions? 

If you have then you can probably relate to a concern early in the days of the church in Acts 11.  The idea of repentance leading to life was thought to be only for the "insiders."  If you were a part of the in-crowd, then you would be accepted. But if you didn't belong to the right race - no such luck! Peter was just returning to the church from a visit with a man named Cornelius - who just happened to be one of them, an outsider, a person was not part of that in-crowd.  The church people, the Jews, had a hang-up with this.  They immediately questioned Peter about his actions.  You mean you ate with that guy?  You went into his house and actually sat at a table with a man of that foreign race? 

Peter then unloaded his most recent message from God that said basically that God doesn't descriminate.  He said that what he deems right - we have no business declaring wrong.  What he calls clean - we can't call unclean. 

You mean that the message of the good news of Jesus is for all people?  You mean that it is for them too? You mean that anyone can repent and receive the new life that Jesus offers? 

It was at that moment that the church started understanding how great and revolutionary this message of Jesus really was.  It was in this moment that the gospel was beginning to be understood.  Jesus' death paid for the sins of the whole world.  And his resurrection opened heaven to all people.  Jesus' actions made the outsiders welcome members of the in-crowd.  Jesus' death and resurrection promises all people, even the unlikables, that even they are welcome here! 

Lord help us to extend your hands to the unreached.  Give us boldness to share your love and forgiveness to those who are not part of the in-crowd. Amen.

Are you good enough?

I've had the opportunity to have many conversations with many different people about being good enough for God.  It's amazing that so many people in our world believe that we have to BE good and DO right to get in with God.  But the truth of the matter is scripture is pretty clear on this issue.  There are two verses that come to mind here - it's not what's on the outside that makes a man clean and what God has made clean man has no right to declare unclean. 

In Acts 10, Peter is summoned to the house of a man named Cornelius.  He was one of them, and by that I mean a Gentile, not a Jew, not one of the chosen ones, potentially not good enough.  God called Peter to go to him and eat with him and to bring them the message of the gospel.  Ultimately the people in his house were baptized.  This is all pretty big news.

But what is it that makes us right with God?  I mean what is it that makes God accept us and love us and welcome us into his heaven?

Our good deeds? - pretty sure it's not that because the bible says that we are saved apart from works so that no man can boast in his own accomplishments.  Then what about in a special prayer or some series of specifically assembled words?  - pretty sure it's not that either because isn't that about us too.  Is it some form of washing or cleaning of oneself?  the rite of baptism? church attendance? eating the right foods? being of the right political persuasion? attending the right church denomination?

While all of these are not bad in and of themselves, the scriptures are pretty clear from my perspective that they all fall short.  Not any one of these things will make us good enough for God.  The bible demands absolute perfection, no exceptions.  Nothing can come in the way of our perfection.  If you've ever done anything that isn't completely right.  Even if you've erred oh so slightly just one time in your life, then you're just not good enough.  And honestly, none of us are good enough.  Even better that's not even the point of the bible.

The bible isn't about being, doing, working good or hard enough.  It's not about assembling all the right works and saying all the right prayers.  The life of the Christian is about living the "God did enough" life.  Scripture says that God paid the price for our wrongs.  He removed our sins (errors, misdeeds, wrongs) from us as far as the east is from the west.  When Peter met Cornelius and began to realize what God had been telling him, he realized that God didn't show favoritism based on how long we've known him, or how good we are, or what race we belong to, or even what church we attend.

God is 100% gracious - he gives us the great things that we simply don't deserve.  He did everything for us so that we don't have to do anything.  We simply don't reject it.  So today, be good but not perfect.  Help people, but if you miss an opportunity it's ok.  Today just live the life that says God did enough and have a great day in the Lord.

Jesus today we need to know that you were enough.  Reassure us of your presence and the power of your life, death, and resurrection.  Amen.

Who is that man?

He was a terrible man.  Absolutely one of the most rotten individuals I've ever heard of.  He was angry.  He was jealous.  He was violent.  He was vindictive.  He was just down right not nice!

Who was this man?  He was Saul, or better known to us today as Paul.  You see this man was on his way to pick up some Christians one day and have them thrown into prison, beaten, and potentially even killed.  He was an evil dude, there's really no other way to put it. 

But something happened on the road.  He saw the light - literally! The bible tells us in Acts 9 that Saul was blinded by the light on his way and fell to the ground.  Then he heard Jesus talking to him (mind you Jesus had died, rose, and ascended by now).  Jesus asked him, "Why do you persecute me?"  This is a pretty cool statement because it shows how closely connected Jesus is with his people, the church.  The church was never supposed to be an institution or building.  It was the assembly of God's people living in the world.  Jesus told Saul that when he persecuted the church, he was persecuting Jesus. 

If we skip ahead a bit we meet up with Paul preaching in the synagogue!  This same man who had been vehemently against the church was now preaching the message that the church was founded on.  God alone can work this kind of transformation. 

