Tag Archives: sanctification

Unknown's avatar

Merlowe Joe Maddon’s 30 minute rule

by
The last two nights I had both a rare privilege and frustration: watching the Tampa Bay Rays on TV. Unfortunately when the Rays are on TV, it is because they are playing either the Red Sox or Yankees. On back-to-back nights they lost by one run to both. 
One of the announcers, Rick Sutcliffe, commented on whether or not losing 1-0 to the Red Sox in 16 innings the night before would have a tangible adverse affect on the Rays playing the Yankees the next night. He believed the frustrating loss wouldn’t hurt the Rays, citing manager Joe Maddon’s “30 minute rule.”

The 30 minute rule means that the team can/should reflect on the bitterness for the loss for only 30 minutes. After that, they cannot dwell on it anymore. It’s in the past, and they have to play another game the next day (more often than not with 162 game season).
I’m not sure that there is a minimum time limit we should mourn for the bitterness of our sin. The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite Spirit, and that obviously involves being bothered by our general and particular sins. However, particularly in regard to our particular sins (but the general as well), we should be reminded that we must not remain in such a mournful state for too long. Christ has already forgiven sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God (I Peter 3:18).

But there has to be a maximum time limit on mourning our sins or else we will walk around like Eoyore, forgetting the victory which Jesus has secured. Repentance must lead to rejoicing (or it isn’t repentance) because God’s mercies, and our experience of them, are new every morning (Lam 3:22-23). A good reminder to us all, especially when we experience the consequences of our sin.

Unknown's avatar

Some bear reflections

by
This past weekend the lads from Redeemer hiked a mile and a half into the Cranberry River for camping/fishing trip. While the water remained lower than we would have liked, and the fish scarcer than advertised, all had a great time bonding as we braved the outdoors. My crew of folks came in on Friday around noon, just missing the Thursday night-Friday morning bear run-in’s.
Apparently the bear came in on Thursday evening and then back the next morning to climb the apple tree to gorge on some delectable little treats. Bummed that he never returned to the same spot, my friend and I made our way up to another fishing hole. He stopped and my impatience set in. I immediately headed on to try and nab a trout on a dry fly. Unfortunately for me, just 40 feet away from the same path he and I were walking on, just literally 5 minutes later, Mr. Bear came back. 
He stared at my buddy, and then continued on his trek of the woods. 5 minutes and I would have seen my bear. Complete bummer.
I accepted the results of my impatience and returned to fishing, catching my first trout on a fly in 9 years. On an indescribable high from such an experience, my thoughts eventually turned to my trip back to the campsite.
Here are a few reflections:
1.) Why walk alone? When I was walking to the fishing hole with my buddy, I thought of fish to be caught and the hope that the bear would come back in the evening when our group could watch him at a safe distance. Yet we still walked the trail as dusk approached. After my trout at 8:45 pm, I didn’t walk back, I ran. Why? Because I was alone. I wasn’t scared while I was with Jason-even though he is faster than me should we have been chased. Just having someone there made all the difference. When I was alone, even those 3 hotdogs and being out of shape didn’t slow my fearful flight back. Why do we (and I) as Christians, prefer to do life alone sometimes? Why run, when we can walk and enjoy our journey with our brothers and sisters in the faith?
2.) Terms. I mentioned to everyone that I wanted to see that bear, but on my own terms. Someone asked what are your terms? When he is at a safe distance, up in a tree, while I’m on the ground, surrounded by friends, several of whom have loaded guns. I didn’t get my wish. He didn’t appear to me on my terms. But he did appear to a number of others who did not express such demands. After all, they were “his” woods (at least more so than ours).
Sometimes I think we put demands and terms upon God, and then are surprised when he doesn’t show up. We don’t experience Him the way others may because our terms usually imply what we can get out of Him: a better feeling, family, spouse, or house. God sets the terms of which we come to Him. We come to Him through His Son in repentance and faith. Consequently we experience and grow in Him the same way, through repentance and faith in His Son, repenting of our “terms.”

