Grace Free Zones

Back in 2011 I wrote this post for another blog. Recent news stories have prompted me to wonder aloud if our society- including our churches- really have a grasp of the love of Jesus, of his GRACE. We seem much more interested in condemnation and revenge. So I share this here today in the hopes of reminding us all that GRACE is not just a concept. It involves actions.

I attended my therapy group this morning and had a chance to talk to my friend Jose. I have known Jose for almost 4 years now, and we have become pretty close. Part of his life would seem fairly normal to you. He lives with his 5 dogs. He loves to garden and grows most of his own vegetables, which is nice since he is a vegetarian. He loves his mother and sisters, and speaks with them often even though they live far away. And he is a good friend.

Relating to other parts of his life may be more difficult for you. Jose has cancer of the liver. He has been undergoing both chemo and radiation treatments for a couple of months now. He has no appetite, has lost far too much weight, and is very weak. He has no idea how long he has left to live.  But the cancer is not the only challenge Jose faces daily. You see, Jose is a registered sex offender. He is one year away from finishing his 7 years of probation. And as we chatted this morning, our talk turned to the subject of GRACE.

As Jose lives what doctors tell him will be his last days, what he wants more than anything is to see his family again. They live in New York and Puerto Rico, and his probation prohibits him from travel. I have shared my faith with him on a number of occasions, paying particular emphasis to what GRACE really means. He hears me, and he gets it. What he finds difficult is believing in a God who offers unconditional love and second chances when he is surrounded by a society that offers only condemnation. Even after 7 years of earning a second chance he knows it is not likely to be forthcoming. The label "sex offender" is to this society what "leper" was to Jesus' day. Untouchable. Unforgivable. And as I tell this broken man that God has already forgiven him, and that Jesus came to save the untouchable and the unforgivable with GRACE, he simply can't believe it- because he hasn't experienced it. He is not a particularly spiritual man, and the concept of GRACE does not exist in the criminal justice system. Jose lives in a GRACE free zone.

It makes me wonder how many others there are in my life who can't understand God's GRACE because it has never been demonstrated by the people around them- including me. We live in a society that is quick to accuse and quick to condemn, but exceedingly slow to forgive (unless you happen to be an athlete or a celebrity). Jose has repented and turned from the lifestyle of sin that ruined his life. I have also been among the least and the lost, and I praise God that I had family and friends who showed me GRACE. What am I doing to pass God's love along to others who desperately need it? 

Update:
I spent a lot of time praying for my friend Jose, but he died in 2011 not long after this post was written. He never saw his family and he was never able to witness firsthand what GRACE can and should be. Don't let his story become the story of someone you care about, someone to whom you could be the carrier of that wonderful disease call GRACE. Who do you know who lives in a GRACE free zone?  Join with me in tearing down those walls...

Because of Jesus,

Tomorrow

Today is the LORD's day. All over the world people will worship Him, pray to Him and thank Him for the grace and forgiveness He gives each of us through His Son, Jesus the Christ. Yes, today is the LORD's day. Is it the only day we will give Him this week? Our challenge each day is to carry Jesus with us as we walk through the trials and tribulations of our world. We need to be led by the Holy Spirit as we encounter difficult situations. We need to "let go and let God." This is true every day. You may not know it, but for some of you reading this today there has seldom been a more important day to live in God's grace and share it with the world than tomorrow.

Tomorrow is a day in which we may come face to face with the ghosts of the hurt, pain and anger of days gone by. It is a day in which we will have the opportunity to offer hope instead of condemnation; when we can show love instead of disdain; and in which we can offer grace in the name of Jesus. It is entirely possible that you will not want to do this tomorrow. You may prefer to see someone suffer more for their sins, feeling no amount of suffering is enough. You may prefer to ignore a person in need of love and a kind word. You may think they are only getting what they deserve. It is so tempting to feel that way- and temptation is exactly what it is. Judging someone as "beyond lovable" is a thought that comes straight from The Deceiver. Where would we be if God gave us what we deserve? I can't answer for you, but I sure can for me- and I don't like the answer one little bit. "My sin not in part but in whole, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more..."  Without those words, I am just a sinner, and I am lost. With them, I am a child of God, forgiven and free. It makes no difference who we are or what we have done, we are worthy of God's love. The question is will we accept it...

In the Gospel of John at the beginning of chapter 8, Jesus comes upon a woman accused of adultery. Her accusers are preparing to stone her, because in their eyes she no longer has any worth as a person. When Jesus arrives, the crowd attempts to gain his approval before commencing. Jesus kneels down and begins to doodle in the sand while they await his response. He finally says to them, "Let him without sin cast the first stone." One by one, the rocks drop from their hands and they walk away. Jesus asked her, "Woman, where are they?  Has no one condemned you?" She replied, "No one, sir." Then Jesus declared, "Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin."

The question for us is, what will we do tomorrow when we encounter "the sinner," for it is an encounter that is bound to happen. Will we see the pebble in their eye, or will we be aware of the boulder in our own? Will we decide that it is our place to carry out judgement, or will we understand that Jesus died for every sin, not just ours? It is so very USAmerican these days to go Old Testament and demand "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," forgetting Gandhi's reminder that "An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind." To think that way is to forget that the coming of Jesus changed everything. It is human nature to carry grudges and never forget sin; indeed, we love reminding others of their sins. It is God's nature, as demonstrated in the gift of Jesus, to love and ALWAYS forget our sins. With God looking on, with Jesus in your heart and with the Holy Spirit leading the way, how will you respond tomorrow? I say "you" because I already know my answer. I don't know much, but I do know this- "The longer I know my LORD, the more I know- I've got no stones to throw."  

