Jesus Exorcises Mother Nature

It’s normal to forget things. It’s human to forget things. The human brain can only retain so much – everything else is washed away.

When I think about memory and retention I’m always reminded of a particular Far Side cartoon.

The other day my wife told me a small detail about her love for a certain kind of ice cream: why she liked it and why another kind of ice cream simply wouldn’t do.

When I was next at the store buying ice cream, what she told me came to mind and actually influenced my purchasing decision. Later when she asked if we had ice cream I said, “Yes, but I didn’t get such-and-such because you told me that your preference was….”

She nearly collapsed right there. She was stunned that I remembered that small detail (’cause let’s face it, I forget a lot of more important ones!). But c’mon – WE’RE TALKING ABOUT ICE CREAM!!!  🙂

And that brings us to the word of the day: STORMS

It’s time for church…

At the end of this digital church service there’s a place for comments. We’d love to hear from you. What did you take away from the service? What spoke to you? What do you have questions about? How can we do better to serve you and your friends and family? Thx!

Here’s the Bible passage:

One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” (Luke 8:22-25)

I bet the disciples were OUT OF THEIR MINDS terrified. In the Ancient Near East they believed raging seas were the activity of the gods and demons. The storm isn’t just a nautical problem they face – it represents high powers at work coming against them.

But Jesus asleep isn’t just about him being tired. Jesus’s sleep is an image of His complete trust in God’s care and provision. The psalmist writes:

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

Jesus’s confidence in the power of God is SO complete that he can lie down and sleep even in the middle of a raging (demonic?) sea. Not so the disciples. So in their panic they wake the rabbi. And Jesus goes to work handling the spiritual turmoil. Remember that I mentioned that raging seas were seen as demonic activity? Interestingly, Jesus’s rebuke of the wind and waves uses the same language he uses to subdue the unclean spirits he exorcises! Jesus exorcises nature – there is no power in the physical world or the spiritual world that is greater than the power of God.

Does God seem asleep in the middle of our chaos? Do we react rudely and demand, “Don’t you care?!?” But the disciples should have known better. Psalm 65:6-8 declares:

By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;

the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might;

who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples,

so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.

But the disciples don’t think this way. In fact, they seem to have forgotten everything Jesus has done up to this point. Exorcisms, healings the sick, raising the dead! But memory is a funny thing. What you think you’d remember sometimes vanishes. A psychologist named Ebbinghaus did a detailed study on memory and forgetfulness. Here’s what he came up with…

– Most of what we experience is forgotten within the first 60 minutes. After a full 24 hours we only retain 33%.

– After a week we’re down to 25%.

– You can fight forgetfulness by practicing recall – work on pulling something to memory throughout the day and throughout the week…

Still – you would THINK the disciples would retain a LITTLE bit more. Even today we tend to forget what God has done in the past. And remembering what God has done in the past helps instill hope for tomorrow. Recognizing Jesus should lead us to desperately pursue Him. The disciples had that part right. But in their fear they had forgotten the power of God at work in Jesus. The time will come when we all get hit by storms. The “American Dream” used to be about securing stability and defining life by possessions. The problem is that it’s an empty promise – a false dream. Even those who have “arrived” still face the same problems the rest of us face. We all get sick. We all get hit with storms.

In the middle of the storm, when night is darkest and you’re being battered, the real presence of Jesus can calm the wind, instill courage, and reduce fear.

_ _ _

We’re going to have some reflection and response time. Think about the message and focus on the words of the songs.

Our first song is called “You Never Let Go.” It’s all about the fact that, no matter what we go through, God never lets go of us. The songwriter says:

Oh, no, you never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh, no, you never let go
In every high and every low
Oh, no, you never let go
Lord, you never let go of me

Through the storms, he is there.

Our second song is “Still”. The song declares,

Father, you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God

Let’s worship…

FOR REFLECTION:
– What storms am I facing right now?
– Have I been living in fear and terror or resting in the peace from knowing the power of God?
– Can I ask Jesus to rescue me from the storms I face?

MAKING IT REAL:
– This week, write out your “storms” in life.
– Start praying every day that God would give you peace so that you can lie down in safety.
– At the end of the week share your God moments with us here on the site or on our page at Facebook.
– If you’ve never come to the place in your life where you have decided to be a follower of Jesus and want to know more, please shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to talk to you about what it means to be a follower!
– – – – – – – – – –

If there’s anything you would like prayer for just contact us and we’ll be happy to pray for you. We also provide pastoral counseling. Let us know how we can serve you. We’d love feedback from you. You can send us an email or comment below. Let us know your thoughts and how you think we can get better.

