His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (2 Peter 1:3)
This morning I just want to share with you another wonderful quote from the writings of NT Wright. It's from his book For All God's Worth (Eerdmans, 1997):
What is the most beautiful thing you have experienced this week?
Maybe something you heard. Maybe some beautiful music-perhaps in church, or in the cathedral. Maybe something in the world of nature: the sun breaking through the mist and making the autumn leaves luminous, the curl of a squirrel's tail as he sat nibbling a nut. It might be something you smelt: the scent of a rose perhaps, or the smell of a good meal cooking when you were very hungry. It might be something you tasted: an exquisite wine, a special cheese, with that same meal well seasoned and well cooked.
Maybe something you experienced in work: things suddenly coming together, an unexpected new opportunity. It might be something you experienced in human relationships: a quiet, gentle glance from someone you love dearly; the soft squeeze of a child's hand. ...
I want to suggest to you...that our ordinary experiences of beauty are given to us to provide a clue, a starting-point, a signpost, from which we move on to recognize, to glimpse, to be overwhelmed by, to adore, and so to worship, not just the majesty, but the beauty of God himself.
Whenever you're talking about a "calling," it's easy to get distracted. Our particular denomination doesn't talk about getting "a call" very much. Perhaps it's a reaction to the way other denominations have used the term.
I think people mostly understand a call to be to a specific role. And there are certainly examples of that in scripture. But there's a much more basic kind of call, not to fulfill a certain duty, but to be in a certain relationship.
The first call that is offered to all of God's people is to be in relationship with the Father through his Son, Jesus Christ. It's not about being a preacher, or a teacher, or a lawyer or a doctor. It's about being invited to be a follower of Jesus. That is the first and most important call that is issued to us every day.
In fact, the call is going out today. God is calling you this very morning to renew, strengthen and rest in your relationship with him. Have you been able to hear it yet? If you haven't, my prayer is that you will at some point today.
Knowing vs Knowing
According to a recent article from USA Today, you can tell a lot about a person by finding out what their basic view of God is.[*] Researchers from Baylor University surveyed more than 1700 Americans, asking questions about what they imagine God is like. They reported that the respondents had four basic views of God:
[*] Cathy Lynn Grossman, "View of God can predict values, politics," USA Today, September 12, 2006 (www.usatoday.com).
- The Authoritarian God is heavily involved in every aspect of people's lives. This God is angered at human failings and will punish those who do wrong, both in this life and the next.
- The Benevolent God is also interested in human events, and "still sets absolute standards" of right and wrong. But, unlike the Authoritarian God, the Benevolent God is "primarily a forgiving God, more like the father who embraces his repentant prodigal son in the Bible."
- The Critical God looks on with a critical eye, but does little to intervene. Proponents of this view are "less inclined to go to church or...see God as active in the world."
- The Distant God is not so much a being as a "cosmic force" that is the agent of creation. Now, though, this God is virtually uninvolved in the affairs of the world.
[*] Cathy Lynn Grossman, "View of God can predict values, politics," USA Today, September 12, 2006 (www.usatoday.com).
Life and Godliness
Do you think you could devote a year to living like Jesus? I know, in theory all of us who are Christians are supposed to be living like Jesus. But I mean radically living like Jesus-trying to live exactly as Jesus would live.
That's how Ed Dobson spent 2008. For an entire year this former megachurch pastor and founder of the religious right, who is now the vice president of spiritual formation for a Christian university in Michigan, tried his best to live like Jesus in every way.
It all started when Dobson read The Year of Living Biblically, a memoir by a man who purported to have no religious faith whatsoever but just wanted to see if he could follow all of the rules set out in the Bible. Dobson thought that if someone with no faith could do it, then a person who claims to be a follower of Christ should be able to, as well.
Most media attention seems to the outward changes he made. He stopped trimming his beard. He ate only kosher foods. (Dobson said that one of the things he was looking forward to the most in 2009 was ordering a chicken and cheese burrito.) Once a strict teetotaler, he began to drink alcohol in moderation, especially if it gave him an opportunity to speak to people about Jesus. He kept the Sabbath, only breaking it to attend his grandchildren's soccer games.
