Jesus Worship Him 365

"Empty Me"

This past Saturday in my final message in a series titled Master of the Feast (Master of the Feast Pt. IV – Running on Empty) we focused on how to receive what Jesus has to offer.  Essentially Jesus offers everyone life as we were intended to experience it.  It is a journey of knowing, worshiping, and serving God.  It is what we are made for and until we actually encounter Jesus we’ll constantly hunger and thirst for something sustaining, fulfilling, and lasting.

Taken from John 2 the series focused on Jesus’ first miracle of turning water into wine.  In the Biblical story the wedding hosts find themselves in quite an awkward position having run out of wine which they were socially obligated to provide.  They’ve run out of that which is necessary for the feast.  They’ve come to the end of their resources and are “empty” facing complete humiliation.  It is in this awkward moment that scripture provides a powerful truth for all of us in that if we desire to receive what Jesus has to offer we must come EMPTY!  It sounds easy but the truth is as fallen broken humanity we carry a lot of baggage.  We have hangups, hurts, and habits that are often hard to shake.  We also have our legitimate accomplishments, achievements, and gifts all of which make us vulnerable to independence and self-reliance.  We tend to show up with our spiritual resume and list of qualifications asking God to supplement us in our areas of deficiency.  To put it another way, it is difficult to be empty when we’re so full of it!

Nevertheless the prerequisite to a Holy Spirit, transformed life is that we come empty, naked, and bare before Jesus and ask Him to fill us.  In reality we are often filled with all sorts of things.  We are sticky like a masking tape lent roller!  So we pick up things along the way.  You name it, as we interact in the world and lug our baggage around our issues emerge.  Our family of origin issues along with bitterness, anger, fear, hopelessness, despair, pride, envy, all weigh us down and fill our lives making it difficult for us to experience the fullness of relationship with Jesus.  Even our spiritual cultural heritage (church, denomination, subculture) can’t occupy any space.  In other words we come to Jesus in the way the old hymn suggests, “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling; Naked come to thee for dress; Helpless look to thee for grace; Foul I to the fountain fly; wash me, savior or I die.” (Rock of Ages) This isn’t a one-time thing it is the way of the believer.  We are constantly pleading and seeking God so that a “dumping” off or a “checking” of our baggage happens every day.

Once we realize our desperate need to be empty then the question becomes how do we get filled?  This happens through ongoing encounter with Jesus.  Let me be more specific, it is through daily private worship of Him.  If he is the fountain of living water and if He is the true Master of the Feast then it necessary for me to constantly drink from His “fountain” and “party” at His feast in order to be filled.  Thus a “365″  experience of daily worshiping Jesus is where the “filling” happens.  In ministry we have a saying, “you minister out of your overflow” meaning that only as we have experienced the fullness of Christ (through private worship) to the point that it overflows are we effective in showing Christ to others.  Effectively we minister out of our “emptiness” but in the “fullness” of Christ.  Scripture says that, “out of the issues of the heart the mouth speaks” perhaps then if our hearts are being renewed then what flows out of the heart will be blessings, rather than cursings.

I’m praying that this Jesus Worship Him 365 catches on!  I believe it is the first step in renewing our church and revitalizing it for effective ministry now and into the future.  In essence we are saying that if we are going to invite unbelievers to get to know Jesus (not just know about Him) then we should know Him ourselves.  Amen.

I ended the message with this challenge that I’m calling, “Jesus Worship Him 365″ and it involves these four emphasis:

1. DAILY “drink” of what Jesus offers through private, personal WORSHIP.
2. DAILY pray that God will “empty” you of your baggage!
3. DAILY worship together as a couple.
4. DAILY worship together as a family.

In Christ’s love, Pastor Bernie

Journal Entry III

Me with Elizabeth and her mother during HIV/AIDS project visit

Monday, 7-27-09 HIV/AIDS Project

My favorite project visit of the trip so far. The staff and children along with the the support group was just awesome! This project was about 2 hours outside of Nairobi in a more rural area. For that reason maybe it felt like the people were just bit warmer than city folks. From the very beginning they welcomed us with song and from that point we felt right at home. I was extremely impressed with the staff at this project. The team was led by a wonderful woman (volunteer) called “momma” I think Zippora is her real name. The rest of the team was made up of other volunteers and Compassion staff several were young ladies who carried themselves in a very professional manner and were very dedicated to the mission. Sheila, Kiro, and Evelyn are some of the names I remember.

Perhaps the thing that made the biggest impression at this project was visiting the home of a woman who is HIV positive. She and her daughter live in a very small house along with her son and a couple of other relatives. She was a very kind and warm lady and her daughter wants to be a hairstylist. The daughter is sponsored and shared with us pics and letters from her sponsor. What is also exceptional about Elizabeth is that she is 16 and not married. Now that may not sound exceptional for us in the US but for a young lady in Kenya if she isn’t able to go to school then she likely ends up getting married in her teens and any chance of an education is really lost.  With a Compassion sponsorship her life is really different.  Amen!

