Follow Me

In the book Scully, there is a dialogue between Steve Jobs, the late founder of Apple Computers and John Scully, who at the time was president of Pepsi. Jobs was attempting to recruit Scully for the top job at Apple and he asked Scully, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?”

Great question.  But Jesus asked a similar one centuries before to Peter and Andrew...

   “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”  At once they left their nets and followed him.”  Matthew 4:18-20

...and to Matthew 

“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.”  Matthew 9:9

Essentially, Jesus asked... Do you want to spend the rest of your life fishing, tax collecting, etc.  or do you want to change the world?  Do you want to make an impact here on Earth... or for eternity?  

He’s asking the same thing to us.  Think about yesterday... was it lived for Christ?  Did you extend grace?  Help someone in need?  Share the Gospel with someone?  Donate, sacrifice, or assist? Pray? Read the Bible?  Make a change that will improve your quality of life?  Who did we choose to follow yesterday?  Are we selling sugar water or changing the world?

If you choose Jesus... what does that mean?  How does a world-changer live?

Unselfishly - Others first

Intentionally - Today matters

Hopefully - I will never give up

Lovingly - Unconditional and complete love

Generously - Giving obediently

Gracefully - 2nd chances… and 22nd chances to those that hurt me

Confidently - God’s got this.

Sugar-water sellers do what they did yesterday.    Clinging to the status quo like a security blanket... choosing survival over sacrifice.  They tread water in an ocean of mediocrity.  You weren’t born for that.  You’re meant to be a world-changer.  World-changers are called by Jesus to stand out... to give everything to Him.  Today... choose Christ over convenience.  Break the mold of yesterday and emerge stronger... ready to drop everything, follow Him, and be a living example of Christ’s heart.  

As If They Had Never Been Away

At the end of the Civil War, President Lincoln was asked how he was going to treat Southerners when they returned to the Union. The questioner expected that Lincoln would be bitter... vengeful... certainly he would make them earn their way back in... His answer... "I will treat them as if they had never been away."

An unusual response.  After all, the Southerners that had seceded from the Union had killed thousands of northern soldiers... destroyed property... and seemed to support everything the North had fought to change.  Why wouldn’t Lincoln make them pay?  Why didn’t the president seek to even the score... make them come crawling back... cause them to suffer for what they had done?  History wouldn’t have blamed him, right?

Why didn’t Lincoln do these things?  Because he understood the truth as told in Romans 12:17-21

“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

This is one of those passages of scripture that many like to read quickly and move on.  After all, look at the list of what God tells us to do... 

Repay evil with good...

Do what’s honorable when the other person hasn’t been honorable...

Live peaceably with others when they don’t deserve it...

Don’t seek revenge...

Be kind to our enemies...

How?  Why?  Doesn’t seem fair does it.   The world screams to get even... and God says don’t.  Our friends tell us to make them pay... and God says “Trust Me, I’ll take care of it.”  Why would anyone follow these directives?  Why would anybody treat people better than they were treated?  Why would someone give up their right to settle things their own way?

Simple.  Because that’s what Christ did.  Sinless Christ.  The King of Kings.  All man... all God... perfect and unblemished.  He climbed up and let His own creation nail Him to a cross... pierce His side with a spear... put a crown of ragged thorns on His head… And as people mocked and spit at Him.... He was forgiving those doing it before the saliva could even dry.  So much injustice... so much undeserved hatred toward the Son of God...

Met with so much love.  Jesus chose to show compassion and forgive.  Why should we waive our right at revenge?  Because Christ did.

I can imagine your thoughts as you read this....  Pastor, you don’t know what they did.  If I treat them this way...they win, don’t they?  If I turn the other cheek...they’ll just hit me on that one too....Jesus didn’t say it would be easy...  But real growth...real faith... real and long lasting change never is.  Resist the urge to dismiss these verses as impossible.  Don’t give in to the enemy telling you that this doesn’t apply...  doing the Godly thing is rarely popular or easy...

However, it is obedient.  It is blessable.  And it is always the right choice...  

Don't Rush

To live the life you’ve always wanted you can’t be hurried.  

No rush.  No elevated heartbeat as you race to your next destination.  No hypertension... no ticking clock... no must-do agenda.  When we become hurried and push ourselves too hard, we lose the ability and capacity to love others.  Love takes time... and we can’t give what we don’t have.  If we are too busy... we might not be loving those around us at the level they need us to.  Plus, when we are in a hurry, we get angry much more quickly.   Our fuse shortens.  We snap at those we love... hoping that they’ll understand the pressure we’re under.  The closer the relationship it seems... the harsher the tone we use.  They’ll get over it... they are family.  

Right?

I talk to so many who claim that they have to hurry to get everything done.  I contend that if we can’t stop during our day to love people... take care of ourselves... and most importantly, talk to and praise God... than we’re too busy.   

