All posts tagged Jesus

  • February 9, 2007

    Spiritual Poverty

    The following is an email I sent to a pastor friend who is preaching on the beatitudes this Sunday. As I was thinking through the blessing towards the poor in spirit, there was a worshipful convergence of a lot of thoughts, Scriptures, books and songs that I have been thinking about recently…

    I am mentioning “blessed are those who are poor in spirit,” which I define as spiritual poverty not spiritual immaturity. I wrote this one liner that I am going to use Sunday, maybe it can spur your thinking on the subject. Here is the thought:

    Spiritual poverty is realizing that there is nothing that I have in myself that is of any value in God’s economy.

    This is not just the experiential outcome of total depravity, it is something different. It is not that we are corrupt in our soul, will and lives. It is that our inner spiritual life is impoverished. It is empty. It is worthless and useless. We are completely spiritually bankrupt. We are hopeless, helpless, dazed and confused in all spiritual matters. We have no direction home to return to our Creator, no roadmap in our hearts, no inner light, no inner consciousness, no divine spark, no little man on the inside pointing us towards God, truth, peace, satisfaction or life. When we come to realize this, we become poor in spirit. Only then can we inherit the kingdom of God. Only then can we look outside ourselves to see God’s revelation of himself through himself (Barth) which is Jesus, the Word of God, the Way of God.

    When we become poor in spirit we confess the truth of Jesus’ words that we can do nothing without him (John 15:5).

    “Thunder on the mountain, rolling like a drum
    Gonna sleep over there, that’s where the music coming from
    I don’t need any guide, I already know the way
    Remember this, I’m your servant both night and day”
    — Bob Dylan

    Heaven is the source of the music, the place where we will sleep and Jesus is the WAY.

    Let’s continue to proclaim this truth. We are poor. Jesus is rich. We have no direction home. Jesus is the way.

    No Comments / Theology /

  • February 5, 2007

    So I asked my son, “Who is Jesus?”

    Our youngest son Taylor is mildly autistic. He is in kindergarten and spends about half of us day in special ed. He is on target with this intellectually development, but is still delayed in his communication and socialization. Because his communication is delayed, we sometimes do not know what he understands when we are talking to him. We are coming to find that he understands more than we think.

    We got home last night during the fourth quarter of the Superbowl. (Congrats to the Colts BTW) I was putting Taylor to bed and he said that he was “so scared” because it was dark. I told him not to worry, because Jesus would protect him. I then wanted to see if he understood, so I said, “Bubs, who is Jesus?” (Bubs, bubba, bub…are his nick names) To my surprise, he said, “God.” I asked again. He said, “God.” I walked out and told Jenni to go in there and ask him, and again, I heard him say, “God.”

    Sure he still likes to pick his nose and eat what he finds, but this is a huge step forward. To be able to connect Jesus with God is a huge step, a giant step forward in his theological development. I don’t know if he can explain who God is yet, but I am praying that he comes to know Him.

    No Comments / Family, Theology /

  • January 29, 2007

    Dylan Devotional: The sun keeps shinin’

    It was a beautiful drive into the office this morning. I was rockin’ to Dylan and holding a cup of coffee in a styrofoam cup. I was listening to “Thunder on the Mountain” from Dylan’s Modern Times and it seemed that he was singing what I was feeling. The sun was shining bright and illuminating the steam rising from the coffee. It was cold this morning…about 25 degrees. As I was listening to this song, I continued to replay this part. This is your Dylan devotional for the day.

    Thunder on the Mountain
    Bob Dylan

    Thunder on the mountain, rolling like a drum
    Gonna sleep over there, that’s where the music coming from
    I don’t need any guide, I already know the way
    Remember this, I’m your servant both night and day

    The pistols are poppin’ and the power is down
    I’d like to try somethin’ but I’m so far from town
    The sun keeps shinin’ and the North Wind keeps picking up speed
    Gonna forget about myself for a while, gonna go out and see what others need.

    Life is here is short. One day I am going to “sleep over there,” in heaven, that is “where the (heavenly) music is coming from.” The music from heaven is dominated by a continual theme: the goodness, holiness, beauty and glory of God. I hear that music resonating in my heart.

