Gyms get crowded, nicotine patch sales increase, memberships for weight loss programs grows, and church attendance tends to rise. Why? New years resolutions. This is a natural season of life where we really think about life and how we want to change things for this upcoming year.
What if we could think a little deeper than the typical resolution? What if we could really dig into our lives this January? Well, this is the hope. The next blog series will be going through Jonathan's Edward's "Resolutions" to help propel us to greater commit our lives to Christ.
Jonathan Edwards preaching and writings were a catalyst to what we know as the first great awakening. During his ministry he began to make resolutions to help guide, monitor and gauge his spiritual condition. In them, we find a man who is "determined to bring every area of his life under subjection of the Lordship of Christ and to rest in the sovereignty of God." In these resolutions he gives himself a note that says "remember to read these once a week," which shows us these are not merely ideas he wrote down, but truths he passionaly tried to live by.
Over the next few weeks we will read and examine some of these resolutions, and my hope and prayer is that we would really take to heart these topics. Here we go...
Our mission is to make disciples and to teach them to follow Jesus. This blog seeks to help fuel that mission.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Gifts at Christmas
Christmas morning is quickly approaching...and on that morning families across the world will open presents that have been sitting under the Christmas tree. The fact that there will be presents for you to open shows that God has been gracious to you...but it is also something we must approach with care. Sometimes, when you have all that you need, it is hard to really believe that all you need is Jesus. You might say it, but often life shows that we need Jesus and _____. So here is the question I want to you ask this Christmas: IS JESUS ENOUGH? Truly ask yourself that...without the lights, without the presents, without your health...if all that were gone would this still be a time to celebrate because Jesus is enough?
Corrie Ten Boom, a Holocaust surviver who suffered and lost everything, says: "You can never learn that Christ is all you need, until Christ is all you have." Know this Christmas that he is enough. That if you lost everything except Jesus...you would have everything you ever need!
Read this blog post by Matt Chandler. He is the pastor of my home church, who reflects on his fight with cancer one year after he was diagnosed. Click Here to Read Matt Chandlers Blog Post
Is he enough? Is He why we celebrate?
Merry Christmas!
Corrie Ten Boom, a Holocaust surviver who suffered and lost everything, says: "You can never learn that Christ is all you need, until Christ is all you have." Know this Christmas that he is enough. That if you lost everything except Jesus...you would have everything you ever need!
Read this blog post by Matt Chandler. He is the pastor of my home church, who reflects on his fight with cancer one year after he was diagnosed. Click Here to Read Matt Chandlers Blog Post
Is he enough? Is He why we celebrate?
Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Dwelling on the Nativity
It is hard for us to even begin to imagine what it was like for Mary and Joseph at the time of Jesus' birth. The great reformer, Martin Luther, articulates well some thoughts about the nativity that I would like to share:
"Truly it is marvelous in our eyes that God should place a little child in the lap of a virgin and that all our blessedness should lie in him. And this Child belongs to all mankind. God feeds the whole world through a Babe nursing at Mary's breast. This must be our daily exercise: to be transformed into Christ, being nourished by this food."
On Mary: "There was a poor young wife, Mary of Nazareth, among the meanest dwellers of the town, so little esteemed that none noticed the great wonder that she carried."
On the journey: "How many great ladies and their daughters there were at that time, living in luxury, while the mother of God, on foot, in midwinter trudged her weight across the fields! How unequal it all was!"
On the birth: "There she was without preparation: no light, no fire, in the dead of night, in thick darkness. No one came to give the customary assistance. The guests swarming in the inn were carousing, and no one attended to this woman. … There was the maid of fifteen years bringing forth her first-born without water, fire, light, or pan, a sight for tears!"
On the newborn Jesus: "They must have marveled that this Child was the Son of God. He was also a real human being. Those who say that Mary was not a real mother lose all the joy. He was a true Baby, with flesh, blood, hands and legs. He slept, cried, and did everything else that a baby does only without sin."