But Dobson says that none of those things were the hardest. "The hard part is trying to live up to his teachings," Dobson said. "I've realized how far I fall short." He reread the four Gospels every week (!). Throughout the day he prayed, "Son of David, have mercy on me, a sinner[*]." He gave to the poor and visited those in prison. Not because any of those things are easy, but they are things that Dobson saw Jesus do.
Oh by the way, he also has ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease. This year of living like Jesus was one of the ways that he chose to respond to his illness. He says that it put everything into perspective. "I'm getting up every day not worried about what doesn't work; I'm getting up concerned about how do I live out this Jesus stuff."
We stand to learn a lot from Dr. Dobson. I think he could teach us a lot about how God's Divine Power has given us everything we need. Maybe not everything we want, but everything we need. I'll say more about it in my message.
[*] Charles Honey, "Could You Live Like Jesus for a Year?" http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-01-01-jesus-year_N.htm
[*] Charles Honey, "Could You Live Like Jesus for a Year?" http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-01-01-jesus-year_N.htm
Get a Life
His divine power has given us everything we need for life...
--2 Peter 1:3
In a recent entry for the Blog Gifted For Leadership, Carla Waterman talks about a friend who came to visit her after relocating for a new job. Her friend was feeling overwhelmed by her new circumstances. She had gone from an environment that was rewarding and full of friends to one where she was a stranger who had yet to be "noticed" or appreciated. She was tired of having to fight for respect and a chance to play a vital role in her new world.
At that moment a quote from Dorothy Sayers occurred to Waterman: "Life is not a problem to be solved, but a medium for creation." Then she suggested to her friend, "Perhaps it is time to drop your sword and pick up your paint brush."
From there the two friends went on to discuss how easy it is to devote energy to making things how they thought they should be rather than working with them as they are. Instead of fighting for what she thought would make her happy, her friend began to wonder if she might do better to accept them.
Waterman continues: It is not the first conversation I have had in the last week on the difference between a full life and a frenetic one. And I find myself increasingly recognizing that, when there are so very few things over which we have control, we still have the choice of whether to wield a sword or pick up a brush.
This morning we will continue our discussion of our theme verse (above). And the question for us to ask is this: What do we mean when we say that God's divine power has given us everything we need for life. What kind of life? And how? How has God given us everything we need for life? Notice that it doesn't say that He will give us everything we want. Or even everything we think we need. This passage promises that his power will provide what we need.
I hope this morning that you feel like you have everything you need for life. I you don't feel that way, I hope you will leave feeling a little better equipped to serve God in your world. I hope when you go you'll feel like picking up a paintbrush and getting to work.
Grace & Peace
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (2 Peter 1:2)
In cased you missed it (or forgot), last week I made a case for extending our celebration of Christmas past December 25th. The idea was that we are in better shape now to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, since we're not as easily preoccupied with getting and giving and buying and decorating and planning, etc. In keeping with that, I thought I'd share with you a Christmas story that also provides a springboard for this morning's message.
In a recent article for Christian Standard magazine, Brian Lowery recounts his visit to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. His expectations for the trip were low, having heard that it was something of a disappointment. After waiting in line for hours, he descended the steps that lead underneath the church into the cave that is purported to be the birthplace of Christ. He recalls how unexpectedly moved he was to be singing "O Holy Night" and "O Little Town of Bethlehem" there in that church. There he was, praying for peace in a church that had been a cause of great division among Christians. Look at what he says:
"As we left, I passed by all the pilgrims yet again. Some were from Germany, Poland, or Italy and others from England, Spain, or China. They, too, sang and prayed. Anger and violence wrestled about in all our worlds, but in that moment we had all come together in Bethlehem to worship and celebrate the Prince of Peace who, if anything, was working shalom into the folds of our lives as he will until the day he returns to work it into all things, once-for-all."
It's that word shalom that leaps out at me. Shalom is the Jewish word for peace, but as we shall see this morning, it means much more than just the absence of conflict.
In the opening statement of his "second" letter, Peter includes a greeting with a prayer for "grace and peace." In one sense, it's just a greeting-like saying "Dear _____, I hope you're doing well." But there's more to it than that. As we prepare to spend some time reflecting on the verse that will be our theme for the year (2 Peter 1:3), it is clear to me that the grace and peace of knowing God are crucial to seeing just how he is able to meet all of our needs.
So this morning, I'm praying with Peter that grace and peace will be yours through your knowledge of God. I'm assuming that's one of the reasons that you're here. My prayer is that you will find it.