    “I don’t need any guide, I already know the way…” I don’t need philosophy, self-help books, pop psychology, religion, gurus, political pundits or spiritual leaders to show me the way to heaven. I already know the way…Jesus is the WAY…and he happens to be the truth and life too!

    Today, I prayed: Lord, “I’m your servant both night and day.” As I hear your heavenly music, I will walk in time with your beat and repeat the song you are singing. I am your servant today and tomorrow. Use me…let my life count for eternity.

    As I listened to this song, the sun was “shinin’” and “the North Wind” was blowing! Now I need to “forget about myself for a while”…say no to the unhealthy self, the false self…that me that wants to establishing the kingdom of self in my heart. “I am gonna to forget about myself”…that old self and let the Spirit recreate the image of Jesus in my heart…so I can live out my real self…so I can “go out and see what others need.”

    We had a great weekend with Jimmie Bratcher, blues guitar player and evangelist from Kansas City, Missouri. We had about 80 guys show up for our multi-church men’s meeting on Saturday night, which exceeded my expectations. Jimmie also played/preached Sunday morning. He did a great job! I took notes on the sermon: I need help from the deiTY, clerGY and laiTY.

    I also had a young woman come up to me after church yesterday. I had prayed for her during the worship service the week before. We believe that God was saying that he wanted to heal someone in their hands. This woman came for prayer with a skin condition on her palm. We prayed and she came back this Sunday and said the condition has cleared up. She has struggled with it for two years. It looks like God answered our prayer.

    Last night, I built a fire in my woodburning stove and finished chapter four of my dissertation. It was the longest section and I am glad to have it done. I am up to page 120 and I only have one more chapter to write. I can see a light at the end of the doctoral tunnel!

    “Feel like my soul is beginning to expand
    Look into my heart and you will sort of understand”
    –Bob Dylan

    1 Comment / Theology /

  • December 13, 2006

    Dylan is still asking: “When You Gonna Wake Up?”

    Here is the final video from Dylan’s 1979 SNL appearance. And how timely is this song! Say what you want about Dylan’s voice, the genius in his music is its lasting quality, it’s prophetic edge, it’s ability to speak for a generation and for future generations. Do you think anybody will be singing or thinking about Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable,” which is #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 list today.
    Give me a break.

    Why is Dylan prophetic?
    Two more Colorado churches have experience moral failures after news of Ted Haggard’s sins became front page news over a month ago. A youth pastorin Greenwood Village was arrested after it was discovered that he “sexually involved” with a 16 year old girl.

    And more recently, Paul Barnes, senior pastor at Grace Chapel in Englewood resigned from his position after 28 years admitting that he has had sexual relationships with men and that “I have struggled with homosexuality since I was a 5-year-old boy….I can’t tell you the number of nights I have cried myself to sleep, begging God to take this away.”

    oh boy….God help us…

    When I was talking with a friend about the Ted Haggard situation, he reminded me that Jesus came with both grace and truth (John 1:8). My response to moral failure continues to be grace and truth. On the side of grace, I have stones to throw. My heart does break for the men, their families and the churches when these thing happen. I was tempted to email one of the churches, just to send them a word of encouragement, like Paul did any many of his epistles. It seems that what is trying to tear the church a part is not persecution and false doctrine that attacked to apostolic church, but sin within church leadership.

    I can hear Dylan ringing in from 1979’s Slow Train Coming. Look at how prophetic these words are. Will we ever wake up???

    When You Gonna Wake Up?
    Bob Dylan

    …Adulterers in churches and pornography in the schools,
    You got gangsters in power and lawbreakers making rules.

    When you gonna wake up, when you gonna wake up
    When you gonna wake up and strengthen the things that remain?

    Spiritual advisors and gurus to guide your every move,
    Instant inner peace and every step you take has got to be approved.

    When you gonna wake up, when you gonna wake up
    When you gonna wake up and strengthen the things that remain?

    Do you ever wonder just what God requires?
    You think He’s just an errand boy to satisfy your wandering desires.

