Out of My Mind

Yesterday, I preached from one of my favorite chapters - John 3.  Jesus said, “You must be born again.”  He was talking about the need for a new birth, a spiritual.  Unless we have had that spiritual birth, we can’t see the kingdom of heaven.  I shared the gospel as we closed the service.  I felt a strong sense of God’s presence moving over his people.

The night before someone had called my cell phone and sung “Happy birthday.”  The only problem is that it wasn’t my birthday and they were singing to a guy named John.  Later that evening I felt the Lord tell me that the call was no accident.  I would be preaching the next morning from John about spiritual birth - about being born again.  I felt the Lord tell me it would be someone’s birthday that next morning.

Well it was.  I could tell many people were touched by the Lord.  One woman who has been coming to church for a while just fell into my arms and said, “Thanks.”  Jesus has changed her.  She is now born again.  Another woman was greatly touched by God’s Spirit coming into her life.

Last night at my home group, two of our newer members indicated they had prayed to receive Christ and invite Him into their hearts and lives.  Jesus was really moving. But the one comment that really got me came from a man who stopped me after church.  He came up to me and said, “Today is my birthday.”  I said,  “that is so cool.”  I was thinking this man had become a Christian several years before on this same date.  But as he kept talking, I realized he was saying something else.  I finally said, “Wait a minute.  Are you telling me that today is the day.  Your spiritual birthday was actually today!”  He nodded and said yes.  With tears in eyes, he told me that he didn’t have the courage to raise his hand, but he prayed to receive Christ.  And he had the courage to come and find me and tell me.  Praise God for new birth.  It is springing forth in our midst.  Our God is saving and changing lives.

My last post shared about the tough nature of a tragedy that occurred in one of our SSCC families over Christmas.  It was very hard, but one of the beautiful things to watch is to see the body of Christ in action at such moments.  That was a sweet thing even in the midst of such a bitter set of circumstances.

I saw friends surround this family and love on them.  I saw a family who had lost their young son two years ago come to the side of this present family and serve them with compassion I could not match.  I saw friends pray with them and comfort them with God’s word - holding His Word out like a healing ointment in these moments instead of like a hard, cold hammer.  I saw tears and hugs throughout because there is just nothing good to say sometimes.  You just minister by your presence.

I also saw this family reach for Jesus in their brokenness and pain.   I saw a Mom and a Dad who knew that Jesus was the answer.  Several years earlier, this mom did not know Jesus but a friend led her to Christ.  The dad did not know Jesus but he began to come to SSCC with the mom.  They both began to grow in their spiritual journey.  He was saved and through the years has conquered some big issues in his life.  Their marriage has come through a lot.  I saw a couple who I think will make it through this tragedy with their faith in tact, and with their marriage in tact.  Their young daughter knew Jesus. Her parents told her about Him.  She saw the change that took place in the lives of her parents.  A friend of the mom had a dream about this young girl the other night.  She was in dazzling white with her new Christmas boots on.  She finally said, “Tell my mom something for me.  Tell her I was not afraid.  When it happened (the wreck), I was not scared at all because I remembered everything my mom taught me.”

This girl knew what her mom had taught her about Jesus.  Her mom knew because someone else had told her.  The day of the funeral, the father told me, “Thank you David for leading me to Jesus.  Thank you to this church for showing Jesus to me.”  In those moments of saying goodbye to their daughter, nothing else really mattered.  Jesus was all that mattered, because He was the only one that could really make a difference, offer any hope, provide any peace.  I realized that our church had made a difference for Jesus.  What if we hadn’t been here?  What if we were not his voice?  What if we were not his hands and feet?  Where would these parents be at this very moment - alone in their pain with out any of God’s comfort?  Where would their daughter be - cut off from God for all of eternity?  We are here church!  That is why we are here!  We count.  We make a difference for Jesus, for eternity in a way that no one else can, in a way that no other organization on the planet can.  It is why Jesus left his church on earth!  It is why we are here.  It is why SSCC (and every other Christ centered church) is here!  Praise be to our God.

One phone call can change a lot.  After celebrating a great Christmas with my family, I was awakened at 2 am by wife telling me that a friend was on the phone.  His daughter had been killed in an accident.  As a pastor, you get more of these phone calls than you would ever care to.  There is something surreal about a call like that in the middle of the night.  I found myself in unbelief as I crawled out of bed looking for some clothes to put on.  I had to go to my friend’s side and take his family to the hospital to identify their daughter.  It was a hard night, and it has led to a tough week.

I know God is there.  He has shown himself throughout this situation.  The Holy Spirit has been sweet to minister to all those involved.  I know there will be other unfortunate deaths that I have to deal with in the future.  But I will never get use to the tragic loss of a young person.  Death always seem to be an intruder.  The Bible describes it as our enemy - and it will be the last enemy to be defeated.  There is just something haunting about the tragic death of a young person.  It is so emotional and hard.