Journal Entry II

Me with "LDP" program students Wilson and Beatrice

Sunday, 7-26-09 “Evergreen Project” and “LDP” Program Dinner

Visited and worshiped at a sponsoring church. It was a lively Prebyterian congregation with a ton of children. Vibrant worship, had problems with the PA! Like we all do! I was a little surprised that there was a screen and projector (powerpoint), wonder if it was controversial!? Worship team was loud and could probably use a bit more rehearsal time but they are clearly in love with Jesus.

The Evergreen project works with kids from a nearby slum. Beautiful children. They loved the frisbees and soccer balls I brought over from our church. Had a blast playing with them on the gravel parking lot.

The pastor and the church seemed healthy and dedicated to the Compassion project. This is a good church with clearly displayed mission and vision. Good sermon from a guest pastor. Kids loved the stickers – they are a big hit!

Evening 7-26-09

Dinner with the LDP (Leadership Development Program) students. These guys are awesome! They are all in college but they have been through so much. Some, if not all of these guys grew up in Nairobi slums and had it not been for Compassion International their lives could be totally different. Wilson and Beatrice sat at our table and Wilson in particular said some profound things about how it isn’t just about the education they are able to get but the spiritual component that really transforms. God is important to Wilson and Jesus has clearly had an impact on his life. He says he has lost friends who had an education but didn’t know Jesus so they really don’t have what he has. (Amen!)

Beatrice is studying marketing. I can totally see that for her just from the way she carries herself and the way she interacts, she has a warm and inviting smile. She has had the same sponsor her entire time with Compassion. These kids (in their 20’s) have a “hope and a future” (Jer. 29:11). They also understand the importance of giving back. They sponsor kids and are required to be involved in helping other Compassion kids. Awesome!  They will be change agents and true leaders in their world. I am humbled and honored to meet them.

Journal Entry I

From July 23 to August 1 I traveled to Kenya, Africa with Compassion International. I journaled some of my thoughts as we visited some of the projects that Compassion has going on in Kenya:

7-25-09      God continues to remind me that I have all I need.

Visiting Masai was quite amazing. Felt awkward at times though. I don’t like the feeling that I’m exploiting people or gawking at their poverty. Taking pictures awkward and a bit weird but the people were gracious and didn’t seem to mind.

Seeing how the Masai live made an impression.  There is no TV, and cell phones are rare. Obviously there is no electricity or indoor plumbing, we discovered the “cho” (bathroom). I was a bit paranoid about eating some of the food but I didn’t want to offend our Masai hosts. So I think I managed to avoid any big pieces of goat meat in the potato stew and ate a bunch of the vegetables and broth.

Still nearly 300 kids and their parents were warm and welcoming. The children at times seemed a bit shy or even afraid of us. I think they were particularly taken with the more fare-skinned pastors and visitors!  Thats okay, I’m not offended!!! (smile) Once it was time for selling their handmade crafts it was a bit crazy and you had to deal with being bombarded with bracelets, necklaces, belts, and other beaded crafts. All great stuff and I was able to pick up some cool bracelets for the girls. It was tough to say no though especially to the kids trying to sell their stuff.  Someone had even crafted an “Obama” breaded item. Isn’t that amazing!  The power of marketing!

Saw Zebras in the wild as we drove in and on our way back out as well, absolutely amazing!  Fairly long ride out to the area but well worth it. Saw a more primitive living family out away from the project. They lived in huts made out of cow dung and mud!! The women are responsible for building and maintaining the house, while the men take the herds to find water.  Polygamy is still practiced by some but Christianity is helping many of them leave that practice behind. Truly beautiful people in an amazing country.  I am grateful to be here.

Meeting Our Maker

I didn’t plan it this way but with the passing of two iconic figures in the entertainment world the subject of death, grieving, and heaven are hot topics right now. So this week as we continue the series Parousia we turn to I Thessalonians 4:13-18 where Paul instructs the Thessalonians about the reality of death but also the believer’s hope in the resurrection. Apparently the new Christians in Thessalonica where being overwhelmed with grief because of the inaccurate messages they were receiving about what had happened to their loved ones who had died. It is out of a deep pastoral love that Paul shares the hope of the return of Christ because it will be a time of reunion with their friends and relatives who had passed away.

Grief over the death of loved ones and friends is also a reality for believers today.  What we’ll come to find in this section of Thessalonians is that the believer’s hope is bound up in the promise that the same God who raised Jesus from the grave also has the power to bring back his followers who have died.  This understanding gave great HOPE to Christians in Paul’s day and should do the same for us today.

Rocking the Boat

 

Which "Boat" Are we?

I love boats! In a sermon I preached last year (February 2008) I took the time to compare the many different types or styles of boats out there to the many types of  churches I see.  Below is what I came up with: 

 

• Rubber Raft Church: not a whole lot to it, provides some edification, but really is full of air, which means there’s a lot of talk and philosophizing but it doesn’t do much.

• Cruise Ship Church: Like a Disney or Carnival cruise ship it’s all about the vacation. This church values leisure (Sabbath “rest”), eating, and being entertained.

• Dingy Church: used for “short trips” generally an emotion driven church that lacks substance and depth this church can never take you on the journey God has in mind.

