John On Jesus

When my parents retired they wrote their memoirs. My parents aren’t famous and by most standards haven’t lived particularly eventful lives, but their finished product is among my most precious possessions.

Sometime in the late 80s or early 90s (first century, not 20^th) an old man named John sat down to write a memoir of his own. But he didn’t tell the story of his life; instead he told the story of the most remarkable man he had ever known. 

John spent three years with Jesus. Then he spent the next fifty reflecting on all he had experienced. So, as he neared the end of his life, he decided to start writing. But it wasn’t an easy task. For one Jesus did and said so much that if everything were written down, “the whole world would not have room for all the books that would be written.” So he used a simple rule to decide what to include and what to set aside. “These [things]”, he said, “are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” In other words, he wanted to call people to faith in Jesus.

This new series, John on Jesus, has three sections. Chapter 12 tells the story of the reactions people had to Jesus – positive and negative. Chapter 14 to 17 tells the story of a long conversation Jesus had with his disciples. Then, in the final section (chapters 18 to 20) he tells the difficult story of the death of Jesus; a story that ended with a great reversal. 

What’s wonderful about John’s biography of Jesus is that it is written by someone who knew Jesus so well. And he wrote with clarity and passion about the man he believed was for everyone. Including us.

Talking With God

Few topics induce a sense of guilt more than prayer. But it’s overwhelming: What do I say? Where do I start? Where do I find the time? But the problems can be even deeper: Is God listening; does he want to hear what I have to say? What if I’m too angry to pray? Or just discouraged because it didn’t seem to “work” the last time? Even if you feel comfortable praying it’s a struggle to find the time; how can I possibly add one more thing into my day? 

The Bible offers a vision of prayer that is far more natural, attainable, interesting, and fulfilling than what many of us have imagined. Rightly understood, prayer becomes less like crossing things off a grocery list, and more like sharing a leisurely breakfast with a good friend.  It’s not just talking at God or to God, but with God about our lives and the lives of those we love. Along the way you can discover that instead of a burden, prayer becomes a gift—a means of deepening a friendship with God.

This takes time… and trust… and honesty… and consistency. But it doesn’t need to be intimidating. There are no special formulas or techniques, just learning to be mindful of God’s presence with us. Following the example of Jesus, we too can learn the habit of praying more naturally, meaningfully, and regularly.

In learning to “talk with God” we want to do more than learn about prayer, but to actually pray more.  Each week, we’ll offer practical exercises to try during quiet moments of reflection as well as on a commute, while caring for a child, or even in the middle of a fight! Our hope is that prayer will become a more natural part of your day; and not only will your outward circumstances change, but also your inward sense of intimacy with the God. It is truly the best way to deepen a friendship with the God who made you and loves you.

Advent

Spiritual Urban Legends

You’ve seen the headline: “Using Tupperware in the microwave gives you cancer.” Or the warning to be careful when traveling in South America; you might wake up in your hotel room only to discover you’re missing a kidney. Or the one that says if you put a tooth in a bottle of Coke it will be gone by morning. And the one about Mr. Rodgers; that he was a Navy SEAL and the sweater was to cover up his tattoos.

Sometimes it’s easy to sort out fact from fiction, but some Urban Legends sound so plausible that they spread quickly without being questioned. And once out, they are almost impossible to refute because “everyone” knows they’re true. Except, they’re not.

Did you know that there are Spiritual Urban Legends as well? For example, maybe you’re heard someone say, “Everything happens for a reason.” Or “the safest place to be is in the center of God’s will.” Or this one: “God has a blueprint for your life.” They sound good and contain a bit of truth, but in the end can lead us astray. Some are harmless misunderstandings, but others can lead us into dangerous error that brings spiritual heartache. In some cases, they will lead to disillusionment with God for failing to fulfill a promise he never made; or false guilt God never intended us to feel; or give false hope that simply cannot be supported by what we know of God from the Bible.

In the next few weeks we’re going to tackle seven of these. The hope is not to embarrass but to inform. And frequently the reality is far better than the myth. In the end, there is more peace in knowing what’s real and what’s not.

James - A Good Life

New Sermon Series – The Good Life

When someone today talks about “The Good Life” most likely they are thinking of a loving spouse, obedient kids, a maintenance free dog, a low carbon footprint source of transportation, an abundant supply of tasty organic food, stylish but practical clothing, close friends, a family cabin and enough money to retire early. What surprises many is that the “good life” used to mean something much different. The Ancient Greeks, for example, talked about “A Good Life” (AGL) not “The Good Life (TGL)” and the difference mattered. Instead of the comfort, luxury and wealth of TGL (large houses, exotic cars and extravagant vacations) AGL described an ethical, moral and spiritual existence.

James, the brother of Jesus, had something like this in mind when he wrote a series of short moral essays. He pointed out the benefits that come from faithful endurance, the value of wisdom, the need for the rich use their wealth to benefit the poor and the intentionality it takes to live a righteous life. 

James is a sort of New Testament version of Proverbs. As an author, he is a moralist rather than a theologian. His goal was make Christians into better Christians and he believed that the only way to see if faith is real is by how we behave.