This week I am working on a sermon for a new tradition at our church, The Hanging of the Green. I was wandering through Luke and just noticed how many times fear is mentioned. Study for yourself, but I found 4 places in the first two chapters.
This got me to thinking about what we fear, and the idea of decorating the church together with that idea (our fears) brought to my mind the mental image of the pictures of fear that we hang in our hearts. Maybe we were scared by a snake when we were young, and that picture still hangs in our heart to this day. Whatever we have hung in our hearts will remain until the Lord gives us the grace to remove these pictures by the power of the gospel and replace them with pictures of grace.
So, what's hanging in your heart today?
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
ESV Study Bible
I just recently picked up a copy of the ESV Study Bible and I am impressed! I always use several Bibles when I am studying (Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible, Thompson Chain Reference, etc.) and this new Bible will be added to the mix.
The type is a little small (9 pica) but if it were larger you would have to have a golf bag pull cart to lug it home. I always check out the comments under passages of Scripture I am currently preaching, and I was not disappointed with the ample notes in Mark's gospel.
Check it out, and I feel confident that you will enjoy it, too.
The type is a little small (9 pica) but if it were larger you would have to have a golf bag pull cart to lug it home. I always check out the comments under passages of Scripture I am currently preaching, and I was not disappointed with the ample notes in Mark's gospel.
Check it out, and I feel confident that you will enjoy it, too.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Who is on the Lord's side?
Now that the election is finally over, where do we go from here? I noticed that most people were evenly divided between John McCain and Barak Obama. I don’t know too many people who had no opinion; the candidates and the issues caused people to choose sides. This brings me to a story.
In Joshua 5 Jericho had fallen and Joshua looked up to see a man with a sword in his hand. We learn in the story (vvs.13-15) that Joshua was concerned with whose side this warrior was on. The warrior, called the captain of the hosts of the LORD, said he wasn’t on Joshua’s side, or the people of Jericho’s side, he was on the LORD’S side. I believe it is time that we Christians put more emphasis on being on God’s side rather than which political party we are affiliated with.
Another story comes to mind which was spoken by Jesus. In Mark 4:26-29, Jesus told the parable of the secretly growing seed. He said the Kingdom of God was like seed that was scattered and while the farmer slept, it grew without him knowing how it grew. Jesus said the Kingdom of God was like this. Today, we preach the Kingdom and share the Word, but we can’t make the Kingdom grow. There are two applications I’d like to offer.
First, if you voted for Barak Obama, don’t get too wrapped up in the hype. Political figures (from ANY party) are just that, political figures. Our hope can’t be in a political party, nor can it be in any particular man. Our hope is in the Lord who is growing his Kingdom while we “sleep”.
Second, if you voted for John McCain, don’t fall prey to the “woe-is-me” attitude. Can’t we see from this parable that the Lord’s Kingdom will grow and eventually be manifested in all its fullness?
We need to put politics behind us and pray for our President-Elect. We are to pray for our leaders (I Timothy 2:2) and submit ourselves to our leaders (I Peter 2:13). While we are doing Kingdom work we must have the greatest confidence that Christ is on the throne and his Kingdom will be manifest for all to see some day.
In Joshua 5 Jericho had fallen and Joshua looked up to see a man with a sword in his hand. We learn in the story (vvs.13-15) that Joshua was concerned with whose side this warrior was on. The warrior, called the captain of the hosts of the LORD, said he wasn’t on Joshua’s side, or the people of Jericho’s side, he was on the LORD’S side. I believe it is time that we Christians put more emphasis on being on God’s side rather than which political party we are affiliated with.
Another story comes to mind which was spoken by Jesus. In Mark 4:26-29, Jesus told the parable of the secretly growing seed. He said the Kingdom of God was like seed that was scattered and while the farmer slept, it grew without him knowing how it grew. Jesus said the Kingdom of God was like this. Today, we preach the Kingdom and share the Word, but we can’t make the Kingdom grow. There are two applications I’d like to offer.
First, if you voted for Barak Obama, don’t get too wrapped up in the hype. Political figures (from ANY party) are just that, political figures. Our hope can’t be in a political party, nor can it be in any particular man. Our hope is in the Lord who is growing his Kingdom while we “sleep”.
