A Cross-Shaped Life
A Life of Boundless Hope
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A Life of Confidence (to the End)
A Growing Life - Rev. Dr. William Craig
A Life of Authenticity
| Jefferson Bethke, Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus |
An Illuminated Life
How can we recognize true Christianity or be sure that we are authentic followers of Christ in the spiritual and religious maze that we live in? John’s letter was written to help us recognize some clear signs of genuine Christian faith. The second of these “life signs” from 1 John 1:5-2:2 is an illuminated life. On my college ring are the words, “Let there be light,” the motto of the University of California. These words are intended to point to the light of reason and human knowledge; but in actuality they are a citation from the Book of Genesis ch. 1, where it is revealed that God is the source of all light. This is true enlightenment…to be illuminated by the light of God…the purifying light which speaks the truth about sin, leads us to the blessing of repentance, and restores our fellowship with him and others. Click this link to download.A Life Lived in Fellowship
We live in a time of declining trust in spiritual leaders, an era of disappointment with organized religion, when alternative creeds and philosophies abound, where many feel that “truth is in the eye of the beholder.” In such a day, how can Christians be sure that their own spiritual experiences are genuine? In his letter, John gives us some clear signs of an authentically Christian faith that will also be compelling to others. The first of these “life signs” from 1 John 1:1-4 is a life lived in fellowship. Now most professing Christians are pretty enthusiastic about “fellowship" but what is the real basis for our fellowship? What makes it any different from other social gatherings? That is the subject of John’s opening verses, where he testifies that…(1) this fellowship broke into history… when the Word of Life appeared in the flesh; (2) this fellowship existed from eternity…with the Father and the Son and (3) this fellowship is a growing family… marked by joy. Click this link to download.
The Song That Can't Be Silenced
There is no other time of year that the message of God’s love is more omnipresent than right now, when songs of biblical hope, peace, and joy are so in evidence. We hear them wafting through shopping malls; streaming from car radios, or playing on ipods. For 2000 years, we’ve been singing and chanting and humming with the angels who announced the Messiah's’ birth. What is the power of these songs, even for skeptics, and why do we sing them? Click this link to download.
The Testimony of the Tree
Although no one can make a “biblical case” for the display and decoration of Christmas trees, they have had a prominent place in the celebration of Jesus’ birth for centuries. Is this simply a “heathen tradition” that Christians should avoid, or is there a deeper and more profound reason that we should “light the tree” each year? Click this link to download.
An Invitation to the Table
For centuries, Christmas has been a time marked by celebration, by office parties, by neighborhood and family gatherings. Is all this partying really appropriate for Jesus' followers? While the Bible does not encourage "partying," God has created in us a longing to celebrate, to experience the promise of God's Kingdom jubilee...and in the advent of the Messiah that celebration has already begun. Click this link to download.
The Message of a Billion Lights
This Christmas, a billion people across the face of the earth -- many without understanding -- with candle flames and multi-colored lights, will announce one glorious fact: The Light has come! Christ is the Light of lights before all worlds; the Redeeming Light of our darkened world; and the Eternal Light of that glorious New World. Click this link to download.
Sent to Samaria (Living Out the Ancient Call)
When Jesus said
he was going to send his disciples into Samaria as his witnesses (Acts 1:8), he
meant he was going to send them into enemy territory. Jews and Samaritans had agreed to hate one
another for nearly a thousand years. To a Jew, the Samaritans were despised
half-breeds who intermarried with their Assyrian conquerors back in 723BC, and
adopted some of their pagan religious practices. The Mishnah (a rabbinic commentary) says: “He that eats the bread of the Samaritans is
like to one that eats the flesh of swine.” Yet there is no escaping that, after
two millennia, Jesus continues to send us with his message to the very
ones with whom we’d rather not talk, or associate; and yes, even to those we may think...are swine. Click this link to download.
Sent to Judea (Living Out the Ancient Call)
According to Acts 1:8, the Risen Christ sent his
disciples first into Jerusalem, and then into “all Judea." We may think of
“Judea” today as the immediate surrounding area, the community in which we live and
work. In Acts 16:11-15 we learn how Paul
was able to extend God’s kingdom in the Roman city of Philippi through a
business woman named Lydia. The story
reminds us that how we live and work in our own community is a witness to
the King and his mission. Click this link to download.
Sent to Jerusalem (Living Out the Ancient Call)
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1: 8). The first place
that Jesus wanted his disciples to bear witness to him was in Jerusalem. That is, he wanted them to start at home,
with those they knew best. Sometimes the hardest place to be a witness to Jesus is among those who know us
the best...our family members and closest friends. Click the link to download.