Today is the LORD's day. And so is tomorrow. Share God's love and forgiveness with everyone you encounter. And if you happen to run into any returning prodigal sons (besides me- I have already been welcomed home with amazing grace!), go to them. Hug them. Break out the fatted calf! Because that is exactly what Jesus said to do...

Because of Jesus,

The Loneliest Book in the Bible

I've been thinking so much lately about how for those of us who follow Jesus, love is a verb. It's an action word, and we are called to be doers of that word. Jesus did not come that we might think about and analyze what it means to love each other; he came so that we might LOVE ONE ANOTHER! Today's encouragement comes from my favorite little devotioal book, God Is No Fool by Lois Cheney (Abingdon Press, 1969).  Let these words wash over you. Then DO something about them.

A woman came from seeing a religious movie. She was moved by it. She thought of the technicolor wonders of God, She choked up at the vista-vision close-ups of the men of God. She mused on the stereophonic destruction of evil. All the way home she thought and thought. When she had gotten dinner she bathed the children, played bridge and then went to bed. Before she feel asleep she told her husband about the movie and said, "It really made you think."

A young man went into a church after a long, too long, absence. The minister spoke of the Love of God, of the Hope of God, of Life in God. The young man was troubled and he was stirred. That afternoon he went for a walk with his girlfriend, and they talked and they had a hamburger. Before he kissed her goodnight, he told her about the sermon, and he said, "It really made you think."

A grown man concerned for life and love read many books of religious depth. They spoke of the Need for God, the Hope for God and the Promises of God. He couldn't put them down. He would read late into the night. At breakfast he would tell his wife why he stayed up so late. He would tell her about a special book and would say, "It really made you think."

Could it be that the loneliest book in the Bible is the book of ACTS?

The Only Response That Matters

In the wake of yesterday's Supreme Court ruling that bans on same sex marriage are unconstitutional there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth in sections of the Christian community. There were a few dozen blogs post lamenting the day, and most seemed to pose this question: In what ways should the Church respond? How will organized Christianity respond? If recent history is any indication, the answer is "poorly." How should we respond? The answer is written all over the New Testament. There is a response. And it's the only one that matters...

Beloved, let us love one another in the name of Jesus. Now more than ever, it's the only creed we need.

Because of Jesus,

Or Maybe It's a Planned Crapshoot?

"Do you ever feel like life is a crap shoot? A roll of the dice? That no matter what, sometimes you are just going to roll snake eyes? Or are you confident that God - or some higher power- has a plan for you, that things will work out?" An old friend of mine asked those questions on Facebook the other day as she was preparing a sermon and it got me to thinking. Is the #NarrowRoad a preordained path, laid out by God for us to discover, or is it all random and fluid? Which do I believe? Or perhaps...just maybe...life is a planned crapshoot! Let's explore!

When I was younger- and perhaps this is still happening and I just don't see them anymore- it was popular in some circles for church folk to hand out these things called tracts. These were tiny little pamphlets filled with spiritual information given with the purpose of helping to redeem lost souls in the name of Jesus. It seems to me that every time I encountered someone passing out these tracts they would give the same greeting. It was always, "God loves you and has a plan for your life." It seemed straightforward and simple enough until I really began to think about it. So much depends on what you mean by PLAN. Reading those little nuggets of spiritual wisdom often led one to believe that PLAN meant that if you surrendered to Jesus then God would take over from there. You'd be on easy street. The #NarrowRoad would be all yours to travel with no bumps, no detours and no wrecks. God's plan would always prevail if you only had enough faith. Pray about every decision and God would give you answer- and a can't miss answer at that. It all sounds so perfect.

But then I take a look a the scriptures and remember that the PLAN of God never works that way for the heroes of the Bible. God had hold of David's heart as a boy and was with him as he killed Goliath, but was it really God's plan for David to commit adultery and send Uriah to his death even while being "a man after God's own heart?" Seems unlikely. The disciples walked around with Jesus for 3 years, hearing him teach and watching him heal, and they would eventually be used by the Messiah to start the church and change the world. But most of the time they had no idea what they were doing the next day, much less what God's PLAN was for the rest of their lives! And do we really think that it was God's PLAN for Paul to suffer so much as he shared the good news with the world? Starting with the very first humans we were given free will and have used that free will to make terrible choices and good ones. If by God's Plan someone means that God will prevent us from doing wrong, will stop us from taking detours and will keep us on the #NarrowRoad, then they are reading a very different Bible than I am.

However...having said all of that, I do believe that God is in control. He will never leave nor forsake us. There are things God wants us to accomplish, directions we are pushed in if we place our faith, hope and trust in Jesus. There was a plan for saving the world, and the plan was sending Jesus. There is a plan for loving the world, and that plan is us. So God has a plan for us. But for too many people the word PLAN implies something organized and orderly. Life is chaotic. Life lived with Jesus might be even more chaotic! We are called to step outside our comfort zones, take risks and be bold. We are not called to an easier life; we are called to an ABUNDANT life (John 10:10)! Our God is a God of love and mercy. The gift of grace, at its very core, means not getting what we deserve. But the flip side is also true. Sometimes we get what we don't deserve. It seems far outside the nature of our God that He would choose who gets cancer; that God would choose who dies in car wrecks; that God would choose whose babies will die at birth or which countries would suffer epidemics. There is a randomness to life, even with God in control, because we very fallible and fragile humans have been given free will. I believe in the power of prayer and that God can and does alter our lives and the lives of others through divine intervention. But not always. Sometimes the answer to our prayers is "no." So bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people, and life on the #NarrowRoad continues to be unpredictable- no matter how much faith we have.

So my final thoughts on the original questions? God is in control, but God is not a puppet master pulling all the strings. We choose our paths, and those paths may be the #NarrowRoad- or they may not be. So I'm sticking with my answer. God has a plan for our lives. And that plan is often a crapshoot. 