Hurry sickness is real... and it’s not Biblical.  So many claim to follow Christ.  If Christ is their leader... than why do they spend their waking hours trying to outrun Him?  To outdo Him?  To handle things they aren’t supposed to in an attempt to win more favor from Him... so that He’ll bless them with even more opportunity... so they can add more to an already overbooked schedule.  You can’t earn favor.  He gives that away freely because He loves you unconditionally. 

If you are following Christ.  Follow Him.  He’s not running.  

While He was on the earth, Jesus Christ was never in a hurry.  He walked slowly enough to feel an old woman tug at his robe... stopped long enough to visit with Mary and Martha... and allowed little children to run up to Him so He could give them a hug.  Christ-followers stay behind their leader.  They let Him set the pace.

I know what some of you are saying... Pastor, that’s easy for you to say... you don’t live my life!  You’re right.  You are busy and it’s hard.  You’ve got bills to pay, kids to feed, and a boss that gives you the workload of two employees.  You’ve got professors who give you massive papers to write at the same time... a leaky roof... and in-laws who insist on calling you and telling you how disappointed they are in you.  I hear you...  But I also know that God has asked us to do two things:  Love Him first and love our neighbors as ourselves.  In fact, love is what we are supposed to be known for...

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  John 13:35

Do you have time to love others?  To hear their needs?  To empathize with their situations?   LIfe isn’t about how much we can pack in before we head out... it’s about how many people we come into contact with and affect with the love of Christ.   I’m not saying you can abandon what you need to do to get through things.  What I am saying is that you’ve got to spend some time re-prioritizing and choosing the great tasks over just the good ones.   Commit today to look for some open space in your schedule and purposefully use it to read God’s Word and love others.  Make a list of the most important people in your life... do they know you love them?  When was the last time they got some uninterrupted quality time with you?  Maybe it’s been too long.  Maybe you’ve come down with a case of hurry sickness.  We want to partner together with you to help you discover and embrace the cure...

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’”  Matthew 11:28

Weary? 

Have heavy burdens?

Stressed out? 

Hurried?

Come to Christ.  He will give you the rest you seek.

Watch Your Words

“And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.  In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.”   James 3:4-5

Words change things.  They cause leaders to fall and the unlikely hero to rise.  They make people do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do.   They are persuasive and transformational.   Words are powerful.  It only takes a few syllables to change an entire situation.  Perspectives to shift... minds to change...  The tongue can bring hope and a word on a page can alter the way you see things forever.  In today’s verse, we see a parallel drawn between the relatively small rudder of a ship and our tongue.  Both steer things.  Both can shift direction.  Both can cause big change.  

Sometimes words can be positive...  A different way of saying something can make things better... more descriptive... clearer.   Huge results can come from just a few well spoken phrases.   Jesus Himself used the perfect words at the perfect time to remind us that we aren’t perfect... but we are His. 

But sometimes words can hurt. 

They can cut us deeply and cause us to doubt ourselves and the size of our God.   Maybe someone you know has hurt you with their words... and maybe you’ve started to believe what they said about you.   Perhaps you’ve allowed your tongue to say a few things that caused some damage... and you don’t know how to fix it.  I want to challenge you today to think about words differently.  Monitor each word that you say....or text... or instagram...or tweet....  Ask yourself... is this going to build a person up?  Make the world a better place?  Reflect Christ?  Am I controlling my tongue or is it controlling me?  

It’s much better to think through our words before they leave our lips than it is to rebuild the damage caused by careless remarks.  When we make the choice to honor God with every syllable... we worship the One who loves us and created us with a purpose. 

It Adds Up

“Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world:
   “Peace and prosperity to you!
“I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.
   For he is the living God, 
      and he will endure forever. 
   His kingdom will never be destroyed, 
      and his rule will never end.”   -  Daniel 6:25-26

     We’ve all faced them.... You are standing in line at Universal Studios and the sign says “Children 9 and younger” get in at a reduced price.  Your daughter just turned 10.  What do you do?  It’s the middle of the night and you pull up to a red light.  You look left, right... nobody.   In fact, there are no headlights to be found anywhere...other than yours.  What do you do?  Run the light or stay put?  Too much change at a convenience store?   An extra zero on your tax return?  

     Our reputation is based on choices such as these.  What may seem like small decisions here or there actually determine many things.  How do we see ourselves?  Are we comfortable with past choices, our morality, or our closeness to God based on what we’ve decided in the past?  How do others see us?  What is our reputation around people that we partner with throughout the day?  Do we set the example... or are we swayed by the popular or selfish thing to do?

Today’s verse talks about a very well known person from the Bible:  Daniel.  He was an advisor to King Darius of the Persians and had an airtight reputation.  Many of the nobles under the king spent a lot of time trying to find flaws in Daniel’s decision making... did he ever compromise what he knew to be right?  Was he disloyal?  Was he reflecting his God or himself?  Did he make the right decision regardless of the cost or did he sell out to selfishness?  They were convinced that Daniel’s reputation couldn’t be that spotless...