• Competition Ski Boat: flashy, hip, financially well off, church that looks great, and scores some big ministry events every now and then but can’t seem to really have a sustained ministry since the members are comfortable they don’t see the need.

• Canoe church: one or two people or are “paddling” doing all the work of ministry while others applaud their hard work from the shore.

• Paddle Boat church: Hard working, “works” oriented church that cruises around looking at things and people to pass judgment on.

• House Boat church: a church that is all about family, but they never reach anybody else because they only think about themselves.

• Kayak church: this church seeks out the biggest spiritual thrill available – personal spiritual fulfillment is the most important – these church people often church hop – or attend big religious events to get their fix but can never stay with one church long enough to become part of a community.

• Rescue Boat church: a socially conscious church this church is motivated to rescue the most vulnerable and desperate of people. It often lacks enough organizational skill to pull off what it needs to do and it is in constant financial crisis because it can’t turn anyone away.

• Power Boat church: like the classic wooden inboards or the more contemporary “cigar” boats they are made for looks and power – generally located in a religious ghetto next to a major denominational institution where church leaders attend.  Full of spectators and people attracted to power but very little gets done for the kingdom.

• Super Yacht church: this church is plush, sophisticated, and equipped with the latest and greatest of technology. It is cushy and lacks nothing except for a real mission that will move it out of the lap of luxury. 

Staying Alive

George Bullard on (BullardJournal.org) has identified 20 factors that empower denominations to survive in the 21st century. They have been condensed to 10 here. I thought about Adventism when I read this so I’m posting it here and just for fun take the time rate each point on a scale of 1 (poor) to 10 (excellent) and let me know your overall score by posting a comment.

1. They proactively acknowledge and function with the understanding that real denominations serve congregations, and all they do points to enhancing the vitality of local congregations.

2. They unite on a clear and compelling message that seeks to make a transformational difference in the world. That message is so powerful that it gives them great reason to work through issues that seek to divide them.

3. They develop clarity around their doctrinal values that focus on core doctrines and allow flexibility for congregations who do not agree with every non-core doctrine espoused.

4. They empower congregational multiplication movements that result in a number of new congregations each year equal to three percent or more of the number of congregations already affiliated with their denomination.

5. They adopt and adapt effective models for helping congregations to develop readiness for transition and change, and ultimately transformation.

6. They help faithful, effective, and innovative congregations move to the next level of effectiveness in reaching their full kingdom potential.

7. They rediscover the core, highly valued activities of the denominations, and move secondary endeavors such as institutions to the back burner.

8. They make peace with the parachurch world, and even become more parachurch in nature themselves. They partner with parachurch organizations to increase effective service to their congregations.

9. They find ways to conduct the basic services and systems of the denomination in a manner that spends as few resources as possible and still maintains basic services to congregations. They do this by becoming resources brokers and coaches, rather than resource providers and consultants.

10. They understand multiple funding streams will have to be developed and cultivated to pay for denominational resources and services. They realize it is not likely the offering plate dollars in their affiliated congregations will provide the financial resources needed for future denominational vitality.

Pastor’s Note: You Wouldn’t Like Me When I’m Angry!

 

Don't Make Me Mad

“You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry!”  This is that memorable line from the late 70’s early 80’s TV show, The Incredible Hulk. The show featured the late Bill Bixby as a rather mild-mannered David Banner who when pushed or bullied would transform into a green muscle-bound giant of a man played by world-class bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno. As the “hulk” he demonstrated enormous strength and power to defeat the bad guys.

We might be tempted to think that God is a little like the Incredible Hulk in reverse. The God of the Old Testament appears to be an angry, all-powerful, wrathful God who doles out justice in an instant. In the New Testament God sends His Son as a humble, itinerate, Jewish teacher who heals the sick and demonstrates abnormal kindness to those He encounters.  Yet even the New Testament doesn’t avoid the issue of God’s wrath and even in the gospels where Jesus ministry is highlighted John issues this warning, “but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” John 3:36

In first Thessalonians Paul speaks of God’s “wrath” 3 different times and we can’t ignore them even though it can be rather uncomfortable to talk about. So as we continue our series called “Parousia” we’ll look specifically at the issue of God’s anger or “wrath” and attempt to understand how it fits with Paul’s teaching on the gospel and the return of Christ.

Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations

I came across an article recently that talked about the 5 practices of fruitful congregations. I thought you might like to read them and see how our church (Wasatch Hills) or your church (wherever you attend) is doing.  The article was written by Robert Schnase and can be found on www.sermoncentral.com

Here are the 5 practices as outlined in the article:

RADICAL HOSPITALITY (Romans 12:9-21)

PASSIONATE WORSHIP (John 4:21-24)

INTENTIONAL FAITH DEVELOPMENT (I Corinthians 9:19-24)

RISK-TAKING MISSION AND SERVICE (Matthew 25:14-30)

EXTRAVAGANT GENEROSITY (2 Corinthians 9:6-15)

So how about your church?  How are you doing when it comes to being a fruitful congregation?

A Strike!