Because of Jesus,

Some Kind of Different

"Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves." ~ Luke 22:23-27 (NLT)

Way back in the dark ages of the 1970s some of my friends and I became big fans of the band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and their live album called 4-Way Street. On that particular masterpiece, Stephen Stills performs a medley of his hits For What It's Worth ("There's something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear...") and 49 Bye-Byes. As part of the song, he launches into a politically charged "sermon" about the youth of USAmerica and the anti-war movement of that day. At one point he reminds the crowd that if they respond to violence with violence, then "that just means we ain't learned nothing yet...and we're supposed to be some kind of different..." He goes on to mention that Jesus Christ was the first non-violent revolutionary...but that's a post for another day. Dig it.

In this world full of inequality, racism, sexism, violence, hatred and class and religious warfare, Christians have far too often assumed an air of superiority. We seek to position ourselves as leaders by assuming a "holier than thou" attitude that too many of us think sets us apart from the "heathens" of our world. It is just one more way that we have forgotten the teachings of Jesus because they are inconvenient or seem foolish in our modern society. Check out the scripture at the top. I preached a sermon a number of years ago in which I emphasized the phrase "But among you it will be different." What was Jesus saying? He we calling us to a life of service. To put ourselves not in positions of leadership, but in positions of service. We are being commanded....not asked, COMMANDED!-  to show the people the love of God whose name is Jesus by serving them in any way we can. Take the lowest rank. Leaders should be like servants. We should appear to be odd to our world, because we understand that it's not about us- it's all about loving and serving in the name of Jesus!  And yet we in the church spend countless hours figuring out ways to make ourselves feel and seem more important. We're supposed to be some kind of different. Could it be we ain't learned nothing yet?

There is a second phrase from that scripture that drives home a similar point. "Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves." If we are seeking to be Christians (CHRIST-like) then we have to realize that Jesus is setting an example for us all. The world is calling us to lift ourselves up. Jesus is calling us to get down! Wealth, power and prestige may be the way of the world...but not here! Not in the family of God. In this world you may be too young, too old, too uneducated, have too much of a past or feel like the good life has passed you by- but not here! And how do we communicate this truth to others? that? Those of us who know the real Jesus must overwhelm them with his radical, ridiculous and  redeeming love and grace. When we become servants of all, we let them know that they may feel left out in the world we live in, and they may feel unloved and worthless there. But not here! 

We (and by "we" I mean myself and the vast majority of USAmerican Christians) need a serious attitude adjustment on what it means to serve. Do you know what Jesus did to illustrate his point about service? Did he write a check to a charity? Did he just pray for the less fortunate? Did he send the disciples out on a mission trip while he went to the football game? NO. Jesus got dirty. He washed the disciples feet, which is the modern day equivalent of him coming to your house and scrubbing your toilet. Our service needs to be radical and it needs to be fearless. It needs to be a lifestyle not an event. We need to be feeding people, housing people, caring for the sick and loving the unloved- not yelling at people to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps" or condemning people because they sin differently than we do. If we do this as Jesus taught, then people all around us will want what we have. They will beg to know WHY we are acting so strangely, so out of step with our world. And they will come to know our LORD and savior. And then, our world will be some kinda different. Right on... and dig it.

Because of Jesus,

What Is Your Image of God?

Inspired by the work of Curt Cloninger...

It has long been clear to me that how we picture God has a tremendous impact on our faith. Whether it be through bad teaching, bad theology or simple misunderstanding, many of us see God as having attributes that simply do not exist. We talk about the "God of the Old Testament" as if God has a split personality, failing to realize that Jesus is the New Covenant who changed everything. This is crucial, because the way we view God influences the way we think God views us. Take a look at the list below and see if any of these "personas" of God have ever found their way into your thinking...

God as Darth Vader - Do what God tells you to do and everything will be cool. Lose one rebel ship because it jumped to light speed and feel the cold hand of doom on your shoulder. God does not like failures...
God as Genie - Your wish is God's command! Some people call this prayer, but we all know it's all about telling God what you need want and waiting for Him to deliver. Plus, there is none of that silly 3 wish limit stuff!
God as Judge Judy - Break a law and you will pay. There will no mercy for law breakers, especially if it happens to be one of the Top 10. If God catches you coveting your neighbor's key lime pie, you might as well pack your bags for hell...
God as Grumpy Old Man - God is not actually in control of things anymore. He just sits in the recliner and complains about the state of things on earth and how no one listens to Him anymore. Occasionally yells at the young folks to "Get off my lawn!"  
God as Bartender - God is always there to listen, to ease your pain, and to give you a little something to take the edge off. But He's not really gonna' do anything about it.
God as Cosmic Killjoy - Does something look like fun? Then God doesn't like it. He wants you to be solemn and miserable. Everything that sounds like a good time must be against His rules. That's why soccer, rap & disco succeeded- absolutely nothing fun about those things.  :)
God as Financial Advisor - We should give freely to our churches and TV evangelists, not because we want to give back to God but because if we do He will make us wealthy beyond our wildest dreams!  So you don't forget, order your autographed Last Supper Menu before midnight tonight and you will be blessed!
God as Life of the Party - You hang with God, and life will be all sunshine and parties. No sadness, no struggles and no worrying about people who might need your help. God will keep you smiling and smelling good!

Do any of those sound familiar to you? Or do you have your very own view of God? Before you answer, here's one more I left out...

