Get Out of Here!

 

Look at this infographic and let it sink in.

This kind of overwhelms me.

Think of the thousands and thousands of churches in North America and Europe and compare that to the millions and millions of people living in Southeast Asia.

No wonder Jesus urged us to "pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers" in Matthew 9:38.

No wonder Jesus commanded us to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" in Matthew 28:19.

No wonder Keith Green challenged us to get off our duffs and make a difference in his song, "Jesus Commands Us to Go."

Jesus commands us to go

But we go the other way

So He carries the burden alone

While His children are busy at play

Feelin' so called to stay

Oh, how God grieves and believes

That the world can't be saved

Unless the ones He's appointed obeys

His command and His stand for the world

That He loved more than life

Oh, He died and He cries out tonight

Jesus commands us to go

It should be the exception if we stay

It's no wonder we're movin' so slow

When His church refuse to obey

Feelin' so called to stay

Oh, how God calls as He stalls

the great judgment of fire

So He can gain His greatest desire

'Cause He knows that the souls of the lost

They can only be reached

Through us

We're His hands and His feet

Jesus commands us to go

It should be the exception if we stay

It's no wonder we're movin' so slow

When God's children refuse to obey

Feelin' so called to stay
Lyrics © For The Shepherd Music

https://youtu.be/ptUy2rYzmEo?si=EMGGyH2fldby4fjV

Truth is...It wouldn't be practical for every Christian in the U.S. to drop what they're doing and move to China, but:

     1.  If we're not going, we should be sending.
     2.  A person doesn't have to go to China to share the love of Jesus with those living on the same street or working in the same office.

Is My Worship Blasphemous?

 

Do I really mean what I'm saying when I'm singing?

In the book Sacred Pathways, Gary Thomas explains nine different "personality profiles" related to connecting with God. Much like the popular Enneagram or Myers-Briggs personality assessment tools, he leads the reader to a deeper understanding of their own preferred path to knowing God and the different ways different people relate to God.

In the chapter on what Thomas calls "Sensates" (those who love God through the senses and experiences), he warns that people can get caught up in what their senses are experiencing without any true worship taking place:

It amazes me how casually I can sing songs of deep, almost heroic commitment....While my mind wanders, I promise to bow before the Lord, to proclaim his name to the ends of the earth, and to go so far as to die to express my faith. Yet these words may be sung with scarcely more emotion than I feel when I'm ordering a hamburger. How often do we Christians take the Lord's name in vain during worship?

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Truth is...Many a hymn or praise chorus should be considered not so much a declaration of truth as a prayer of good intention. "I believe. Help my unbelief!"

Basking in God's Glory

 

Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.

Isaiah 60:1

Glory is a hard word to define, but trying certainly can bring a lot of things to a person's mind. A common image of God's glory would be the rays of light artists draw bursting around a heavenly throne.

Glory is not God himself, but a representation of His greatness; a reflection of His awesomeness.

Just as the moon reflects the sun's energy and gives the luster of midday to objects below, all of creation is a reflection of God's grace and love and glory:

• Standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon
• Watching a thunderstorm pass
• Soaking in a crimson sunset
• Hearing a baby laugh
• Feeling a friend's arms around you and all the stress in your body melting away

Images associated with a communion service are a reflection of God's glory as well.

• The bread … a picture of the miracle of Christmas; the Word being made flesh and dwelling among us.
• The cup … the very life-force of Jesus pouring out as the cleansing sacrifice for sin.
• The community of believers who remember Christ's sacrifice by participating … our connection and unity reflect the mystery of the Trinity. E pluribus unum: out of many, one.
• The repentance for our past and our bright hope for tomorrow … a reflection of the timelessness of our Lord.

To God be the glory … great things he has done.

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Truth is... We praise you, O God, for your Spirit of light, who has shown us our Savior and scattered our night.

Hallelujah! Thine the glory. Hallelujah! Amen.

Looking Like Jesus

 

Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at him, no appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; he was despised, and we didn’t value him.

Isaiah 53:1-3 CSB

When it comes to picturing Jesus in our minds, Hollywood has really done us a disservice. They’ve given us an endless parade of handsome actors with compelling eyes, dramatic gazes, and dynamic facial hair. But Isaiah paints a different picture. Apparently, to look at him, Jesus wasn’t all that attractive. He didn’t have an impressive form or appearance. He was like someone people turned away from.

Besides, what he looked like wasn't the point. His appearance wasn't what made people pay attention to him. What he did and what he said were the magnets.

Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?”

Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

John 6:67-69 CSB

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Truth is...It would be good for you and me to also put little to no importance on our physical appearance. Instead, let's look like Jesus by living lives of compassion and service and speaking words of encouragement and truth.

When Somebody's Worst Is Better Than Another's Best

 

In 1988, the world celebrated the record-setting Olympic performances of Carl Lewis. He became one of only four Olympic athletes to win nine gold medals. His 100-meter finish of 9.92 seconds was amazing.

And then along came Oblique Seville, who managed to beat that feat by running 100 meters in 9.91 seconds. It's just that in 2024, that was only good enough to earn him last place.

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Truth is...somehow, this comparison reminds me of 1 Corinthians 1:25  -  For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

The Fault in Our Fretting

 

Do not worry or be anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted), saying, "What are we going to eat?" or "What are we going to drink?" or "What are we going to wear?" For the pagans eagerly seek all these things; but do not worry, for your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.

Matthew 6:31-33 (AMP)

I look at this list of things Jesus tells us to not worry about and think, "Add 'where are we going to live?' and you've pretty much got the Top Four Concerns of Mankind, right there." Why else do we work 40-60 hours a week?

And yet, a person HAS to pay attention to such things. I mean, we can't go around naked, starving, and dehydrated.

Perhaps the key resides in the word worry. It's one thing to need to physically provide for yourself and your loved ones. It's another thing to have your happiness and sense of well-being completely dependent on food, drink, and shelter.

Part of Thomas à Kempis' thoughts on these verses:

O most sweet and loving Lord, you know my weaknesses and my sufferings. I am often weighed down, tempted, disturbed, and defiled. I come to you for a remedy. I beg you for comfort and support. You know what good things I need and how poor I am in righteousness.

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Truth is...Where do you put your trust: in things or the creator of all things?

Calvin & Hobbes' Unintentional Commentary on Proverbs 6:6

 

Our text today, flock, features our hero, Calvin, coming to a wise conclusion at an unwise time.

Truth is...Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise. (Proverbs 6:6 CSB)