Think

I think about God alot. I think that my thoughts about God should actually shape the way that I interact with other people. I think that my thoughts don't always result in action. I think that I shrink down the story of God far too often and I think that I let my thoughts about God become my thoughts.... my shrunken down, shriveled thoughts about God rather than the reality that God is magnanimous and incalculable. At times, I allow my thoughts about God to actually box Him in my mind and in my heart and in my actions. And, I'll just be honest. Boxing God does not sound very wise.

'Thinking about God' is the definition of theology. Theo = 'I'm thinking about it'.... Logos = Word or 'the Word which is God'. Honestly, the one sentence from this weekend that is just kicking my tail was that 'God just might be bigger than my theology.' I think that God is constantly revealing Himself to me (through His word, circumstances, the church, people, creation, my kids, my friends, etc)... I think that I want to be so attuned to God that I am in a constant state of growth. I want to be in a constant state of pursuit and passion for Him. I want to become more and more like Christ. I want God to feel free to break through my traditions.... I want God to break through my cultural upbringing... I want to break through any remnants of 'southern religion'... I want to erase racial tensions passed down from one generation to the next..... I WANT God to be bigger than my theology! I want to think of Him as God. I want to explore the height and depth and width of the living God and recognize that I have only touched an infinitesimal facet of Him!

The guys that followed Jesus around (disciples) just blew it in the account in Matthew 15. They had good thoughts about Jesus. They liked Him. They just thought that Jesus was an academic thought, not someone that actually changed their lives. When faced with a choice, they felt free to ignore the impassioned teaching of Christ and fell back on default (traditions/ teaching/ ethnic superiority). Jesus was saying... shouting.... teaching that He and the ways of God are far superior to their theology. He was begging them to apply... to have the Word of God shape and change their lives! That might just portray Love, Actually!

I think that I am like these guys alot. I think that I am like them much more than I desire. I think that I might tend to shrink the story and fall back on my 'thoughts'. I think that I want that to stop. I think that I want to know God.... to know Him with all that I am... to know His ways... to live with abandon.... to follow Him relentlessly. Jesus, may your Word explode in my heart and dwell in me richly. More profoundly, may Your Word live in and through me fully so that the world sees me and catches a glimpse of what Jesus might look like.

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For the Glory,
Mark

Test....

It was another amazing weekend in the life of Emmanuel. I had the joy of being booed by our Saturday evening crowd (mob... riotous group.... fanatics : ).... We are going to 'rest' Saturdays in the summer and move to 3 Worship Encounters on the weekend. As expected, some of the Saturday gang was less than thrilled, but incredibly understanding. It really is our passion to move the body of Christ into the community when the community 'gathers.' On Saturdays, the community gathers at birthday parties, ballgames, air shows, parades, cookouts... it is a day of being social. As we have prayed, thought about our "Encounter" times in light of our passion for being "in" the community, we really felt that it is our role to be with people who are seeking Christ when they gather. Equally important for our staff is our ability to be with our kids during momentous moments in their lives. We've missed entire seasons of sport.... pageants.... parades..... and significant moments that we just can't reclaim as a mom or a dad. I/ we hope that our decision makes sense. We really hope that you guys know that we've been asking God for wisdom about this decision for months!

Beyond the Saturday "boo" fest, I was intensely challenged to remember that life really is a test. That my everyday actions, attitudes, interrelationships will do one of two things. I am either gathering people around the cross of Jesus Christ or I am scattering them from Christ. I know that life is a test and that the character of Christ must be lived out through my life. I recognize that intergrity and character happen in everyday, normal, going to work, interacting at a restaurant, being a husband, being a co-worker moments. I continue to realize the vitality of what it means to allow the 'weight/ glory' of who Christ is to fall on this earth through me. I long for me... for us to be 'fierce with the reality' of Christ. I long for there to be someOne who lives with such passion in and through me that my life is inexplicable. As I consider my life is a test (one that lends proof to the character of the living God), the question asked by Rob Bell filets me. If my life lends credence to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, do people check 'yes' to the resurrection based upon who I am in Him?

That's weighty with responsibility. The good news about this tested life is that it is an open book test. God invites us to be a people who deeply love His Word. Who spend inordinate amounts of time devouring His Word. Who allow His Word to dwell in us richly. I really think that our capacity to navigate the 'tests' of life are directly attributable to our passion for and hunger for the Word of God. His character becomes our very own as His Word comes alive in us.

May God's Word continue to resurrect God's character in our lives as we walk through this journey called life. When that happens, we might just learn to love, actually.

Feel free to comment below.

