You-Turns Allowed

This past week in worship, as we celebrated Resurrection Sunday, we began a new message series entitled, U-Turns Allowed; you can watch the message by clicking here. The point of this opening message which will carry on throughout the series, is that the Resurrection of Jesus completely changed the world and our relationship with God. As I mentioned Sunday, before Jesus’ Resurrection, the old bumper sticker pretty much summed it up: the one who dies with the most toys wins. But with Jesus’ victory over sin and death, we can find assurance in His words that, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” (John 11:25)

Jesus himself proved this to be true on Resurrection morning. As the gospels tell us, Mary was on her way to the tomb to care for Jesus’ dead body. When she arrived, however, she found the tomb empty! This led her to make a U-Turn of sorts and head back to share the news to the rest of Jesus’ disciples.

For you and me, if we find ourselves in a difficult time, oppressed by the same feelings that haunted the disciples – their betrayal, denial, fear, dismay – we can rest assured that the power of God that busted in the tomb to call forth Jesus is the same power that bursts through the rock-hard walls of our hearts to bring us back to life, too! And the good news is it is never too late, and we are never too far gone, for God’s power to be able to work miracles in our lives! All you need to do is accept the power of God, and with faith in Christ as the one sent to free us, receive the blessings of salvation. For as the bible says, “…if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)

Implicit in this message is we need others to help us on the journey of life in faith. We will invariably encounter difficulties, potholes, seeming dead-ends, endless construction, and all kinds of unknown conditions on the road of life, but when we travel together, we find safety, support, accountability, and it is frankly a whole lot more fun.

I hope you will make plans to be with us throughout this Easter season (which runs until Pentecost on May 24) for our U-Turn message series. It will be enlightening, informative, entertaining, and challenging; through it all, though, we will gain a deeper appreciation for how we can make our own individual U-Turns from a dead-end way of living and embrace a new way of thinking and behaving (remember: repentance) that keeps us on God’s path. The remaining topics we’ll cover are:

·       April 12 – Wrong Way/One Way | John 14:1-8 | Salvation

·       April 19 – Slippery Road Ahead | 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 | Temptation

·       April 26 – No Parking | 1 Peter 3.8-16 | Evangelism

·       May 3 – Merge | Romans 15:1-13 | Relationships for Service

·       May 10 – Yield | Romans 10:1-13 | The Lordship of Jesus

·       May 17 – Rest Area | Exodus 20:9-11 | Sabbath

Happy Easter, have a great week, and I hope to see you Sunday (if not before!),

Pastor Mark 

Praise

I taught on praise as a part of our Worship Life series this past Sunday. Just as the meaning of the word ‘worship’ implies a certain physical and emotional posture – bowed and surrendered before God – the word praise carries similar implications. As I mentioned on Palm Sunday, there are seven different words for praise in the ancient Hebrew, and four of them deal with the use of the hands:

• 1. Lifting our hands high to God in praise
• 2. Holding our hands with palms facing upward in prayer to receive a blessing
• 3. Reaching out with our hands to praise God by serving others
• 4. Using our hands to make music in praise of God, clapping included

It is easy to see that when we consider praising God, our words and deeds matter. The Bible certainly gives us clarity as we consider the connection between how we use our words and our hands in praise to God through our Worship Life: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3.17)

The reason I looked at the concept of praise in the Hebrew is because of a very poignant verse found in Psalm 22.3: “The Lord inhabits the praises of His people.” I found myself convicted as I thought about my own Worship Life. How often has God inhabited my words? How often has God inhabited my deeds? Am I using my words and my hands to praise Him? Am I living my entire life in worshipful praise of who God is and what God has done for me in Christ Jesus? How about you? Living the Worship Life means that we seek to praise God with our words, deeds, and very lives!

The Worship Life series has been very helpful in critically exploring how we are living for God. The topics we have explored thus far are: individual and corporate worship, prayer, generosity, and praise. We are not finished with this series, though, because we have two more very meaningful installments as we get ready for Easter. Tomorrow we will celebrate Maundy Thursday with our message, Feasting, commemorating Jesus’ Last Supper and the gift of Holy Communion as a means to remember what Christ did for us. Then on Good Friday, we will consider a life of Faith as our final installment in The Worship Life, commemorating Jesus’ death on the cross to pay the ultimate penalty for humanity’s sinfulness.