    When you gonna wake up, when you gonna wake up
    When you gonna wake up and strengthen the things that remain?

    There’s a Man up on a cross and He’s been crucified.
    Do you have any idea why or for who He died?

    When you gonna wake up, when you gonna wake up
    When you gonna wake up and strengthen the things that remain?

    Dylan is a bard in the truest sense. [Bard: noun: poet-prophet, declaimer of epic or heroic verse] He is able to go deep and “rip off the lid before its time.” It would seem to me that Dylan’s question is still being asked: When are we gonna wake up and see that God is not there just to satisfy our desires? When are we gonna wake up and see that the way to freedom is through the cross?

    2 Comments / Uncategorized /

  • December 13, 2006

    Bob Dylan “Gonna Serve Somebody” – video

    This video is the second installment of Bob Dylan’s October 1979 appearance on Saturday Night Live. “Gonna Serve Somebody” earned Dylan a Grammy Award in 1980 for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. This song appears on four later Dylan albums, including Dylan & the Dead (1988), recorded with the Grateful Dead.

    This song also seemed to rub John Lennon the wrong way. Lennon wrote “Serve Yourself,” in obvious mockery of Dylan’s “Gonna Serve Somebody.” Lennon recorded “Serve Yourself” as a demo on November 14, 1980, before his death on December 8th that year. Lennon’s song (which is filled with profanity) was released in 1998 on Lennon Anthology. The song begins: “You say you found Jesus Christ…he’s the only one…you say you found Buddah sittin’ in the sun, you say you found Mohammed facin’ to the east…you say you found Krishna dancin’ in the street. Well, there’s somethin’ missin’ in this god almighty stew and it’s your mother, your mother, don’t forget your mother, lad. You gotta serve yourself… nobody gonna do it for you…you gotta serve yourself nobody gonna do it for you…” Lennon’s song is a pitful rant, but it does underscore the power of poetry that remains in Dylan’s songs. Good poetry evokes emotion. Here are the lyrics if you want to follow along. Enjoy!

    Gonna Serve Somebody
    Bob Dylan

    You may be an ambassador to England or France,
    You may like to gamble, you might like to dance,
    You may be the heavyweight champion of the world,
    You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls

    But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
    You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
    Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
    But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

    You might be a rock ‘n’ roll addict prancing on the stage,
    You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage,
    You may be a business man or some high degree thief,
    They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief

    But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
    You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
    Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
    But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

    You may be a state trooper, you might be a young Turk,
    You may be the head of some big TV network,
    You may be rich or poor, you may be blind or lame,
    You may be living in another country under another name

    But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
    You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
    Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
    But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

    You may be a construction worker working on a home,
    You may be living in a mansion or you might live in a dome,
    You might own guns and you might even own tanks,
    You might be somebody’s landlord, you might even own banks

    But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
    You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
    Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
    But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

    You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride,
    You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side,
    You may be workin’ in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair,
    You may be somebody’s mistress, may be somebody’s heir

    But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
    You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
    Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
    But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

    Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk,
    Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk,
    You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread,
    You may be sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a king-sized bed

    But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
    You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
    Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
    But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

    You may call me Terry, you may call me Timmy,
    You may call me Bobby, you may call me Zimmy,
    You may call me R.J., you may call me Ray,
    You may call me anything but no matter what you say

    You’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
    You’re gonna have to serve somebody.
    Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
    But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

    Copyright © 1979 Special Rider Music

    No Comments / Life, Uncategorized /

  • December 7, 2006

    Bob Dylan “I Believe in You” – the video

    In October 1979, Bob Dylan sang three songs on Saturday Night Live: “Gotta Serve Somebody”,”When You Gonna Wake Up” and “I Believe In You.” Thanks to the global digital village and the beauty of youtube, we can all watch all three performances.