3.) Safety? I asked the waitress at a local diner when was the last time someone had been attacked by a bear? Sandy, the 70 year old waitress knew of no such incident in the area. I had 60 pounds, by estimation, on this particular bear. Even though I might be able to bench press more than him, he would certainly take me down without too much effort (these bears weren’t de-clawed like housecats). A bear is not safe, but apparently in these woods, he is good. Reminded me of Aslan in the Narnia series. Yes God is not safe, but He is good. He is not safe because He will call out and crush our idols, but He is good because that is the best thing for us.

Unknown's avatar

Should I go to church, or better yet, shouldn’t I want to?

by

Here’s a brief video on why the individual Christian will naturally desire to be part of a local church. This lad, author of Am I Really a Christian, remarks that the question of whether or not I should go to and join a church is really kind of a weird question. He poses a follow-up question: “That’s kind of like a wife saying, ‘Do I really have to live with my husband?'” In the end, when we don’t desire to be part of a local community and use the spiritual gifts-which are given to bless not ourselves but the local church-we should probably surmise there is something wrong with us. More than something wrong with every church in your area or surrounding area. Check out this video, as it will only take you two and a half minutes.

Unknown's avatar

Why I include the gospel in every sermon

by

Fish Fail

Click here to getImages  &
Fish Fail Pictures – Pictures

There’s a reason why I try to preach the gospel in every sermon. Well there are actually a number of reasons, but here are two of them: 1.) the church needs to regularly hear the gospel 2.) the preacher I needs to hear the gospel. Every time God’s word presents any sort of command, or I give applications consistent with the passage, that elicits some sort of response from the hearers. And that’s good. Sermons need to be applicable and challenge the head, the heart, and the hands.
But without the message and power of the gospel, those applications will lead to despair, particularly for the preacher. Applications not couched in the gospel will leave the preacher a big fat hypocrite. It doesn’t take me very long to forget what I preached and specifically fail to apply the text in the way I’ve instructed God’s people on that previous Sunday.
The other day I preached on griping from Philippians 2:14-18. It seems from this passage that one way we can witness to a dark world is with our silence: by not griping. Well it didn’t take long for me to gripe to an umpire in a softball game from the outfield, with hand gestures indicating that the ball was not fair but foul. I griped. Without saying a word, or at least one that he could hear, I had done the exact opposite thing I challenged the congregation with my lack of silence and use of non-verbals. 
It didn’t take long. And it doesn’t usually take too long for us to misapply or fail to apply the very things we’ve been challenged by in the sermon (whether hearing it or preaching it-preachers are preaching to themselves as well). 
So I was definitely bummed for a bit. How can I preach against griping when I do it? I felt like such a hypocrite-which I am anyway so I don’t know why I felt surprised. But then I remembered the gospel. I will still struggle with griping, but Jesus has taken my gripes with Him to the cross. My gripes are covered, and so I can now rejoice in the gripeless one who not only empowers me but forgives me when I regularly fail.
That’s why the gospel always has to be present in every sermon. Without it people will be left with will power, guilt, despair, or feelings of hypocrisy or learned helplessness (I didn’t apply it today, therefore I can’t apply it later). Without it preachers will soon feel like big fat unforgiven hypocrites and eventually fail to make sermons applicable (if I can’t apply it, why make applications). So I try to make sure the hope of the gospel message is included in every sermon. Not just for my congregation, but for myself. 

I need it because it doesn’t take me long to fail, so I always try to make sure the ultimate application is the short hike back to the gospel.