In the Meantime
Back in 2007, anticipating a busy hurricane season, the state of Florida lowered Lake Okeechobee. But instead of storms, they got a drought. The combined effects of the water regulation and the drought brought the nations second largest inland lake to its lowest level on record. Even in normal times Okeechobee is a shallow lake. But now many square miles of lake bed were exposed.
Droughts are generally bad news. They're bad news for farmers, and bad news for those who rely on water tourism. The drought of 2007 was no different. But this time there was a silver lining. Lifelong Floridian Boots Boyers was piloting his airboat on the lake one day when he began to notice shards of pottery, arrowheads and jewelry protruding from the dry soil.
Boyers was smart enough to notify local and state archaeologists. Ryan Wheeler, Florida's chief archaeologist, was pleased: "This is a big deal. Before Boots contacted us this year, we knew of about three or four archeological sites out here and now we know about 33."
The find was a wonderful opportunity for scientists to learn about the Native Americans who had lived in the region anywhere from 500 to 1,000 years ago. They found shells that had been carried hundreds of miles to be fashioned into jewelry. They also found old paddleboats and parts of steamboats that were over 100 years old.
Since then the waters have slowly been rising, covering all of the artifacts that could not be excavated in time. Future droughts will continue to be bad news, but they will also be good news for the archaeologists who will be quick to search for new treasures. For now, they are waiting.
This morning we're going to be talking about another kind of wait-the wait for the appearance of the Messiah, the anointed one of God. Actually we'll talk about two waits. The first period of waiting happened between the Old and New Testaments. The second one is happening now. We are waiting for the Messiah's return.
This wait isn't always easy, but just like with the drought in Florida there are treasures to be found. There are things to be done while we wait. There is Good News to be spoken in the meantime. I hope you hear some this morning.
Rescue Plans & Bailouts
A couple of weeks ago I read an article detailing then presidential candidate John McCain's links to Hampton Roads. It went into some detail describing his experience as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. That reminded me of an earlier article from Time magazine. This article highlighted the role that faith had played in McCain's life.
Following his captivity, his mother told him that she would often hear his father praying for John's safety. No one could have imagined how God would answer those prayers.
While being held as a POW, McCain endured hours tied into agonizing positions. His captors would "tie [his] arms behind [his] back and then loop the rope around [his] neck and ankles so that [his] head was pulled down between [his] knees." It was not unusual for him to spend entire nights in this position.
Once, when he had been tied into this position, a guard entered his cell and put his finger to his lips. Without a word, the guard reached down, loosened the rope and left the cell. Before leaving his shift in the morning, the guard returned and refastened the ropes, so the other guards would believe that McCain had been in that position all night.
At the time, McCain could not explain this unexpected kindness. Why would this guard risk retribution from his peers in the name of giving comfort to an enemy?
A month later, on Christmas day, he got his answer when the same guard approached him in the prison courtyard. The guard did not smile at him or speak to him. He didn't even look at him. But he did give him a message. With one foot he traced a cross in the dirt. McCain said of that encounter: "We stood wordlessly looking at the cross, remembering the true light of Christmas, even in the darkness of a Vietnamese prison camp[*]."
I can't think of a better illustration of the meaning of Christmas. This week begins a series of Sundays where we'll remind ourselves of the Good News of Christmas. When we were in prison; when we were in a dark place without hope; God sent someone to remind us that we were not alone or forgotten. He sent Jesus.
Celebration Sunday has been postponed until December 14th. And given the bleak state of our economy this doesn't promise to be the most celebratory of Christmas seasons. But in spite of all of that, there is good news to celebrate, I hope you can do that this morning.
[*] "A Light Amid the Darkness," www.time.com, August 7, 2008.
[*] "A Light Amid the Darkness," www.time.com, August 7, 2008.
Giving Thanks
This story comes to us straight from the Good News/Bad News department. According to an article from Reuters, John Brandrick, a 62-year-old British Man was told a few years ago that he had pancreatic cancer, a form of cancer with a median survival rate of less than one year. Facing such a dire prognosis, Brandrick's response sounds reasonable enough. He decided he was going to enjoy the remainder of his life as much as possible.
Brandrick stopped paying his mortgage, stopped saving money and spent everything he had living the good life. He took frequent vacations and dined out whenever he wanted. At the end of a year he owned little more than the black suit and red tie that he planned on wearing to his own funeral.