Have a great rest of the week, using your words, your hands, and your entire life to give praise to God for what He has done for us in Christ Jesus!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...
(1 Peter 1:3)

Prayer

We explored the concept of prayer as part of The Worship Life this past Sunday. I heard from many of you about how meaningful that message was. If you were not able to be in worship, or would like to hear it again, you can check it out online by clicking here.

I used Philippians 4:4-14 from The Message as the main text for this week’s sermon. There were two big ideas that came out of that text: (1) using prayer as a way to stabilize the soul as opposed to worry; and (2) the connecting power of prayer from relating to God and relating to others. Both of these big ideas are perfect focal points for thinking about The Worship Life, in that we are to keep our eyes fixed upon God all day every day, and allow our prayer life to connect us to the will of God and in loving service to others. This is the essence of 1 Thessalonians 5:17 as Paul writes to pray without ceasing.

Praying without ceasing is a dynamic concept as it pertains to The Worship Life. It means that we live in a continuous flowing dialogue with the Lord as we go about our everyday life. Obviously, we cannot always approach prayer with head bowed, hands clasped, and eyes closed, but praying continuously means we are tuned in to the will of God as we interact with others. From sharing in prayerful dialogue as we drive up and down the road to a simple breath prayer we might lift before talking to someone, shaping a life of prayer in all aspects of life works to unlock the powerful presence of Christ in every interaction. This turns prayer from something that a leader does in worship on Sunday mornings to the deep wellspring of every person’s complete spiritual life!

Unlocking this prayer power also requires us to consider the things in life that inhibit it; on Sunday, I referred to this idea as a barrier to prayer. There are many prayer barriers that we experience in our everyday living, but for the purpose of this article, I want to focus on three.

The first comes directly from our Philippians 4 text, and that is worry. Worry means we have a divided mind. We end up focusing on our situations as opposed to our Savior. As Paul wrote, instead of worrying, we should pray, because it is incredible what happens when Jesus displaces worry at the center of our lives.

The second barrier is busyness. Let’s face it, we are all busy, and the thought of taking even a moment out of our otherwise hectic day might seem impossible. This is a myth and it is terribly destructive. Satan wants us to be busy, focusing on things as opposed to focusing the main thing: God! If you are feeling busy and overwhelmed, prayer is the perfect salve for that. It requires us to pause, but also to unify our divided mind and place the emphasis where it belongs.

The third barrier I want to consider is competition. As humans, our animal-like instincts rely on competition for survival in this crazy world. Where competition can be healthy in some areas, when it comes to our spiritual life, it can be destructive. If you experience a barrier to prayer that emerges when you fear you cannot pray as eloquently as someone else, then you might be tempted to just rely on others to pray for you. God doesn’t care about eloquent words; God wants to connect your heart to His in a constant loving conversation. I think back to when Ethan was tiny and how much I loved to simply hear him say, “Daddy.” There can be few things that bring God as much joy as when we turn to God as the heavenly parent and acknowledge His presence and powerful loving presence in our life. We do not need a master’s grasp on the English language; just use the simple words that share the things in your heart and mind with God.

There are undoubtedly countless barriers to prayer…perhaps as many barriers as there are people. Do not let them keep you from connecting to God. Do not let them keep you from allowing God to connect you spiritually with others. This will unlock and empower your life in unthinkable ways as you seek to live The Worship Life.

Synergy

We continued our new Lenten message series, The Worship Life, this past Sunday. Whereas the first installment dealt with the importance of a personal worship life with God, the second explored the necessity of a corporate worship life with others. In Romans 12:1-5, we see Paul draw a line between one’s individual life of worshipping God to being part of the larger body of Christ, also known as, the church.

The word, synergy, can be defined as the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. To put it simply, together we are all stronger than we could ever be on our own. That might not seem revolutionary on the surface, but when you think about what it means for us to set aside our bent toward aiming to meet our own selfish ambitions, well, it is transformative! Beyond Paul’s metaphor of the various parts of the body working together, there is likely no greater biblical example of synergy than in Jesus’ words as recorded in Matthew 18.20: “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Let’s face it, we are an imperfect people called together to do a perfect work. For some (if not many), the perceived imperfections of individual people might be enough reason to throw the proverbial baby out with the bathwater when it comes to being part of the church. No matter how hard we look or want it to be so, there is no such thing as a perfect church. True, we see problems abound anytime people get involved in things, but I think therein lies the message. When we acknowledge that we gather in the name of Jesus, recognizing others’ imperfections while acknowledging our own, then some beautiful synergy occurs! We see the importance of grace and forgiveness – that which we need to receive and that which we need to extend – being lived out in the midst of our imperfect relationships to truly be an example for others as to what it means to live a life of love, even when it is difficult. Jesus’ promise to be in our midst when we gather with others – in spite of how much we might agree or argue – provides the synergy we need to continue in our perfect work amongst life’s imperfection.

