Maranatha

As I walked my four year old son through a metal detector at school this morning, I noticed a little girl about his age crying while they searched her bag since she set off the device – this was all new to them.  I tried to answer Ephraim’s questions to ease his mind about this whole new experience, but I couldn’t help feeling a bit uneasy myself as little boys and girls passed through these ominous machines in the name of safety and security.  The teachers and staff were doing their best to calm any newfound fears, and yet there is something inherently wrong with this whole scenario.  We should not live in a world where small children are targets and life is so easily destroyed.

I understand our deep desire to protect these precious gifts – our children, our future.  Especially, since we were confronted last week with the reality that we live in a dark and broken world.  Yet despite all of our best efforts, our greatest fears may be realized, whether by a random act of senseless violence, a rare disease, or a tragic accident that which we value the most in this world can be taken in an instant.  Life is fragile.  Life is uncertain.  Life is precious.

And in the wake of such senseless evil, we spend a great deal of time and energy trying to make some sense of it all.  Investigators are digging through every scrap of evidence they have in an attempt to find a motive – “a reason”.  We all want to know “why”. 

The truth is that we will never make sense of evil – it is by very nature senseless.  Our ancient narrative has named it sin and we know that its wages are death.  Yet we search for some comfort in reason – if we just know “why” then maybe we can cope.  Maybe we can prevent… maybe we’ll feel just a little bit safer sending our kids off to school.  This is our human drive – to understand, to control, to protect.  But in this dark world – we will never fully understand, we cannot completely control, and we haven’t the power to protect in all circumstances.  We can only trust and pray.

On another dark night, as the cross overshadowed Him, Jesus told His disciples: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)  We can take comfort in the fact, as Marilyn Denson often reminds me, “It won’t be like this in heaven.”  And we read: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:4-5) 

His is our only peace, comfort, and light in this dark world.  May His light shine on you, in you, and through you this week!  Maranatha!  Come, Lord Jesus!

Anticipate

I haven't posted here for a while, but I'm truly looking forward to our Advent Series. Here is a little video preview.

 

Holding Ground

A short version of a longer documentary on the rebirth of a neighborhood.

Waiting for Superman

An important documentary on the plight of urban education.

Something New

A powerful video interview with Miroslav Volf that highlights some of the themes we will be discussing this Sunday.

He Is Our Hope!

Our Easter Message, Baby Dedication and Baptisms from Sunday!

Crucified with Christ

N. T. Wright talking about our sin and being crucified with Christ. He speaks with such wisdom.

Youth Service 3.11.12

A portion of our Youth Service from this weekend. If you don't listen to anything else, at least listen to the first 8 minutes to hear a couple of powerful testimonies!

Dr. Paul Bassett

One of my absolutely favorite Seminary Professors discussing the role of the Articles of Faith.

Paul M. Bassett on the Nazarene Articles of Faith from Church of the Nazarene on Vimeo.

I don't know how else to say it... I just love Dr. Bassett.

The Skinny on Fasting

A funny video on how we often misunderstand the practice of fasting.

Spiritual Disciplines Series

We are currently in a series on Spiritual Disciplines. After an interesting discussion in my accountability group and in our prayer gathering yesterday, God used this quote in my devotional reading today to speak to my heart. I thought I would share it with you:

"True holiness is a witness that cannot be ignored. Real sainthood is a phenomenon to which even the worldling pays tribute. The power of a life, where Christ is exalted, would arrest and subdue those who are bored to tears by our thin version of Christianity and wholly uninterested in mere churchmanship.

We have talked much of salvation by faith, but there has been little realization that all real faith involves discipline. Faith is not a blithe 'turning it all over to Jesus.' Faith is such confidence in Jesus that it takes seriously His summons, 'If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.'

We have loudly proclaimed our dependence upon the grace of God, never guessing that the grace of God is given only to those who practice the grace of self-mastery. 'Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for God is at work in you both to will and to work His good pleasure.' People working out, God working in - that is the New Testament synthesis.

Humans, working out their salvation alone, are a pathetic spectacle - hopelessly defeated moralists trying to elevate themselves by their own bootstraps.

God, seeking to work in a person who offers no disciplined cooperation, is a heartbreaking spectacle - a defeated Savior trying to free, from sins and earthiness, a person who will not lift his or her face out of the dust, or shake off the shackles of the egocentric self.