But time passed and, much to his surprise, Brandrick's health did not decline. So he returned to his doctor to get a checkup only to find out that what had appeared to be a tumor was merely a temporary inflammation of the pancreas. Brandrick wasn't going to die at all. That's the good news. The bad news is that he had spent everything he had and was facing foreclosure on his home.
He told Reuters, "I'm really pleased that I've got a second chance in life... but if you haven't got no money after all this, which is my fault -- I spent it all -- they should pay something back." At the time of the report Brandrick was considering legal action against the hospital.
What an interesting predicament. To be given your life back only to realize that you have spent or given away the life that you had. Can we blame Brandrick for his mixed feelings? Of course it's good news that he's not dying. But that probably doesn't keep him from being worried about his future now that his finances are in such bad shape.
This morning and next Sunday, in observation of Thanksgiving, we're going to be talking about giving thanks. I think that Brandrick's story is a good place to start, because I believe that most of us are like John Brandrick when it comes to gratitude. Perhaps you already see where I'm going with this. If not I'll try to explain later on.
For now, let me just remind you how grateful, how thankful, I am for this congregation. We are blessed with another opportunity this morning to visit with each other and to remember the love of God. That's a wonderful thing.
Behind The Scenes
A recent AP article on MSNBC.com tells of a Yale Study which demonstrates that babies as young as 6 months old know which playmates to seek out and which ones to avoid. Psychologists showed a "googly-eyed toy" trying to climb "roller coaster hills" to a variety of babies age 6 to 10 months. They were then shown two types of additional toys. One type of toy would help the googly-eyed climber up the hill. The other would push it back down.
Finally each baby was given the choice of playing with the "helpful" or "harmful" toy. According to the article, "nearly every baby picked the helpful toy over the bad one." Babies would also choose to play with neutral toys, but they preferred the helpful ones to either of the other ones. If researchers removed the eyes from the toys, rendering them less "life-like," the children stopped making distinctions.
Of course scientists are divided as to how these data should be interpreted. Those who conducted the Yale study believe it to be evidence that humans have innate social skills that don't need to be taught. Others argue that it merely indicates that children are learning social behaviors at an earlier age.
At the risk of being an arm-chair researcher, it does indicate to me that, even at an early age, we look for people who will help us rather than hurt us. There is something in us that is looking for a teammate, someone who will make life easier. And we choose people who show that kind of promise. Most people don't really want to go it alone.
This morning we're going to look at a scripture that reminds us of this very fact. At the end of Colossians, Paul devotes some space to personal matters. He sends greetings from some of his companions to the church in Colosse. He greets some of the recipients by name. He asks that the Colossians receive the bearer of the letter as well as others who will be visiting them sometime soon.
All of this serves as a very important reminder to us. Even though Paul is the one who gets most of the credit, he was not working alone. He had a lot of help. Some of these helpers we know by name. But, even though we know their name, that's all we know of them. The rest of their story has faded into obscurity. Surely there are other helpers of Paul who will forever be anonymous. I would hope that any of them would tell you that this is OK. What matters is not who gets the recognition, but that people hear the Good News about Jesus.
We all have a part to play. Most of us will not get very much recognition by others. I doubt any of us will go down in history for our contributions to the Kingdom of God. No matter. God knows the part we are playing. And the Kingdom is growing. Paul calls this fact a mystery. I pray that, this morning, God will pull you in and make you a part of his unfolding plan.
Add Salt
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
--Colossians 4:6
In a Discipleship Journal article entitled "A Vessel of Grace," Robert Hager tells about a father who received a letter in the mail explaining that his son had failed a class during his senior year. It had been the father's hope that his son would be attending a prestigious university, so he was obviously upset.
But rather than express his disappointment to his son, the father chose to focus his wrath on the school and its representatives. He stormed into the teacher's classroom after school the next day and demanded that the grade be changed. The teacher, believing the grade to be the right one, refused. The father threatened to have the teacher fired and marched from there to the principal's office.
Once he was in the principal's office, the father launched into a tirade. Already familiar with the situation, the principal told the father that the grade was fair and that there was nothing he could do. The father was livid. He screamed loud enough for everyone in the school office to hear that his next visit would be with the superintendant of schools.
