If God is a Farmer....

I listened to a professor from Westminster Theological deliver a sermon with this topic recently. I thought that it was apropos considering our conversations on cultivating recently. I've included a link to the podcast in the title of this post. I would encourage you to listen and begin to truly take seriously the function of metaphor in scripture in aiding our understanding of the gospel.

Giving Honor

Click on the title and follow the link.

Culture Wars - A New Hope

I'm preaching this week.  I'm really excited.  I love to preach.  We've been in a series called "Culture Shock" and we've been discussing ministry in culture.  How do we adapt, how to we contextualize, and how to we remain true to the gospel in that.  So, I'm thinking about how we often ignore the culture around us, choosing instead to engage in culture wars within the church instead of engaging the culture around us.  

I've been a music leader for most of my life.  I started leading at my church when I was about 16 and have lead music ever since.  As such I have seen this particular issue become a real sticking point in different churches in which I have served.  We argue over the style, the volume, the instrumentation, etc.  The discussion is rarely about the gospel and almost always a question of personal preference.  Culture.  Usually the cultural leanings of one generation vs. the cultural leanings of another.

If the Lord allows I will one day be old enough to dislike the music at church.  It's inevitable.  I already find myself disliking some of the music I hear on the radio and it's only a matter of time until those styles influence the music in the church.  That's not evil, it's just the natural progression of time.  I was influenced by certain songs, bands, and sounds as a kid and my kids will be the same.  We should use those influences to communicate the gospel to others who are acculturated in the same way.

So, I say all that to say this.  I hope that when I do begin to 'hate' the music at church I will see past style and look for the gospel.  That my contention will always be that Christ be glorified. 

That's heavy, man.

Is. 52: 7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns."

It's always nice to hear good news, isn't it? There's nothing better to see than the friend who has an uplifting story to tell. If you know someone who always has something good to say, you like to see them coming. That's the kind of person Isaiah is talking about. It's beautiful to see them coming.

The good news they bring is boiled down into one sentence. "Our God reigns."

The news isn't that the storm has passed or that the trial is over. The news is that God reigns. He is Lord over the calamity.

The word translated glory in scripture can also be translated weighty or heaviness. So, God's glory could also be called God's heaviness. So, no matter how 'heavy' things get, God is heavier.

That's heavy, man.

Tectonic Shift

So, I watch the history channel, a lot. There, I said it. I am a nerd. But, being a nerd can come in handy.

A couple of days ago I was watching 'How the world was made'. This particular episode was exploring the Marianas trench and the Western Pacific Ridge. It discussed how the ridge was expanding at the rate of about 3 inches per year and that the trench essential 'ate' that same amount of the earths crust during that time. So, instead of the earth constantly expanding and the entire balance of nature being upset. There is homeostasis.

Why should we care?

Well, I was struck with the great care that God took in designing the earth. How that everything was considered and every detail was accounted for. It is the same for us. There is nothing that God has not considered and nothing left unaccounted. He will accomplish what He intends in us. Our part is simply to trust Him.

He can be trusted.

Different folks...

So, I'm reading this book (yes, I can read) Religiously Transmitted Diseases. In chapter 4 the author brings up the fact that when Adam and Eve sinned they didn't cover their hands, which they had used to commit the sin, or their mouths, which were also used. They covered the parts of themselves that were different from each other. Since that time, he says, we have continued to try and cover what is different, what might make us inferior. We go through our lives thinking that we are the only ones struggling with our particular weakness. So, the person who overspends hides their debt until it overwhelms them, the one who struggles with lust keeps it hidden until they find themselves consumed by sexual addiction, and the proud hide behind a veil of false humility until their self-righteousness alienates them from their Saviour and those who need Him.
Perhaps if we actually practiced confession, became honest with God and one another, and uncovered the truth that we all are sinners God's trancendance could be seen. Maybe it is in our weakness that He is strong. See, if we are all 'uncovered' there is no room to boast, no pride to be had, because we are all a mess and our only hope is Jesus.
Maybe, just maybe, if we uncover our undeniable need for Him we will also uncover the absolute wonder of His grace, the incredible strength that He gives by His Spirit, and the hope that can change the world.

God, destroy my pride.

a cautionary tale

There is a song that's been in my head a lot lately (I Still Do by Reckless Kelly). It really sums up how I've been feeling about my wife. Its about a guy who hasn't told or shown his girl how much he loves her in a while and he wants her to know that he still does. We've been super busy for the last several months and I wanted to play the song for her and remind her just how crazy I am about her. So, I cue up the ipod, hand her the earbuds, and press play. About a minute into the song I get a call from the other room, "Why does this remind you of me?" Well, I must have pressed the button an extra time because instead of hearing this lovely song about how I still love her she hears.....


I Can Drink Any Woman Pretty

Not good.

The moral of the story is, always double check.
By the way, she laughed and then I played the song I intended for her to hear. All is well.

experiencing grace

Have you ever felt the weight of mercy? I felt it this week as I led woship at church. I'm not sure if you know what I mean by that, but it's the best way I can think to describe it. It just felt heavy; the enormity of it. It is a gift that only humans are priveledged to receive. The angels worship God because He is awesome and powerful, as do we. However, there is an aspect of our worship that the angels cannot comprehend. They do not know what it means to be fallen and have the Father call them back in love. Amazing! It just struck me in a new way this week. It is unique to our relationship with God. No other being in all of creation shares that bond.

Hmmm....