Sent to be a Witness (Living Out the Ancient Call)
Over the years, a
popular college application question asks, “What historical moment or
event do you wish you could have witnessed?” These have been some answers: The building of
the pyramids, the Declaration of Independence, Lincoln at Gettysburg, D-Day
WWII, the assassination of JFK, Woodstock, the first moon landing. One person
said, ‘my parent’s wedding.’ I noticed
that many said a day in the life of Jesus Christ, and in particular his
crucifixion. Jesus told his disciples in Acts 1:8, “You will be my witnesses.” Now, the definition
of a “credible witness” in a court of law is “someone who has personal,
believable, first-hand knowledge of an event or who has told the whole truth.” The reason I am a follower of Christ is that I
find the testimony of the gospels to be believable, credible, accounts of what
eye-witnesses heard and saw concerning him. None of us were “eyewitnesses” of
Jesus’ life, death, or resurrection. But
as followers of the King who are filled with his Holy Spirit, Jesus promises
that we will bear witness to him. In Matthew 9:36-10:10 we learn that to be a witness is to share the heart of the King, to speak the words of the King, and to do the works of the King. Click this link to download.
Sent with Power (Living Out the Ancient Call)
In John’s gospel the Holy Spirit is referred to as the Comforter or the
Advocate. When we hear the word “comforter” today we may think of a quilt
that keeps us warm on a cold night, or we may think
of one who cheers us up or makes us feel, well, comfortable. In reality, the word “comforter” comes from the Latin root “fortis” meaning “strength and
courage" (William Barclay). “In the drag races,” a friend wrote me, “they say ‘stay on it’ or ‘don't lift.’ In other words, “keep the throttle mashed to the floor from the starting line until past the finish line.” The Holy Spirit is the one who gives
us the strength and courage to “stay on it,” to roll out instead of rolling over. The Comforter didn’t come to make
us comfortable. He came to make us missional. Click this link to download.
Sent by the King (Living Out the Ancient Call)
Steve
Jobs remarked this year in the Wall Street Journal, “When
I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most
certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for
the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself:
"If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about
to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many
days in a row, I know I need to change something. I wonder how many of us live life with that kind of clarity? I wonder how many of us have a mission that is
worthy of our life’s devotion? Steve
Job’s mission was “to make a
contribution to the world by making tools
for the mind that advance humankind.” In other words, advancing humankind through technology. I love technology; and there is no doubt that
humankind has advanced technologically because of Steve Jobs. But has humankind advanced morally and
spiritually? A good man can use technology to cure a disease or send a message
of hope. An evil man can use technology
to destroy a city or broadcast fear. How
many of us are texting on our cell phones right now? How many hours do we spend a week on
facebook, or checking our email? I want
to invite you to unplug for a moment and consider whether you have a mission
that is worthy of your full attention,
and your life’s devotion? In this message we consider Jesus’
mission, to redeem humankind by advancing the kingdom of God. Click the link to download.
Working It Out Together (August 7, 2011)
In any group, team, or organization, there are two great needs: unity and diversity. We need unity -- unity of vision, unity of purpose; but we also need diversity -- diversity of abilities, gifts and perspectives. Nehemiah’s plan to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem would have come to nothing were it not for his ability to inspire unity among a variety of workers who shared his passion. As we declare a new season of restoration and renewal, let Nehemiah's conviction be our own: God will give us success as we give him our service (Neh. 2:20). Click this link to download.
Praying Our Plans (July 31, 2011)
Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem in 445 BC to rebuild the city walls that had been destroyed by the Babylonians 150 years before. His story reminds us that to tear something down takes a moment, but to build something that truly lasts takes passion, planning and, above all, prayer. Click this link to download.
Bathwater into Wine (March 27, 2011)
“Without wine” said the Rabbis, “there is no joy”. Hospitality in the east was a sacred duty as it is to this day, and it would have been humiliating for the bride and groom to run out. For many people, life feels just like that. The wine has dried up...and that’s where John 2: 1-11 comes in, because on the third day of Jesus’ public ministry, at a wedding feast in Cana, we learn what we need when the wine of life begins to run dry: (i) intercessors who will go with us and for us to Jesus; (ii) fellow servants who will help us follow His directions (iii); witnesses to encourage us when they see the first signs of new life (9-10); (iv) and a believing heart when Jesus’ glory is revealed to us. Click this link to download.
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