Romans 12. How many times have your heard a pastor speak on this most popular passage in Romans?
I must've heard at least 20 sermons. Honestly, everytime I heard some say "turn to Romans 12..." I begin to tune out. It's not the healthiest thing on my part. I should be teachable even if I heard Romans 12 about 300 times.
Thus, as I spoke on Romans 12 this past Sunday, I wanted to present a fresh new point of view. I didn't preach a heretical message or create some post-modern existential interpretation that deviates from the author's intent.
As I studied Romans 12, a point of view that I never really noticed is that we are living sacrifices with the purpose of serving one another. Often times vs.1-2 is taught in isolation from vs.5-8, when one flows smoothly into the other. We are "living sacrifices". We are still "living" because we are to serve the body of Christ and be ambassadors for Christ to the unchurched.
The question is... "How is our obedience?"
Are we obedient out of obligation? Or are we obedient in love?
Our obligation to obey keeps us committed to the right things.
As we mature and grow in love, then our obedience will take us to the next level of our relationship with God and His people.
Why is it so hard to obey?
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Really Great News!
Does God really love me?
It's not that I have doubts about God's love. It's that I've realized in a fresh new manner that God really does love me beyond what I have previously imagined.
My kids know that I love them. But my oldest one understands my love for him to a greater capacity than my youngest. Their capacity to know the extent of my love for them will grow as well.
That's what happenned to me this past week. As I studied through Romans 11, I realized the depth of God's love for me. There are a lot of reasons why God shouldn't love me. There are only a few reasons why God maybe should love me. In the end, God loves me by sheer grace. Did you get that? God loves me because He chooses to love me, not because of what I've done or even will do.
This is REALLY great news. God's love is faithful. Praise the Lord God Almighty!
It's not that I have doubts about God's love. It's that I've realized in a fresh new manner that God really does love me beyond what I have previously imagined.
My kids know that I love them. But my oldest one understands my love for him to a greater capacity than my youngest. Their capacity to know the extent of my love for them will grow as well.
That's what happenned to me this past week. As I studied through Romans 11, I realized the depth of God's love for me. There are a lot of reasons why God shouldn't love me. There are only a few reasons why God maybe should love me. In the end, God loves me by sheer grace. Did you get that? God loves me because He chooses to love me, not because of what I've done or even will do.
This is REALLY great news. God's love is faithful. Praise the Lord God Almighty!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Celebrate Recovery
Many of you have heard of Saddleback, 40 Days of Purpose and some guy named 'Rick Warren'. But how many of you have heard of Celebrate Recovery?
I'm not too familar with this ministry, or movement. But I have heard of the principles behind it. It's similar to a 12 Step Program, but with a defnitively strong Jesus focus.
2 years ago, I attended the Purpose Driven Worship Conference, and it was "A"-mazing, with a CAPITAL "A".
I decided to attend the 2007 Celebrate Recovery Summit and it's "EYE"-opening. Most of us think that we are all good and healthy because we don't resemble the guests on Jerry Springer. But in reality, when you personalize the Word of God and the Law, one realizes how "messed up" one truly is.
A lighter way of putting may be, "he/she is a bit off." The more blunt way to put it, "he/she is messed up." The crude way to put it, "he/she is jacked up". However one puts it? I am "off", "messed up" and "jacked up", and I'm happy to admit it because I'm more thirsty for the gospel. I am more hungry for Jesus, the bread of life. How much more do I need to "abide" and "imbibe" in Him?
It's been the first day, and I see that there are so many who have "hurts, hang-ups and habits" that need recovery, restoration, healing, etc.
Will anyone ever listen to my sermons or "pearls of wisdom", unless I can "empower" them to listen and obey? The ground work of real ministry happens throughout the week. Sunday is just one day, the catalyst for the week.
Lord, help me to celebrate recovery, and enable people to celebrate recovery.
I'm not too familar with this ministry, or movement. But I have heard of the principles behind it. It's similar to a 12 Step Program, but with a defnitively strong Jesus focus.
2 years ago, I attended the Purpose Driven Worship Conference, and it was "A"-mazing, with a CAPITAL "A".
I decided to attend the 2007 Celebrate Recovery Summit and it's "EYE"-opening. Most of us think that we are all good and healthy because we don't resemble the guests on Jerry Springer. But in reality, when you personalize the Word of God and the Law, one realizes how "messed up" one truly is.
A lighter way of putting may be, "he/she is a bit off." The more blunt way to put it, "he/she is messed up." The crude way to put it, "he/she is jacked up". However one puts it? I am "off", "messed up" and "jacked up", and I'm happy to admit it because I'm more thirsty for the gospel. I am more hungry for Jesus, the bread of life. How much more do I need to "abide" and "imbibe" in Him?
It's been the first day, and I see that there are so many who have "hurts, hang-ups and habits" that need recovery, restoration, healing, etc.
Will anyone ever listen to my sermons or "pearls of wisdom", unless I can "empower" them to listen and obey? The ground work of real ministry happens throughout the week. Sunday is just one day, the catalyst for the week.
Lord, help me to celebrate recovery, and enable people to celebrate recovery.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Been awhile
It's been a while, but I just didn't want to write stuff because I had to. I wanted to write because there have been God moments in my life.
The Summer months have been filled with a study through Romans and it's been amazing to saturate my mind in it and to allow my heart to be wrenched from the inside out in regards to the greatness of the Gospel.
Something that I've been realizing and felt a conviction over the past several weeks...
My goal is not to convey how much I studied throughout the week. Sermons should not be lectures. It's pretty clear that when you look up synonyms for 'sermon', you're not going to find lecture anywhere near it. In Christendom, sermons have ranged from heavy theological lessons to fluffy feel good self-help anecdotes.
I'm not of the camp that sermons should deviate from good exegesis and solid theological extraction. I'm not of the camp that sermons should be "Chicken Soup for the Soul" types of speeches either. Sermons should be the communication of God's word through a real human agent who has experienced and is experiencing God's living presence in their heart and lives.
I feel that I can only preach what God has been teaching me and what I've been experiencing. I would rather be real and authentic, than an empty voice.
Lord, may I know you more and guide others to know you more.
The Summer months have been filled with a study through Romans and it's been amazing to saturate my mind in it and to allow my heart to be wrenched from the inside out in regards to the greatness of the Gospel.
Something that I've been realizing and felt a conviction over the past several weeks...
My goal is not to convey how much I studied throughout the week. Sermons should not be lectures. It's pretty clear that when you look up synonyms for 'sermon', you're not going to find lecture anywhere near it. In Christendom, sermons have ranged from heavy theological lessons to fluffy feel good self-help anecdotes.
I'm not of the camp that sermons should deviate from good exegesis and solid theological extraction. I'm not of the camp that sermons should be "Chicken Soup for the Soul" types of speeches either. Sermons should be the communication of God's word through a real human agent who has experienced and is experiencing God's living presence in their heart and lives.
I feel that I can only preach what God has been teaching me and what I've been experiencing. I would rather be real and authentic, than an empty voice.
Lord, may I know you more and guide others to know you more.
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