God as Loving Parent - Need to be held accountable? God can do that. Need someone to lean on when the world has got you down? God is always there. Need to be convicted of your sins? He's the One for the job. Need to be loved unconditionally? God is the ONLY one who will do that.  In John 15:14-15  Jesus says, "You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends..." The great worship band Delirious expressed it like this: "What a friend I've found, closer than a brother. It would break our hearts to ever lose each other...Jesus, friend forever." God came to us in human form so that we would know how much he loves us- and that's what the Jesus Revolution is all about. You want to know how much he cares about you? Read Luke 12:6-7. He knows everything about you and loves you more than you can imagine. The almighty creator of the universe (YAHWEH) loves us like a daddy (ABBA). How amazing is that...

So let me ask you again- How do you view God?

Because of Jesus,

Flashback Friday: How NOT To Do Evangelism

This is- quite unfortunately- a true story first posted in 2013. But similar stories play out far too often in our communities every day, so it seemed worth sharing again on this Flashback Friday.

I guess I'm going to hell...

Yesterday afternoon my door bell rang and I peered through the peep hole to see two well dressed middle-aged men standing outside my door. My house is often visited by local Jehovah's Witnesses, and so I opened the door expecting to receive some literature and a few words of encouragement. I was surprised to be told that they were instead representatives of a local Baptist congregation that I am not familiar with (You should know that I  married a Baptist and have lots of wonderful Baptist friends, and that what follows should in no way reflect poorly on the denomination as a whole!). They said that were in the neighborhood to invite people to church and offer them the good news of Jesus. They asked if my family attended church, and I replied that we were a part of Van Dyke United Methodist Church. I expected that to be the end of the conversation. I was so wrong...

The shorter of the two gentlemen said that he was sorry to hear that I attended a Methodist church. He asked if I knew that I was being taught an evil, Satan-inspired theology. When I replied that I did not know that, his partner said that it saddened them to know that I was going to hell. Just like that. Didn't even ask my name before condemning me to hell. These men didn't know me at all, but they had already passed judgement. When I asked how they could be so sure of my eternal destination, they again parroted back the words that I was being taught a Satan-inspired theology and therefore was going to hell. I have to admit, they seemed quite certain! I then asked them if they considered what they were doing to be evangelism in the name of Jesus. When they said yes, I explained to them that I disagreed. I mentioned that I had read somewhere that Jesus came to save to world, not to condemn it, and that if we want people to know him then we need to show them love, because God is love. This staggered them a bit. I then threw another "punch," suggesting that they might want to check the Bible for more information- specifically suggesting that they read 1 John 4:7-8. I said I would pray that they understand the part where John writes that "if we don't love, we don't know God, because God IS love." I finished by saying that while it is important to tell people about Jesus, that Paul pointed out to the church in Corinth that evangelism without love is just noise. I then simply smiled and waited for a response.

None came. Apparently I had scored a TKO by quoting scripture, and so they wished me a good day and left. I didn't even get my copy of the 4 Spiritual Laws or the address of their church. I went back inside and thought and prayed about what I had just experienced, and then I tweeted a short version of the story. I received numerous responses from people who shared my assessment of the situation- that evangelism without love is empty and weak. Many mentioned bad experiences of their own with church folks trying to "scare the hell out of them." Labeling people and denominations, seeking to shock people into relationship with God and judging people we don't know is not what Jesus had in mind when he told to tell the world about him. It scares me to think that these men left me and wandered my neighborhood representing Jesus in such a way. There is simply no telling how much damage was done.

So while they think I am headed to hell, there is work to do in the meantime. If love is the answer no matter the question, then we need to get out there and share the love of Jesus in every way  possible. We need to do random acts of kindness, invite people to the wonderful church I attend, and be the best neighbors we can be. We need to love inclusively. And for our churches, I have a suggestion. In our teaching and training, let's just drop the word evangelism and just start talking about reaching out in love. It's not a program, it's a lifestyle. Just a thought...

And as for my fellow Methodists, I suppose we should all find out how we wound up on a list of "Satan-inspired Christians." My guess is that teaching that the love of God whose name is Jesus is for EVERYONE just rubs some people the wrong way! :)  Have a blessed weekend!

Because of Jesus,

Time "Marches" On

Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day, and I hope each of you had a good one. Perhaps you even got to chase a snake! :) It occurred to me sometime during the day how insignificant that "holiday" is to me personally. I'm not into green beer, or leprechauns or potatoes. I am part Irish, but that just isn't enough to get me excited about the day. From there my thoughts drifted even further. If St. Patty's Day is the best March has to offer, then March is a pretty lame month. It's not like October. October is full of family birthdays. great memories, and horrible break-ups from my college years- not just mine, but all my friends too! October is cool. In my mind March just feet very blah. And for a moment that seemed true. But then I started thinking. It comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb - no other month has that! March has March Madness, and that's a big deal. Spring Training is in March, and that means baseball is back! And I do love baseball. March often has Spring Break, and I always loved Spring Break as a student, a youth worker and as a parent. A few years ago March became the month we "spring forward" into Daylight Savings Time. March occasionally is home to Easter and always home to at least a portion of Lent. It was easy to see that my initial thought had been erroneous. March is not so lame after all.