On Mary after the birth: "Think, women, there was no one there to bathe the Baby. No warm water, nor even cold. No fire, no light. The mother was herself midwife and the maid. The cold manger was the bed and the bathtub. Who showed the poor girl what to do? She had never had a baby before. I am amazed that the little one did not freeze. Do not make of Mary a stone. It must have gone straight to her heart that she was so abandoned. She was flesh and blood, and must have felt miserable-and Joseph too-that she was left in this way, all alone, with no one to help, in a strange land in the middle of winter. Her eyes were moist even though she was happy, and aware that the Baby was God's Son and the Savior of the world."
"Mary was not only holy. She was also the mother of the Lord. With trembling and reverence, before nestling him to herself, she laid him down, because her faith said to her, 'He will be "the Son of the Highest."' No one else on earth had this faith, not even Joseph, for although he had been informed by the angel the word did not go to his heart as to the heart of Mary, the mother."
May these thoughts about the nativity bring us to worship! To realize the humility it took for the God in the flesh to born to such a situation.
*from Martin Luther's Christmas Book translated by Roland H. Bainton © 1948 The Westminster Press
*from Martin Luther's Christmas Book translated by Roland H. Bainton © 1948 The Westminster Press
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Common Objections to no Santa (Santa, Part 4 of 4)
Here are some common objections I get when people find out that we will not do Santa in our house (note: this is just how we decided to do things in our house based on our convictions. This is not the only way to do things. The purpose of this is to help you think through things to make the best decision for your family based on your Biblical convictions. The goal is not to get more people not doing Santa, rather to get more people thinking intentionally at Christmas.)
Objection: But it is so fun and magical for the kids.
Response: True. But I am willing to have my kids miss out on this joy in hopes that they see a greater joy at Christmas. And lets be honest...what is magical about it isn't the reindeer dust or the cookies...its the fact that they get tons of toys. That doesn't have to change.
Objection: You can have both Santa and Jesus. You don't have to choose.
Response: True. Many people do both and it works out fine...but many people do both and it doesn't. The problem is you don't know which side you fall on until your kids are grown. For us, it isn't worth the risk. The stakes are far too high. (side note: Santa and Jesus are so intertwined in our culture that other countries sell a cross with Santa on it in their marketplaces. This isn't to mock us, rather it is what they think we believe based on what our culture has communicated.)
Objection: I don't want to be over the top. People who don't do Santa are the super conservative Christians who don't get out much.
Response: Don't decide what you do based on the type of people that do it. Base you decision on how you feel you can best raise you children up in the ways of the Lord.
Objection: They will ruin in for others.
Response: They might. You can try to explain to your kids what Santa is and tell them not to tell. They may or may not listen...but if you do choose to not do Santa, you need to try your hardest to protect others who do Santa.
Objection: So we shouldn't do Santa?
Response: You can still do Santa, but if you choose to do it, do it cautiously. The Santa you communicate shouldn't be omniscient, he shouldn't be about giving gifts to only the good children, he shouldn't be used to scare kids into behaving, he shouldn't be central.
Objection: I am a grandparent...what am I supposed to do with this information?
Response: Remember, it isn't about doing or not doing Santa (or other traditions). It is about communicating things Biblically. There are people who do Santa and an incredible job of communicating the purpose of Christmas and making Christ central, while at the same time there are people who don't do Santa yet don't communicate to their kids the true purpose of Christmas. It as all about what you communicate. Talk to your grandkids about what Christmas is about. Take the time to really sit down with them, you may not think they are listening, but they are. It is amazing how many people I have talked to who consider their grandparents role models and a vital part of their spiritual growth. Make this time of year an opportunity to fuel the spiritual growth of your grandkids.
Hope this helps. Happy thinking!
Objection: But it is so fun and magical for the kids.
Response: True. But I am willing to have my kids miss out on this joy in hopes that they see a greater joy at Christmas. And lets be honest...what is magical about it isn't the reindeer dust or the cookies...its the fact that they get tons of toys. That doesn't have to change.
Objection: You can have both Santa and Jesus. You don't have to choose.
Response: True. Many people do both and it works out fine...but many people do both and it doesn't. The problem is you don't know which side you fall on until your kids are grown. For us, it isn't worth the risk. The stakes are far too high. (side note: Santa and Jesus are so intertwined in our culture that other countries sell a cross with Santa on it in their marketplaces. This isn't to mock us, rather it is what they think we believe based on what our culture has communicated.)