Real discipline is not vain effort to save one's self. It is an intelligent application to the self of those psychological principles which enable the self to enter into life-giving fellowship with God who is our salvation.

In all Christian literature there is no writer who had a clearer conviction concerning the salvation provided only in Christ than has Paul. His self-despair ended in that marvelous, ageless insight, 'I thank God, through Jesus Christ my Lord.' 'I know whom I have believed,' he cried in an ecstasy of confident gladness, 'and am persuaded that he is able.' Paul was a salvationist, in the noblest sense.

But Paul was also a disciplinarian. 'I beat my body to keep it in subjection.' 'They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts.' 'So fight I, not as one who beateth the air.' 'Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth.' 'Laying aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us.' 'No man that warreth, entangleth himself with the affairs of this life.' These are not the words of a man who scorned discipline!

One might multiply such statements as these from Paul - all of them the almost spontaneous evidence of the disciplines which he, trusting in Christ, imposed upon himself in his eager effort to give Christ that co-operation without which not even Christ can save a soul and make a saint.

We must recover for ourselves the significance and the necessity of the spiritual disciplines. Without them we shall continue to be impotent witnesses for Christ. Without them Christ will be impotent in His efforts to use us to save our society from disintegration and death."

~ From Discipline and Discovery by Albert Edward Day

We are in training! May we discover the significance of these spiritual practices so that we might put our lives in the flow of God's presence.

Practicing Presence

Here are some simple words of encouragement as we learn to practice the Presence together!

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." ~ John 17:20-21

“Think of the number of people who have been encouraged in this way by the simple writings and profound life of Brother Lawrence. How vastly enriched we are that he was finally persuaded, almost against his will, to write down how he had learned The Practice of the Presence of God. His famous words still throb with life and joy. ‘The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament.’ Every thought, every decision, every action stemmed from the divine Root. A simple kitchen monk, who meekly referred to himself as the ‘lord of all pots and pans,’fount it to be possible. We can too!

But we fool ourselves if we think that such a sacramental way of living is automatic. This kind of living communion does not just fall on our heads. We must desire it and seek it out. Like the deer that pants for the flowing stream, so we thirst for the living Spring. We must order our lives in particular ways. We must take up a consciously chosen course of action that will draw us more deeply into perpetual communion with the Father.

I have discovered one delightful means to this end to be prayer experiments that open us to God’s presence every waking moment. The idea is extraordinarily simple. Seek to discover as many ways as possible to keep God constantly in mind. ‘There is nothing new in that,’ you may say. ‘That practice is very ancient and very orthodox.’ Exactly! This desire to practice the presence of God is the secret of all the saints.” ~ From Freedom of Simplicity by Richard J. Foster

There’s not a plant or flower below, But makes thy glories known;
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, By order from thy throne,
While all that borrows life from thee is ever in thy care,
And everywhere that man can be, Thou, God, art present there.
~ Isaac Watts

Fasting - A Spiritual Discipline

ROC Flock,

I made an appeal in this morning's message that you would join me in the discipline of fasting. At least one person, after the service, came and asked for some instruction on the Christian perspective of fasting. I thought I would send an excerpt from one of the best books out there on spiritual disciplines called Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. Another good resource is Soul Feast by Marjorie Thompson.

One word of caution. If you have any health issues that you feel may interfere with the practice of a food fast, please consult your doctor before you embark on that kind of a fast. Abstaining from food is the most biblical way to participate in a fast, but if that is not a possibility for you there are other ways to deny yourself something for the sake of growing in Christ. I would suggest finding something that you have become attached to: coffee, soda, t.v., sweets, etc. and abstain from that for a period of time.

"Fasting can bring breakthroughs in the spiritual realm that could never be had in any other way." - Richard Foster

THE DISCIPLINE OF FASTING
Excerpts from Celebration of Discipline

By Richard Foster

What is Fasting?
Throughout Scripture, fasting refers to abstaining from food for spiritual purposes. It stands in contrast to the hunger strike, or for health reasons such as dieting. Biblical fasting always centers on spiritual purposes.

