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David and His Armor, the Church and Her Buildings

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I’ve been supplementing my Bible reading with readings from the Christian Community Bible lately. It’s a different translation, but the footnotes are the key. Here is what it said about 1 Samuel 17

David’s fight can easily be compared to that of the Church. She leaves behind Saul’s armor when she looks for less structure, less worry over financing her works and buildings; when she frees herself from political support. In abandoning all these securities, she makes herself freer and younger. Like David, she goes to battle trusting “in the name of Yahweh, God of Israel’s armies.” – the Christian Community Bible (Footnote)

In any ministry situation the greatest temptation is to do whatever you do for the glory of the organization. It’s really hard to not be a little jealous when that other church has 5,000 people or that person’s prayers are always being answered with miracles. All of those feelings come from looking at the wrong things.

In Luke 9:62 Jesus said whoever puts his hand to the plow and looks back isn’t fit for service in the Kingdom of Heaven. The point of the Kingdom, the point of following Jesus, is Jesus. If we spend our time looking for an audience, and a building to put them in, we may very well get that audience, but not the Kingdom of Heaven.

The trick, of course, lies all in the motives. It may look exactly the same to a critic that sees us building a building, but God looks at the heart. If God calls us to build a big building, let’s build it, always focusing on the kingdom. If God calls us to leave behind the building so that we can follow Him, let us give it away and run. If God calls us to be a part of the political machine, then let’s do it in the most Holy humble way that has ever been done, and never make that work our security.

The funny thing about this quote is that you can turn the quest away from structure and financing into it’s own legalism that is as awful as the structure and the financing.

In all of this, Jesus, the Kingdom of Heaven, is the right way. Focusing on methods, politics, music, etc. are all cultural preferences that will be different in 5 years. Focusing on Jesus turns our lives into a single scenic journey instead of multiple personality disorder with some religion thrown in.

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:57-62 ESV

Silent Night at Taylor University – Another night, Another Lay Up

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Keaton Hendricks plays basketball for Taylor University. He shoots lay ups, long shots, free throws, the whole bit. But one night, there was one shot, that set everyone cheering like none of his other 351 points that season.

2014 Taylor University Silent Night from Dan Hendricks Media on Vimeo.

They do this close to Christmas every year. The whole arena is silent until Taylor scores the 10th point. When that happens, the crowd goes wild and cheers for 10 points worth of cheering.

It is appropriate that they do this during Christmas. On the night Jesus was born, it was just another night for a lot of people. Just another night of helping sheep birth their young; just another night of animals being fed and rulers of nations taking a census to justify their armies and taxes.

I’m not sure what angels do when a baby is born, but they did something different with this one. All of the cheering, all of the chaos, all of the rejoicing-joy of these Taylor University students is a dimly lit cup of luke-warm tea compared to the festival that the angels had over the fields that night.

Watch that video again and cheer.

Humble and Powerful Army Guy

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[1] After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. [2] Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. [3] When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. [4] And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, [5] for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” [6] And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. [7] Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. [8] For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” [9] When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” [10] And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

(Luke 7:1-10 ESV)

The most subtle and passive thing stuck out to me as I read this today. Everybody said the Centurion was “worth” and “deserved” the help of Jesus. If there is anyone Jesus doesn’t show a lot of mercy too, it’s the people that think they deserve stuff. He has just spent time and after this He will spend more time explaining to the Pharisees why they really aren’t as worthy as they think they are, and that the Kingdom of Heaven doesn’t really belong to those that are self-worthy!

I think Jesus already knew what He was in for with this guy, because He goes to help him and is met by servants of the Centurion (pay attention to that! The man’s servants are doing exactly what he told them to do!) that say the Centurion isn’t worthy. The only people in this story that are not calling the Centurion worthy are those that serve under him that are under orders to do so. And what message does he have for Jesus?

“This sickness will submit to your authority, you can take care of it however you want.”

Not only is the sickness under the authority of Jesus, but by asking for Jesus’ help, the Centurion is also submitting to Jesus’ authority.

When you go to the doctor and tell him your problems and ask for his help, you are submitting to his authority.

When you show up at the cell phone store and ask him to switch over your phone, completely unlocking your smartphone with your privacy code and unlocking your account with your social security number, you are submitting to that 20-year old’s authority.

The Centurion here knew power and he knew authority. He knew how it worked, and the consequences of rebellion. His response to that knowledge was “Go ask Jesus for help here, but let Him help however He judges best.”

Jesus helped, and called the humblest Centurion in Israel the greatest man of faith He had seen.

Wonder and Praise in Luke 1

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I love the way that twice, in the opening chapter of the Gospel of Luke, there is wonder and awe at God.

First from Zechariah,

Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is old as well.” (‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬ NET)

Then from Mary,

Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” (‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭34‬ NET)

The other neat thing that shows up three times is worship.

Elizabeth:

“This is what the Lord has done for me at the time when he has been gracious to me, to take away my disgrace among people.” (‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭25‬ NET)

Mary:

And Mary said, “My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has begun to rejoice in God my Savior, (‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭46-47‬ NET)

And finally Zechariah, since he lost his voice for most of this chapter,

Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he has come to help and has redeemed his people. (‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭67-68‬ NET)

I just quoted the first few lines of each of their praises, but if you don’t know what to pray today, you can’t go wrong reading through Luke 1.

My Christmas Sermon (written)

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I was able to preach this past weekend at Westminster thanks to an awful bug that Dave caught. This is the closest I’ve ever come to a Christmas message, but it’s full of stuff that I’ve been thinking about for years. Hopefully in a few days I’ll post the audio, but don’t wait! Read on!

Christmas is this week: I always love to really think deep about the events, because the events of my life have lots of detail, lots of significant moments and turning points. It’s too easy to read the first parts of Matthew and Luke and not think about the reality of the events. [Read more…]