Finally, if today’s message resonated with you at all, we would appreciate it if you would share this digital church service with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other media you use. Help share about Jesus! Thanks, and have a great week!

Follow @chrislinzey
Follow @thechurchplant

Jesus Was a Nutjob

No matter how bad your family is it could always be worse.

Right?

I mean, how many of us have had to deal with Dad chopping off our hands with an ancient-yet-futuristic weapon?

While we may not have had to face something so extreme, we can still admit that relatives can fail us.

Blood may be thicker than water, but what do you do when blood turns on you? What do you do when you don’t want anyone to know you’re related to that guy. The embarrassment. The oddball. The kook. The one who brings shame upon the WHOLE family!

And that brings us to the word of the day: NUTJOB

 

It’s time for church..

At the end of this digital church service there’s a place for comments. We’d love to hear from you. What did you take away from the service? What spoke to you? What do you have questions about? How can we do better to serve you and your friends and family? Thx!

Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:19-21)

Jesus encountered people turning on him with his own family. His mother and brothers came to “collect him” – they were shamed by his public behavior – and so they tried to label him as crazy. Just quietly put Jesus away so our family doesn’t have to deal with the embarrassment of having him run around ticking off the religious leaders.

But Jesus rejected them.

Instead, he formed a new family – a spiritual family.

Who my family? Those who hear the word of God and do it.

Blood may be thicker than water, but the Spirit of God is thicker than blood. And so Jesus formed a new kinship group. It’s not about our ties through blood. Now it’s about our ties through a common faith in Jesus.

While you don’t hear it too much anymore, Christians once referred to one another and Brother so-and-so or Sister so-and-so. It represented the new kinship group Christians embraced.

We too often forget that we’re part of this family. We still treat each other as “other than.” We gossip about each other and treat each other like strangers, not like family. When we fully embrace Jesus’ radical view of a spiritual family it will change how we treat each other, talk to each other, and talk ABOUT each other. When we fully embrace Jesus’ radical view of a spiritual family it will play out in how we take care of each other.

Once I knew someone who had been dealing with some housing difficulties.  She was told by two different families in the church, “You and your kids can stay with us until you get something worked out.”

This woman then told me:

“That’s more than my own family offered to do.”

I stopped her and said, “No – This IS your family.”

Let’s live like the community Jesus calls us to be – a new kind of family, bonded together with bonds stronger than blood.

_ _ _

We’re going to have some reflection and response time. Think about the message and focus on the words of the songs.

Our first song is called “Your Grace Finds Me.” It’s a new fave.

From the creation to the cross
From the cross into eternity
Your grace finds me

God’s grace brings us all into this new family!

Our second song this morning is “Jesus Paid It All” and declares:

Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin had left crimson stain
He washed it white as snow!

It’s not about maintaining an appearance of holiness. We can’t do anything to be good enough. It’s not about what we can do – it’s about what Jesus has already done!

Let’s worship…

FOR REFLECTION:
– How have I been rejected by “family?”
– Have I accepted that I am now welcome into this new family?
– How can I be welcoming towards others who might be looking for a new family?

MAKING IT REAL:
– This week, look to connect with other people of faith and have some family time.
– Identify someone who is an outsider and invite him/her to join your family for a meal, worship, etc.
– At the end of the week share your God moments with us here on the site or on our page at Facebook.
– If you’ve never come to the place in your life where you have decided to be a follower of Jesus and want to know more, please shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to talk to you about what it means to be a follower!
– – – – – – – – – –

If there’s anything you would like prayer for just contact us and we’ll be happy to pray for you. We also provide pastoral counseling. Let us know how we can serve you. We’d love feedback from you. You can send us an email or comment below. Let us know your thoughts and how you think we can get better.

Finally, if today’s message resonated with you at all, we would appreciate it if you would share this digital church service with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other media you use. Help share about Jesus! Thanks, and have a great week!

Follow @chrislinzey
Follow @thechurchplant

Jesus Stumps Batman

I grew up as a fan of the 1960’s Batman. Yes, it was campy.