Second, if you voted for John McCain, don’t fall prey to the “woe-is-me” attitude. Can’t we see from this parable that the Lord’s Kingdom will grow and eventually be manifested in all its fullness?
We need to put politics behind us and pray for our President-Elect. We are to pray for our leaders (I Timothy 2:2) and submit ourselves to our leaders (I Peter 2:13). While we are doing Kingdom work we must have the greatest confidence that Christ is on the throne and his Kingdom will be manifest for all to see some day.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Thank You Doctor
“Thank you, doctor. Thank you, doctor.” These words were ringing in my ears on Monday. They have surfaced in my quiet moments over and over again. Three simple words, but they have impacted me greatly. I pray they will touch you in a similar manner.
I have said these words many times; after surgery, when I have been diagnosed and then prescribed a medical cure. Thanking the doctor for her expertise is second nature to me and those of you who know my family know I have had ample opportunity to practice my gratitude for medical professionals. But these words came from my 2 year old grand-daughter, Savannah.
My daughter was working on Monday, so I was being a good grandfather and taking my grandchild for her 2 year check-up. We were having a great day. I picked her up early from daycare and we read books while we passed time in the waiting room. We saw pictures of Mickey Mouse and his 21st century competitor Sponge Bob Square Pants hanging on the walls. We were quickly called back to a room and she was weighed, measured, and vitals were taken. Then the bombshell was dropped in my lap; she needed five shots! Not a shot, but five.
Savannah didn’t understand what the nurse was whispering to me, but she knew something was up when I leaned across her and held her hands down at her side. I was having a small sampling of the feelings Abraham must have had as he bound Isaac to the bundle of fire wood. Now she began to understand, and she began to squirm.
“Hold her still,” the nurse said. “Sweetie, this will keep you from getting sick,” she said to Savannah. Then as she stuck the needle in my grand-daughter’s thigh, not once, but FIVE times, Savannah began to cry and cry out, “Thank you, doctor. Thank you, doctor.” The nurse said that in all her years that was a first for her to hear gratitude from a hurting baby.
I learned some heavy duty theology from a 2 year old on Monday. It was the same theology Job learned in his misery when he said, “Will I accept good from the hand of God and not evil?”
When we left that place, sucker in hand (she got one too), we headed straight for 2 year old heaven; McDonalds. I bought her a Happy Meal. I got her 2 prizes. We played in the play area. We had fun! And now, I know that my little girl will not have to face some of the dreaded childhood diseases that claim little lives every day. There is only one thing I can say. “Thank you, Doctor!”
I have said these words many times; after surgery, when I have been diagnosed and then prescribed a medical cure. Thanking the doctor for her expertise is second nature to me and those of you who know my family know I have had ample opportunity to practice my gratitude for medical professionals. But these words came from my 2 year old grand-daughter, Savannah.
My daughter was working on Monday, so I was being a good grandfather and taking my grandchild for her 2 year check-up. We were having a great day. I picked her up early from daycare and we read books while we passed time in the waiting room. We saw pictures of Mickey Mouse and his 21st century competitor Sponge Bob Square Pants hanging on the walls. We were quickly called back to a room and she was weighed, measured, and vitals were taken. Then the bombshell was dropped in my lap; she needed five shots! Not a shot, but five.
Savannah didn’t understand what the nurse was whispering to me, but she knew something was up when I leaned across her and held her hands down at her side. I was having a small sampling of the feelings Abraham must have had as he bound Isaac to the bundle of fire wood. Now she began to understand, and she began to squirm.
“Hold her still,” the nurse said. “Sweetie, this will keep you from getting sick,” she said to Savannah. Then as she stuck the needle in my grand-daughter’s thigh, not once, but FIVE times, Savannah began to cry and cry out, “Thank you, doctor. Thank you, doctor.” The nurse said that in all her years that was a first for her to hear gratitude from a hurting baby.
I learned some heavy duty theology from a 2 year old on Monday. It was the same theology Job learned in his misery when he said, “Will I accept good from the hand of God and not evil?”
When we left that place, sucker in hand (she got one too), we headed straight for 2 year old heaven; McDonalds. I bought her a Happy Meal. I got her 2 prizes. We played in the play area. We had fun! And now, I know that my little girl will not have to face some of the dreaded childhood diseases that claim little lives every day. There is only one thing I can say. “Thank you, Doctor!”
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