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Asleep in Strange Places

We're traveling to Michigan later today for ministry this weekend. Looking forward to preaching the morning services at Freedom Christian on Sunday. I'll also have the opportunity to share the vision of the Philly Project!

Yesterday afternoon God gave me a message I'm calling Asleep in Strange Places. Daniel had every reason to be stressed out. He was a political refugee. His co-workers hated him. And once Darius signed the decree they suggested, he faced an impossible choice to either continue praying toward Jerusalem, or face certain death. Yet the contrast in Daniel 6 between Darius and Daniel is amazing. 

While Darius is pacing in the palace, Daniel is sleeping in the lion's den. Counter-intuitive indeed.

Contrary to popular opinion, peace is not the absence of trouble. Rather, it's a deep, abiding trust in the grace of God, experienced in the Presence of God. That's why the Bible is full of stories of people sleeping in strange places.

Daniel sleeps with lions.

Peter sleeps in prison (Acts 12.6).

Jesus sleeps in a boat during a violent storm (Mark 4).

If stress affects our bodies negatively so that we can't eat or sleep, supernatural peace sets things right. No matter what you're experiencing today--stop pacing, start praying, and sleep like a baby!

Just a Few Reminders

Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder (2 Peter 1.12-13).

Peter wrote these words, from a Roman prison, just before his martyrdom that Jesus predicted years before. As he said goodbye to these disciples, and thought about the truths in which he longed for them to be established, he came to this realization. I don't really have anything new to say. The things that are paramount; the grand themes that are most important; I've already communicated them to you many times.

Yesterday I preached a farewell message to COTK. The title: Just a Few Reminders. As I was preparing the message, I pulled out my calculator and calendar to try and figure out how many sermons I've preached since starting our church. After counting Sunday morning services, plus the Sunday night and Wednesday night services we used to have, and then subtracting guest speakers, and adding in special events, I came up with a rough estimate of 806.

Then I started to read through my sermon file.

I've preached through a lot of topics: spiritual gifts, end times, depression, dreams, discouragement, disaster (9.11 and Katrina), conflict resolution, sex (especially during the series just before my wedding ):, prayer, dangerous prayers, fasting, Bible study, prejudice and racism, evangelism, singleness, decision making, spiritual growth, spiritual disciplines, busyness, sabbath, goal setting, giving and stewardship, family, marriage, dating, divorce, parenting, missions, worship, church planting, the Spirit-filled life, the voice of God, leadership, spiritual community and spiritual warfare.

I've preached through all of our major doctrines several times: the deity of Christ, the humanity of Christ, sin, salvation, the authority of Scripture, healing, communion and baptism, the nature of the church, the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

I've preached through the attitudes of victorious Christian living: faith, love, hope, and joy.

I've preached on the cross more times than I can count.

I've done sermons together with small group campaigns: 40 days of purpose, 40 days of passion, revelations, conversations with Jesus, Neos, I am Jonah, and Epic.

I've preached on a host of Bible characters: Gideon, Abraham, Daniel, Paul, Peter, Jonah, Joshua, Moses, Noah, Herod, Esther, Mary, Joseph (the father of Jesus), Joseph (the son of Jacob), angels, Gamaliel, Pilate, Deborah, Nebuchadnezzar, Abigail, Sarah, Hezekiah, Korah, Dathan, Abiram, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Esau, Adam, and Eve.

I've talked about Jesus a lot: His majesty! His exaltation! His humility! His sacrifice! His triumph! His second coming! His ongoing presence! His victory!

I've talked about His Father a lot: God as Father, God as Spirit, God as Son, the names of God, the attributes of God, the Triune God, the love of God, the discipline of God, the power of God, the presence of God.

I've preached things that should never have been said. Once I accidentally implied that my neighbor had spent time in my bedroom. Another time I preached an entire sermon on death while unknowingly referring to the grim REEFER. And then there was the message last year when I compared my wedding to a crucifixion.

Oops.