And then my mind proceeded to go even deeper into the rabbit hole. It must be that March just had very little to do with my life. My family has no March birthdays, and Marilyn and I celebrate our anniversary in August. What could possibly have happened in March. It turns out that was a questions with far too many answers. It didn't take long to determine that March has indeed been a significant month over the course of my lifetime. Witness the following examples:

• My best friend for the vast majority of my life, Steve Semmler, was born on March 27. Many, many years ago. And then last March he and his brother Carl came to see us in Tampa and we took in a couple of NCAA tournament games in Orlando. Good times!
• In March of 1980 I attended a Creative Models of Youth Ministry Workshop in Charlotte with J. David Stone, which led directly to me both hearing and accepting the call from God to go into full-time youth ministry.
• March of 1994 found me preparing to leave Springfield Friends Meeting for Kissimmee after 8 wonderful years, and we were doing EVERYTHING the kids in the student ministry wanted to do. It was one crazy month before leaving in early April.
• Six years later in March of 2000 my family relocated to Chicagoland and the Union Church of Hinsdale. Just two weeks later I took my first trip with the youth there and discovered I was a fish out of water. But I hung on for 18 months.
• The Graceland Student Ministries of Wesley Memorial UMC in Tampa went to New York City in March of 2005- ten years ago this month. As of now, that was my last time taking a group to the Big Apple.
• March 21, 2007, is the day I was arrested. A day not easily forgotten...
• March of 2013 was spent preparing for one of the great day son my life, the reunion of the old youth group from my days in Kissimmee. The event was in April, but that March was full of magical moments as things came together.
• It was also in March of 2013 that Will & Michelle officially began dating. That has been a blessing to us all!
• Last March we were notified that a date had been set (April 1) to hear the case for early dismissal of my probation. It was both a stressful and hopeful week, punctuated by amazing support from friends all over the country. And it came with a happy ending!

See what I mean? When you really stop and think about it there are high and low moments in our lives during any given period, no matter how much they all seem to run together. Take any month, any year. any decade and even most days and you can look back to discover there were joys, sorrows and struggles. That's life. But the GOOD NEWS is this- during every high, every low and every place in between we are loved by our God, our families and our friends. Looking back at my March list reminds me just how blessed I have been and continue to be. Time does indeed march on. And that's not a bad thing at all...

Because of Jesus,

Here Comes the Judge!

Yesterday I read two blog posts from people calling themselves Christians that simply broke my heart. The authors spent thousands of words tearing down a couple of fine folks who happen to believe a little differently than the writers. The articles were full of judgement- and in one case, outright hatred. We will have disagreements with other Christ-followers in this life, and there is always room for debate. But if we cannot respond with love and compassion, how are we any different than the rest of the world? Ten days ago I wrote here about Preaching Like Jesus, and the only response that seems appropriate to me today is to offer up one of those brief sermons, as found in Matthew 7:1-3...

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?" Let those who have ears, hear. Jesus said he came to save the world, not to condemn it. Is your belief system built around judging others who believe differently than you? If so, you might just be be a Pharisee. And if that is true, you need our prayers, our love and our compassion more than you know. Because here comes the judge!

Because of Jesus,

Loving the (Oxy) Morons

I have always had a thing for oxymorons. The late comedian George Carlin introduced me to the word in a bit where he talked about "jumbo shrimp" and "military intelligence" as being classic examples. We live in a world in which doublespeak and misleading facts are often leave many of us clearly confused (oxymoron). In fact, recently I have been aware of a number of oxymorons being lived out in our world- often by, if you'll excuse my judgement and name calling, plain ol' morons! Witness the following accounts...

1. In the just completed election, voters seemed very certain of two things. They wanted to throw out anyone who has supported the policies of President Obama, and as many as 78% of them indicated their primary reason for this was the state of the economy. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, of course. But Forbes Magazine (not exactly part of the liberal media) just recently published an article documenting how every major economic indicator has greatly improved since Obama took office. In fact, THE business and money magazine in our nation rated him the 4th best President ever when it comes to the economy. There are plenty of things to disagree with the President about, but choosing the part of his job in which he has been most effective as the #1 reason to "throw the bums out" is definitely a living oxymoron.
2. Many people here in the Tampa Bay area are very upset that Joe Maddon opted out of his contract to manage the Rays baseball team and immediately signed with the Chicago Cubs. They accuse the Cubs of tampering and have grown very angry with Joe, the best thing to happen to baseball in Tampa Bay in any of their lifetimes. They can't imagine why he would leave, except for more money. Well...duh!!! No one will miss Joe more than me, but there are so many reasons why leaving was smart. In Chicago, the Cubs, even when they are awful, play in front of a packed house every day in one of baseball's true cathedrals- Wrigley Field. They are not only developing outstanding young players like the Rays do, but they have the money to keep them once they become great. Plus, if Joe can get the Cubs to a World Series like he did the Rays in 2008, he will be legend- wait for it because they haven't been since 1945- ary among baseball fans. Most baseball fans in these parts know these things and in their hearts wish him well, yet they publicly whine and cry, "Why Joe? Why???" And they hate him for leaving. Oxymorons.
3. A 90 year old man and two pastors were recently arrested in Fort Lauderdale for passing out meals to homeless people. They were in violation of a city ordinance, the type of which is being pushed in cities all over the country now. If feeding and caring for the homeless and others in need is a crime, then in Matthew 25 Jesus calls each and every one of us to be criminals. He doesn't suggest it- he says if we don't do it we are goats and we are gonna' burn! In fact, Jesus says that "whatever we do to the least of these we also do to him." Arresting those who are feeding the homeless is just like arresting our Savior. Protecting our communities by turning Jesus and those who truly follow him into criminals seems incredibly oxymoronic to me. 

It's easy to point out these foibles in others; the problem is my life is full of them as well. I am often judgemental of people I find to be too judgemental. I am a Diabetic Dessert Lover. My frustration levels rise when people don't understand my pacifism, and I become an Angry Peacemaker. My writing often indicates a hope for a bright tomorrow, but I tend to live in the past. I am a Pessimistic Optimist. I am a longtime registered Republican who is repulsed by what the party has become and some of the things it stands for today. You read it hear first- I am a Blue Republican. And while I spent many years  in the the service of the institutional church, it frustrates me to no end. I have a serious Love/Hate relationship with organized Christianity. Is there anything more oxymoronic than love /hate?

