Near or Far

Are you a Christian?  Are you a member of a church?  Have you prayed the sinner’s prayer?  All these questions have a similar flaw in them.  It can make it appear that each of them is a final destination.  Are you a Christian, oh great you are all set.  You’re a member of a church, well sit back and relax; you prayed the sinner’s prayer, great you have punched your ticket to heaven.  If we are not careful we can make it sound like faith is a destination or a secret club you need to seek entrance to.  If only you would say the right prayer or join the right church then you are set.

 

Jesus talks about faith in a very different way.  For Jesus faith is not a destination, it is a journey.  Throughout the Gospels Jesus doesn’t talk about how God’s Kingdom is an exclusive club you need to seek entrance to, but a journey all of us walk throughout our lives.  In Mark 12, Jesus could have said, well buddy, you are not in yet, but maybe one day. Instead Jesus speaks of proximity to God.  We don’t have a God switch that you just flip one day.  For many their journey towards God happened over the course of years; through conversations, books, concerts, and more.  The Kingdom of God is not about getting in, it’s about proximity.  This is so central because no matter your age or length of time as a believer, you too are on this journey; each day moving closer or farther to Jesus Christ our source, our life, our redeemer.  Instead of asking are you in or out, we should instead be looking to see, are you growing closer or farther, are you near or far? 

 

Bill Hybels describes it as a continuum running from -10 to 10. -10 is an atheist, someone who does not like God, or is even angry at God and convinced God is not real.  10 is a mature believer who walks with God in a deep and meaningful way each day.  As you walk in your own life or with others, he challenges us to think beyond getting someone to “become” a believer.  Hybels instead challenges us to think, how can I walk with someone to help them move closer to God?

 

Pastor Bill

 

 

Discussion Questions

1. Think of someone that you might share you faith with, or invite to church, how might you walk with them closer to God?
2. How are you growing closer each day in your own faith?

Easy Button To God

A few years ago Staples created a cultural icon when it began its “easy button” campaign.  They said that using their store was the equivalent of hitting the magic easy button for your life and business.  This ad was wildly successful and memorable for most people because it tapped into something, we like – easy.  We strive for efficiency, with our time and resources, so we can do more.

 

Some people will try to explain being a Christian as if there is an easy button to God.  Just say a special prayer, and then come to church, be a good person, and you will should be just fine.  Church is a place to come, put up your feet with other worthy people, and get comfortable.  Surround yourself with traditions and ways of being that envelope you like a warm blanket, find your favorite seat, and you will be set.

 

There is no easy button when you follow Jesus that much is clear throughout Scripture.  Jesus spent most of his ministry breaking the traditions and stuffy rules that had nothing to do with a God, but were all about people.  Jesus was known well because he pushed boundaries, and didn’t hesitate calling out people who were selfish and focused on comfort and traditions instead of the living God.  Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  When you meet Jesus, when he gets into your soul, it will change you deeply.  There is no easy button to God or easy faith, but instead a road that you can journey along with others imperfectly.  You can grant each other grace, even though it can hard and messy, just like the grace you have been given freely by Jesus when He died on the cross and rose from the dead to free you from sin.  Is following Jesus hitting the easy button? No. Is the life change worth every messy, challenging, and joy filled step.  No question!

 

Pastor Bill

 

Discussion Question

1. What challenges you in your faith?
2. How might you encourage or walk with someone else in their faith?

Ask, Seek, Knock

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

Matthew 7:7

 

One lesson my Dad taught me was that it’s often worth asking.  I remember we went to a sporting event and we were told we could buy seats on metal bleachers and sit in 95 degree heat for $1, or purchase “box” seats with real chairs, and some shade.  So he asked, what is the price difference?  The response shocked us, a buck.  That’s it!!!  All he had to do what ask and I found out that what sounds like a HUGE difference was in fact very little.

 

This is how we often pray.  God I won’t ask you for that because it’s too big, it’s too much, there is just no way that could ever come true, so instead I will ask for something much smaller, something that I could probably get or do myself.  In Matthew 21:21 Jesus talks to the disciples about the importance of praying BIG and from the heart, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.”  Notice what he says, you are not praying because God is a holy ATM or genie, but praying from a place of faith and trust in Him.