Difficult? Yes, indeed. A life of faith is difficult, but we can’t go it alone, even though there might be a definite temptation to do so. How many times have you heard or thought that you don’t have to be in church to worship God? I know I have felt that from time-to-time, admitting that some of my most spiritual moments have happened in the Rocky Mountains, at a Canadian lighthouse, on the surf in the Gulf of Mexico, and even in the self-proclaimed Happiest Place on Earth. I cannot minimize that fact that it is technically true one does not have to be in church to worship God, it overlooks the incontrovertible truth that life and worship isn’t just about us as individuals, but what we bring to others, synergized with the powerful presence of Jesus.

We need the church and the church needs us. So once we move beyond our risk aversion and actually get into community…as messy as it can be…then the synergistic presence of Jesus joins us, fills in the gaps, and encourages us to press on to be a living example of forgiveness and grace, spurring us on in, and to show, others the miraculous power of love.

I want to close with these encouraging words from Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” May we not give up on meeting together, because we need it and so do others. May we remain inventive in ways to show love for others, even when it stretches. This isn’t just about us, it’s about extending the blessings of the Kingdom of God for others, and it’s about the synergy we enjoy when we gather together in Jesus’ name and see the ordinary become extraordinary right before our eyes.

Have a great rest of the week, and I hope you’ll join us Sunday as we consider The Worship Life and prayer.

The Worship Life*

This past Sunday, we launched our Lenten message series: The Worship Life. The goal of this series is to help us consider what it means to live a life with and for GOD as we prepare for the glory of Easter. We started with the concept of personal worship. The word for worship in the New Testament Greek refers to a posture of falling down and bowing before the Lord. This is more than just a physical posture, because it also applies to our heart, mind, and soul.

We are created with an innate need to worship. As I pointed out on Sunday, this is evidenced by the reactions we have at our favorite ball game, concert, or other energized gathering. We throw up our hands in jubilant celebration, scream and sing at the top of our lungs, and join together with complete strangers to maximize that shared experience. It really is amazing, but when we think about the way we worship the One who truly deserves our worship, it can be a bit disconcerting.

Whenever we allow something to ascend to a god-like status in our lives, that becomes idolatry, and we end up worshipping things like money, sports, politics, substances, and even people. GOD is the only one that deserves our worship, so engaging The Worship Life requires us to get our worship priorities properly aligned.

The good news is worship is about relationship as opposed to rules! In John 4:23-24, we read these words of Jesus, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” This interaction occurred with the woman at the well, and I believe should be read as an invitation. In spite of her less-than-pristine past, Jesus is inviting her into a relationship of worshipping GOD the Father with the Spirit and Truth (Jesus referred to Himself as Truth personified in John 14:6).

GOD is seeking this relationship with each and everyone of us, and that relationships is strengthened and solidified in worship. This isn’t just something that takes place for an hour or so once a week (at best), because this is the kind of worship that orients our very life. It is about focusing on GOD, being led by GOD, trusting GOD in faith, and seeking to serve GOD in all that we say and do. Personally, I do this by waking up early in the morning, before the rest of the family, and read scripture, meditate upon some devotional material, and occasionally listening to music. I find this discipline to be critical to help me face the day. I do not intend to imply that my devotional and prayer time is perfect — far from it! — but I know that GOD is perfect and is inviting me into that relationship, which needs to be fostered daily.

Even though pure worship begins in a relational fashion, one-on-one with the Lord, this does not minimize the importance of corporate worship of GOD with others. So as we gather this coming Sunday, we will consider the synergy that occurs when we gather together other believers to celebrate what GOD is doing in our midst. Through prayer, song, confession, Scripture reading, and reflection in a meditation/message/sermon, we grow closer to each other as we grow closer to GOD! I hope you will make plans to join us on Sunday as we look at corporate worship in our message, Synergy. 