At this point the principal could have done several things. He could have met anger with anger. He could have called school security and had the man removed from campus. Instead he said something that instantly took the wind from the father's sails. He looked him in the eye and said, "You must love your son very much."
The father was taken aback. From there he went on to explain how important it was to him that his son do well and how worried he was that the grade would adversely affect his son's future. When he left the principal's office that day, he was no less disappointed or worried about his son. But he had decided that he would no longer look seek to punish the school system for his son's actions.
What the principal did was introduce a little bit of grace into the situation. Without compromising his integrity or undermining his teacher, he was able to show sympathy to a worried father. And because of that, he was able to call the father to a higher standard.
Paul's command at the end of Colossians (see above) is a great encouragement for us. It's also quite a challenge. Life is much easier when you don't have to ask yourself, "What is the graceful thing to do here?" But don't we also benefit when we can show others grace? After all, if we can be graceful to others, we can also be graceful to ourselves.
Watch Your Step
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
--Colossians 4:5
There's being smart and there's being wise. I'm fine with smart. I can do smart. Smart comes naturally to me. My head just retains information. I like to think. I like to ponder. I like to read things that are difficult to understand. Book learning has always come naturally to me. But that's smart, not wise. I don't feel like I always do so well with being wise. Most of the time, when I get into trouble, it's not because I wasn't smart, it's because I was unwise. I don't think I'm alone in that.
Take, for instance, the case of Steffi Krause, age 17. Krause and a friend were serving time in a juvenile detention center in Germany for theft when the time came for her 19 year old friend to be released. Krause could not tolerate the idea of being incarcerated one moment longer. So she hatched a plan (a very smart plan) to leave detention with her friend. She hid in her friend's suitcase and rolled through the doors right behind her. The guards later recalled that they had noticed how heavy her suitcase was, but it had never occurred to them to investigate. Krause and her unnamed accomplice are both still at large.
This is a prime example of smart but not wise. Both of these young women have exchanged a brief prison sentence for the fugitive life. They must now either run or be caught. And if/when they are caught they will serve a great deal more time. By the way, the remainder of the sentence that Krause just couldn't bear to serve? Two weeks.
When I think about the grief that I cause for myself and for others, I realize that it's because I've not been wise. Lack of wisdom is always a factor when I can look back at something I have done or said and ask myself, "What was I thinking?" Or, "How could I have thought that was a good idea?" The maddening thing, of course, is that no amount of book-learning has cured me of my propensity to make unwise decisions.
That's why Paul's words to the Colossians can be pretty daunting. He's not challenging me to be smart; he's challenging me to be wise. This morning we'll talk about what it means to be wise in the way that we act. What does it look like? Where can we find wisdom? And how can we "make the most of every opportunity" to act with wisdom. May God grant us the wisdom that we can find in being smart.
Devotional Prayer
One of the best books that I've read recently is Thomas Merton's autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain. Merton recounts a childhood spent traveling about Europe in the early 20th century and his American education at prestigious Columbia University. But it is mostly a story about his journey to faith. In 1941, on the cusp of an exceptional literary career, Merton entered a Trappist Monastery in Kentucky and embarked on a life of meditation and writing. He became one of the most renowned Christian writers of his era. (I was actually given an extra copy for Christmas a couple of years ago. If anyone wants it, it's yours.)
I just wanted you to have some context before I shared one of his prayers with you. This is from his book, Thoughts in Solitude:
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
Let me tell you what I absolutely love about this prayer: its unflinching honesty. This prayer hasn't the slightest bit of pretense. Merton has no need to act like he has all the answers or that he's Super Christian. This is the modern day equivalent of the tax collector's prayer in Luke 18: "God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
This morning we'll be looking at a verse in Colossians in which Paul encourages his audience to "devote (themselves) to prayer (4:2)." I've been trying to figure out why this is so difficult a challenge for me. I pray semi-regularly. But to say that I'm devoted to prayer, I don't know about that.
I think that there are a variety of reasons. But one of them is that I still have a hard time being this honest with God. When I can be this transparent, devotion to God isn't a difficulty, it's a privilege. I hope you will devote yourselves to prayer this morning and that you will experience God's blessings because of it.
Ambassadors
When Rachel was at Lipscomb University she twice went to Bucharest, Romania with a group of students and faculty. After we were married I went there with her for a month. While there, we worked with a church to teach English to and study the Bible with interested Romanians. We volunteered in local orphanages-things like that.
