Convictions I have About the Church....

Jesus never intended for the church to be a group of self righteous, angry judgmental, isolationist. Not that you'd know that by many "Christ followers".

In the past, and even the present the Church has spent so much time arguing over social issues (Think boycotting non Christians for acting like non Christians) that we have not loved people like Jesus loves people.

People are never reached through condemnation. People are reached through conversation. Using real words. Real stories. Real connection.

The Church should be the most inviting. accepting, loving place the world has ever seen.

We say it this way, "It's okay to not be okay."

I'm not okay, you're not okay, but Jesus loves us anyway and he invites us to drop our junk, including our false faces, and follow Him.

The Church should be a place to experience real love where ever you come from.

Good Friday Meditations

I was thinking this Easter season about the cross. Beginning with the early church, they identified with the cross. It became a symbol, a representation of faith. The more I thought about it the more I pondered why the cross was so readily adopted; so identifiable. There are wonderful, glorious things Jesus did. He fed the hungry, healed the sick, was a tremendous authoritative teacher like the world has never seen, but of all that could have been chosen to represent Jesus, we land at the CROSS. The cross is literally the CRUX of our faith. That is not a coincidence. The word “crux” which means “main or central figure” is derived from the Latin for cross.  And anytime we deviate from that we are no longer speaking of Christianity. Sometimes we speak of it so commonly and regularly that we begin to lose the power of the cross.  The cross was was horrendous and shameful. The Jewish historian Josephus called it, “The most wretched of deaths”, Greek philosopher Cicero, says “it is so altogether disgusting that Romans and Greeks should not even speak of it, because good decent people would not mention the horror that is crucifixion.” We say the word excruciating. The word was created, because there was no word horrific enough in their vocabulary to describe the pain of the cross. It literally means “from the cross”.

Death on the cross was from suffocation, after a very brutal beating, after having nails driven through the wrists and feet, a person was left on the cross, often just a few inches off the ground to further taunt them. The cause of death was an inability to breathe in. In order to take a breath the person must lift themselves up to breathe. Often Romans would put a ledge under the person, so that they would survive and suffer agony for as long as humanly possible.

Death by crucifixion was not just any execution, but the most obscene, the most disgraceful, the most horrific execution known to man. It was made to strip a man of all dignity. To hang on a cross was to be the object of ridicule and shame. Often placed naked you were exposed to elements, insects, and the jeers of the crowd who laughed at your pain and mocked your fate. This is what happened to God.

Does it make you sick; does the thought of the blood and gore make you feel disgusted? That is the point, the cross is a wretched and disgusting, vile thing. The cross is offensive, it is disgusting and shameful. And this is where Jesus went. That is where Jesus willingly went.

The Word that God calls Himself, “I am” means being existence, life.  By Jesus choice, He embraced Death, and in so doing overcame it. Our sin demanded death, and Jesus willingly, deliberately chose to take it upon Himself.

It is not odd that Jesus is alive; it is not strange that God is life. There is no conflict there. The miracle that happened on Good Friday, is that Jesus the very essence, the complete source of life, laid down His rights and died.

I find the accounts of the final words of Jesus powerful .

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. MATTHEW 27:50

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. MARK 15:37

Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. LUKE 23:46

The cause of death in a crucifixion is asphyxiation. But Jesus cries out in a loud voice. It is not a question of His body failing, it is Jesus committed His Spirit to His Father.

Jesus death was our atoning sacrifice. Jesus went to the cross so we wouldn’t have to. Caiaphas had no idea what he was saying in John 18:14 when he said, “it would be good if one man died for all the people.”

By His death He became a sin offering, the perfect offering so no other would be needed.  2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Our debt is not wiped out, God does not forget. But our debt is PAID IN FULL.

Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

This is what was purchased at Calvary. The thief who was executed with Jesus correctly testifies to the world, “We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Luke 23:40-41

He died for the entire sinful human race, people who could not pay the price sin demanded.

1 John 2:2 says, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

When Jesus said in John 19:30, “It is finished”

He meant the time is come; the Father is glorified, as many as would call on His name are forgiven, and there is now only victory and triumph over death and sin.

Paul describes the victory of Jesus, and what that means for those of us who put our faith in Him. Colossians 2:13-15 says,

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

The cross was not a defeat; it was a triumph that destroyed the power of Satan. Nails cut through our Saviors flesh, so that our hands could be clean.

It is a very good day for those who accept the salvation bought on Good Friday.