    I searched for “Dylan I Believe In You” on youtube and found two other videos of Dylan perfoming “I Believe in You.” One video was from 2004. Dylan’s voice sounds like it was about gone, but it does give me more of an indication of his current faith. I believe that he would not still be singing “I Believe In You” if he had truly departed from his faith in Christ. My wife said that maybe he just likes the song, which may be true. He may continue to sing it as a musician for the artistry. He could pull the existential trump card and say that the song was true when he wrote it, but that it is not true today. I disagree. I think he continues to sing it, because it is still true, he still believes. He is still praying “Don’t let me drift too far…Keep me where you are…Where I will always be renewed.”

    No Comments / Life, Ministry /

  • December 6, 2006

    Bob Dylan “I Believe in You”


    I have mentioned this in a blog before, but I have been listening to more Bob Dylan recently and I cannot get this song out of my head. There is something enduring about Dylan’s songs. It is deeper than just the catchy pop melodies that get stuck in you brain and you get angry because they won’t go away. Dylan has the enduring, folk, persecuted-individualistic, thoughtful song writing ability to produce songs that will be around long after I am gone. This song is from Slow Train Coming (1979). The first of Dylan’s so-called trio of Christian albums. This song speaks of the prophet-pilgrim that stands alone in pursuit of God. It is a passion prayer. It is a song of faith and confidence and it is easy to play on guitar.

    I Believe in You
    Bob Dylan

    They ask me how I feel
    And if my love is real
    And how I know I’ll make it through.
    And they, they look at me and frown,
    They’d like to drive me from this town,
    They don’t want me around
    ‘Cause I believe in you.

    They show me to the door,
    They say don’t come back no more
    ‘Cause I don’t be like they’d like me to,
    And I walk out on my own
    A thousand miles from home
    But I don’t feel alone
    ‘Cause I believe in you.

    I believe in you even through the tears and the laughter,
    I believe in you even though we be apart.
    I believe in you even on the morning after.
    Oh, when the dawn is nearing
    Oh, when the night is disappearing
    Oh, this feeling is still here in my heart.

    Don’t let me drift too far,
    Keep me where you are
    Where I will always be renewed.
    And that which you’ve given me today
    Is worth more than I could pay
    And no matter what they say
    I believe in you.

    I believe in you when winter turn to summer,
    I believe in you when white turn to black,
    I believe in you even though I be outnumbered.
    Oh, though the earth may shake me
    Oh, though my friends forsake me
    Oh, even that couldn’t make me go back.

    Don’t let me change my heart,
    Keep me set apart
    From all the plans they do pursue.
    And I, I don’t mind the pain
    Don’t mind the driving rain
    I know I will sustain
    ‘Cause I believe in you.

    Copyright © 1979 Special Rider Music

    4 Comments / Life /

  • October 2, 2006

    Jesus Camp

    So if you haven’t seen the news reports or any of the video clips for the controversial new indie film Jesus Camp, check it out at http://www.jesuscampthemovie.com. I haven’t seen the entire movie (although I would like to at sometime), so I want to avoid making a snap judgment of the film altogether, but from I have seen it has raised some critical issues for us in the Church, particularly in the Pentecostal/charismatic community to deal with. For me, it raises questions like:

    How do we process Pentecostal spirituality in children’s ministry? How hard do we push our teenagers and children to live “sold out” for Christ?

    How do children process guilt and shame over sin?

    Do those of us in Pentecostal/charismatic youth and children’s ministry use emotion and hype in order to manipulate them?

    If even if we are not trying to be manipulative, is that what is happening when we rely heavily on emotion and hype?

    Are we confusing hype for truth or emotion for spirituality?

    In order to answer these questions, I think that it is important to understand the “Kids on Fire” summer camp, which is featured in the film, in it’s context. I have not done extensive research, but from what I have read it seems that the camp and it’s leaders are clearly within the Pentecostal/charismatic (and therefore evangelical) stream of Christianity. So before you write off these people as freaks, flakes and cult leaders, it is important to see them in the context. Typically, Pentecostal spirituality includes an integration of body, mind, affections and spirit. It is also seized with a apocalyptic vision and fervor to proclaim the gospel before the coming of Christ. (See Steven Land, Pentecostal Spirituality) Over the last 100 years, we have seen a militant motif used a different times by different Pentecostal/charismatic groups, but typically that is what it is…a motif, a metaphor, a symbol, a way of using biblical language to inspire a group of Christians. Some of the media coverage of the movie has made too much of the camp’s use of “war-like” themes. This is not uncommon in a Pentecostal/charismatic context.