More than ever, I look forward to a day in heaven when there will be no more sorrow, suffering, and pain for the old order of things will have passed away.  Jesus said, “I make all things new!”  It is a new year.  I have a lot to look forward to.  Our church has a lot to look forward to.  But I can’t help but start off the new year a little sad.  Its been a hard week.  And for some friends, there family will never quite be the same.

This past week in church, I shared about the angels coming to the shepherds to announce the birth of Christ (Luke 2:8ff). This really was a radical step that God was taking. The shepherds were the outcasts, the ones who were not a part of the “spiritually in” crowd. The priests and teachers of the law, and all of those who came to the temple were the religious crowd. The very sacrifices they offered pointed to their need for forgiveness and reconciliation with God. The shepherds couldn’t even go into the temple because they were unclean. But God came to them that Christmas night. He announced the birth of a Savior to them - the outcasts, the ones cut off from God. God was making a pretty big statement in JESUS! The ones who were outside were welcome to come inside.

I think of the person I wrote about last week in my “Please Jesus…” post. Has she truly heard and seen a Gospel that welcomes her or just one that repels her? This is a difficult question. On one hand, the message of Christ can be offensive to the human heart. We must acknowledge our need before we can truly embrace a Savior. And yet, His sacrifice was the most loving act ever!!!! It is a powerful message of forgiveness and redemption, but scripture clearly leads us to believe that many will reject this message.

On the other hand, how many are simply rejecting the messenger, and therefore never really hear the message? I have been convicted as to how we create our “spiritually in” crowds, our holy huddles. We so often come off as elitists and judgmental, instead of grace filled and loving. Do we really love lost people like Jesus did, or do we merely tolerate them? Can we have the same passion of an angelic messenger who would announce the good news of the arrival of Christ to a group of unclean sinners (Shepherds)?

What does it look like to live a Christ centered life in this world of ours? As a Christian, would you rather be known for what you do not do? Or for what you do? I think it is time where we live out a life that is more focused on what we are for, than what we are against. I am against sin. I am against adultery, abortion, homosexuality, lying, cheating, pornography, etc. But you know what? I am for people. I am for generosity. I am for service. I am for compassion. I am for a God who announces himself to shepherds and helps an adulterous woman back onto her feet (without condoning her actions). I am for love - loving those who would hate me and criticize me. I am for loving those who disagree with me. I am for giving - giving to those who have need, and for those who have none. I am for family - seeing marriages grow stronger, and parents who truly love and guide their children. I am for sex as God’s gift to couples to be saved for the right context. But I am all for it, and so is God (in the proper time).

As Christians we often know what we are against. But I ask you, what are you for? What are you for? Because the world would love to know!

I was riding home from Target the other day. By the way, has anyone tried a burger from Five Guys (It’s over by Target). Wow. Those things are good. Definitely a must try before you die. Of course, you eat too many of those and you may die a little quicker. As I was on the spur headed back to St. Simons, I saw a little white Honda in front of me with a little black bumper sticker with white lettering.

I noticed the first line said, “Please Jesus…” so I kept on reading. I was wondering what little prayer I would find on the back of this car. Would it be a request, a praise, a jingle? Well this is what it said, “Please Jesus protect me from your followers.”

Read it again. It took me a second to really understand what this sticker was saying. This person was asking Jesus to keep his people away from him/her. I believe it was a her. First, I couldn’t believe this person would put such a bumper sticker on their car. You talk about intolerance. A Christian would be crucified for putting something like, “Please Jesus protect from gay people.” I wouldn’t ever advocate such a bumper sticker by the way. I just was struck by how bold this person was in there open resistance to Christians.

I didn’t get mad though. I actually felt a lot of compassion for this person. I began to wonder how she might have been burned by some Christians. Where had she seen us come up short? How had we blown our witness to this person? Perhaps some segment of our great big dysfunctional Christian family had come off harsh and legalistic. Perhaps she had run into some hypocrites who didn’t really live out what they professed. Perhaps she met some Christians who are all about the rules, but never really reflect the relationship aspect of truly knowing God.

I wondered if I had ever done things in the eyes of the world that would cause them to purchase a bumper sticker like this and place it on their car? Ouch…

What was it? If she had turned into a gas station, I was really at a place where I would have stopped and just asked. I wanted to look her in the eye and say, “Hey. I noticed your bumper sticker and was just curious as to what you felt Christians were about? What makes you feel this way?” No such chance though. So I just followed and prayed. I prayed that Jesus would really show himself to her. I prayed that God would change her heart and she would fall in love with Jesus. I found myself praying that I would really live out my faith in a way that truly honors and reflects Christ. My heart was moved for this person. I truly hope one day she will have an encounter with Christians that really changes her mind about Christ.

What do you think about this bumper sticker? Does it strike you funny as well? Does it bother? How do you respond to it?