I remember her talking about what it was like to travel the streets of Bucharest with a large group of American students. When I was there with her, I got to witness it first hand. Let's just say that the Americans didn't blend in very well. I'm sure it was obvious to everyone at first sight that we weren't Romanian. The way we dressed, the way we walked and our overstuffed backpacks, everything about us made us stand out.
I remember sitting in an Ice Cream parlor in downtown Bucharest. This was not a filthy place. (It was a Baskin Robbins, for Pete's sake.) But you can imagine the funny looks we got from the locals when two team members reached into their voluminous packs and commenced to bathe their arms up to the elbows in disinfectant.
And then we would start talking. Rather loudly it turns out. On the Metro, we filled a third of a car with our conversation. And on top of that someone had the idea to start singing devotional songs. Romanians began to edge toward the opposite side of the car as their normally subdued commute became a symphony.
Let me be clear. There's nothing wrong with singing. Singing is good. I like devotional songs. And I'm all for people talking to one another. And there's nothing wrong with a little personal hygiene. And these students were giving up there summer to serve others and tell them about Jesus. And people got to see God's mercy in them. I really respect that.
But the challenging question for us is this: "If we were representing Jesus, what kind of picture were the citizens of Bucharest getting?" The ones who saw us on the street would probably say that Jesus is a nicely dressed, outspoken young person who is preoccupied with infection and who is prone to burst into spontaneous song.
The question should at least give us pause. Because we have to ask the same question of ourselves this morning. When people see us every day, do they get a good idea of who Jesus is? Does our behavior represent him well? That's certainly a sobering thought. Sometimes I think I've done okay. Sometimes I've failed miserably. Either way I need the reminder that Paul gives us this morning:
...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).
Norfolk Military Ministry
The Norfolk Church of Christ is unlike any other church I've ever been a part of. That's partially due to geographical differences. Congregations in Tennessee (a CofC "motherland") are older, more established and more easily populated. But it's also a result of NCOC's military composition. In Tennessee, most churches have a large percentage of multigenerational families in their membership. I've heard some people say that, in those churches, you're a "new member" until you've been there for a decade or more. Clearly that's not the case here. If we waited that long, no one would ever become a part of our family.
Like everything else, this is a mixed blessing. It's not always easy getting to know people, watching them become an important part of the church family, and then saying goodbye to them in such a short time. At the same time, one of the things I love about this church is that most people don't waste any time jumping in and getting involved. Never a dull moment.
I also love the fact that this congregation's nature provides a unique opportunity-one that our elder's have wisely recognized. If you think solely in terms of what is happening in Norfolk our range of influence is certainly not as great as other churches (not that I would encourage comparisons of that nature). But if you think about our ability to have an impact on a larger sphere, it looks like God has given us a tremendous opportunity.
Let me remind you of something I don't talk about often enough. The hope of the Norfolk Military Ministry is to:
• Serve: Welcome all of those whom the military brings are way and share God's love with them.
• Save: Bring them into a saving relationship with Jesus, one that will change lives.
• Strengthen: Equip them to serve others.
• Send: Watch them go to their next duty station knowing that they will make a difference in the name of Jesus.
I'm out of town this weekend. In my absence, Bill Hromada is going to be sharing his vision for his work with the Norfolk Military Ministry. I'm excited about Bill's ability to help us achieve this fourfold mission. I'll miss worshiping with you, and I look forward to seeing you next week.
Can You Spare a Dime?
In a 1997 awards dinner speech, then Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen told a story about a trip that Henry Ford made to his Father's homeland of County Cork, Ireland. By this time Ford was millionaire, so he received celebrity treatment. He was also given plenty of opportunities to give to local charities. One of those charities was the construction of a local hospital, for which Ford pulled out his checkbook and stroked a check for $5000.
Imagine his surprise the next morning when he picked up the local newspaper and the headline read, "Ford Contributes $50,000 Dollars for Construction of Local Hospital." The local officials were equally distraught. Upon seeing the headline, they rushed to where Ford was staying, hoping to reassure him. "Mr. Ford," they said, "we're terribly sorry. It wasn't our fault. It must have been a typographical error. We'll be happy to see to it that a retraction is printed in tomorrow's paper."