Scripture Describes Different Types of Fasts
The Normal Fast This involved abstaining from all food, solid or liquid, but not from water. In the forty-day fast of Jesus, we are told that “He ate nothing” and toward the end of the fast that “He was hungry” and that Satan tempted Him to eat, indicating that the abstaining was from food, but not from water. (Luke 4:2)

The Partial Fast The Bible describes what could be considered a partial fast: that is, there is a restriction of diet, but not total abstention. Although the normal fast seemed to be the custom with the prophet Daniel, there was an occasion where for three weeks he “ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.” (Daniel 10:3)

The Absolute Fast There are several examples in Scripture of what has rightly been called an “absolute fast”, or an abstaining from both food and water. It usually appears as a desperate measure to meet a dire emergency. Upon learning that execution awaited herself and her people, Esther instructed Mordecai, “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16) Paul engaged in a three-day absolute fast following his encounter with the living Christ. (Acts 9:9) It must be underscored that the absolute fast is the exception and should never be engaged in unless one has a very clear command from God, and then for not more than three days.

Is Fasting a Commandment?
Nowhere in Scripture do we find Biblical laws that require regular fasting, nor do we find a direct command to fast. What we do find are examples of many Biblical personages to whom fasting was a regular part of their lives: Moses, the lawgiver; David, the king; Elijah, the prophet; Esther, the queen; Daniel, the seer; Anna, the prophetess; Paul, the apostle; and Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son.

Many of the great Christians throughout church history fasted and testified to its value. Among them were: Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, David Brainerd, Charles Finney and Pastor Hsi of China.

Jesus gives instruction on fasting in the Sermon on the Mount. He states: “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting.” (Matthew 6:16) Jesus did not say “If you fast”, neither did He say “You must fast.” He seemed to make the assumption that people would fast, and what was needed was instruction on how to do it properly.

The Purpose of Fasting
Fasting must center on God. It should draw us closer to God, where we will experience a deeper relationship with Him. Like Anna, in Luke 2:37, we should be “worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.” Fasting reveals the things that control us. We tend to cover up what is inside us with food and other good things, but in fasting these things surface. If pride controls us, it will be revealed almost immediately. David said, “I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting.” (Psalm 35:13)

Anger, bitterness, jealousy, strife, fear - if they are within us, they will surface during fasting. At first we will rationalize that our anger, for example, is due to our hunger. We will then discover that we are angry not because of hunger, but because the spirit of anger is within us. We can rejoice in this knowledge because we know that healing is available through the power of Christ.

Fasting helps us keep our balance in life. How easily we begin to allow nonessentials to take precedence in our lives. How quickly we crave things we do not need until we are enslaved by them. Paul wrote, “Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything.” (I Cor. 6:12) “No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (I Cor. 9:27) David wrote, “My knees give way from fasting; my body is thin and gaunt.” (Psalm 109:24) That is not asceticism; it is discipline - and discipline brings freedom.

How to Have a Spiritual Fast
Purify your motives. The purpose of a spiritual fast is to focus upon and worship God, not to lose weight, go on a hunger strike, save money on food, etc. “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:16-18

Begin with a partial fast. It is wise to learn to walk well before we try to run. Many people find that beginning with a twenty-four hour fast from lunch to lunch works well. This would mean that you would not eat two meals. Fresh fruit juices are excellent to consume during this time. You may be fascinated with the physical aspects, but the most important thing to monitor is the inner attitude of worship. Outwardly you will be performing the regular duties of your day, but inwardly you will be in prayer and adoration, song and ministry to the Lord. Break your fast with a light meal of fresh fruits and vegetables and a good deal of inner rejoicing.

Progress to a twenty-four hour normal fast. Use only water, but use healthy amounts of it. You will probably feel some hunger pains or discomfort before the time is up. That is not real hunger; your stomach has been trained through years of conditioning to give signals of hunger at certain hours. In many ways your stomach is like a spoiled child, and spoiled children do not need indulgence, they need discipline! Tell your “spoiled child" to calm down and in a brief time the hunger pains will pass. You are to be the master of your stomach, not its slave.

Fasting can have a powerful impact on your spiritual life. Consider a regular discipline of fasting one day a week for six months. Regular or weekly fasting had such a profound effect in the lives of early church leaders that some sought to find a Biblical command for it. John Wesley refused to ordain anyone who did not fast every Wednesday and Friday.