Today as we go about our daily activities I wonder what kind of lights God will shine on us. I wonder if we'll fall face down and be transformed by them or if we'll simply ignore them and move on.  I wonder what it will take to get the church to start thinking and acting like the church Jesus is defending in Acts 9.  Today perhaps we should pray for reformation - getting back to the basics of church.  Today let's chart a course for getting back to the truth of scripture, the only truth that really matters - Jesus died for all people as a payment for sin, he rose for all people to open heaven for them, and Jesus appeared to thousands of people sharing the message that this gift was for all people.  Today let's live the gift of transformation.

Lord we need to see the light.  Today we pray that you would use us like you used Paul.  Make us bold to share the truth of the gospel with our piece of the world today.  Amen.

Can you explain this?

This morning I continued my journey through the book of Acts, taking just a chapter from that book at a time and really thinking about its implications for ministry today.  Something interesting came out in my reading today that I'd like to share with you. 

In Acts 8:31, Luke records a piece of Philip's life.  Perhaps you've heard of the story of the Ethiopian coming to a saving knowledge in Christ?  Philip was hanging out, minding his own business - when God told him to go over to this man sitting on a chariot.  He listened and did exactly what he was told.  When he approached the chariot he overheard that man reading something from the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament.  He took the initiative and asked if the man understood what he was reading.

The Ethiopian's reply was priceless! He says, 'How can I understand unless someone explains it to me?'  I wonder how many of my friends and neighbors have this same thought running through their heads right now - I sure hope he comes and explains this to me.  I wish someone would help me understand what God wants from my life.  I hope he cares enough about me to come and help me out. 

You see, Philip became what I call an insider.  This is a person who goes to where the people are.  The insider is someone who sees an opportunity and moves in to the neighborhood, life interests, circle of influence of others so that Christ might be shown/explained.  Note: this is not befriending someone to get them to go to your church!  That is a totally wrong motivation. 

Philip became an insider by going to the territory known to the Ethiopian.  He didn't wait for the man to come to him.  He didn't wait for the man to even ask the question about what the passage meant.  He volunteered the information.  He saw an opportunity to be the gospel to someone and he took it. 

How are you at this?  Do you see the opportunities in front of you and take them?  Are you more inclined to wait for the people to come knocking on your door? I believe that our task as Christians is to be more like insiders - seeking out those who are already in our circle of influence that we might share this life saving message with them. 

Lord - today we seek to be your hands and feet.  Make us bold as we live our lives as insiders this week.  Amen.

No boundaries

This morning I had a chance to meet up with an old friend.  He's the kind of friend that you can almost forget about for a while and then when you meet up again - it appears that you didn't miss a thing.  I just listened this morning.  I didn't try to give any input or import my agenda into his words - I just listened, and here's what I heard. 

After a considerable amount of time something that he said jumped out at me.  He said in a round about way that God isn't affected by boundaries.  The actual phrase he used was more like, "The most high doesn't live in houses built by human hands." (Acts 7:48)  These words were part of his defense for the charges against him.  He was being charged with a form of treason, but interestingly enough he didn't sound scared.  He knew something that the other people didn't know.  He knew a peace like no other.  Perhaps he knew that no matter what happened, God worked outside of the boundaries we set up.  God would do something big no matter the outcome of this trial. 

Is your God big enough?  Is he big enough to give you peace when your job is in question?  Is he big enough to help you through that project that you're not sure if you'll finish in time?  Is he big enough to beat your depression?  Is he big enough come to your rescue no matter the time of day or night? 

I've got this funny feeling that most of us have limited God in many ways.  We like the early church need reminders that God isn't bound to the building.  As a matter of fact he's not bound by anything!  Just think for a moment about all of the things you have to do today and the rest of the week.  Know that in all of that your God is walking right beside you.  He's not going to make things easy all of the time.  He's not going to take away the struggles.  But you better believe that he's going to walk with you through it all. 

I close today with the blessing we end our services with on Sundays: May God go before us to blaze a trail for us, behind us to clean up the mess we make of life, beside us as our friend and companion through life's journeys, beneath us to give us a sure footing, and above us to protect us and to shower his blessings upon us.  Amen.

Don't Hold Back

This morning I woke up with some tight muscles in my neck and shoulder because I worked out yesterday and potentially lifted too much.  I have to be honest, my wife doesn't really like it when I hurt myself lifting weights.  So her natural question for me this morning was, "did you stop when you realized you hurt yourself?"

Well, I'm a guy so the answer to that question is NO.  I just powered through the pain I felt yesterday because I believe that you can't hold anything back.  I don't jog - I run.  I don't walk - I walk fast.  I don't wait on much of anything - I'm a get'r done kind of guy.  So holding back just isn't in my nature.  When I see something I go for it jumping right in with both feet. 