    With that said, I am uncomfortable with the clips that I have seen where kids are caused to feel guilty for their sins and for the sins of others. I have not seen the clips in their context, but I have seen enough that it makes me question the camps approach to children’s ministry. Watching the clips on youtube.com has got me thinking whether or not children have the intellectual and emotional maturity to understand what is happening. I don’t think they do. It is obvious that the kids are moved emotionally, but being moved is not the same thing as making a reasoned choice. It is also not the same thing as the working of the Holy Spirit. I do believe that we confuse emotional outward demonstrations with the inward working of the Holy Spirit.

    I think it is critical that we do not try to bully our way past people’s free, a reasoned will in trying to communicate biblcial truth. Overly emotional and guilt-ridden pleas for repentance can do that. Furthermore, the we can no longer equate emotional reactions with what the Holy Spirit is doing. Yes, the Spirit touches our emotions, but the Spirit’s work is so much deeper than that.

    I am eager to watch the film and give a better response, but check out the trailer and email me and let me know what you think.

    No Comments / Ministry /

  • April 17, 2006

    Resurrection Sunday

    What a weekend… Good Friday was good in the sense that we mourned the death of Jesus and all of that was worth it to experience the joy of the resurrection. I really enjoyed preaching on the resurrection this morning. I was thrilled to see a good number of people making decision to connect or reconnect with Christ during our worship service. We opened the service with a video from Igniter Media Group called “That’s My King.” It has audio sermon clips from the late S.M. Lockridge with moving images of Jesus, the cross and the empty tomb set to a cool hip hop beat. Now that is what I call a call to worship! You can watch the video online at worshipmediahouse.com.

    Seven words from an angel has changed the world: HE IS NOT HERE–HE IS RISEN!

    No Comments / Theology /

  • April 15, 2006

    Good Friday

    I am sitting in my office preparing for our Good Friday service which will begin in less than an hour. I was rereading a quote from Will Willimon that I am using in tonight’s message. It is from his new book Sinning Like a Christian and it helps give me a proper perspective on tonight’s focus–the cross of Christ. Will writes,

    Once there was One who came to us, who touched the untouchables, turned his back upon the worlds bright baubles, loved even unto death, and never turned his eyes away from God. And we hated him for it. He came to us with wide-open hands in gracious invitation, seeking us, both patient with us and hotly pursuing us. And thereby he brought out the very worst in us.

    We figured that things between us and God were not all that bad, but when he spoke to us of God, and ourselves, and rubbed our noses in the filthy rags of our presumed righteousness, well, we thought we were good until we met him.

    He called upon us to attempt great moral feats, then watched as we fell flat on our faces. He invited us to join up with this Kingdom, then set that Kingdom’s demands so high that when it came time for us to stand up and show what we were made of, we fled, slithering into the darkness. He said, “Come to me. Take on my yoke.” And we with one voice cried, “Crucify him!

    I left my house this evening alone. I drove to the church alone. There were a few people at the church when I got here, but the building was virtually empty. And now I sit in my office…alone. I guess I feel a little bummed, but then again maybe this is how I should feel tonight. Maybe this should be our tune for the night. I have been meditating on the fact that you cannot experience the joy of the resurrection without going through the sorrow of the cross. This is why the Church for centuries has been celebrating (mourning) Good Friday. It is good, but in a sorrowful way. I am feeling that tonight. I lack the words to adaquately describe how humbled I am by the death of Christ. Such love. Such sacrifice. Such strength. We will end the service tonight with communion and with the simple song:

    O the blood of Jesus,
    O the blood of Jesus,
    O the blood of Jesus
    –it washes white as snow.

    Jesus may you be glorified tonight for your sacrifice, because while sorrow last for the night, joy comes in the morning.

    No Comments / Uncategorized /
← Older Entries
Newer Entries →