_______

* Written for Wednesday, Feb.25, 2015 church newsletter

It's Our ARK Week!

This past Sunday we kicked off our Acts of Random Kindness week! This is an emphasis we are joining in with our Childcare Center to help make a difference in our church, community, and across the world! The premise is simple: keep your eyes and ears peeled for opportunities to do something kind for someone...it can be a friend, family member, coworker, neighbor, or complete stranger! If you have a story to share, we encourage you to post it to one of our Facebook pages: www.facebook.com/CokesChapel or www.facebook.com/CokesChapelChildcare. 

There is a great scene in the Steve Carell and Morgan Freeman movie, "Evan Almighty," where this idea is beautifully illustrated. Evan (Carell) and God (Freeman) are walking through a yard when God asks Evan if he wants to change the world, because God definitely does. Evan replies that he does not know where to begin to accomplish this task. God said that the transformation of the world begins with acts of random kindness, and inspires Evan with a simple gesture of providing drinking water for a nearby dog. You can watch the clip below... 

As we kicked off this emphasis, I reminded those in worship of our current vision and mission emphasis — Cokes Chapel: a place for all GOD's children, making disciples for Jesus to transform the world here, there, and everywhere! 1 John 5:1-2 provides the summation for this vision and mission emphasis as we remember that we prove our love for God in the ways we love God's children. 

I hope that you are taking this emphasis seriously and looking for ways to help transform the world, beginning with simple acts of random kindness. This can begin a chain reaction of love and kindness emanating from our church into the community, from our community into the region, and from the region into the rest of the world. Help us in the emphasis by performing acts of random kindness, sharing your stories, and keeping the chain going well beyond this week!

Your Nets

A couple Sundays ago, I taught from the Gospel of Mark’s account of Jesus calling Simon, Andrew, James, and John to be his first disciples. Those four men were professional fishermen, so nets played a prominent role in this story.

 

In the time of Jesus, professional fishermen used two basic kinds of nets. The first was the kind of net that was tossed out into the water and drawn back in, hopefully catching fish or two along the way. The second kind of net was actually dragged behind the boat, catching the fish in the net as the vessel traveled through the water.

 

As Jesus encountered Simon, Andrew, James, and John, and offered them the invitation to follow him and fish for people (Mark 1:17), we learn that they all immediately left their nets and followed. For Simon and Andrew, they dropped the nets that were being actively used to try and catch fish. For James and John, they left nets that they were mending for future expeditions. I think it is plausible that both kinds of nets were being used by these fishermen in this account.

 

A lot has been said about those first disciples leaving their nets and following. Can you imagine the faith that took? Have you thought about what it would look like for you to drop your proverbial nets and follow Jesus? If the Lord were to walk into wherever it is you are reading this article, and ask you to leave your nets and follow, what would you have to leave? Family? Work? Hobbies? Put simply, what would you have to leave behind to truly follow Jesus?

 

There is no doubt that each and every one of us have things in our lives that we need to leave behind and follow Jesus. These are metaphorical nets that tangle, trap, and tie us down, keeping us from actively following Jesus and getting the most out of the life God wants for us. But in some cases, when mended carefully and prayerfully, your nets might actually provide you the opportunities to fish for people. Our relationships, jobs, hobbies, and everything else when given to Jesus as a faithful follower can be used as a net to fish for people!

 

We can be very strategic and thoughtful in how we cast our nets to intentionally reach people. Invite a friend or family member to worship or a church activity. Use a meal, golf outing, fishing trip, or shopping expedition to build a stronger relationship with someone and share your faith in Jesus. Casting these kinds of nets might require you to mend some things in your life, but they provide you opportunities to engage people with Jesus’ offer of salvation.

 

We also must be very conscientious about how we live our lives when we think no one is watching. Think of this in terms of character or integrity, and your witness. The very way you live your life is a testimony to the One you claim to follow. Obviously we have some net-mending to do here, too, because the net that is cast in the wake of our lives can catch someone for Jesus or drive them away.

 

As you think about the nets of your life, I want you to think about these three questions…your answers might just cast the course of eternity for countless people!

1) Do you have a net that is tangling your life and needs to be abandoned?

2) Do you have a net that needs to be mended to maximize its effectiveness?

3) Do you have a net that needs to be repositioned or repurposed?

 

I would love to hear any answers to those questions.

 

Happy fishing!