Unknown's avatar

Susan Enan, and why bad news can be good to listen to

by
Yesterday my reading of Psalm 49 definitely helped frame my frustrations with an apparent dip in my neighborhood housing prices. Houses just don’t last forever. Nothing man-made necessarily will last forever, just like “cold November rain.” Thank you Axl Rose. 
But Revelation 21 does remind us that there will be business going on and people will be bringing their “glory” into the new heavenly city. So the good stuff of culture will be around: I just don’t get a vote or say or knowledge of what might be staying. With that said, we can’t take anything to the grave. Especially not homes or kayaks.
“10 For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. 11 Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names.” Psalm 49:10-11
Far from depressing me, this Psalm actually encouraged me. The thought that the materials in the world I often envy, like bigger houses, or better fishing gear, will ultimately be in-accessible in the grave encourages me to put them in their proper place in the bigger story.
While I’m not sure where artist Susan Enan stands spiritually (she did respond to an email saying “thanks” after I told her how much I liked her music-so obviously that bumps her up in my book), her music is deep. I don’t expect Christian themes from non-Christian artists, but I do expect music to be robust, deep, and true to life. And all her music from is. It actually seems very “psalm-ish” or maybe even “ecclesiastes-ish.” Below are lyrics from “The Grave” off her most recent album Plainsong.
All of your work won’t fit in the earth
When you’re lying underground in the grave
Whatever amount in your balanced account
There’s nothing you can buy in the grave

In the next age, no stock exchange
Is going to pass on the money we make
No lottery wins, political spins
When we’re lying underground in the grave

No surgery defies gravity
But it all falls away in the grave
And who’s gonna care what color you wear?
There’s no fashion show in the grave

So swallow it down, no easy way around
Just a pill for the thrills that we crave
But no medicine to stop kingdom come
It’s your time, get in line, for the grave

And we’ll all be the same
And we’ll go as we come
Side by side, as we lie in the grave
We’ll all be the same
We’ll go as we came
Side by side, as we lie in the grave 

I love raw music. And I love music that is true. So much of this is true. While there are shades of redemption like “kingdom come” and “next age,” nothing hopeful seriously emerges. But whether Enan believes or not, she points me to Someone who conquered the grave and will one day usher in the resurrection. The grave is our next stop, and should always sober our idolatry of material, appearance, fame, prosperity, approval, pleasure. That’s one reason we have the book of Ecclesiastes. But the New Heavens and New Earth, and the bodily resurrection to a new and physical world, marks the final destination for the Christian pilgrim.
All good music points us to Jesus. Either indirectly to our need for Jesus or directly to what Jesus has already accomplished for us. I definitely recommend checking out Susan Enan’s Plainsong, though its no longer free at noisetrade.com.  You’ll be glad you did, as it is worth $8.99 here.
Unknown's avatar

Psalm 49 and Appraisals

by
Last night I was bummed when I heard of a neighbor’s property appraisal. It turned out significantly lower than I had anticipated, which of course means my property value is now significantly lower than I anticipated. Perhaps a better way of putting it is that my property value is significantly lower than I “trusted” it to be. Deja vu all over again-my house in FL dropped 140,00o in value. All I’ve experienced with homes is that they drop in value not long after you purchase them. 
I was bummed. I was angry at God. Then I came to Psalm 49, well off the church Psalm reading schedule. And I’m glad I came, and I’m glad I was behind. Psalm 49 was just what I needed.
“Why should I fear in times of trouble…..those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches..For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names….For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him”
Homes are temporary. They don’t follow us to the grave, which is a good thing. They’re not worth losing sleep over (though I actually slept fine minus the interruption from a crying infant). I’m thankful for such Psalms, which remind me to place my story/problems within, not outside, the story of greater story of Redemption. Better to be grace rich, then property rich-which I’m now learning will probably never be a possibility. And maybe I should be more thankful for such appraisals.
God places a higher priority on our sanctification than our property value. Now to believe that tomorrow…Guess I’ll be going back to Psalm 49 again.
Unknown's avatar