 

As you pray don’t censor God, don’t “filter out” your prayers because it sounds hard or complex, because you are talking to the God who made the universe.  Trust me what you are asking is likely easier or smaller than creating the world and sending His innocent son to die on the cross for people who don’t deserve it, and can never return the favor.  Instead pray from the heart, and pray with faith that says, I am not God, and I don’t know what God is thinking.  God I will pray for what has been placed on my heart, and trust that if it is your will, not matter how “big” or small, You will do it.  God says, ask, seek, knock, and let me take care of the rest.

 

Pastor Bill

 

Discussion Questions

1. What do you want to ask God for in prayer?
2. Is there something you have wanted to pray for sometime but have not?  Why or why not?
3. What is your biggest reservation to pray for “big” things or to ask God for anything in prayer?

Count the Cost Pt.2

Each of us has had opportunities that we’ve passed up.  For some, you may even wonder, what could have been?  What would skydiving have been like?  Would I have flourished at that job, did I miss out on a great relationship?  Since we chose no, we never found out what could have been.  There are times that we get the feeling we passed up something good.

Would you believe that each day God presents each of us with opportunities to bless us, and use us to change our own life as well as others lives?  Opportunities to encourage someone, start a conversation, invite someone to church, or see miracle happen.  Often we don’t think of the opportunities God has placed before us as something we missed out on, it’s just something we chose not to do, or didn’t see.

Scripture is clear though that God is at work all around us, and ready to do amazing things, but we have to be ready, and sometimes we have to ask.  Jesus says it this way to his followers, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7, TNIV)  Jesus is not suggesting God is an ATM who just gives you all that you want on demand.  Jesus is reminding the disciples of something important, if you want something ask for it, if you want to experience something, you have to engage.  We also hear from 1 John, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15, TNIV)

Do you want to see transformation in your brother who struggles with self-confidence, and hasn’t been to church in 20 years?  Pray and ask God to transform his life in a way only God could.  Pray that God would connect your brother with people who would share their faith with him in a meaningful and relevant way.  Pray daily, and pray with confidence, that God will hear your prayer.

Do you want to grow in knowledge of God’s word, to know the bible better to help you in your life?  This may sound silly, but get out the bible and start reading it.  Talk with other Christians about passage that challenge you, or leave you with questions.

Maybe you have a passion and heart to see people come to know God who has never met him before, but you have never done a evangelism class.  Great!!!  Invite them to come with you to church.  Pray that God gives you an opportunity to tell them your story of God’s grace in your life.

I don’t want to look back on my life and think, what could have been?  Instead my prayer is that we can all look back and say WOW, look what was, look at all the powerful ways that God worked in our midst.  And think, it all just started with a little asking and doing.

 

Pastor Bill

 

Discussion Questions

1. What is one opportunity God has placed before you that you need to engage, or ask God for help and guidance in?
2. What might cause you to hesitate or pass up the opportunities God places before you?
3. Who could walk with you on the journey as you seek to ask God in prayer, and follow God in action?

Get in the Game

Right now in Wisconsin it is the holiest of times, Packers training camp has begun.  This signals that another most holy of things is not far away, football season.  Even as the Packers have begun training camp thousands of people turn out each day to go and watch the Packers practice and prepare to defend their Super Bowl Title.  Watching the Packers is a sport in Wisconsin.   People have whole rooms of their house for watching football, special decorations, thousands of dollars of gear used just to tailgate, brand new TVs, surround sound, jerseys, face paint, this is serious stuff.

 

Our faith can be remarkably similar if we are not careful.  We have special seats we sit in at church (my “assigned” seat, and if I have to sit somewhere else, man let’s just not talk about it), special clothes we wear (that may only come out on Sunday), special language we use (we can swear at the TV on Sunday during football and smile and say God bless you on Sunday morning), special music we expect (if it’s wrong, then you have hampered my ability to grow in my faith) and even special causes that we like to send money to (often without any involvement on our part in that cause).  But we are not the first or last people to slip into thinking that our faith is a spectator sport, an activity that we can watch like a Packer’s football game.