Join me in this powerful spiritual discipline and let's get desperate for more of Him together.

Blessings

Pastor Richard

Blessed are the un-cool

This is a blog from Rachel Held Evans that several friends recently shared. I think she makes some wonderful points about the church today. I hope that she would find the ROC Flock to be a church for the cool and un-cool alike. More importantly I pray that Jesus would feel right at home in our midst.

People sometimes assume that because I’m a progressive 30-year-old who enjoys Mumford and Sons and has no children, I must want a super-hip church—you know, the kind that’s called “Thrive” or “Be” and which boasts “an awesome worship experience,” a fair-trade coffee bar, its own iPhone app, and a pastor who looks like a Jonas Brother.

While none of these features are inherently wrong, (and can of course be used by good people to do good things), these days I find myself longing for a church with a cool factor of about 0.

That’s right.

I want a church that includes fussy kids, old liturgy, bad sound, weird congregants, and…brace yourself…painfully amateur “special music” now and then.



Why?

Well, for one thing, when the gospel story is accompanied by a fog machine and light show, I always get this creeped-out feeling like someone’s trying to sell me something. It’s as though we’re all compensating for the fact that Christianity’s not good enough to stand on its own so we’re adding snacks.

But more importantly, I want to be part of an un-cool church because I want to be part of a community that shares the reputation of Jesus, and like it or not, Jesus’ favorite people in the world were not cool. They were mostly sinners, misfits, outcasts, weirdos, poor people, sick people, and crazy people.

Cool congregations can get so wrapped up in the “performance” of church that they forget to actually be the church, a phenomenon painfully illustrated by the story of the child with cerebral palsy who was escorted from the Easter service at Elevation Church for being a “distraction.”

Really?

It seems to me that this congregation was distracted long before this little boy showed up! In their self-proclaimed quest for “an explosive, phenomenal movement of God—something you have to see to believe,” they missed Jesus when he was right under their nose.

Was the paralytic man lowered from the rooftop in the middle of a sermon a distraction?

Was the Canaanite woman who harassed Jesus and his disciples about healing her daughter a distraction?

Were the blind men from Jericho who annoyed the crowd with their relentless cries a distraction?

Jesus didn’t think so. In fact, he seemed to think that they were the point.

Jesus taught us that when we throw a banquet or a party, our invitation list should include “the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.” So why do our church marketing teams target the young, the hip, the healthy, and the resourced?

In Bossypants (a book you should really go out and buy this very instant), Tina Fey describes working for the YMCA in Chicago soon after graduating from college. This particular YMCA included, “a great mix of high-end yuppie fitness facility, a wonderful community resource for families, and an old-school residence for disenfranchised men,” so Fey shares a host of funny stories about working the front desk. One such story involves one of the residents forgetting to take his meds, bumping into a young mom on her way to a workout session, and saying something wildly inappropriate (and very funny—you should definitely go out and get this book). Fey writes, “The young mother was beside herself. That’s the kind of trouble you get when diverse groups of people actually cross paths with one another. That’s why many of the worst things in the world happen in and around Starbucks bathrooms.”

Church can be a lot like the Y...or a Starbucks bathroom.

We have one place for the un-cool people (our ministries) and another place for the cool people (our church services). When we actually bump into one another, things can get awkward, so we try to avoid it.

It’s easy to pick on Elevation Church in this case, but the truth is we’re all guilty of thinking we’re too cool for the least of these. Our elitism shows up when we forbid others from contributing art and music because we deem it unworthy of glorifying God, or when we scoot our family an extra foot or two down the pew when the guy with Aspergers sits down. Having helped start a church, I remember hoping that our hip guests wouldn’t be turned off by our less-than-hip guests. For a second I forgot that in church, of all places, those distinctions should disappear.

Some of us wear our brokenness on the inside, others on the outside.

But we’re all broken.

We’re all un-cool.

We’re all in need of a Savior.

So let’s cut the crap, pull the plug, and have us some distracting church services… the kind where Jesus would fit right in.

***

Do you ever get the feeling that church is just one big show? Have you found a congregation in which Jesus and his friends would be welcome?

Here is the direct link to Rachel's blog: http://rachelheldevans.com/blessed-are-the-uncool