But there is Good News. Jesus totally gets (oxy) morons just like me! He often spoke in our language, teaching that the first shall be last, that we should love our enemies and that to find our lives we need to lose them. He was born into life on earth so that he could die. He died so that we might live. He taught us that laws do not lead to love, that love IS the only law that truly matters. And most importantly, he gave us grace and mercy so that we might know that connecting to God is not about some neurotic perfectionism, but about that the fact that we are sinners who are loved ANYWAY  by the Creator of the universe. Is there any better oxymoron than Forgiven Sinners? 

So what is the message today? That God loves us all, even when we are morons- and that Jesus calls us to love each other without restrictions or conditions. It is an open secret (oxymoron) that loves seems to be growing smaller (oxymoron) in our world. It is my least favorite (oxymoron) true myth (oxymoron) about the random order (oxymoron) of our society. Following Jesus is not about always being right, it is about always loving. It is my prayer today that all of us morons can learn that is the real truth. Like there can be a fake truth. I am such a moron...  Have a blessed weekend!

Because of Jesus,

"People...is Stupid!"

Do you have friends? Do you talk with other people? Do you read blogs (obviously!) and other types of thought provoking literature? If you can answer "yes" to any of these questions, then there is no doubt in my mind that you have come across people with whom you disagree. You may have even found yourself agreeing with the great David Letterman that "People is stupid!" And you know what? So what?

I have known for many years that a great many of the people I know do not agree with me on many of the hot button topics of the day. Politics. Social justice. Theology. Eschatology. Meteorology. The list goes on and on. I have many friends on Twitter - friends that I pray for on a regular basis- who would just keel over dead if they really knew my thoughts on the USAmerican political system. I have worked for churches who would have banished me if they had known parts of my theology. We live in a world where those kinds of differences are often walls that separate people. But I'm not here to write about the world- I'm here to talk about the Jesus Revolution. And the revolution says this- it doesn't matter how different (or stupid!) someone may seem, your task is to love them. Not to convince them of your point of view, not to change them, not to tell them how wrong they are- just to love them with the radical, forgiving and grace-filled love of Jesus. If our relationships are based in God's love, then our differences will not separate us, they will lead to discussion and healing. I can disagree vehemently with someone who knows I love them, and in the end the love will remain. If we spend our lives arguing things we really don't know about with people we really don't know, then we are just bags of hot air wasting our breath. Just like_____________  (insert your least favorite political figure here, because I know we would disagree!).

So here's your homework. Today, whether in conversation or on social media of some sort, when a friend says something you disagree with, simply remind them that you love them. Save the arguments for another day. If someone you don't know says something you find ridiculous, just think to yourself (or post randomly for no apparent reason), "People... is stupid!" And then move on to the really difficult conclusion to that statement "...and Jesus said to love them ALL!!!" Actually, to love US all.  Hi, my name is Carl, and I'm stupid...  Viva la revolution!

Because of Jesus,

Love Like Jesus

"We are the world..."

Don't worry.  This post has nothing to do with the 1985 USA for Africa song. No video, no more quoting of lyrics. I wouldn't do that to you- today. Even though the sentiment of the song holds so true for followers of Jesus Christ- the world is our family. All people are God's people, even if some of them are completely unaware of that fact. This post is a little bit about that, but it is mostly about a very important if somewhat controversial part of the Jesus Revolution. Stay with me...

One of the real misconceptions of the 21st century Church is that Christianity is still centered in USAmerica. Nothing could be further from the truth. The church is shrinking in our country. It is booming in places with names we can't pronounce. It is growing by leaps and bounds in countries where worshipping Jesus is illegal. The Jesus Revolution lives; I am just not sure it lives here. All of the efforts of many our politicians to legislate Christianity into a "national religion" are back-firing. We are alienating people at a faster rate than we are attracting them. The attitude of the Church quite often does not reflect the teachings of Jesus. The world looks at us and they don't see a people of grace; they see a people who are not very different from the world around us. People outside the Church question our purpose, they question our politics and worst of all, they question our willingness to love. My non-Christian talk about how it sometimes feels like Christians seem more concerned with the way they vote than with the way they live. And too often they are correct. Historians note that when religion and patriotism (no matter the faith and no matter the country) become too tightly intertwined, bad things happen. The kingdom of God knows no earthly boundaries. The only flag the Church should ever fly is the flag of Jesus.

There is a truth that Jesus tried to share with us 2000 years ago that we desperately need to believe today. The church in the U.S.A. needs to respond each day like we do in times of disaster and turmoil. We are at our best when we quit thinking about ourselves and reach out to those in need. When our focus is service and love, we show the true nature of the Christ. When we reach out in love and in times of distress no one cares if the people we are helping have a proper theology. No one asks their feelings on Gay marriage. No one wants to know their views on eschatology or universalism. We simply help because their plight is more important than our petty concerns. Their need for love outweighs everything else that usually clouds our minds and our actions. And that, my friends, is what the Jesus Revolution is all about. It's not about improving our theology. It's not about legislating morality. It's about loving the world the way Jesus taught us to love the world. A love without restriction, hesitation or conditions. And perhaps most importantly, it's about doing those things every single day, and offering that love to the people we find it most difficult to share it with. That is what will change the world. "They will know we are Christians by our love" is not just a song- it's a teaching straight from the Master! Love is what will turn around the Church in our country. Don't believe me? Think about this- the Pharisees had all the proper actions, all the correct theology and all of the legal power. Jesus was a wandering vagabond who came to teach us how to love God and each other. Which one changed the world? I promised I wouldn't quote more We Are the World, but I made no such promise about the Beatles. "All you need is love...love is all you need!" Just as long as that love comes from Jesus....