 

Two thousand years ago, a man named James wrote this, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them…In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:14-17 NIV)  James wants to make the point that faith is not a spectator sport, but comes with a calling to get in the game.  You may think, how can I get involved, I am not skilled enough, my way of helping is watching, and James would say this to you, “But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.  You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” (James 2:18-19)  It is not enough to just believe.  To follow Jesus, and for Him to come into our hearts and our lives HAS to change us.  Jesus final instructions to the disciples was this, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)  What is his command, go do stuff, make disciples, teach people.  We live in a nation where millions of people calls themselves “spiritual” and worship a “higher power,” so what makes us any different than them?  James says we can see it in the way we live.

 

James would say if you want to give money to a local food pantry that is wonderful to be generous in that way, but also go down and work at the food pantry once a month, or help out in another way if you can.  Come to church each week, and come looking to actively worship God, instead of measuring how well the service fits my consumer needs.  If you have a passion for kids or youth, see how you can better serve that age group at your church, be a Sunday school teacher, volunteer to mentor a child at a local school or get involved with Big Brothers and Big Sisters.  If you feel like you want to grow in your faith, don’t just blame the pastor or worship participants if that doesn’t happen the way you want.  Take time outside of church to read the bible, seek out a small group, or listen to a podcast of another church so you can have a diversity of ways to grow.

 

James reminds us of the powerful opportunity we have been given to not just believe in God, but to be a part of His work in the world.  Our faith is not a gift to put on the couch and watch, instead it is a living active thing.  We each have different skills and passions so living out our faith may look different for different people, but the fact remains, there is no sit back and watch option.  The question instead is how are you going to get in the game?  How are you going to put your faith into action today?

 

Pastor Bill

 

Discussion Questions

1.     Why do you think we tend to engage our faith passively?

2.     What are some challenges you have to putting your faith into action?  Make a list. 

3.     What is one way that you want to begin to put your faith into action?  How can you do something about today?

Go Big or Go Home

Think back to all the prayers you have prayed or heard in the last week.  I had a meeting earlier this week where we took time to pray for our church and for God’s guidance.  As we prayed I had this sense of frustration in my heart; and I thought God, why am I frustrated that people are praying to you?  As the prayer continued this verse came to my head, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you…If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11, ESV)  One way you could translate this is when you pray, “Go big or go home.” 

The disciples learned about the lesson of “go big or go home” from Jesus in a story you may know well.  One day Jesus is teaching, and as the sun begins to set the disciples say to him, Jesus these people are hungry, we don’t have enough money to feed them all, and there is no grocery store near here with enough food to feed them either.  Essentially, Jesus let them try to go find a snack on their own, let them fend for themselves; there is nothing we can do to help them.  Jesus asks them to gather what they can.  Then Jesus turns 5 loaves and 2 fish into enough food so that they all eat and there are a dozen baskets of leftovers for people to take home.  Disciples asked for the people to find a snack on their own, Jesus says watch this; I will feed them till they are full, I will answer your request with something much more than you ever asked for.

I think that we have resigned ourselves to snack food when God is ready to offer a feast.  Often I hear people talk about other people, other families, and other churches that God is doing something amazing in, but resign themselves to “oh that will never be me” .  We call it humility, but instead do we lack the courage and faith to pray for something bolder and greater?  Why is it always someone else?  Why can’t it be you, or your family, or your church?  Let me be clear this is not about coveting what someone else has, it’s not being greedy, but having faith that God could do something amazing in your midst.  This is about faith that says, God if it’s your will, do something greater than I could ever imagine.  So when you pray, it’s simple, go big or go home.  Pray with great faith that God can and will do something big in your midst.

 

Pastor Bill

 

Discussion Questions

1. What is one big prayer that you could pray today?
2. What is it like for you to pray a “big” prayers?  Challenging, scary, exciting?
3. What holds us back from praying big prayers?
4. Before you walk away from this note, take a moment and pray.  God if it is your will, do something amazing in my family, my life, my church.

Watch This

You have heard the conversation between kids before.  I bet I can throw this ball over the house.  I can bend my foot up and lift it over my head.  I can run faster than you, I can jump over that puddle.  I can lift 100 lbs; well I can lift 300lbs.  The conversation just gets bigger and bigger with the kids one upping the one who came before them, and all the other kids sit around saying, “Whoa, no way you can do that?  Really?  I don’t believe it.”

