Our server is down today: no e-mail, no network, no internet… So I’m at Starbucks surfing the net, reading, doing sermon prep and being missional.
The baristas gave me a bag of toys left over from their Christmas drive because they knew I would have kids to hand them out to. And it occurs to me, being missional works. When you simply live to point all people to Jesus; people catch on, even the pre-followersofJesus.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Sunday, March 13, 2005
The Grace Synthesis
Thesis: we were born with a passion for sin (Romans 7:5,6) but Jesus replaces that passion for sin with a passion for Himself (Ephesians 4:17-24).
Antithesis: We manage that passion and turn it into rules, laws and regulations (Philippians 3:1-16); consequently, that does not work.
Synthesis: As we cooperate with Jesus’ leading in our lives we ‘do so’ in grace (Galatians 2:20,21).
In this grace synthesis we have freedom because the Father is responsible for producing fruit (John 15). In this grace synthesis we have purpose because as we are sent into the world to lift up Jesus He draws all people unto Himself (John 17). In this grace synthesis we have comfort because we live in the Holy Spirit not our planning (John 14:16,17, 26,27).
How’s that for concrete!
Antithesis: We manage that passion and turn it into rules, laws and regulations (Philippians 3:1-16); consequently, that does not work.
Synthesis: As we cooperate with Jesus’ leading in our lives we ‘do so’ in grace (Galatians 2:20,21).
In this grace synthesis we have freedom because the Father is responsible for producing fruit (John 15). In this grace synthesis we have purpose because as we are sent into the world to lift up Jesus He draws all people unto Himself (John 17). In this grace synthesis we have comfort because we live in the Holy Spirit not our planning (John 14:16,17, 26,27).
How’s that for concrete!
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Sanctified By Grace
Tonight we continued our study of what it means to be sanctified by grace. Our working definition of sanctification is “the process of Jesus making us more like Himself”. With this focus we are emphasizing the process, or journey of faith is all about Jesus.
The intersection of discipleship and sanctification is to live missionaly. We all know what it means to be a missionary: noun—to go to another culture and proclaim Jesus. To be missional is to: verb—be sent ones in our culture, proclaiming Jesus.
Question, how do we unpack this pursuit into daily living, into bite size pieces if you will?
The intersection of discipleship and sanctification is to live missionaly. We all know what it means to be a missionary: noun—to go to another culture and proclaim Jesus. To be missional is to: verb—be sent ones in our culture, proclaiming Jesus.
Question, how do we unpack this pursuit into daily living, into bite size pieces if you will?
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Ash Wednesday
Today is Ash Wednesday, a day of repentance and reflection. Typically, liturgical churches “celebrate” the day by having ash put on their forward in the sign of the cross. What a strong marker of identification!
This can serve as an awesome reminder that we are but dust and that is what we will return to. In this ceremony the ashes used are typically made from the burning remains of the previous years palms from Palm Sunday. The following is a decent website, in a question and answer format, for more info: http://www.cin.org/users/james/files/ash_wed.htm
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, the season before Easter. Lent is a forty-day period before Easter. In counting the days of Lent, Sunday’s are skipped. Accordingly, Lent begins today and ends on the Saturday before Easter, March 26.
Traditionally, Lent started as a time of dedication for those wishing to get baptized on Easter. These new disciples would focus on Christ’s teachings and doctrines of the church. Because these disciples would become members of the church, at baptism, the whole congregation took the season of Lent to affirm their beliefs and actions.
This can serve as an awesome reminder that we are but dust and that is what we will return to. In this ceremony the ashes used are typically made from the burning remains of the previous years palms from Palm Sunday. The following is a decent website, in a question and answer format, for more info: http://www.cin.org/users/james/files/ash_wed.htm
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, the season before Easter. Lent is a forty-day period before Easter. In counting the days of Lent, Sunday’s are skipped. Accordingly, Lent begins today and ends on the Saturday before Easter, March 26.
Traditionally, Lent started as a time of dedication for those wishing to get baptized on Easter. These new disciples would focus on Christ’s teachings and doctrines of the church. Because these disciples would become members of the church, at baptism, the whole congregation took the season of Lent to affirm their beliefs and actions.
Thursday, January 20, 2005
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