Delivered

Let's start by listening to a happy little song that makes me think of a nice cool glass of lemonade on a warm summer day. It’s a good thing for me to reflect on whenever God goes in a direction that I don’t like because alas, His ways are not my ways for sure.

Listen to song:

Delivered - Casting Crowns

Play video:

https://youtu.be/In6gCrGeZfA

Read scripture:

John 12:20-26

I got really into Bob Dylan the summer after my first year of college. It’s a time in my life I think of often especially if my wife and ever have a kerfuffle. Kristelle and I got married at the beginning of that summer and we moved into this small apartment where something was always broken and the property maintanence was slow. For example, I had rigged the toilet to work through a series of shoe strings and wire hangers. And it took a while for us to find out that the outlets for the washing machine wouldn’t turn on unless one of the stove burners was on. I was working at Wal-Mart and Kristelle at Chipotle. It was the one time in my life where I felt completely satisfied with everything. Even when things broke down, I was still elated the whole summer. Since then, things have gotten more complicated. It feels as though everything is a struggle, even dinner. A battle rages everyday between my son and my interest in getting him to eat a vegetable. I go into everything with an agenda, a mission much like the Greeks in the Bible passage. And as it goes, Jesus stops everything without warning to say that it is time for the Lord to be glorified.

Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016 for this song. The video said it was a folk ballad because it told a story. But the story made little sense. It was two short snippets of scenes with no helpful information of what is happening. I like that the video says the lyrics go into a loop. Much like when my plans fall through, I end up back at square one having to start all over. The best laid plans of mice and men, right?

My message today boils down to whether you love God or you love your property, including your intellectual property. An issue I have with the church is that when people get saved they tend to change their lifestyles without necessarily changing their insides. They change radio stations, fashion choices and even the words they use without changing their heart. The word change is a big one for me, like instead of saying Karma, say God’s will or instead of I hope you feel better you say I’ll pray for you.  

For people like this discovering God is like discovering you’re in a cave, a philosophical cave and when you accept God, you come out of the cave, but then you join this Christian community which is just another cave and you lose out on God’s plans. And after a while you come across a new philosophy and realize that you are in a cave again and because you confused following Jesus with Christian lifestyle, you disregard both because the lifestyle didn’t help you very much and you missed the whole point. Or you stay in the cave remembering that you did, for a second, actually leave the cave. And that small second gives you enough hope to stay in this second cave. This reminds me of a Relient K song which goes like this….

And this is how I choose to live

As if I'm jumping off a cliff

knowing that you'll save me [2x]

and after all the stupid things I did

there's nothing left that you'd forgive

because you already forgave me

yeah you already forgave me

Similar to Bob Dylan this goes through a cycle. You find yourself on top of a cliff and jump off to test Jesus, and when he catches you, he puts you back up there. Is that what you think Christianity is? A constant back and forth of you sinning and asking for forgiveness and sinning and asking for forgiveness?

The thing that made me love Bob Dylan is his music, because a lot of times it was hard to even understand his lyrics. So I’m glad that video brought up the music and it’s consistency. This is how I think we should live. The lyrics don’t matter just like our lifestyles and intellectual property don’t matter. Our consistency in the tune is what matters. Whenever you go to a funeral you never hear, this great man accomplished every little goal he wanted to, his email inbox was empty. No, it’s more basic, he was a nice man, he loved his family, he was never too busy to talk to a friend, his life beheld the way of the Lord to many he met.

Psalms 91:2 This I Declare about the Lord, He alone is my refuge, my place of safety, He is my God, and I trust Him.

For Scoffers

Luke 18:1-14

18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought.3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? 

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner. 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

While growing up, I always loved Columbus day because it either landed on my birthday or was sometime throughout the week and I would get a three-day weekend during my birthday. So it was great. I was not made aware of the terrible person that Christopher Columbus was until many years later; like Hitler on steroids. America was already “found” by Europeans, he just made it popular to enslave and kill the inhabitants. So when Seattle decided to change the name of the holiday to Indigenous people’s day, it was the first time I was proud to be a resident. Because before moving here, my impression of Seattle was that it was famous for it’s music, but upon arrival I found that the Christian radio stations are just terrible and Seattle is really, really big on sports and coffee which are two of my least favorite things. So all that was a bummer, but the Indigenous day was really cool and I also found out that Seattle is actually a native american name. Double Kudos.