Objection: I don't want to be over the top. People who don't do Santa are the super conservative Christians who don't get out much.
Response: Don't decide what you do based on the type of people that do it. Base you decision on how you feel you can best raise you children up in the ways of the Lord.
Objection: They will ruin in for others.
Response: They might. You can try to explain to your kids what Santa is and tell them not to tell. They may or may not listen...but if you do choose to not do Santa, you need to try your hardest to protect others who do Santa.
Objection: So we shouldn't do Santa?
Response: You can still do Santa, but if you choose to do it, do it cautiously. The Santa you communicate shouldn't be omniscient, he shouldn't be about giving gifts to only the good children, he shouldn't be used to scare kids into behaving, he shouldn't be central.
Objection: I am a grandparent...what am I supposed to do with this information?
Response: Remember, it isn't about doing or not doing Santa (or other traditions). It is about communicating things Biblically. There are people who do Santa and an incredible job of communicating the purpose of Christmas and making Christ central, while at the same time there are people who don't do Santa yet don't communicate to their kids the true purpose of Christmas. It as all about what you communicate. Talk to your grandkids about what Christmas is about. Take the time to really sit down with them, you may not think they are listening, but they are. It is amazing how many people I have talked to who consider their grandparents role models and a vital part of their spiritual growth. Make this time of year an opportunity to fuel the spiritual growth of your grandkids.
Hope this helps. Happy thinking!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
The anti-gospel (Santa, Part 3 of 4)
"He's making a list, And checking it twice; Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice; Santa Claus is coming to town"
This is the climax. If I could name the biggest issue I have with Santa, this would be it: Santa communicates an idea that is the complete opposite of the gospel...so opposite that it is an attack on the true gospel. But know that this isn't something that just Santa communicates, this is something our culture is saturated with.
Here is the Readers Digest version of the gospel: All of us have sinned and fallen short of what God commands. The penalty for our rebellion in death and separation from God. It is too late for us. There is nothing we can do or work up that can get us back into right standing with God. Our only hope is that God himself pays the penalty. Since the sin was against God, someone equal to God must pay it. Since the sin was committed by man, a man must pay it. Thus, Jesus Christ is our only hope: fully God and fully man. He paid our penalty because he is gracious and merciful, not because of anything we have done. And to receive this gift, all we have to do is believe in the person and work of Jesus. Nothing will earn the salvation he gives.
So here is the gospel and Santa contrasted:
Santa's gifts are given to the good kids. Christ's gifts are given to the bad ones (which is all of us).
Santa's gifts are based on works. Christ's are based on faith.
Santa tells us we can do it on our own. Christ tells us we can't...but he already has.
Santa weighs the good vs. bad. God looks at the good: Jesus
Santa is all about "stuff." Christ is all about relationship.
Santa cares about your actions. Christ cares about your heart.
Santa makes us feel entitled (we earned it). Christ makes us feel grateful (we don't deserve it).
Santa makes Christmas about gifts. God makes Christmas about the giver.
Karma is everywhere, and this is no exception. It is the idea that if we are good we should get good, and if we are bad we get bad. But how do you explain the fact that thousands of "good" people die each day unexpectedly. Karma is the idea that if my good outweighs the bad then I can get to heaven. But if you commit a crime it doesn't matter how many time you served in the soup kitchen or how much money you gave to charity. The jury is looking at the crime you committed. We have committed a crime against God and that penalty must be paid.
Please, if nothing else, protect the gospel this Christmas season. Teach of God's grace. Teach of how everything we have been given...everything...is a gift from God. Teach of how we fall short of what God commands, and how we need a Savior. Teach that we cannot do good apart from Jesus. That we can't earn our way to heaven. Teach that Jesus is enough. Teach the gospel in all you do, and let nothing get in the way of this precious gift we have been given!
This is the climax. If I could name the biggest issue I have with Santa, this would be it: Santa communicates an idea that is the complete opposite of the gospel...so opposite that it is an attack on the true gospel. But know that this isn't something that just Santa communicates, this is something our culture is saturated with.