Of course, Ford knew that it would be a PR disaster if the next day's headline were to read, "Ford Withdraws Donation." So he made them an offer. He said, "If you'll give me one wish, I'll give you the balance of $45,000. When the hospital is finished, I want to place a quote of my choice at the entrance."
The townspeople agreed. A check was written, and when construction was completed a quote from the KJV translation of Matthew 25:25 was placed above the entrance-"I came to you as a stranger and you took me in."
This morning we promise not to "take you in." But we will be reminding you that we want your donations for "At My Gate"-our effort to work with a local church in Uyo, Nigeria to provide aid to widows, orphans and the needy. I promise that we won't be adding any zeroes to your contribution. We will be happy for whatever you can give.
This morning you'll get an update from one of our deacons, Inemesit Ekanem on what our funds are helping to accomplish in Nigeria. And I'm going to be sharing some scripture that, I hope, will help us get the bigger picture when it comes to our money and our giving.
But that's not the only reason we're here. We're also gathering to celebrate how much God has given to us. We are incredibly blessed today. I hope you'll join men in offering up songs of praise and prayers of thanks to the One who has given us everything.
Jump In
--"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16).
In his book, In the Eye of the Storm, Max Lucado tells of a groundbreaking operation that occurred on February 15, 1921. In many ways, he says, it was a routine procedure. The patient was complaining of abdominal pain of a type that clearly indicated his appendix would soon rupture. An appendectomy was needed. The surgeon, Dr. Evan O'Neil Kane had performed this procedure countless times in his long career. But, because of two circumstances, this was to be a unique procedure.
First, local anesthetic was used rather than general anesthetic. In other words, the patient was awake during the entire operation. Believing it to be a great risk with potentially harmful side effects, Dr. Kane was a vocal opponent of anesthesia that put the patient to sleep. And, on this occasion, he had finally found a volunteer who would allow him to test his belief that such an operation could be performed without it.
The second thing that made this operation so remarkable was this: the volunteer was also the operating physician. In an effort to prove his own theory, Dr. Kane went under his own scalpel. Using only local anesthetic, he performed an appendectomy on himself. This surgeon was so dedicated to his convictions he underwent considerable risk to prove them.
Time magazine reports that, 11 years later, Kane performed another operation on himself. He repaired an inguinal hernia. During the nearly two hour operation, Kane joked with assisting hospital staff. The only part of the surgery he couldn't perform for himself was the final two stitches. The local anesthesia had made him too drowsy, so he asked a colleague to finish.
Today at the Norfolk Church of Christ, we won't ask you to do anything so drastic. But we do want you to play a part. We want you to be dedicated. We want your worship to be active. If you are a guest with us, feel free to hang back and watch. We would love for you to be a part, too, but no one will force you. But, if you're a member, we want you to be actively engaged in worship by participating in the service and by recommitting yourself to serve God as you leave.
We don't say it enough, but our church is best experienced by being involved. We don't want spectators, we want players. We want you to be actively involved in following Jesus. We'll see that Paul expects the same thing. He gives a picture of life in Christ that is active and involved and affects our entire lives.
Praise & Worship In The Park
It's time again for our annual Praise & Worship In the Park. Next Sunday we will be meeting at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. It all starts with breakfast being served at 10 a.m. Our worship service will follow. Immediately after worship lunch will be served. Please bring a side dish, drinks and dessert. We expect lots of guests. After lunch you can feel free to enjoy the park for the rest of the day. You can sign up to tour the gardens by tram. Unfortunately, there are no longer boat tours available at the gardens. There is a children's garden called The World Of Wonders. You can get wet in this area. Please be prepared by bringing towels or a change of clothes. Also, you are required to wear shoes at all times. You may want an extra pair. Finally we are asking that our members contribute $5 per person to offset the cost of this event. You can pay Deborah, or Brandi. See you there! Email church@norfolkcoc.org for more into.
LIFE Groups
Welcome to LIFEgroup Sunday. Today you'll get to hear about the different small groups that meet throughout Hampton Roads. If you're looking to get to know others or study the Bible in a small group setting, I encourage to check one out.