But when the holiday name change happened and in years since then, I’ve heard people start complaining, “darn PC culture ruining/complicating everything”. And it’s like nails on a chalkboard to me. Because I only ever hear it from people who claim to be Christian, but the Bible says to seek justice and love mercy and walk humbly with God, that’s how you win people for Christ. But in this situation, the attitude is basically saying, “what you care about, the suffering of your entire race, and it being celebrated by your oppressors, it’s stupid. Its stupid for you to fight over a name, also come to church for potluck!” It makes no sense right.

Furthermore, the people who complain about this name change often seem to be the ones who a month later start preparing battle for the War on Christmas. The War on Christmas is the idea that people are deliberately removing the “Christ” from Christmas and that’s something worth fighting about. How ironic. How hypocritical. How similar is it to the parable Jesus tells about the religious guy, who prays Look at me Look at me I care about Christianity! And they really do care about Christianity - the word, not practice. Could it be that Christians don’t want to talk negatively about Christopher Columbus because his actions were done under the approval the Christian community? We continue to model ourselves as underdogs in the world, but whenever the Christian leadership has held any type of political power horrible things happen. Way worse than any Muslim extremist has done. 

Want examples? If we keep under the theme of the Indigenous people, there’s battle of Wounded Knee, The Walk of Tears, even as recent as the seventies when native women were sterilized and children were stolen from their homes and put in Christian homes all in the name of Christianity. It happened to my wife’s grandmother - the kidnapping not the sterilization obviously. Can you imagine being sterilized, having your child stolen from you, or just being killed because you disagree with someone’s lifestyle choices of wearing boring clothes and listening to terrible music. Listen, I play in the brass band at Seattle Temple and it has nothing on the drums of a Pow Wow. So have all that happen to you And then for your oppressors to call your complaints stupid, would you be a Christian if that was your introduction? But let’s take it a step further, the witch trials, the crusades, All for Jesus they say.

The whole idea of Christianity immediately creates a dichotomy of believers and nonbelievers and the practice of testimony is the bridge in between the two. It’s the idea that the scars of my past show people that I’m not lying when I say that Christ has changed me and the change is worthwhile. And with God it seems like everything is a symbol or can be used as a metaphor. One body is the same as a whole community. So why don’t we take the idea of testimony and take it full scale to the entire body of believers. So when a group of people who were oppressed by Christians, we should feel sorry for them because we hold the banner of being Christian. We, the church as a whole, have a lot of reasons to be humble yet we exalt ourselves. Churches are confused about why “millennials” don’t go to church or don’t respect church as a center of morality. Maybe because my entire childhood was filled with news stories every day of pastors and priests molesting little kids, and then the church body trying to cover it up!

Not only should we apologize because we claim this faith as our own, this family of believers as our own family, but also because God told us to fight for the oppressed. We shouldn’t scoff at people who cry out for justice and tell them that we’ve decided their needs are merely political corrections and not real. That’s not for us to decide! That’s not for your pastor to decide or the Christian radio DJ’s to decide or the leadership of Family Life Radio who constantly sends me political emails. Justice is to be decided by God. Right now people who neither fear God nor care about Justice are helping the people who are suffering in the world while Christians argue about words used by stores on holidays and scoff at the oppressed.

Luke 18:14B For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

The Gap

This is Water

http://youtu.be/QiyY4t7WbnU

People think,

• When I get older, I’ll get better;
• I’ll never do what my parents do;
• I’m better than that guy
• The world is a terrible place full of stupid people

However, we don’t often look at ourselves for the fix.

Romans 7:14-25

New International Version (NIV)

14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature[b] a slave to the law of sin

There is this huge gap between the imaginary person that we think we are or will become and the person reflected through our actions. Our day is full of choices. There are two ways we make decisions.