Because of Jesus,

#DangerDays: Let It Go

Unless you have been living under a rock...and I mean a REALLY BIG ROCK...then you are aware of the hit Disney movie Frozen. If you know families with small children, then you also know that most of the world's kids have memorized the Oscar winning song Let It Go. The song is everywhere. Parents run headlong into the #DangerDays when they try to take the Frozen soundtrack out of the car CD player. Fortunately, it is a great song, especially as sung by the incomparable Idina Menzel (or as John Travolta calls her, Adele Dazeem). The song is all about being yourself, about letting go of the things you have always pretended to be and allowing your true gifts shine through. The song has a powerful message about self-esteem and grace. If for some reason you are not familiar with it, here's my personal favorite version...

Frozen is great. But as the great Arlo Guthrie says halfway through his 20 minute opus Alice's Restaurant, "that's not what I came here to talk about." I want to talk about our identity as Christians.

For many years one of my pet peeves about Christianity has been the ways we identify ourselves in this world. For instance, we often identity ourselves by our denominational affiliations. Think about it. How many times when someone asks you "what religion are you?" do you respond by saying Baptist, Methodist, Catholic or Unified Church of the Peons? I have asked that question quite often in my life and gotten a wide variety of answers, but the number of times that answer has been "Christian" is remarkably small. It seems to feel safer to most Christ-followers to share the tradition they are part of over the Radical Man who started it all. And by using the standards and practices of these small sects, it is far easier to keep out the riff-raff who are not worthy of being part of our churches. Seriously- there are more people than you think who think that way.

Another way we often identify ourselves is by listing the things we are against. We are against gays, against war, against abortion, against wearing white after Labor Day and against anyone who doesn't agree with our point of view on any of those sorts of issues. We boycotted over the suspension of a character from Duck Dynasty, for Pete's sake!  These battles - the Culture Wars - have become one of the single biggest identifiers we have to those outside of our walls. Patriotism and political party alliances have as well- which is fine unless those things are pre-requisites for admission to our Jesus Club. For years now many Christians have been much happier to identify themselves by the labels they wear, the lists of rules they follow and the issues they fight rather than by their affiliation to Jesus. I mean after all- that Jesus dude was kind of a wild hair, wasn't he? Taking him literally about all of the loving stuff could get you in big trouble...

But recently...very recently...I have felt a new hope for the Body of Christ in USAmerica. Pope Francis gives me hope. By his words and deeds he has demonstrated a clear understanding that the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing- and that the main thing for the Church is the love of God whose name is Jesus. I firmly believe he would identify himself as a Christian who happens to be Catholic, not the other way around. I feel the same way about the Bishop of the United Methodist Church here in Florida. Ken Carter is opening doors and encouraging churches to love their communities in a language that is clearly recognizable as that of the Christ. Ken is a dyed-in-the-wool Methodist. But he is a Christ-follower first. On Twitter, I read more and more of my brothers and sisters in Christ understanding that we have been majoring in the minors for too long, and that it is time to turn back to actually following Jesus himself instead of  worshiping those who write and preach about him. He is where we find our identity. He told us 2000+ years ago that the world will know we are his disciples by the way we LOVE. We've been too busy trying to prove we are "nicer" and more morally upright to have time to show the world that kind of radical, overwhelming, unconditional love. But the tide is turning!

However...finding your identity in Jesus means walking straight into the #DangerDays. Loving the hurting, the lost and the seemingly unlovable is very scary stuff. We are used to praying, "God I want to serve you by starting a new ministry at the beach" and feeling like we are open to God's leadings. Jesus says FOLLOW ME, which turns our prayers into "here I am LORD; send me!" We are used to excluding people to "keep our churches safe and pure," when Jesus (and the 5 Man Electrical Band!) says "everybody's welcome, come on in, kneel down and pray!" Following the Christ means being a servant, not a leader. It means making people more important than possessions or ideals. It means losing our lives so that in him we can find them. And that scares the crap out of us.

Is your identity as a Christian wrapped up in things other than Jesus? Then let it go! Just like in the song, dropping all of the pretense of "acting Christian" and really finding your identity in Christ will freak people out, make them nervous and leave you stepping into the #DangerDays in a whole new way. When you love like Jesus taught us to love there will be people who simply do not understand. When you turn your back on the normal and find your identity in Jesus, you may feel rejection from doubters and Pharisees- but so often Christ comes to us in the storm. Even fellow Christians may act like you have lost your mind and give you the cold shoulder. But when your life is defined by the Risen Savior, you can "let the storm rage on...cold never bothered me anyway!" For me, there is only one identifying factor for Christians- they will know us by our love. All that other stuff? Let it go...

Because of Jesus,

Kissing Frogs

My Dad was a little league football coach for many years in the 1970's and 80's. Before many of the games he coached he would deliver the following pep talk to his 8-11 year old players: Football is supposed to be fun. And the best way to have fun on a football field is to hit somebody. So get out there- and HIT somebody!!!"

Jesus gave similar pep talks. He told his disciples and followers over and over again that God is love, and that our main task is to help people connect to that love. He wanted the lost and the lonely- the ragamuffins- to know that the grace and forgiveness of God was meant for them. He left little doubt as to the best way for us to do that- get out there and LOVE somebody!!! But too often we try to make God's love and power an intellectual exercise. It is much easier to talk about than to demonstrate. Witness the following account from Lois Cheney's classic 1969 devotional book God Is No Fool:

A woman came from seeing a religious movie. She was moved by it. She thought of the technicolor wonders of God. She mused on the stereophonic destruction of evil.  All the way home she thought and thought. Before she fell asleep she told her husband about the movie, and said, "It really made you think."

A young man went to church after a long, too long absence. The minister spoke of the Love of God and the Grace of God. The young man was troubled and he was stirred. That evening, as he kissed his girlfriend good-night, he told her about the sermon and said, "It really made you think."