How to learn from Israel without pride: A Lesson from Pimps and Preachers’ Paul Thorn

by
This past Sunday I preached “Gripes Go up” on Philippians 2:14-18 which speaks of doing all things without “grumbling or questioning” so that we would shine like lights in our “crooked and twisted” generation. So in other words, one way (not the only way) we witness is actually without using words at all: without griping, tantamount to a verbal expression of an inward disbelief in the gospel. 
And we know what griping looks like, not so much because we see so many examples of this Philippian congregation griping, but because we see what griping looked like with Israel in their wilderness wanderings. Israel in other places in the N. T., become examples of how not to live, or rather more appropriately, how not to believe.
1 Corinthians 10:6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.
So we are to take advantage and learn from others’ mistakes in OT church history, in this case (Phil 2:14) faithless griping, and instead find ourselves “holding fast to the word of life.”
But how do we look upon the failures of others without becoming prideful? Looking at mistakes in others and then becoming prideful go together like summertime and humidity.
Noisetrade has been one of my dear friends for getting music (I appreciate the convenience and legality of it, which in regard to the latter, Christians in my generation don’t care too much about anymore for some reason) by more obscure or up-and-coming indie/rock/folk singers. Joe Thorn sings about griping in “You’re not the only one.” Look how he responds to hearing his neighbors fighting.
I can’t believe how much they fuss, sometimes they sound just like us.

Thorn gives us a helpful hermeneutic of humility useful when reflecting back upon the faithless griping of ancient Israel. Sometimes they, and others who don’t believe the gospel, “sound just like us.” We can see our lack of faith in others’ lack of faith. We have to. That’s why the gospel is not a ladder that you need for a little while, but a beach for all ages you never outgrow. The gospel both humbles and grows us in grace at the same time. Thanks Joe for helping me see that. What would you expect from a guy whose most recent album is entitled Pimps and Preachers?

Unknown's avatar

Salvation in different tenses and senses

by
In my most recent sermon I discussed what I believe “working out our salvation” really means as found in Philippians 2:11-12. In it I surmised that some of the difficulty we evangelicals have with this expression comes from limiting the term salvation to its past tense usage. Yet scripture will often use the term salvation, or salvific terms like redemption in both a present sense (I Peter 1:9-“obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls) as well as a future sense (I Peter 1:5-“salvation ready to be revealed in the last time”) to show that salvation is more robust than just getting “saved.” However, I feel I used the phrase “how many salvations were there at church” in a fairly pejorative manner-though I didn’t intend to use it in that way. I seldom have time to caveat anything, particularly when I’m trying not to say too much so I can focus on what I feel led to say. 
So I do want to go back to salvation in the past tense: what many folks call “getting saved.” I do hope that many in the congregation who don’t know Christ will repent and believe in Him alone for their salvation. I hope and pray for that in every sermon, folks who don’t know Jesus at all will be saved from the punishment of sin. At the same point I hope and pray that everyone who doesn’t know Jesus as well as he/she thinks he/she does (all Christians) will repent and believe the gospel more that day than the day before. 
This is the present tense, or sense of salvation, which we seldom ask ourselves and others: “how is God saving you today from the dominating power of sin in your life?” I think this is a question seldom asked, but is part of our “salvation,” just as important as the start and finish of it. And its usually much harder than pointing to a date!
Still, in a zeal to emphasize how the gospel saves us now, and will save us then I often don’t take enough time to explicitly explain how salvation starts.  I, as well as many Presbyterians seldom give folks enough of a chance to respond. While I don’t see anywhere in the bible which instructs pastors to call people forward like an altar call (that really didn’t happen until the mid 1800’s thanks to Charles Finney) or raise their hands if they believe, I still know that the church is the place where new Christians are to be born. The church is to be a hospital for sickly believers in need of grace, but also a place where all believers are technically on staff and can serve as spiritual midwives delivering baby Christians. 
I’m definitely envious of churches which regularly see “salvations” start each week. And Presbyterian churches can learn much from and be challenged by them. But I’m also aware that new births and new breakthroughs in growth may happen gradually as folks eventually get the gospel (for the first time or thousandth), and need not happen solely through a response prayer. Such “salvations” may be happening as well but not be as visible.
Regardless, churches need to consider salvation in all tenses and senses so that the full gospel is preached, cherished, and responded to each week regardless of differing denominational mechanics.