Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Everything, really?

There is this concept in the Net Testament about my life verses the life that Christ offers. Jesus said that those that seek to save their lives will end up losing their lives and those that let go and lose their lives will end up saving them (Matthew 16:25, Mark 8:35 & Luke 9:24). See this idea of surrendering my life to a bigger cause has a lot of appeal to me. On many levels it’s noble, almost romantic and it definitely has a draw. I mean who would not want to put on their resume that I lived for the cause of others. We all still have enough sense to know that is better than living for oneself.

Yet it really messes with me, this idea to die to my desires and live for what Christ desires. It’s more than just living a charitable lifestyle. This challenge to let go of my life and allow His life to take control is hard. If you struggle with this like I do, maybe it’s because we have yet to do what the disciples did.

Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you!” (Matthew 19:27)

Everything…everything, boy that’s a big word and often our biggest problem. See my struggle to live for something beyond myself lies in the desire to remove myself from the equation. Since the invitation to follow Jesus is open to anyone and that means everyone, then our excuses to not leave everything are gone. Each break of a new day, Christ stands beckoning for us to die to ourselves and to live for Him. I guess that is why the Apostle Paul stated this point in Roman 6:8, Philippians 1:21 and 1 Cor. 15:31. He said in those three passages that our death brings us true life, that in order to gain in this life we must die to ourselves and that it is a constant, daily task. I must die so that Christ can live in me. It’s hard but so necessary.

So how are you doing today? What desires, what things, what is in the way of Jesus today? Remember you won’t truly live until you leave everything behind. Maybe it’s best addressed by asking what has been the best part of your week? If you answer is a moment you can point at that demonstrates you are dying to yourself and Christ is living in you, I think you are well on your way. On the other hand if it’s a moment of personal satisfaction or self-gratitude you might want to go back and seriously wrestle with these passages and figure out what “everything” you have yet to leave.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Are You Ready?

This past Sunday we introduced a new series called “Not A Fan.” The concept is that Christians are not to just admire or enthusiastically admire Jesus (which is what a fan does), but to follow Him. To be willing to lay down their lives, to leave, to cleave, to surrender and sacrifice for the cause of Jesus.

In that introductory message we presented you three questions that you must address if you are truly going to claim to follow Jesus Christ. The first question was “Why are you here?” In other words why do you carry the name of Jesus, call yourself a Christian, go to church, serve and give your time and money? What is the reason?

The second question built on the first and asked “Are you all in?” So many of us do come to Christ for the right reasons but selectively commit certain portions or our lives to Him, this is never acceptable for Jesus, He wants all of us, a total commitment.

Then finally, “Have you made it your own?” You could have the right reasons, totally commitment yourself to something that is someone else’s idea. We often ride the faith/relationship of our leaders, pastors, parents, relatives or friends instead of carving our own relationship with Jesus one on one with Him.

So where do you fall? Honestly, don’t just gloss over this, but take some time to think and reflect on them. Look at your lifestyle, the things you say about yourself, about others. Look at what you do, where you entertain. Look at how and why and even how often you give with no expectation of anything in return, not even a tax deduction!

(2 Corinthians 13:5) “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

I know, some of you reading this are in one of two categories, but I am going to force you to D.T.R. with Jesus (Define The Relationship). So one person might be in the category of NOT READY, the other might BE READY.

1.) So if, you ARE NOT READY or you feel it’s too soon to have the DTR talk with Jesus – You are just getting to know Him. You need to make the time to watch the messages, come to the Wednesday night study at 7pm and let this series help you get there. Trust me, if you continue down this road of Non-DTR you will be miserable with your relationship with Christ and might end up with shallow religion and walls built up over time.

2.) Others of you ARE READY but have “Ran Away” for months, even years and you need this series to kick you into gear and have that DTR talk with Jesus. You have to define the relationship with Jesus and find out where you stand.

For those that are READY, I think you welcome this DTR talk. Your ready to move and want a different level of commitment, your not comfortable with the casual or the convenient. You want something more devoted, something more committed.

For those that are NOT READY, let me help you understand why. Usually it’s because you like the set-up you have with Jesus. He is a nice guy & you like church—it gives you something to do, sip some lattes, make some friends, admire the building, etc… You kind of like what you have going, got Jesus where you want Him. This idea of moving to another level gets you anxious, nervous, it can often trigger the “Fight or flight” response in us.

Let me calm your nerves, all I want to do is Define it today, “Where do you stand with Jesus Christ?” It’s really up to you after this talk. If you run away or run to Jesus. The choice is yours.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Two Choices

I want you to go back, I mean way way back in time (gotta go back in time....oh poor 80's "back to the future" reference). Anyway, what I mean is back to the garden of paradise, that place where Adam and Eve lived.

This all too familiar story begs some deeper reading beyond what you learned as a child in Sunday school. Past the first story of creation, the second story sets the stage for our current human condition. Let's look...

"In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (Genesis 2:9)

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, 'Did God really say, "You must not eat from any tree in the garden"?' The woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, "You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die."' 'You will not surely die,' the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil'" (Gen 3:1-5)

Two trees, mankind, God and satan; all the players that still today tussle for center stage of the heart. What I want to focus on is the two trees, one the Tree of Life, the other the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Two trees, two choices! Notice though that the choice before mankind was not between right and wrong or good and bad. The choice is between LIFE and DEATH.

On tree is LIFE (for us today that Tree is Jesus Christ Himself), the other tree is DEATH (for us today that Tree is our sinful disposition and satan's evil plans). Notice that Jesus is NOT in the GOOD category, instead Jesus is ONE of the TWO choices. The good is rooted in the same system (tree) of death.

What this means is that you and I can do really good things in life, things that would win us one of those peace prizes, things that mankind would admire and honor. Things that would generate a "feel-good" special on "60 Minutes" but with all that we have done that is good we would still fall short to the glory of God. We can do good and still die. Die emotionally, spiritually, and of course physically! The two choices are not between good and evil.

Instead Jesus sacrificed Himself so that we might have His life. That we might return to walk with Him in the garden as Adam and Eve did. That we might be found only in His presence, that He would remake us into His perfect image. Your relationship with Jesus is so much more!!!!

Yet the starting point is a choice, a decision to go after the good, the evil or Jesus! Which one will you choose?

"This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live..." (Deuteronomy 30:1))