Here is the Readers Digest version of the gospel: All of us have sinned and fallen short of what God commands. The penalty for our rebellion in death and separation from God. It is too late for us. There is nothing we can do or work up that can get us back into right standing with God. Our only hope is that God himself pays the penalty. Since the sin was against God, someone equal to God must pay it. Since the sin was committed by man, a man must pay it. Thus, Jesus Christ is our only hope: fully God and fully man. He paid our penalty because he is gracious and merciful, not because of anything we have done. And to receive this gift, all we have to do is believe in the person and work of Jesus. Nothing will earn the salvation he gives.
So here is the gospel and Santa contrasted:
Santa's gifts are given to the good kids. Christ's gifts are given to the bad ones (which is all of us).
Santa's gifts are based on works. Christ's are based on faith.
Santa tells us we can do it on our own. Christ tells us we can't...but he already has.
Santa weighs the good vs. bad. God looks at the good: Jesus
Santa is all about "stuff." Christ is all about relationship.
Santa cares about your actions. Christ cares about your heart.
Santa makes us feel entitled (we earned it). Christ makes us feel grateful (we don't deserve it).
Santa makes Christmas about gifts. God makes Christmas about the giver.
Karma is everywhere, and this is no exception. It is the idea that if we are good we should get good, and if we are bad we get bad. But how do you explain the fact that thousands of "good" people die each day unexpectedly. Karma is the idea that if my good outweighs the bad then I can get to heaven. But if you commit a crime it doesn't matter how many time you served in the soup kitchen or how much money you gave to charity. The jury is looking at the crime you committed. We have committed a crime against God and that penalty must be paid.
Please, if nothing else, protect the gospel this Christmas season. Teach of God's grace. Teach of how everything we have been given...everything...is a gift from God. Teach of how we fall short of what God commands, and how we need a Savior. Teach that we cannot do good apart from Jesus. That we can't earn our way to heaven. Teach that Jesus is enough. Teach the gospel in all you do, and let nothing get in the way of this precious gift we have been given!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Omniscience is for fairy tales? (Santa, Part 2 of 4)
"He sees you when you're sleeping, He knows when you're awake, He knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake!"
One of characteristics of God that distinguishes Him from anyone/anything else is his omniscience. He knows all. This shows his greatness, for what else can know even the intentions of our hearts? Well, this song would put Santa into that all knowing camp. But this is just for fun...it is harmless right?
There will come a day when Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Toothfaily, and all the like will cease to be believed in. There will come a time when kids realize that that is silly fairly tale stuff. Logic will tell them there is no way for a man to deliver presents all around the world in one night, that deer can't fly, that Santa can't fit through the chimney, and that there is no way for anyone to know everything we do.
Did you see that? If Santa is fake then what he does is fake...and one of those things is his omniscience. While it is true that Santa isn't omniscient, could it be that the whole idea of omniscience is put into the fairy tale category? On the surface this may not be seen as a big deal, but anytime we credit what is reserved for God to someone else, than it is a big deal to Him. He alone is God, set apart from everything else.
When the "magic" is over, what do we and our kids believe? This is what we must think about. Of course they enjoy it at the time...they would also enjoy eating cookies for dinner every night. But what is the long term effect? We are instilling in our kids and grand kids ideas that will affect them, even if they can never put a finger on where that viewpoint came from.
If you choose to do Santa this year and in years to come, this, and all the other Santa blogs, hope to help you seriously think through how you communicate Santa and Jesus to your kids and grand kids. Make it fun, but not spiritually dangerous.
One of characteristics of God that distinguishes Him from anyone/anything else is his omniscience. He knows all. This shows his greatness, for what else can know even the intentions of our hearts? Well, this song would put Santa into that all knowing camp. But this is just for fun...it is harmless right?
There will come a day when Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Toothfaily, and all the like will cease to be believed in. There will come a time when kids realize that that is silly fairly tale stuff. Logic will tell them there is no way for a man to deliver presents all around the world in one night, that deer can't fly, that Santa can't fit through the chimney, and that there is no way for anyone to know everything we do.