1. When we make a choice, we don’t think of how we look to the world when we do the action, but we decide out of our own selfishness.

2. Habits- In the American Journal of Psychology it is defined in this way: "A habit, from the standpoint of psychology, is a more or less fixed way of thinking, willing, or feeling acquired through previous repetition of a mental experience.

Muhammad Ali

What does he mean? As we grow, we should see things differently.

Is that good or bad for habits? As we change our habits keep us from fully changing.

Changing a habit is like erasing a sharpie mark. It’s difficult. It’s easier to make new habits. It takes thirty days for a decision to turn into a habit (doing something everyday for thirty days usually makes it a habit).

You’re not going to wake up when you turn eighteen and become a responsible adult. There are plenty of people my age (21), who still act like they are thirteen. The decisions you make today should be based on who you aspire to be; the best part of yourself. It’s almost like acting because you have to forget yourself and try to be someone new, someone you will like and respect more.

This is Water video- David Foster Wallace made that speech at a graduation. He has written many books award winnings books that would be good to read. He thought theologically without wanting to, and called it philosophy. He committed suicide. Why is this important. I live with the idea of constant improvement. Wallace also did; however, he lacked the love that comes from God. That love makes things immensely better and without it there is a God-sized hole in everything. The idea of constant improvement is great, but not the right size to fill the hole.

Lawful to Do Good

Read Matthew 12: 1-14

Here you have those tricky Pharisees trying to trap Jesus in going against the law. They are so self-assured by the rules. The rules make them look good and they love the Law because of that. Jesus, on the other hand, chose to help the man. Helping him went against the Law of the Pharisees. Who makes a law against helping someone? People who are seeking their own happiness. Even though, He could get in trouble by helping the man, Jesus did and basically said helping someone is above any rule, self-gratification, and happiness.

Justice for the oppressed

My mom is from a little village in Mexico, at 16 she swam the colorado river and ended up in Yuma, AZ. She had a few odd jobs before she met my dad and he invited her to church, The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army took a big risk by hiring her to be the social service worker when I was around 10. She learned a lot at that job and that led her to the path of finding her current job that she is passionate about; helping the unfortunate. Specifically, those born with mental handicaps and who are emotionally unstable.  She helps people by driving them to appointments, helping them fill out forms, picking up their medications and helping them cope with the world. Usually, when people are having issues like anger or depression, she teaches them coping skills. These skills mostly consist of volunteering somewhere, or going to art shows or hikes.

Lennon

I do not like this picture of a John Lennon quote. When you only care about yourself and your own happiness, your life gets worse.

The goal of life is not happiness that is the means to the goal. You should do things happily. More importantly you should DO THINGS!

If your only goal is to be happy then you will fail. Trying to satisfy yourself leads at least to people disliking you. To put it plainly, if you are near someone small with an iPad wouldn't it make you happy to have an iPad. So why not take it? On the other hand, if you wake up early and wash all the dishes, what would the people around say to you when you wake up? So would you rather have a kid and his parents super mad at you or people you love really happy with you? You should be trying to make others happy.

Like I said, my parents went to church before I was even born. So I have been going my whole life and had the Bible read to me every night. When I was young, it was fun and exciting. When I became a teenager, I was too cool for all of it. I wouldn't be a distraction but I also would never participate. While trying to satisfy my flesh, I found myself in a bout of depression and considering ending my life and receiving an intervention by some great people in my church and when I was seventeen I decided to work at the Salvation Army camp. Once I was hired, I immediately grew my prayer life so that God would mold me from a depressed weirdo into a good camp counselor for all the kids to come. And when they came, I was so on fire for God and on my breaks I would have my nose up the Bible to prepare for nightly devotions. It was the closest I have ever been to God.

Seeking happiness leads to depression or anger other bad things. Seeking to help people happily leads to life to the full.

Proverbs 21:21

"He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor"

Righteousness as in right so like Justice.