I've tried to illustrate the Scripture. I've carried around suitcases and carried around people. I've ripped my clothes, dressed in fatigues, and painted one of our interns. I even filled one sermon with country music songs to illustrate the parable of the prodigal son (don't ask):

I've preached through entire books: James, Hebrews, Philemon, Exodus, Acts, Ezekiel, Jonah, Song of Solomon, and Philippians.

And as I thought about sermon #807, I came to the same conclusion as Peter. I really don't have anything new to say.

So I decided to go out the same way I came in. I preached the five points that outlined our first five week sermon series. I preached the five points we cover in every membership class. I preached what has hopefully become the culture and DNA of our church. I preached the values that I hope our church recalls when they think of me.

• Prayer can do anything God can do (Prayer)!
• We exist for the welfare of our city (Outreach)!
• Jesus deserves center stage (Worship)!
• Discipleship is progress (Education)!
• The church should look like heaven (Reconciliation)!

Church of the King, I pray you continue to own these truths. Live them every week. And be the church Jesus called us to be!

Declare These Things!

Yesterday I wrapped up our Hope series by digging through Titus 2.11-14.  We talked about our ultimate hope as followers of Jesus--the second appearing of Jesus!

Typically I read through my text several times on Sunday morning while praying and preparing to preach.  I want the text to grip me, so that by the time I finally deliver the message it feels like I'd explode if I had to keep it inside any longer.

For some reason this past week, I stopped at verse 14 and didn't digest the last verse of the chapter until just before the service started.  When I did, verse 15 nailed me!

Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

I felt like Paul was sitting in our prayer room, looking me in the eyes, and challenging me as I stepped out to preach this passage.  Don't hold back!  Don't be shy!  Don't beat around the bush!  Don't apologize! 

Declare these things!

If you preach and teach God's Word, your authority doesn't come from your personality or position.  God's Word carries all the weight.  If you've done the hard work of studying the text, then proclaim it with boldness and watch it go to work.

By the way, I have four more opportunities to preach at Church of the King before officially transitioning.  Next week I'm thinking about kicking off a series called, "Everything I've wanted to say for eight years but didn't because I was afraid no one would come back!"  Just need someone to design the series graphic for that one. :)

Really looking forward to these next few weeks with our church family!

Spiritual Streakers

Yesterday I continued our Pneuma series by talking about the Holy Spirit's activity in our lives after salvation.  Everyone who experiences regeneration is like Lazarus.  When he emerged from his grave he still had his grave clothes on.  Full of life, yet dressed like a dead man.

Have you ever met someone who obviously experienced regeneration?  There's life there that wasn't present before.  There's desire for God where none existed before.  But they still have issues.  That's the dynamic I'm referencing.

The Holy Spirit regenerates a heart in a moment.  Then He goes to work on the rest of a man.

To paint the picture I brought up the armor of God.  These are the clothes we put on after undressing from our grave clothes. 

• Helmet of salvation
• Belt of truth
• Breastplate of righteousness
• Sandals of peace
• Sword of the Spirit--which is the Word of God
• Shield of faith

But what do you get if experience salvation but fail to pursue righteousness, or explore truth, or digest Scripture, or walk in relational peace, or take steps of faith?

Spiritual streakers--Christians running around with nothing more than a helmet on.

Pneuma

I'm looking forward to launching a new series of messages at Church of the King this weekend.  Pneuma is the Greek word meaning "spirit."  We'll be continuing our summer focus on the character of God by shifting to the person of The Holy Spirit.

There are five things the Holy Spirit is always doing.  We'll explore each of them over the next five weeks and discover His activity in our own lives.

• The Convicting Work of the Spirit
• The Regenerating Work of the Spirit
• The Indwelling Work of the Spirit
• The Maturing Work of the Spirit
• The Empowering Work of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit is a person who thinks, feels, wills, and acts.  Can't wait to get to know Him better!

Leave Something Under the Pulpit

I spend Tuesday and Wednesday mornings preparing my message for Sunday.  These are some of my favorite moments of the week.