Did you see that? If Santa is fake then what he does is fake...and one of those things is his omniscience. While it is true that Santa isn't omniscient, could it be that the whole idea of omniscience is put into the fairy tale category? On the surface this may not be seen as a big deal, but anytime we credit what is reserved for God to someone else, than it is a big deal to Him. He alone is God, set apart from everything else.
When the "magic" is over, what do we and our kids believe? This is what we must think about. Of course they enjoy it at the time...they would also enjoy eating cookies for dinner every night. But what is the long term effect? We are instilling in our kids and grand kids ideas that will affect them, even if they can never put a finger on where that viewpoint came from.
If you choose to do Santa this year and in years to come, this, and all the other Santa blogs, hope to help you seriously think through how you communicate Santa and Jesus to your kids and grand kids. Make it fun, but not spiritually dangerous.
Monday, December 13, 2010
You better watch out? (Santa, Part 1 of 4)
"You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout I'm telling you why...Santa Clause is coming to town."
What do we celebrate on Christmas? This is the first question we must ask. Christmas is a time we celebrate the birth of our sweet savior, Jesus Christ. The world awaited his coming, and this is the day we worship Him. We praise Him, for in His grace and mercy he humbled himself to leave his heavenly home, take on flesh, so he could one day die in our place for our sins. What a glorious time to celebrate! How can this be, that Jesus has done this for me...for you...
But I turn on the radio and hear lyrics such as one one above and cringe. This song is teaching us to primarily worry about actions. Are you jealous? Well just don't pout about it...keep it to yourself. Are you mad? Don't cry and make a scene about it. This is completely counter to what Jesus teaches. Jesus is after the heart, not merely actions. The issue is not the pouting, but the jealousy that caused it. He is not after externally moral creatures...for if he was he would not have so viciously attacked the Pharisees. Jesus is after the heart. In a marriage, a husband desires his wife to truly love him, not just do things for him out of obligation...and Jesus is the same way. He doesn't want merely actions, he wants a heart of love. This is why Jesus motivates not from fear (if you aren't good you get coal), but love (you aren't good, but I love you) Don't let Santa influence to try to be perceived a certain way. Let Jesus motivate you to BE a certain way.
[The Santa series intent is to help us think deeply about the things we celebrate and do. Since Santa is a deeply ingrained tradition in most households, this blog series will unintentionally pinch some nerves inside you. This is not the intention. The intention is to have us think Biblically about everything, which is increasingly more difficult in our culture. The things addressed in this series are not just issues seen at Christmas, rather I am using Santa and this season to bring to light a general worldview our culture bombards us with.]
What do we celebrate on Christmas? This is the first question we must ask. Christmas is a time we celebrate the birth of our sweet savior, Jesus Christ. The world awaited his coming, and this is the day we worship Him. We praise Him, for in His grace and mercy he humbled himself to leave his heavenly home, take on flesh, so he could one day die in our place for our sins. What a glorious time to celebrate! How can this be, that Jesus has done this for me...for you...
But I turn on the radio and hear lyrics such as one one above and cringe. This song is teaching us to primarily worry about actions. Are you jealous? Well just don't pout about it...keep it to yourself. Are you mad? Don't cry and make a scene about it. This is completely counter to what Jesus teaches. Jesus is after the heart, not merely actions. The issue is not the pouting, but the jealousy that caused it. He is not after externally moral creatures...for if he was he would not have so viciously attacked the Pharisees. Jesus is after the heart. In a marriage, a husband desires his wife to truly love him, not just do things for him out of obligation...and Jesus is the same way. He doesn't want merely actions, he wants a heart of love. This is why Jesus motivates not from fear (if you aren't good you get coal), but love (you aren't good, but I love you) Don't let Santa influence to try to be perceived a certain way. Let Jesus motivate you to BE a certain way.
[The Santa series intent is to help us think deeply about the things we celebrate and do. Since Santa is a deeply ingrained tradition in most households, this blog series will unintentionally pinch some nerves inside you. This is not the intention. The intention is to have us think Biblically about everything, which is increasingly more difficult in our culture. The things addressed in this series are not just issues seen at Christmas, rather I am using Santa and this season to bring to light a general worldview our culture bombards us with.]
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