But it was. In fact, King Darius was so impressed with Daniel that he declared to all of his people that they should serve Daniel’s God!  Daniel’s reputation for doing the right thing at all times reflected God’s character!   His choices weren’t always easy...and they cost him in many ways... but he knew that to be a person who honored God, he had to do so in all areas of his life.  You will have many decisions today... and many chances to reflect God in the way you handle them.  Tread with wisdom.  What you choose to do in the small things adds up...and the way others see you (and God) is affected. 

Learning to Swim

“Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.”  Matthew 18:2-3

    When Tyler (my oldest son) was young and just learning how to swim, he scared me.  Not just me... but my wife Stephanie as well.  While other children put on inflatable water wings and “floaties” and such, Tyler dove right into the deep end of the pool to practice.  Time and time again we told him to stay toward the steps.  It didn’t work.  Before we knew it he was back down to the 7 foot end trying his luck with the stronger swimmers.  As I think back, I realize now why Tyler must have been confident enough to jump into water that was twice as deep as he was tall... he had faith.  He knew that if he got into trouble, dad would be right there to get him out of it.  I wouldn’t stand on the pool edge and point my finger and tell him “I told you so!”  No, he trusted me and he felt safe...just because I was there.

    Today’s verse talks about that type of trust.  Jesus says in Matthew 18 that we are to “turn from your sins and become like little children” if we are to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  What did He mean?  Isn’t being childlike something that we are trying to avoid in our maturing process?  

     What Jesus meant wasn’t regressing back to our former ways.   He meant simply that our faith needs to be complete.  Our Heavenly Father sits poolside while we stand at the edge of the water.  Do we jump in?  Can we trust Him?  We can’t stop worrying over bills and car problems and aging and productivity numbers and everything else that makes us need a massage.  What if we jump in and He’s not enough?  What if we swallow too much water and start to sink?  What if our feet can’t touch the bottom?  Where is the bottom?  If I can’t see the bottom, how do I know it’s safe?  Is God enough?  Will He protect me?

     A child doesn’t think of these things.  They see water.  They glance over to see if their parents are watching... and they jump.  Two seconds of silence until they break the surface and sink below the waterline.  Blissfully trusting that if anything were to happen...they were protected.   They don’t ignore the dangers, they just don’t focus on them.  They see dad.  They know he’s there.  They enjoy the journey without worrying about the possibilities of failure.  When Jesus tells us to become like little children, He’s not telling us to stay oblivious to what the world throws at us.   He’s telling us to look to Him, trust Him completely, and jump.  Dive into what God has for you!  It’s THAT kind of faith that not only gets us to Heaven, but allows us to enjoy the swim of life along the way!

In Your Corner

Boxer Muhammad Ali was once asked “What’s the greatest lesson you’ve ever learned?”

Ali thought a minute... and answered with a story about his famed match with Sonny Liston:  “Liston was the strongest man I’d ever fought. Every time I hit him, it hurt me worse than it did him. I gave him everything I had. When the sixth round ended, I was completely spent. I couldn’t even raise my arms. I couldn’t even stand up to go back onto the ring. ‘I’m goin’ home!’ I told [trainer] Angelo Dundee. ‘I’m not going back in there!’  Hearing this, Dundee demanded that Ali get ready to go in. Ali refused. The bell rang, and still Ali didn’t leave his seat. Dundee pushed him and shouted, ‘Get in there and don’t come out until you’re the heavyweight champion of the world.’  Ali struggled to his feet. Liston didn’t.  At the end of that fight, Muhammad Ali, then Cassius Clay, was the new heavyweight champion of the world.  ‘The greatest lesson I’ve learned,’ Ali said, ‘is to have someone pushin’ you and makin’ you do things you don’t think you can do.’”

Some of you reading this have given it everything you’ve got.  You’re spent.  Exhausted.  Not sure how you’re going to get through that tough opponent staring you down in the other corner.  Life has hit you hard and you aren’t excited about the possibilities of getting hit again.  You need someone in your corner.  You need an Angelo Dundee...  someone pushing you to get back up and fight... Who is that in your life?   If nobody comes to mind, I have good news for you today.  Christ is in your corner...

Philippians 4:13 “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

Psalm 27:1  “The Lord is my light and my salvation—

    so why should I be afraid?

The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,

    so why should I tremble?”

Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

He’s with you everywhere.  He’s all the strength you’ll need.  You can do anything with Him by your side. I know it’s hard.  I know you want to stop from time to time.  As your Pastor, my heart hurts for all that I see (or hear/read about) happening in your life.  I pray for you and your family... that you would be reminded that what you are enduring is for a season.  You’ll make it through... you’ll persevere... you will see the sun again no matter how dark it feels today.   Those verses that you just read... they are for you.  God wrote them with you on His mind.  

I want to remind you that you are never alone... the fight isn’t just you vs. the world....

Jesus is there... and He’s nudging you back out into the ring of life.  It won’t always be an easy fight... and you may take hits from time to time... but just remember, no matter how tough it gets, the One in your corner is stronger than the one in the world’s.