World Cup and Worship

Last week marked the beginning of the 2014 World Cup. Soccer teams from all over the world converged on fields to play one another.  By the millions, fans watched their perspective teams compete, cheering on the "home team." Arguably, like no other event, the World Cup invites very different people to put aside very real differences for the sake of a common love. 

Well, there may be one event that invites more people to set aside their differences for a common love. It happens every Sunday…in Aloha, Sydney, Cape Town, Shanghai, L.A. and Sao Paulo. We call it church. Every Sabbath, Christians from all over the world, from different backgrounds, interests and experiences engage in a common event. We worship Jesus Christ as Lord.

Isaiah, Romans and Philippians all celebrate this type of unity in worship. They promise that there will be a day when all people - from all backgrounds - recognize the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Those scriptures promise that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Christian worship on Sunday morning is simply a glimpse of that coming day.

As you worship this week, remember that you are a part of something far bigger than your own culture and experiences and interests. You are part of Jesus’ worshiping church. We worship with saints from many nations and peoples and heritages. That is a wonderful thing because that is what it takes to worship such an awesome Lord.

A Father's Day Lesson for Men

Earlier this week, I read an article written by a former soldier.  In the article, the soldier listed “10 Army lessons All Men Can Learn From.”  The soldier had been in combat in two foreign wars and learned a few lessons that he thought were helpful for all men.

One of the lessons surprised me.  Lesson eight said, “There are some things you can’t do on your own.”  That surprised me because I assumed that successful soldiers are the radically independent, self-sufficient types.  Successful soldiers need to be able to handle themselves in extreme conditions and survive on their own.  But, according to this vet, I was wrong.  The soldier insisted that teams and buddy systems and community are vitally important for soldiers.  All men could learn that lesson.

The Bible agrees.  Genesis describes God creating Adam.  God looks at Adam and says, “It is not good for man to be alone.”  In its own way, the Bible teaches us all: “There are some things you can’t do on your own.”

That is a good thing to remember this Father’s Day.  Our world often encourages men to isolate, ignoring their need of others.  Men are taught that asking for help is a sign of weakness.  Being the “last man standing” is celebrated as a virtue.  Father’s Day gives us an opportunity to learn a different lesson.  We can enjoy all the relationships and community that God has given us.

This Father’s day, recognize your need for others.  Enjoy time with kids, spouse, friends, and family.  Celebrate the blessings Jesus has given you in the people around you.  On top of that, have the humility to ask people for help.  Recognize that there are some things you can’t do on your own and rejoice in the community God created you for. 

Tell Me About My Messiah

Years ago, a Christian professor met a Jewish woman from South Africa while touring the infamous concentration camp, Auschwitz. The woman had been researching how her relatives had perished during the Holocaust and visited the camp to gather information. During their tour, they began to share their stories. The professor mentioned his Christian faith.

Learning about the camp’s history, the two were struck by the cruel and heartbreaking past. During one particularly shocking display, the woman looked at the professor and asked, “And what does your religion make of this?” Fair question.

The Professor thought for a moment. He said he didn’t want to trivialize such heartbreaking history with a simple answer. He went on to explain that he believed Jesus was the Messiah and God. Because God suffered on a cross, God met our heartbreaks. God did not remain distant from our suffering, but became a part of it Himself.

Hearing the professor’s answer, the woman got tears in her eyes. She stopped and asked, “Why has no one ever told me that about my messiah before?" Fair question.

How many in our lives might ask the same question? Surrounded by difficult situations, they wonder where God is. Someone tells them about a God who knows and cares about their difficult situations and they too wonder, “Why has no one ever told me that about my messiah before?"

As you go through the coming weeks, pray for the opportunity to tell someone about the Lord. Ask the Lord to give you a natural opportunity to tell the world of His care and love. Then, go and tell the people in your life, so that they may know this about their Messiah.

Real Answers for Real Questions

Years ago, I watched a powerful scene from the TV show ER. In the scene, an older man is battling cancer and doesn’t have long to live. A hospital chaplain visits to try and offer some comfort. The patient begins confessing mistakes and things he regrets about his past. He says he knows he is at the end of his life and is afraid. He asks the chaplain what he can do to be forgiven by God.

The chaplain is well trained in providing care to people of all faiths. Instead of answering the patient’s questions, the chaplain asks more questions – much like a psychologist. When pressed for an answer, the chaplain says, “I think it is up to each one of us to interpret what God wants.” Frustrated with the nebulous answer, the patient begs for a chaplain who will answer his question. With tears in his eyes, he pleads, “I need someone who will look me in the eyes and tell me how to find forgiveness ‘cause I’m running out of time!”