There's a story in the bible about holding back.  It's the story of a husband and wife, Annanias and Sapphira.  They held back money from the church, although I really don't believe that this story is about money at all.  They thought that if they kept some of the money that they said they were going to give to the temple that no one would really notice.  But man were they wrong. 

So there are two big issues here - holding back and lying.  I'm a huge fan of either, nor do I think God is.  Well the story of A and S (some people can't pronounce their names so we'll just abbreviate) can teach us something.  The simple message is don't hold back.  Life is short.  We only have so much time to live the calling that God has given us.  Holding back won't accomplish anything.  Think for a minute what would have happened if God would have held back.  Perhaps God could have held back by giving us some homeless guy instead of his son, Jesus.  Or instead of dying on the cross, Jesus could have had a bad day.  And instead of rising again he could have twitched once or twice but not really rose. 

None of the alternatives to Jesus' death and resurrection would have been helpful to us at all.  They are actually kind of silly sounding.  Perhaps our holding back is just as silly.  God wants us all in.  He wants us to believe in him so deeply that nothing will prevent us from following him. He wants us all in with everything we are - from our money to our time to our thinking and our actions.  God wants all of us.  So today let's live with reckless abandon!  Let's put it all on the line.  Today hold nothing back, put it all on the table!

Lord, today we need your help to be bold and hold nothing back.  Give us courage and strength to live for you today.  Amen.

Boldness

I believe that one of my new favorite passages of the New Testament is found in Acts 4.  Now for those of you who don't do much with the book of Acts, this book is all about the starting/launching of a movement of people who believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus. 

Acts 4 tells the story of two high powered figures in this new movement named Peter and John.  These men were on fire for Christ (no pun intended!).  They couldn't stop telling everyone they knew about Jesus.  Everywhere they went they found someone to share their faith with.  Now if you're unimpressed with the church please don't misread this.  They weren't pushy preachers, selling the savior, tricky teachers, or anything like that.  They were straight up believers who were impacted by the message of Jesus and wanted to share it with everyone they knew. 

So in this section we find Peter and John put in prison for their faith sharing escapades.  The rulers in the Jewish church didn't like the following that these two men were gathering for Christ and in an attempt to shut them up put them in prison.  Long story short - they were released because they couldn't make a case stick.  So here they are fresh out of prison, haven't even showered yet and they meet up with the rest of the Jesus followers (we'll call them the Jesus posse).  Now the sane thing to do would have been to lay low for a while.  They should have hid in the back room of the house and not come out until things cooled off a bit, but that's not what they did.  Instead they gathered together and prayed.  And prayer is logical enough for this group, but it's the words they use that are startling and inspiring. 

Their prayer included these words from verse 29 - Lord consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.  Are you kidding me!  I thought that what they had shown thus far was fairly bold, but they wanted even greater boldness.  And in a time when silence would have been more logical nonetheless. 

The point of this devotion is that we are around today as a movement of believers because this group of first century Christians prayed for boldness in their witness of Christ.   Perhaps this too should be our prayer.  We've been impacted by the truth of Jesus' death and resurrection so we do have a story to share.  Jesus' death paid for our sins.  His resurrection guaranteed us heaven.  Now we get to talk about it - and boldly! 

Lord, make us bold in our sharing of your word with the people where we live, work, and play today.  Amen.

Just imagine...

I was reading this morning from the book of Acts - has to be my favorite book of the bible - and I got to thinking...what would that look like? 

If you're not familiar with the book of acts then I'd definitely suggest taking a quick glance at it, but in the meantime here's a verse that always makes my imagination wander.  They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  (Acts 2:42)

Could you imagine?  I mean what would that look like today?  Devoting oneself to these things is a huge commitment!  Over the next couple of weeks we're going to be talking more about commitment in church as we become sold out on the gospel.  But for now let's just picture what that must have looked like. 

Being devoted to this teaching of the gospel was much more than merely doing devotions.  It was a lifestyle shift.  These people were leaving what they knew, or thought they knew, about God and clinging to something radical and different.  This new teaching was something that smacked their former belief structure in the face.  It was crazy and it potentially could have made these people uncool in the eyes of their friends and families.  But they were devoted.  They were ALL IN as we might say today.  They held nothing back.  For them it was all or nothing and they chose all! 

But not only did they study together.  They also prayed, ate, and hung out together.  I've seen some great church potlucks in my day but none that rival what is referred to here in this verse.  This was a regular thing for them.  They did this all the time, not just at church but all the time.  They loved each other. And they loved being with each other. 

Just imagine what would happen if we would start to look like this again.  Just imagine what would happen if the sleeping giant would wake up.  What would happen if the church would live as the church was originally designed to live?  It's time to get sold out on the message of Christ.  It's time to hold nothing back!  It's time to go all in!

Lord, help us this week to live all in for you. Amen.