For the Glory,

Mark

Life

Easter weekend was fresh. Friday night was just awful. I watched The Passion of the Christ and it was an act of endurance to watch the film twice in one night (needless to say, I think my act of endurance was quite miniscule in comparison to the actual passion itself!!!). While painful, it was quite beautiful and intensely humbling to join in communion while watching the passion. Honestly, I cannot think of a more meaningful moment of communion than viewing the horror of the cross and the consummate price paid for my freedom. Thank you, Jesus Christ, for the cross and the eternal ramifications of the 'finished' work of the cross. I am quite confident that I am merely touching the hem of understanding of the profound work done at the cross.

The good news of Easter is that the cross is an amazing act. Yet, Jesus felt free to blow up the grave and death and rise again! He is Life!! Even more, He extends life to each of us. I think that my biggest takeaway from this weekend was from the story of Lazarus. He was dead.... dead as a doorknob.... dead as a duck... dead as a doornail.... 6 feet under.... pushing up daisies.... That fella was gone. Jesus stepped up to the tomb and invited Lazarus out of the grave. Okay, I do think its profound that Lazarus was dead and is dead no longer according to this account.

What really challenged me was this reality... the greatest gift that Jesus gave Lazarus was one more day. He gave him life and invited him to recognize that he gets another gift of a day. He gets another moment to breath. He gets a second shot. I am thinking that Jesus didn't resurrect Lazarus to take up space on the planet. I am really thinking that Jesus resurrected him to live for the glory, renown, character, and fame of Jesus in this earth. Lazarus has one more day and that day is a gift of grace.

Jesus Christ stepped into my life 31 years ago and replaced my dead heart with a new heart and a new passion for Him. I embraced the epic story of God in Christ 31 years ago and Jesus resurrected my life. I really think that He did not resurrect me in order that I simply fritter life away! I think that my dead heart now beats for One Thing... One Person... One fame... and One passion.... to elevate Jesus Christ in this earth.

You've been given today. It's a gift. Here's a thought - Love deeply. Speak with grace. Forgive freely. Get to know God well. Live with abandon for the glory of God alone. Today is a gift.. enjoy this day!

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For the Glory,

Mark

Power

Hey Jesus, who's first? Who gets the seat beside you? Where is your power? When will you invoke your Kingdom? Jesus crests a hill and a group of people are pretty revved about power! A political Kingdom is cresting a hill on a colt. At least that's what they are thinking. Could it be that Jesus is invoking the 'power' of God and Rome will be overthrown. Will we be first? Will we be powerful? Will we establish our reign on this earth? Bring the power....

Jesus did. He washed the feet of His disciples. He fed them. He told them of sacrifice... passion... the giving of body and blood. He talked of the least being first. He talked about submission to one another. He talked about selflessness. He talked of true power, found in true servitude. He talked about sacrifice. He talked about laying down our lives. He talked about laying down His own. Then, He did it.

He ventured from hill of waving palm branches to a meal of friendship, love, and a sharing of the future to a garden of submission of will. Jesus, with blood dripping from His brow, simply said to God the Father, it's not about my will or my power or my place or my rule. It's about Your will. Jesus submitted to God's will. He submitted to the cross. He submitted to true power.... giving His life away for the freedom of multitudes.

Jesus demonstrated power by willfully being nailed to a cross. By bearing the sins of the world. By breathing His last breath (for a moment) as He bore our sin. Power. Yeah, on a hill a man personified power.

What if the Kingdom of God, in its pure form, is through weakness and vulnerability, sacrifice and love? What if all other 'kingdoms' are trite and petty? What if the hope of mankind... my hope... your hope lies in this paradox of power: the way of Christ is truly prolific through scandalous weakness; the only way to be powerful is through remarkable vulnerability; to live is to die; the way to success is by submission.

If true, then our small thrones and our minute kingdoms pale. Our grasps for temporal power are truly a joke. Our jockey for position and to be 'right' are, at best, humorous and potentially lethal.

Matthew 26.40-41.... I truly believe that these are fulcrum verses. Jesus looks at a few who desperately wanted to serve Him. He said, the place of power..... real power.... world changing power is found in awakening to the will, direction, and passion for my Father. Can you not stay awake long enough to truly discover His heart? Can we? Will we? The Kingdom of God is near. Seek His Kingdom and not your own!

Power.... Ironically, the power found in the Kingdom of God is antithetical to almost every construct of power in our vision and vocabulary. Perhaps God is pretty well aware that His ways and ours don't always mesh. Perhaps that's why we desperately need to spend an hour with God....depths of time with Him. Let's go after Him.

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For the Glory,
Mark