I want to assure you, Faith Center, that true forgiveness is possible and it is found in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became human and took the punishment of sin on our behalf. He was crucified for the sins of the world and when we call on Him, we are forgiven. The book of Hebrews describes this well: “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

As you worship this morning, seek and find forgiveness in Jesus Christ. A past of regret need not influence your future. When you call on Jesus, there is nothing to fear in life or death. Whatever stage we are at in life, that is the answer we are all looking for.

Learning to Follow

For generations, cowboys trained wild horses by forcing horses into submission. This is often referred to it as “breaking a horse.” Through a series of exercises, the cowboy forces a horse wear a saddle, yield to a bridle, take direction from a rider, and so on.

More recently, a rodeo cowboy named Monty Roberts developed a different method of training. Roberts studied the body gestures of horses and tried to communicate on the horse’s terms. Roberts invited horses to follow him using their means of communication. Rather than forcing them into submission, Roberts encourages horses to willingly follow his lead. It worked. Roberts became known the world over as a horse whisperer.

In similar, but much more meaningful ways, God invites us to follow Him. God speaks to us in our language through His Son Jesus. Jesus encourages us to willingly choose Him and follow His way. Jesus describes it well in the Gospel of Matthew: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus seeks to build us up rather than break us down.

As you worship this week, take time to follow Jesus’ lead. When you pray, take time to listen. If you journal, ask yourself where the Lord might be leading you. Then, write down some possible answers. Look at your life as one big opportunity for following Jesus. As you do, you will see that the Lord is a gentle and loving teacher. You will also find the life God created you for.

He is Risen Indeed!

Many Christians include a traditional greeting in their Easter celebration.  One Christian greets the other by saying, “He is risen!”  The other returns the greeting by saying, “He is risen, indeed!”

He is risen, indeed.  The dictionary defines the word indeed like this: in fact, in truth…in reality.  A Christian saying, “He is risen indeed” is basically saying, He is risen in reality.  That is an important tidbit to hold onto when celebrating Easter.

We can be tempted to celebrate Easter like it isn’t a reality.  We think of Jesus as a person who lived a long time ago, disconnected from our lives.  We remember that Jesus got up from the dead like a history lesson.  In doing so, we forget that Jesus is still alive.  Because Jesus got up, Jesus is at work in the here and now – in our reality.           

           

Because we forget this truth, the old Christian greeting reminds us that Jesus is risen indeed.  Jesus’ resurrection shapes our reality today.  Death is no longer the ultimate end of our lives.  Jesus is.  The grave is not the end of our story.  Jesus is.  For Christians, the resurrection is not a myth or tradition, but a reality that changes every aspect of who we are and how we live.

As you worship Jesus this Easter, worship Him in the reality and truth of His resurrection.  He is alive and present in the His Holy Spirit.  He is continuing His resurrection work in the world around us.  Lives are being saved.  People are being healed.  Death is overcome.   All of this is true because He is risen.  He is risen, INDEED!

Give Up!

I loved wrestling with my cousins when I was a kid.  We would pretend we were G.I. Joes, ninjas, the Dukes of Hazard, and a million other things.  Regardless of the fantasy, it always led to a wrestling match.  Because I am a poor wrestler, I always lost.  Every wrestling match ended with me yelling, “I give up!  I give up!”

By yelling, “I give up,” I was signaling several things all at once.  I was admitting that I was helpless.  I was pleading for mercy (my cousin wouldn’t stop rubbing my face into the ground until I gave up).  I was giving control of the situation to my (much tougher) cousin.

We can treat our relationship with God like a childish wrestling match.  We envision God trying to overpower us and impose His will on us.  We think that we need to out maneuver God in order to make choices for ourselves.  Then, God pins us down, we give up, and let God have control of our lives.  But, God doesn’t work like that.

One of the last things that Jesus says to His disciples on earth is this: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me,” (Matthew 28:18).  The power is already God’s.  He does not have to wrestle it from us.  God Almighty does not need to force His will on us.  From the get go, He has the authority.  We “give up” by simply accepting an already existing fact:  Jesus is Lord.

As we worship this week, we are letting God know, “We give up!”  The entire reason we are here today is to give up (sacrifice) to the fact the Jesus is Lord.  We read scriptures that remind us that we are helpless.  We sing songs that state our need for mercy.  We pray prayers giving control to God.  In doing so, we are not giving up because God forced us to.  We are simply declaring what has always been true:  Jesus is Lord!