Tim Dilena challenged me with something a few years ago that still guides my preparation process.  You should always have more under the pulpit than on it.  In other words, if you're studying well, you should be producing more content than you could possibly share in one sermon. 

There's no way I'll be able to say everything this weekend that the Holy Spirit is sharing with me this week.  But that's a good thing.  It brings a depth to our preaching.  And it leaves plenty of left-overs for my own personal growth!

A Word to Pastors: Joyfully Prepare to do it Again

I had several conversations after my message yesterday that reminded me of the burdens people carry into our "family gatherings" each weekend.  Maybe it was the topic that inspired more of them to surface (God as Father), but I was reminded of how necessary it is for me to decrease so that Jesus can increase.  So many people need deep healing.

The local church is a hospital for broken people, and every Sunday a unique mixture of them file in.  Seekers.  Mourners.  Doubters.  Others.  Some are expecting an encounter with God.  Some don't have the faith to expect anymore.  Some are afraid to expect because hope has been overloaded by disappointment.  Not everyone wants the same thing.  But everyone needs it--a transformational encounter with the God of all comfort.

Pastors, I don't you think you should feel pressured by this thought.  After all, it's not in your power to heal anyone.  But you should be carrying a burden.

This morning I resonated with something Wayne Cordeiro wrote in his book, Leading on Empty.  Pastoring is like giving birth on Sunday, only to find out on Monday morning that you're pregnant again.

Pastor, I'm praying for you today.  May you carry the burden well.  Feel it deeply enough that your preaching is infused with compassion.  But share it with God so that you can do it again next week--with joy.

Abba

I've had the past three weekends off from preaching.  Enjoyed the break, especially the opportunity to spend more time with Leah and Gabby.

This morning I'm studying for a new series this weekend exploring the picture of God as Father.  A few weeks ago I started studying Jesus' interaction with the Father from his baptism to Gethsemane.  From start to finish, his entire ministry flowed out of an intimate relationship with the God He called Abba.

I love these study days--the insights, the growing burden, the vision for impacted lives, the joy of God's Word which is always alive!  And of course, this series gives me a great opportunity to reflect on this new season of my life.  I've learned so much about God since becoming a father.

Encore

We kicked off a new series yesterday called Encore.  Over the next three weeks I'll be re-preaching three messages that God has used to form our church over the past eight years. 

Not sure who first said this, but most of us are educated beyond the level of our obedience.  We're like the guy James writes about who sees himself in the mirror only to walk away and forget what he looks like.  And if we're not careful we can get irresponsible with revelation.  God speaks to us, we say "Amen," and then forget to apply anything.

This dynamic is why one pastor decided to preach the same sermon every week.  After several weeks of repetition, someone asked, "Pastor, when are you going to preach a new sermon?"  His response: "As soon as you all start doing this one!"

In this series I hope to revisit some DNA messages that reflect our values and that God has used to form us as a church family.  Can't wait to see them take root the second time around!

And thanks to Elevation Church for letting us borrow your graphics.  We appreciate the generosity!

Stick to your Notes

On Sunday, while preaching about the importance of mutual submission in relationships, a metaphor popped into my mind.  So I went with it...

My wedding was a crucifixion!

As soon as I said it I realized the analogy has its limitations:)  So I quickly added, "Except it was happier, and less bloody!"

Fortunately, our church shared a good laugh and my understanding wife has a terrific sense of humor.

Here was my point. Some men want their wives to submit, but they don't want to die.

Marriage will beat the selfishness out of you. The day you get married is the day you die to yourself and choose to live for someone else. It's a beautiful exchange that ultimately leads to surprising satisfaction.

Submission is actually freeing. To submit to God, a spouse, the scriptures, or a small group is to be freed from the awful burden of always needing things to go your way. Seriously, I'm convinced self-absorbed people are the most miserable people on the planet! If your happiness is tied to getting your own way, you're bound for a life of constant disappointment. Some people are still angry today because thirteen years ago one thing didn't go their way.

Imagine being freed from that burden by finding joy in yielding to others.