It doesn't say those who pursue happiness find it! No those who pursue, as in have a thirst for/ as in are happy to do it, justice find LIFE!

So think about a group of people or someone who is oppressed. Or even someone who is worse off than you. 

There are plenty. Have you heard of what is happening in Venezuela or Mexico or even why so many people cross the border; do you know why the hotels are unfinished in Sochi; do you think the injustice to Native Americans is over; did you know the super bowl is the busiest day for human traffickers; do you know what is happening with your neighbors?

How can you help them?

Let's at least start with a prayer, not for them, not yet at least. A prayer for God to change your heart! He created you to care not to be cared for! So pray for you.

Then Pray for them.

Then meet them and meet their needs.

The leap after the fall

I believe a giant gap exists between asking God forgiveness and receiving the Holy Spirit. Let's break it down here, you go to church a few times or maybe once, and then you hear an amazing sermon that makes you feel so much remorse and then the alter call rings out offering forgiveness and a noble life. So you go up to the alter or begin to pray in your seat and ask forgiveness and promise to never do that bad thing again. You wipe the tears off your eyes and you genuinely feel better. Right?

For a few days you are on a sort of high, loving God and feeling great. Then it starts to fade and you are back in some sin until you go back to the alter.

It's like my relationship with my wife. When she asks me to do the dishes today, I agree. Then when the next day rolls around and the dishes are not washed, I genuinely apologize. Of course, she forgives me and do I change my ways? Maybe I wash dishes right there, but come next week, same thing happens. Once I finally decided that this is an area that I'm failing and started to make sure a dirty dish was never left over night, did I gain the respect from my wife in that area.

Similarly, asking God for forgiveness is not enough to feel that REAL Salvation. It's way more than an apology. It's a change. It's stopping dead in your tracks and turning around.

For me, I did not feel it until I worked at camp. I became fully aware of my inequities and begged God to use me as a vessel, agent, of His to portray that Holy love to the kids that I come into contact with. In doing so, God changed my heart. I am a way different man, in fact I became a man that summer. And I never want to look back at the life I lead before.


And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; Acts 9:18

Body of Christ

I've been going to Church my whole life and I think I've learned a few things about the Politic of churches and religion in general. I think this is a good place to hash out my thoughts.

So to begin, the body of the Christ or the body of the church is often characterized by a human body. I feel that was a good metaphor for the past two thousand years, but now bodies are not cared for, but the reliance on medicine and operations are depended on for long life. So let's say the church should be like a musical instrument. Have you ever played a cornet (cousin to the trumpet) without a mouthpiece? Even if you  take out the spit valve, the whole thing becomes useless.

Whenever you see an accomplishment in anything, recognize that it is the end result of more than one person. When more people help the better the end result will be and it will be easier for every single person.

What does this have to do with Christians, you ask? Well, it is understandable that people come to church to get in touch with God and listen to teachings of the Living Word; however, a pastor cannot inspire everyone in a diverse group of people to hear the Lord, by himself. Help is always needed and the Bible says the second you believe you should teach. And like I said, the more people that help the easier it will be for everyone and better too. So it is frustrating for me when people complain about programs not going well. You cannot expect the same person who is really good at teaching a very serious men's group Bible study to also, be amazing at creating a super fun and interesting end of the school year hoorah for kids 5- 10 years old. Right? That is where someone else (or a whole committee) to step in and say, "I have a small bbq and I bought too many hot dogs last time I went to the store, I'll bring the food!" or "I have a super sweet camera, I'll take pictures!"; "I know this super fun game I've played since I was five! I'll be in charge of one game!".

When everyone works together, amazing things start to happen. And when everyone works to save souls, they get filled by the Holy Spirit themselves. And as they grow they could start legitimately teaching the Word to each other. Sharpening each other as some do say, is not a one way street. If someone is teaching you about the Bible and you're not in the Bible alone, then you are fooling yourself into thinking you are actually learning and you are wasting the time of the people trying to get you to having a Saintly spirit. Redemption needs to be more like boot camp and less like watching a commercial.