In Matthew 17 the disciples are trying to heal a child that is possessed by a demon, but they are unable.  So the family brings their child to Jesus, and Jesus heals the child.  Immediately the disciples begin to speak, “Whoa Jesus, how did you do that, we couldn’t do it, so how did you do that?”  Jesus looks at them with all seriousness and says to them “if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20-21).  Last summer Amy and I planted our first garden!   I remember getting all the packets of seeds for our soon to be veggies: tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, bell peppers, basil, and cilantro.  As I got home to help plant them I took them out of the packs with disbelief…that’s it?  Our big tomato plants are going to come from this little thing?  This is what Jesus is trying to say to the disciples, if you have faith, just a little tiny bit of faith like that, you will have the ability to move mountains.  No wonder the disciples didn’t believe Jesus.  Faith that small can do something so BIG?  Are you sure?

Jesus can’t mean that we can do that, can he?  Isn’t Jesus just talking to the disciples, who were power houses of faith, of course they will be able to do stuff like that, they hung out with Jesus.  Jesus did not qualify this statement like that at all.  In fact I believe he intentionally said this as a reminder that the power, the strength, the amazing work is done by God, not us.  But do we really believe this? Even today we often think, don’t all big things of faith happen through people with BIG faith?  Isn’t it the pastor, the elders, the deacons, the lay leader’s job to do all the heavy lifting?  They are the ones who can do that stuff, not me; my faith is too small, my faith could never do anything of significance.

You might be sitting reading this thinking of all the mountains that have been a part of your life for far too long, mountains that have been crushing you, and mountains that you are unable to get rid of no matter what you have tried (and you have tried about everything).  Mountains of debt, fear, depression, broken relationships, addiction to pornography, drugs, or gossip.  But Jesus message is clear, faith the size of a mustard seed, faith that God can do it, is able to move mountains, to change the world, to change your life.  The question remains do you believe it?

Pastor Bill

Discussion Questions:

1. What mountains and obstacles are you facing in your life right now?
2. What makes it challenging to believe that mountain can be removed?
3. What would moving a mountain out of your life look like?  How would you know it was moving?

Soundtrack of Life

A few years ago Starbucks coffee came out with a TV ad campaign that has stuck in my memory.  In the commercial an everyday normal person wakes up to get ready for work, and finds that he has a rock band that follows him around giving him a soundtrack for his day.  The band is there to pump him up, to encourage him, and to narrate his day through their music, essentially giving him a soundtrack for his day. (You can find it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9buedr_YDQ)  As I watched this commercial I began to think, what if my life had a soundtrack?  What if a band narrated each day in my life as a Christian?  What would it sound like?

Throughout scripture we are reminded that as Christians our faith must be present and lived out in our daily actions as well as in our quiet time.  In the book of James we are told, “You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” (James 2:20, TNIV)  In Ephesians we are reminded that we have an obligation to use the gifts and experiences that God has given to us, “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up“ (Ephesians 4:11-12, TNIV) There are countless other scripture passage that point us to the importance of living out our faith in our daily lives.  In each we are reminded that all that we do, in word and deed are a reflection of Jesus.  We are his ambassadors, his representatives; we are the body of Christ.  We are reminded that in all that we are to reflect Jesus to the world.

So what kind of soundtrack would our church have?  As someone walks through our doors are they overwhelmed by the love of Christ, and devotion to following Jesus?  Do they sense a passion for doing God’s will?  Do they hear a song of hope, a song of salvation?  Or looking to our lives personally, what would your soundtrack be like?  Would it be filled with joy or pain?  Would it be rockin’ or a bit mellower?  Would it be filled with words of life and encouragement, or lyrics of hurt, and discouragement?  Jesus has given to each of us gifts, talents, and experiences to bring glory to Him, and to make an impact in this world.  So the next time you are listening to your iPod, or radio, or stereo, be thinking, what would my soundtrack be like, what would our church’s soundtrack be like?  Is there a clear reflection of the message of Jesus, of Hope, of forgiveness, or restoration?  Whether or not we like it everyone around us is listening, waiting to see what they hear, what they see, and what they experience.  They are wondering and observing these Christians, and about our church.  So let your life’s song ring true, may it be a reflection of Jesus to everyone that you meet, and everyone that you know.

On Autopilot

You know the feeling that I am talking about, of getting stuck in a rut, of going though the motions, being on autopilot.  It happens to all of us, sometimes it is driven by routine, or by tiredness, and sometimes it is just easier to get through our day if that is how we function.  Yet few people like going through the motions.  It is not life-giving to be going through the motions, but it is a place that we find ourselves in sometimes.

