One More Thing

Hi Five Oakers, The weekend's coming and there are a few things I want to share with you:

The Weekend

It's Palm Sunday weekend this weekend. We're only one week away from our Good Friday and Easter services. Don't let Easter catch you by surprise. Be ready. Come worship

FYI

Eric Metaxas on ''Noah: Mass Entertainment, and Us"

As several colleagues of mine have pointed out, the level of vituperation among Christians over Darren Aronofsky's film is “nuts.”

Eric Metaxas on "Our Bodies, Our Autonomy: The Secular Worldview Can’t Get It Right"

Many if not most people attending college work part-time to help pay for their education. Most do things like delivering pizza or working as waiters. But one Duke freshman has made headlines for the way she elected to pay for her education: becoming an adult movie star. The story raises important issues about the power of worldview—and our society’s increasing inability to make moral judgments.

Al Mohler on "Moralism is Not the Gospel (But Many Christians Think it Is)"

In our own time, we face false gospels no less subversive and seductive than those encountered and embraced by the Galatians. In our own context, one of the most seductive false gospels is moralism. This false gospel can take many forms and can emerge from any number of political and cultural impulses. Nevertheless, the basic structure of moralism comes down to this — the belief that the Gospel can be reduced to improvements in behavior.

One More Thing

Last weekend I asked, "Where's God's glory in your story?" Paul said that many glorified God because of his story. The persecutor of Christ's followers had become a follower of Christ. God is glorified when people see how God is at work in you and me.

I've thought a lot about that question this week. Where is God's glory in my story? After all, the question presented itself in my sermon prep on Friday or Saturday, so I hadn't had enough time to process it myself.

I could point to a lifetime of growth and transformation, but the question becomes more challenging when I ask, "Where is God's glory in my story...lately?" How is God's present work in my life evident to those around me? Can Lois, my kids, my partners in ministry, my friends and others see change happening now?

I'm still thinking about that question, but here's what I know: present growth for a long-time Christian like me won't come without taking new risks.

What kind of risks? I mentioned this one on Sunday--seeking once again to surrender an area of my life where I've come to excuse sin. This can be worry, lust, anger, gossip, materialism, laziness or any other sin. It's risky to try again when, after repeated failure, I've learned to excuse, minimize, blame others or ignore a sin in my life.

Another kind of risk is the risk of taking on a God-assignment. Something God has put on my heart, but I'm afraid. Afraid of failing or of giving up something I cherish--my time, my money, my security, my reputation, my freedom to do what I want to do.

One more risk: the risk of vulnerability. I find it safer to improve in secret. That way, if I fail, no one will know I was even trying. But mostly I try keep it a secret because others close to me might hold me accountable. They might ask how I'm doing and be disappointed if I give up. Or maybe I'm ashamed of what I want to change and don't want to admit to anyone that I need to change. And if I don't share my secret struggle, how will God get the glory?

The gospel of God's grace makes risk possible for someone who is risk averse like me. The deeper I go into the gospel, the more I want the God of amazing grace to get glory from my story. The deeper I go the more I realize I am loved and accepted and free in him alone. The deeper I go the more I see the ugliness of my sin and the beauty of holiness. The deeper I go the more risk becomes what's normal because I am accepted, I'm loved and I'm his child.

Where is Gods' glory in my story?

One more Thing

Hi Five Oakers, The weekend is coming and there are a few things I want to share with you.

The Weekend

Way back in my early days pastoring Five Oaks I met with two members three weeks apart. The first one gave me three reasons why he was changing churches: we were getting too big, we were building a building and my preaching didn't suit him. The second one told me why he was considering leaving Five Oaks: because we were too small and because the building plans were weren't big enough. Then he said, "The main reason I've stayed is because of your preaching."

That was a great lesson for a new pastor to learn. What was the lesson? Don't shrink your church, stop building and change your preaching style until you've had a second conversation? No. You can't make everyone happy, no matter what you do? Closer (and true), but not quite. The lesson was not to be a people-pleaser. I wish I could say I learned it once and for all, but I can't.

Tying my happiness to how others feel about me or about what I'm doing can be exhausting. We all do it to some degree or another. But not caring at all about what people think isn't much better. So what's the answer? We'll explore that and several other topics Paul addresses in Galatians 1:10-24 as we continue our series in Galatians this weekend.

FYI

Jeni Carlson on "The Retreat"

Recently, we received an inquiry from a family who is searching for a place for their special needs child.  They needed a place where the child could feel safe, be well cared for, and learn at their ability about the love of God.  They also needed a place where they could worship without worry.  This family found their current church couldn't help them.

Kay Warren (wife of Rick Warren) on "A Year of Grieving Dangerously"

One year after the suicide of her son, she shares her story of grief, mystery, and hope.

Kevin DeYoung on "Why is this issue different?"

I received an email yesterday afternoon to this effect: Could someone please give a short, simple explanation as to why the issue of homosexuality is not like Christians differing on baptism or the millennium? Many Christians are willing to say homosexuality is wrong, but they’d rather not argue about it. Why not broker an “agree to disagree” compromise? Why can’t we be “together for the gospel” despite our differing views on gay marriage? Why is this issue any different?

One More Thing

The Christian life is a life of joy and of pain and suffering. It's a battle with forces of darkness. Our delivery from the present evil age (Galatians 1:4) is not yet complete. The Scripture attesting to this is so vast and conclusive that it stuns me every time I hear of a pastor or Christian that denies it. And many do.

In this world we struggle not only with disease, illness and death, we also struggle against the world, the flesh and the devil. The result is that every one of us still sins. So we're never beyond our need for God's grace. Never.

That means you're not alone. Do you fight the urge to gossip? Do you struggle with same-sex attraction, the temptation to be unfaithful, the desire to look at pornography? Do you struggle with debilitating worry or uncontrolled anger? Are there people in this world you hate no matter how much you pray for a heart of forgiveness? You are not alone. I know people who struggle with all of these and who part of our congregation. And they are fighting the good fight by staying in the struggle. They aren't excusing sinful urges, desires and actions, appealing to God's desire that they be happy above all else and then presuming on God's grace by giving up the fight. 

You are not alone.

The Christian life is hard. It's a fight. It's joy and pain.

Don't give up.