A grown man read his Bible everyday. He read of the Love of God, the Need for God, the Hope of God and the Promises of God. He would read late into the night. At breakfast he would tell his wife why he had stayed up so late. He would tell her about the wonders of scripture, and he would say, "It really makes you think."

Could it be that the loneliest book in the Bible

is the book called "ACTS?"

Jesus told us to take care of one another, to love one another, to feed the hungry, to give hope to the hopeless and offer grace and forgiveness to our neighbors. When asked, "Who is my neighbor?" he told the parable of The Good Samaritan, which illustrated that everyone is our neighbor. To do these things, we have to "get out there and hit someone!" We have to SHOW people God's love, not just tell them about it. Now I don't know about you, but it seems to me like there are a lot of folks in this world who are not easy to love. They are not yet princes; they are still frogs. Yet Jesus calls on us to love them as they are, not as we wish they were, because that is the love He offers us. We are all frogs until we experience the love and grace that Jesus brings us. 

So what is our task as Christians? It's simple. We are called to kiss frogs! Now get out there and KISS someone! Have a blessed Sunday...

Because of Jesus,

Sunday Morning With Rich Mullins

Rich Mullins, the great singer-songwriter and man of faith who passed away in 1997,  spent the last 5 years of his life sharing God's love. He lived among people who had nothing, and he shared God's mercy and justice with them. He reached out to those that many in the church find to be unlovable, and he showed them the love and grace of Jesus Christ. His concert tours had but one theme: The Love of God. He once shared these words with an audience:

"Some of us are so afraid that God's not going to look at us, so we're out there doing all sorts of things to get God to take notice. But folks, God notices you. The fact is He can't take His eyes off of you. However badly you think of yourself, God is crazy about you. God is in love with you. Some of us even fear that someday we'll do something so bad that He won't notice us anymore.  Well, let me tell you, God loves us completely. And He knew us at our worst before He ever began to love us at all. In the love of God there are no degrees- there in only love."

Rich wrote a song called The Love of God (see video at bottom for full lyrics) that contains the phrase, "the reckless raging fury that they call the love of God." He found God's love to be so overwhelming, so compelling and so powerful that is was almost overwhelming. It is a love we can never fully understand, but we can embrace. C.S. Lewis once wrote about the Christ-figure Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia that "He is not safe, but He is good." God's love is like that- wonderfully dangerous. I believe it is only when you reach a point in life when you can't imagine why God loves you that you fully understand what Rich was saying. I know that was true for me. We must reach a place where we follow Jesus not because someone explained the nuts and bolts of Christianity to us or because we have taken enough theology courses, but because we understand that God loves us and always has- and always will. So much so that He sent us Jesus! I have written it often on these pages because I have found it to be powerful and true: There is nothing we can do to make God love us more, and there is nothing we can do to make Him loves us less. Our task is to take that love and share it. Unconditional love. Reckless love. Overwhelming love. Scripture tells us, "Beloved, let us love another, for love is of God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. If you don't love you don't know God, for God is love."  -1 John 4:7-8 

Experience this wonderfully dangerous love. Join with me today and be "glad to have been caught... in the reckless raging fury that they call the love of God."

Stuff Jesus Said

"He will be the truth that will offend them one and all..." ~ Michael Card  

There has been a lot of chatter among USAmerican Christians as of late about money - and some of it has been quite contentious. Are believers blessed with wealth as a result of their faithfulness as those who preach the Prosperity Gospel believe? If we are blessed, are we called by Christ to share with the under-resourced around us as Pope Francis insists? Do REAL Christians hoard their money for a rainy day or share it with those on whom it rains every day? Shouldn't the poor among us be pulling themselves up by their bootstraps, joining gyms, sleeping more and eating healthier food so they can have better lives? I fail to understand how most of these issues are even debatable, because I find scripture to be pretty clear. We may not want to hear it, and certain financial gurus may not want us to know it, but all we have belongs to God, and we need to share it with those in need. It starts in the Old Testament (all scriptures in this post are NIV):

If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. Deuteronomy 15:7-8

Our churches still take Old Testament tithing very seriously, but I seldom hear sermons reminding us of the OT directives to save money to make a special offering to neighbors in need every 3 years (Deuteronomy 26) or to have a Year of Sabbath and a Year of  Jubilee (Leviticus 25). It's kind of like how many are quick to quote OT scripture that backs up a particular point of view, but conveniently ignore the laws against eating lobster and barbeque. Jesus came to bring a new covenant which would fulfill the law. He was very clear on the issue of wealth accumulation. We cannot serve two masters, and material wealth often becomes an idol. I have written before that everything Jesus said & did is more important than anything ANYONE has ever had to say about what he said and did- and I believe that with all my heart. It's all about Jesus. So what did he have to say on the subjects of money and taking care of our neighbors?  Here's some stuff Jesus said...

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:23-24

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.  You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’  “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” Mark 10:17-23

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44

Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. Matthew 5:42

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:2-4

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 

 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”  Matthew 25:41-46

In Genesis, Cain asked God the question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Read the words of Jesus again. Read Acts 2: 44-45, where we are told that in the 1st century church, "All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need." Revisit the Old Testament laws. God has an answer for Cain, and for the rest of us as well. Scripture is both implicit and explicit that we are indeed to love and care for our sisters, brothers, neighbors and friends. Uncle Ben from the original Spiderman movie said it best- "With great power comes great responsibility." Oh wait..that was stuff Jesus said too! "To whom much is given, much is asked." We are blessed to be blessings. God has given us His love and everything else we have so that we might change the world for others. It's just not that complicated.

So I will let the theologians and the preachers debate the issue all they like. But for me, the One who calls me to follow him has already said all that I need to hear. And that's all I've got to say about that...

Because of Jesus,