One place that we get stuck in ruts is our faith.  We feel stuck because we pray the same way, have the same order of worship, sing the same songs, etc.  We get convinced that this must be the only way to do those things; this must be the only way.

When Jesus came 2,000 years ago He changed everything.  Jesus called a group of people to be his disciples that few others would have called, he taught and spent time with people that few others in society would be caught dead spending time with.  Jesus shook up how people thought about their faith.  Jesus accused religious leaders of worshipping tradition, instead of worshipping a living God.  Jesus spent his time teaching people about the depth of their faith.  People thought they had to hang out with certain kinds of people, Jesus said, that is silly; you should spend time with all sorts of interesting people.  People were stuck in various traditions that Jesus said, why do you do that?  That is not the only way to pray, to worship, to serve, etc.

Sometimes we forget that the way we do things in our lives and church are not the only way to do them.  There are a number of prayer practices that are thousands of years old, that most of us are completely unaware of or have never tried.  There are hundreds and thousands of forms that people have used to worship God in the last 2,000 years, most of which are completely unfamiliar to us.  Jesus came so that we might have life to the fullest.  Jesus came to show us a faith that was deep, meaningful, relevant, and lead to transformed lives.

Don’t worry we all get stuck in ruts, that is part of life.  But when we each find ourselves, what can we do?  Jesus showed us that our faith is deep and wide.  Jesus encouraged people to reflect on their faith, asking why is that you do what you do?  What is the meaning behind it?  Are you worshipping God, or just going through the motions?  If we do what we have always done, we will get what we have always gotten.  Perhaps when we get into ruts, it can be God’s leading us to something new, to new opportunities, and to renewed growth and transformation.  Perhaps it can be a chance for us to reach into the depth of our faith in ways that we have never before.

My hope is built…

Thursday April 1^st

This week we will hear a number of familiar passages, about Jesus betrayal, death, and resurrection.  We have heard these stories so often that we can find ourselves glancing over them.  They become common, normal passages of scripture.  Turn with me to John 13 and 14.  In John 13 Jesus celebrates the Last Supper with the disciples in the upper room.  As I read this passage I am astounded at the circumstances that He celebrated that meal in.

Jesus knew as he washed his disciple’s feet that Judas was going to betray him for a bag of silver.  Peter, the leader of the group, was going to disown Jesus publically three times before the night ended.  Imagine if you were a disciple.  Jesus had made it clear this would be your last time together, and one of your trusted friends is going to betray Jesus, the one you looked at as your leader is going to disown Jesus, and Jesus is about to turn the reigns of the church over to your group.  If I were in the room I would be panicked.  We are doomed, how could Jesus leave something as important as God’s word to a group like that?

Then you read the beginning of Chapter 14 and Jesus says to his disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” John 14:1, ESV   Don’t be troubled?  Jesus you are leaving us to run the church with 12 ordinary people, who have little training, and two of them are about to turn their backs on you, one of whom is your assumed predecessor.  The disciples were fearful, nervous and skeptical of the ability to do what Jesus was calling them to, to be the church after He left.

Yet Jesus reminds them to not be afraid, for Jesus is not leaving them alone, this is not their church, it is God’s.  God’s weakness is far greater than our strength.  God’s grace and power can overcome our own brokenness.  Jesus seems to ask the disciples, what do you put your Hope in?  Where is your hope in this church?  Is it in people, is that why you are afraid?   Is it because you just watched with two of your own sin, betray me, and fail.  Get used to it, because they are not perfect.

So where do we put our hope in God’s church?  For some they place their hope in a building.  “We will grow and have a great ministry because we have a great facility.”  For others they place it in their pastor, “Pastor Joe is such a great preacher, we do well during his tenure.”  There are many places that we can place our hope, but each of them can fail and falter.

This week as we celebrate Easter, take a moment to reflect, where is your hope in the church?  Is it in people or material things?  For Jesus tells us, do not fear, for I am with you.  We are to have hope in Christ’s church because of Christ.  We have hope because Jesus not only died on the cross and rose for our sins, but promises to not leave his church, but send help and guidance.  I guess the old hymn best sums this up, “My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”

Pastor Bill