Admirable

In this Thinksgiving week challenge that I gave us in my post last week (The Thinksgiving Week Challenge), the day I had the hardest finding an example verse for was the word "admirable."  If we are to think on things that are admirable, where is that in the Bible?  The Philippians 4:8 verse is the only place I found the word "admirable."  Surely there was admiration going on, especially of Jesus, but it does not use that word.

That is why I went with the word "marvel" and used the example in Matthew 15:31 that the crowd observing Jesus "marveled" at his works of healing.  We don't do enough marveling or admiring today, especially of Jesus.  Anger, criticism and judgment are much easier and much more prevalent.  When we think on those negative things, we do negative things.

Years ago I heard a story about a college football game where the coach had to make a tough decision.  The starting quarterback went down with an injury.  The back up was sick with the flu and not suited up.  The only quarterback left on the team was a freshman who had never taken a snap.  On top of all that, the opposing team had just downed a punt inside the five yard line.

So the coach called the freshman over and told him to go no huddle on offense and to hand the ball off on two successive plays to the running back, then on the third play to surprise the opposing team by punting the ball.  The coach knew the freshman had been a punter as well as quarterback in high school.  The freshman went into the game angry that the coach only trusted him to hand off and to punt, he knew he could do more than that.  His ego was bruised and he was steaming that his coach only wanted him to get the team out of trouble but he did what he was told.

The first handoff went for a minimal gain, but on the second running play, the running back took the ball and broke through the defense and down the field all the way to the opponents two yard line.  The freshman hurried his team to the line of scrimmage and just as he had been told, he punted it on the third play.  Of course the ball went through the end zone resulting in a touchback so that the other team got the ball on the 20 yard line.

When the quarterback got back to the sideline, the coached yelled at him, "What were you thinking?"  To which the freshman shot back, "That we have the dumbest coach in the country to call those plays!"

When we think negatively, we feel negative things and we act negatively - and it is all completely natural to us.  What happens when we learn to admire?   When we learn to marvel, especially at the things Jesus is doing?  Today, let's try to find out.  This may the be best way to turn "Thinksgiving" into "Thanksgiving."

for the journey...
Tim

Thinksgiving

No, that title is not a typo.  That is a specific challenge that I have given to us at Northside for the coming week.  If you are reading this without hearing the sermon, "Fixing Your Thoughts" on November 16.  We are studying eight things that Paul challenges the church there to think about from Philippians 4:8.

So if you are willing give this a try this week:

The Thinksgiving Week Challenge

Each day there will be focus word from that verse as well as another scripture verse to help us fix our thoughts on that word.

Day 1 – Sunday:  “whatever is true…”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6

Day 2 – Monday:  “whatever is noble…”

(From the Parable of the sower, speaking about the seeds that fell on good soil).

“But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.”  Luke 8:15 NKJV

Day 3 – Tuesday:  “whatever is right…”

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”  James 1:19-20

Day 4 – Wednesday:  “whatever is pure…”

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”  Psalm 51:10

Day 5 – Thursday:  “whatever is lovely…”

“How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty!   My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”  Psalm 84:1-2

Day 6 – Friday:  “whatever is admirable…”

“So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.”  Matthew 15:31 NASB

Day 7 – Saturday:  “whatever is excellent…”
“Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.”  1 Timothy 3:13

Day 8 – Sunday:  “whatever is …praiseworthy…”

“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.”  Psalm 145:3

“…think about such things.”

A Little Peace and Chaos

"It was the biggest crisis of my life and I had peace.  It was incredible."  That was the statement I heard from a young man this week who was recounting how God worked in his situation. His premature, new born baby was in a neonatal ICU - struggling.  The young man's father had come to visit and he had a major health crisis and ended up in the ICU in another part of the hospital.  Crises do not usually crash into our lives alone.

So how do we get peace when your child and your father are both in ICU?  The interesting thing about where God teaches us peace (as well as patience, kindness, love and pretty much every fruit of the Spirit) is that it comes in the places where it is hardest for them to naturally exist.  In the places where it seems life takes peace, God teaches peace.  He takes us beyond the natural to grow the supernatural. 

Think about that in your life.  Have you ever learned patience without actually being in a place where you have to wait?  I haven't.  Peace is the same way; God teaches it to us in the crisis and the chaos.  If we learn it there, peace will be there when the crisis and chaos go away.  And the peace will be stronger.

This Sunday we are going to be learning about God's peace.  I have a sneaking suspicion that many of us are in a place to learn it  - right now.

for the journey...

Tim

Being a Peacemaker

It is sad that the only thing we know about two people named in Paul's letter to the church at Philippi is that they did not get along.  Euodia and Syntyche are called on by name to stop their squabble ( Philippians 4:2-3). 

What a shame.  They were probably really good women who served passionately in their church and in their community.  Maybe they fed the hungry, clothed the poor, ministered to the sick.  Paul even says they "contended by side in the cause of the gospel."  But the only reason they are remembered today is for the fight Paul called them to quit.  None of us want to be remembered that way, but how can we be remembered as a peace maker not a peace breaker?