Reflections on Life Through St. Augustine

It is always fascinating to read a candid confession from someone. Perhaps it is the voyeur in all of us, it's only way to explain reality TV. But when something is completely candid when there are no more secrets, no politics, or mind games just an objective look at events we can see truth. If the majority of Christians possessed the ability to make such a confession to themselves, to God and when necessary to men, how much stronger would the church be? We have met the enemy and the enemy is us."

The question arises why would we want to look at our past. I have run into many Christians who say forget your past sins and never think on them again. Perhaps the next time they ask why would I ever want to remember my sins I will offer them Augustine's answer, "I wish now to review my past wickedness and carnal corruptions of my soul-not because I love them, but that I may love You more, O God." I think knowing our past is a key in knowing our own motives and weaknesses. George Santayana said, "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Sometimes I think it is profitable to look at our sins to gain insight into our own selves as well as appreciate the grace and faithfulness of God.

Augustine looks at his motives and how those actually play out. And I have myself thought this same way. We need to identify with how other see us. As Augustine reflects on his moral decay we see he knows he was "corrupt in Your eyes, but still pleasing in my own...As well as eager to please the eyes of others." Perspective is such a huge thing in all of life, and especially our Christian walk. We need to watch how we are portraying ourselves to man, to ourselves, and above all to God who knows our inmost being from the start.

So often, especially growing up in church, we are expected to always know right from wrong when it comes to our feelings. Augustine admits, "I was unable to distinguish pure affection from unholy desire." . There is not a boy that is a day over 16 who doesn't know exactly what Augustine meant. If even Augustine felt that way in his youth, there is hope for the rest of us I suppose.

A constant comfort in Christianity is the idea that we are not alone. And I think it was well expressed in Augustine's lament. "Your omnipotence is not far from us even when we are far from You." . Even in the darkest shadow, there is hope and it does not come from us.

"Behold this servant of Yours, fleeing from his Lord and following a shadow." (47) All of us at some point we have to make a decision, "choose this day whom will you serve" (Joshua 24:15-NIV) for the rest of our lives. We can spend it chasing after the wind as Ecclesiastes described or we can look for so much more. Behind all this world is something more, something better. We can choose the world, or God. As Fra Giovanni says, "The gloom of the world is but a shadow; behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. Take joy."

Back in the blogging cycle for a bit?

Great day at Searchlight. The first meeting at our new location, hopefully impacting the community of Long Branch.

When I get honest I admit I am a bundle of paradoxes. I believe and I doubt, I hope and I get discouraged, I love and I hate, I feel bad about feeling good. I feel guilty about not feeling guilty. I am trusting and suspicious. I am honest and I still play games. Aristotle calls me a rational animal; I say I am a recipient of grace with an incredible capacity for sin.


To live by grace means to acknowledge the whole life story, the light side and the dark. In admiting my shadows I learn who I am and what God's grace means.

"A saint is not someone who is good, but someone who experiences the goodness of God."-Merton

When I go to church I leave my white hat at home and admit I have failed. God not only loves me as I am, but also knows me as I am. Because of this I don't need to put on spiritual make-up to appear presentable. I can, I will accept ownership of my povery, my powerlessness, my neediness.

I already know all that. As C.S. Lewis says, "People need more to be reminded than instructed."

Little White Box

If you are a night owl, insomniac, taco bell fan or can recall your college days you are familiar with the 4th meal. It’s the middle of the night and there is just a hint of hunger pains, in order to cut them off, food is required. It usually plays out this way: You open the refrigerator door and look inside, not sure what you’re looking for until it strikes you and then there is that deep sense of satisfaction allowing you to continue on with your night of work, video games, or last second cramming.

Churches are like refrigerators to some people, the curious come and open the door staring blankly inside. Not sure what they are looking for exactly but something, something they can’t put words on but they know they need.

My generation likes the search, they like the journey; but they aren’t necessarily looking to find. Often they want to connect with God but they don’t use spiritual tools to make this connection. The community of church can provide the encouragement for them to make that honest and authentic connection with Jesus Christ.

My generation, call us the boomerangs or the lost generation or Mosaics, is searching, at our core we understand that there is a void. We are receptive, and with the right tone and delivery we will listen to what the church has to say.

But many are just looking in refrigerators. They don’t know what they want. They just know they are hungry. They may not know they are hungry for the Word, but they are searching. It is the churches responsibility to show them exactly what they need, namely the Bread of Life and Living Water. Real churches create an essential community where the essential truth of Jesus Christ is experienced.