I'll be talking a lot less this morning (no really, I mean it), so you can have a chance to visit with leaders from as many LIFEgroups as you like. Here is some info and the location of each LIFEgroup's table throughout the building:
Fellowship Hall
- Crescita
- When: Sunday Nights
- Who: Anyone
- Where: Portsmouth
- Waterview
- When: Friday Nights
- Who: Anyone
- Where: Portsmouth
- Oasis
- When: Sunday Nights
- Who: Young Families
- Where: Portsmouth, Western Branch, Va. Beach
- Young Marrieds
- When: Sunday Nights
- Who: Young Couples
- Where: Norfolk
- Young Professionals (Still forming)
- When: Sunday Nights
- Who: Young Singles
- Where: Norfolk
- Lighthouse
- When: Sunday Nights
- Who: Families
- Where: Va. Beach
- Teens
- When: Sunday Nights
- Who: 7-12th Grade
- Where: Norfolk Church of Christ
Lars and the Real Girl
It’s always nice to stumble upon a movie and really like it. You know what I mean? You hadn’t planned on watching a movie, there’s not one that you’re just dying to see, so you go to the video store or you pull up the On Demand channel and just see what’s there. But even after you look at the options you can’t find anything that you were really wanting to see.
Rachel and I had that experience a while back with Lars and the Real Girl. This movie didn’t completely come out of nowhere for me. I remember that it was well received by critics and that it received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay and that Ryan Gosling was nominated for a Golden Globe in the category of Best Actor. In addition, it had been recommended by friends whose opinions I respect.
And still I wasn’t rushing out to see it. I think because I had misunderstood what it was about. I knew that it was about an awkward introvert (Lars/Ryan Gosling) who is so socially anxious and yet so lonely that he resorts to ordering a life-sized doll on the internet. I thought this was going to be some mad-cap comedy, a farce. I was wrong. What happens is extremely funny, but it’s also very moving and humane.
I don’t want to say much more about it other than the fact that Rachel and I both came away thinking it was one of the best movies we’d seen in a long time (particularly because it was such a surprise). I’ll give you time to see it and then I’ll say more.
The genius of the film is the way that “the real girl” actually becomes real and in the way that this small town reacts both to her and to Lars. I dare not say more, because it’s best seen for yourself. I’ll just say that there are lessons to be learned from this movie about kindness and compassion.
They may be lessons that are coming soon to a Sunday morning near you.
Who Are You?
I've always wanted to be somebody, but I see now I should have been more specific.
--Lily Tomlin
It's good to be back. As I write this on Thursday, I'm assuming that I've continued to feel better and that, on Sunday morning, I'm actually with you again. I have no specific reason to think that this won't be the case. I'm not sick as I write this. But then again, I didn't write last week's article thinking I would be so "indisposed" when Sunday actually rolled around (I hear Keith had a more colorful description of my status). Thanks, by the way, to Keith for stepping in. It's nice to have somebody like him around-someone who thinks enough and who thinks well enough to have something worth saying at a moment's notice.
So here we all are once again, whoever "we" is. If you're reading this, then you are among the "we." If you're not reading this, then...why am I even talking to you? I guess I'm actually not. That made my brain hurt a little bit.
It's really amazing how much I assume. I am typing this out on Thursday assuming that there will be a Sunday in a few days. I am also assuming that, on that Sunday, I will be at Norfolk Church of Christ. I am assuming that I won't be the only one there. I am assuming that some of you will be joining me. As I type it, I can imagine the specific people who will be here and reading this on Sunday morning. In doing that, I am making two assumptions: that you have actually made it, and that you, the one I'm picturing, are actually reading this. I'm not exactly crazy for making these assumptions. If the past is any indicator (and it usually is), I can make some reasonable assumptions. But, still, I could be wrong on all of these counts.
I guess what I'm saying is that we all have to make assumptions-a lot of them. We have to make them in order to keep from going crazy, in order to have some sense of reality and security. Can you imagine how scary the world would be if we couldn't reasonably expect some things to happen? If all of life were chaotic and random?
This includes my identity. I have reason to believe that I am still me. Every morning I wake up and the person in the mirror, although he has changed over time, is still me. But even though I've known myself as long as anyone, my knowledge is still limited. You might even say that every day I have to rediscover who I am.
And sometimes I lose sight of who I am. I forget. The same problem is happening with the church in Colosse. One of the reasons that Paul is writing is in order to remind them about who they really are, that they "have been raised with Christ" (Colossians 3:1). My hope is to remind those of you who are followers of Christ that the same is true of you.