I think the words of the former Chaplain of the United States Senate, Richard Halverson can help.  I am certain he saw his share of peace breakers so that the peace makers stood out this way.

"You can offer your ideas to others as bullets or as seeds.  You can shoot them or you can sow them; hit people in the head with them or plant them in their hearts. Ideas used as bullets will kill inspiration and neutralize motivation.  Used as seeds, they take root, grow and become reality in the life in which they are planted.

The only risk in the seed approach:  Once it grows and becomes a part of those in whom it's planted, you probably will get not credit for originating the idea.  But if you're willing to do without the credit...you'll reap a rich harvest."

Euodia and Syntyche were bullet shooters not seed planters.  They got credit for the bullets they fired at one another, that's for sure.  What will you be remembered for in your church?  Bullets or seeds?  This Sunday we will meet to evaluate where we are on this.  Maybe we will even plant some peace seeds.

for the journey...

Tim

Happiness or Joy?

Barbara tried to keep her balance as the bus lurched forward.  She had arrived late for work and work that day was very nerve wracking.  When she got on the bus to go home, it was so crowded she had to stand.  That added to her gloominess.  While she was holding on to keep from falling into a complete stranger, she heard a deep male voice boom out, "Beautiful day, isn't?"

She could not see the speaker or the one he was speaking to but he was the only one speaking on the whole bus.  Barbara continued to hear him comment on the spring day and for the first time she realized it really was a pretty day.  The voice commented occasionally on different things they were passing by and each time her attention was drawn outside the bus and outside of herself. The man mentioned a church as they drove by and the good work they were doing in the community.  As they passed by a park, he had positive comments on it.  It happened the same way as they passed a fire station and several other landmarks. 

The speaker seemed to know something positive, something not seen on the surface, about a whole lot of things.  Barbara found herself smiling for the first time that day.  When the bus came to her stop she just had to maneuver herself so she could see her positive bus ride commentator.  He was a plump man with a black beard, wearing dark glasses and carrying a long, thin white cane.

Barbara Johnson's story reminds me that sometimes we have to see the unseen to experience the joy that is possible in life.  If happiness comes or goes according to what happens, joy comes from how we choose to look at things.  Paul calls us to "Rejoice in the Lord always."  That may mean I have to look for what is present but unseen in order to rejoice.  We will look at that passage Sunday and Paul's call to rejoice, always.  I pray we all see things we have not seen before.

for the journey...

Tim

Death with Dignity?

I have heard much about Brittany Maynard and her plans as a 29 year old newly wed to end her own life.  If you have not heard of her chances are you will. You will probably not hear much about another young woman who is facing death but you need to hear about her story too.  Dr. Jim Denison addresses both in the article for which I have included the link below.  It is not long but I believe everyone of us needs to read this.  It is far better and more important than what I had planned to post today.  Please take a moment to read this.


http://www.denisonforum.org/cultural-commentary/1196-29-year-old-brittany-maynard-and-death-with-dignity

for the journey...

Tim

Rituals: Right or Rite?

Not long after I became pastor of one of my previous churches, one of the deacons came to me after a baptism and said, "Preacher, you are baptizing people wrong."  I asked what he meant by that, I was sure that I had gotten our last candidate totally immersed which I thought was pretty much the only real point for Baptists.  "They are facing the wrong way.  When we baptize people here they face the other direction" he said.  I wondered if there was some verse in Titus of Philemon that taught the proper direction to face when being baptized; perhaps I had been absent that day in seminary when they covered that.

I did not really understand what he meant and after a few more questions that only made me look worse in his eyes something dawned on me.  I asked him if my predecessor had been left handed?  The previous pastor had been there for many years and, yes, he was left handed.  I told him that I was right handed and wanted my right hand underneath people when they were baptized.  That was the reason they were facing the way they were when I baptized them.  That really wasn't good enough for him but we left it that this may in fact be a "disputable matter" not clearly spelled out in Titus, Philemon or even in the various interpretations of Revelation.

It is interesting what becomes a sacred to people and why.  I have had similar conversations with people when the Lord's Supper elements where not covered with a white sheet and when a baptismal candidate wore something other than white as they were being baptized.  It seems to often happen around our two "ordinances" that we observe as Baptists - baptism and the Lord's Supper.

This Sunday, we are going to do both and I will preach about both - how there is a common thread shared in baptism and the Lord's Supper.  From time to time we need to ask ourselves why we do what we do.  Is it out of ritual or out of a relationship?  

The truth is I think most of us who go to church often have some things that have become rituals to us.  We may not realize it until a new pastor comes in and baptizes people facing the wrong way.  Then what we have made sacred is revealed in our disappointment and we are forced to examine ourselves.  That self examination seems to be something I have read a verse or two about.

What is sacred?  What is not? What is right and what is simply a rite?  I hope you will be there.  I am sure there will be some comments.  I will even let you weigh in on whether our baptismal candidates faced the right direction or not.

for the journey...

Tim