This community is one where hard to love people find unending love; where people learn how to engage a world searching for truth. It’s one where sins are washed away, a place where the community is inclusive and the exclusive Gospel is proclaimed. A place where people think outwardly instead of inwardly. It’s more than a white box; it’s a different kind of community. It’s the community where Jesus lives

Gospel or Religious-A Conclusion

I had an interesting discussion with a friend, not based on this verse, but a trait of the religious none the less and the idea was something I have never even thought about, and I LOVE new ideas.

I believe "the religious" are also integrally tied to and associated with buildings. Those that do not have the faith to worship an unseen God must ground their false hope in something visible and tangible, but such things are always shaped in a way that satisfies the worshipper. Architecture can powerfully convey a sense of awe that can easily be misrepresented as a "spiritual" experience. Those who are committed to false religion fiercely guard their buildings. That was true in Jesus' time as well as today (as we well know). And I had never thought through this: The gospels clearly record the tearing of the temple veil from top to bottom at the time of Christ's death. I believe this is stated plainly in Scripture to declare the end of the dependence on the temple. God's presence was going out from the holiest place to reside in the hearts of believers by the presence of the Holy Spirit. However, the temple remained in use for another 30+ years. Someone either sewed that veil up, or had a new one made. The "religious" will not give up their buildings even when God works to destroy those buildings by his own hand. However, God will not be mocked, and as we know in 70 AD it was torn down stone from stone.

I am not devaluing the buildings we call “churches” or sanctuaries” simply saying that the good easily becomes god in those 4 walls.So now what? We point out the traits, now what do we do in light of them?I agree reiterate I am more prone to display the tendencies that I have just decried than to act like a saint. But I think it was Professor MacLean who once asked my theology class “Are you saints who have sinned, or are you sinners who have been forgiven?” My apologies if misquoted. I think the point is the Pharisees were self-deceived. They genuinely thought they were being effective in missions, doctrine, etc. They were in denial, as many are today if we give an honest evaluation of the state of the church. I would say that Paul thought he was being effective as a pre-converted Pharisee (Phil. 3). And at times I certainly have been just as guilty. I can recall thinking that if you did not have a Sunday night service you were a liberal and did not love the Bible. But making that or similar issues a test of one's commitment to the Word of God, well that is straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel. Methodology is temporary; a commitment to the eternal is what is lacking.

I say this both at a personal level in my own walk with God and to the church as a whole.What are the things we really value? Are they self deceptive? If heaven had everything that you think it does streets of gold, loved ones, no pain, but NO JESUS would it still feel like heaven to you? Is God a means to an end and when the world goes awry we walk away because God didn’t keep His end of the bargain? Religious people practice religious stuff, but love less. We feel ok with a soup kitchen or Thanksgiving baskets and are ok with flipping them the bird the rest of the year.Are we consumed with religion and not gospel? Religion makes you selfish and self focused. Gospel is a response to the overwhelming love God has given us.Long story short, return to the Gospel. Stop the checklist, drop the filthy rags and seek authenticity and honesty in a relationship with Jesus Christ. I believe with all my heart this will cost us. If we preach it in our churches many will leave because they are more into the religious checklist than the cost of following Jesus. After this sermon, Jesus was crucified; it’s not popular. On a personal level it will cost us friends and the approval of others because we are following the foolish things and placing a stumbling block in their way.

I love the Gospel more than _________Fill in the blank and follow through

Religion or Gospel Part 2

What exactly does religion replacing the Gospel look like? Jesus gives 7 woes... I would describe them this way:

•Religious people are obsessed with recognition (vv. 5-6). They love conventions, titles, and public praise.

•Religious people focus on external conformity to tradition and not inward transformation (vv. 25-26). It's not to say that they don't also teach inward transformation, just that they are defined more by the externals than the internals. As D. A. Carson says, "Error is truth out of proportion."

•Religious people focus on the sins of other rather than on their own sins (vv 2, 28). •Religious people esteem secondary traditions over a love for God (vv 16, 23-24). If you conform to their traditions, they consider you godly. If you don't, there's no way you possibly could be. They strain at a gnat and swallow a camel.

•Religious people are generally judgmental and angry in their tone (v. 23) It’s a simple result of self righteousness. When you hold your views so tightly in a closed hand, you must demonize others for their views. There is more concern over an argument, than in love.

•Religious people think we are always talking about someone else. There is no evaluation; personal growth is taken for granted. Character and brokenness is assumed and so the sins and the evils of the world are all we concern ourselves with since we have mastered our own lives.

I can write about these things because they have described me at one point. Not just in the past, but in some ways I have these tendencies now.My whole point is this: pharisaism is alive and well and at work in the church. And it is causing the slow and painful death of the bride of Christ. We must change from the doctrine of the religious to Gospel of Jesus Christ.