It was supposed to be that way. And c’mon, who doesn’t love the eyebrows painted on to that cowl?

One of my favorite villains was Frank Gorshin’s The Riddler. He would come up with lamest riddles that would completely baffle Commissioner Gordon and Chief O’Hara, but Batman and Robin would amazingly figure it out – EVERY TIME!

 

They just don’t do theatrics like this any more.

Gotta love how they work through those difficult riddles…

And that brings us to:

The word of the day: SAY WHAT?

It’s time for church…

At the end of this digital church service there’s a place for comments. We’d love to hear from you. What did you take away from the service? What spoke to you? What do you have questions about? How can we do better to serve you and your friends and family? Thx!

And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Jesus gets to play the part of the Riddler! He tells the people around them a parable – a story designed to teach a lesson or a principle. The problem is that even his closes followers don’t get it. Jesus even says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” That’s an expression that means, “Hey – pay attention!” But the disciples pull a Chief O’Hara and have that glazed over look. At LEAST they have the good sense to admit they have NO CLUE what Jesus is talking about. Privately, my guess is so they don’t look foolish in front of the crowd, they approach Jesus:

And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Jesus’s words are a little startling to us. He says that the Word of God doesn’t stick with everyone – even people who seem to take to it. This is startling because we like to believe that people who are “Christian” and follow Jesus are heaven bound. In the end, Jesus says, only time will tell who allowed the word of God to grow and develop, bearing fruit (behavior that matches beliefs).

Of course, those who believe that once you are saved you are always saved will argue that those who fall away were never TRULY to begin with. I don’t think we can go there. Jesus even says that some believe but fall away in times of testing. To me it is an indication that we are secure in our salvation as long as we continue to walk with God. That is what will keep the word growing in “good soil.”

When we walk with Jesus it plays out in real life. Jesus continues:

“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

If you’ve got Jesus you won’t hide it – you won’t be able to contain it. Don’t be one of the ones who hears the word and falls away. Stay strong in your faith no matter what troubles come. Continue to walk God’s path, and let the His word grow and develop in you!

_ _ _

Our first song is “God Is Able”. It declares the awesome wonder of God – the foundation and rock upon which we build our faith and lives. The song declares,

God is able, He will never fail – He is almighty God
Greater than all we seek, Greater than all we ask – He has done great things

Lifted up, He defeated the grave
Raised to life our God is able
In His name we overcome
For the Lord our God is able

Let’s worship…

Our second song this morning is “Mighty to Save” and declares:

I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender

Jesus is mighty to save us. God has initiated the activity and issued us the call. We need to respond and continue to walk with Him, letting the Word take deep root in our hearts!

Let’s worship…

FOR REFLECTION:
– When am I tempted to walk away from the faith and be the “rocky ground” that doesn’t produce?
– Am I willing to walk with Jesus in the good times AND the difficult times?
– What does it look like practically for God’s word to take root in my life?

MAKING IT REAL:
– This week, be intentional letting God’s word take root in you. This can be in reading the Bible, in your time of worship, listening/meditating to worship songs, or perhaps another way you can think of that I haven’t.
– At the end of the week share your God moments with us here on the site or on our page at Facebook.
– If you’ve never come to the place in your life where you have decided to be a follower of Jesus and want to know more, please shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to talk to you about what it means to be a follower!
– – – – – – – – – –

If there’s anything you would like prayer for just contact us and we’ll be happy to pray for you. We also provide pastoral counseling. Let us know how we can serve you. We’d love feedback from you. You can send us an email or comment below. Let us know your thoughts and how you think we can get better.

Finally, if today’s message resonated with you at all, we would appreciate it if you would share this digital church service with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other media you use. Help share about Jesus! Thanks, and have a great week!

Follow @chrislinzey
Follow @thechurchplant

Does Jesus Really Need My Money??

Do you ever get sick of greedy, money grubbing churches always asking for your money? For some reason many people have the impression that churches are always asking people for money. Churches have reputation for being money hungry; for trying to squeeze every red cent out of the people who attend. Shoot – I would get tired of that kind of behavior!

I’m reminded of an old joke:

Three ministers are out playing golf and they’re trying to decide how much to give to charity. So the first says, “We’ll draw a circle on the ground, throw the money way up in the air, and whatever lands inside the circle we give to charity.” The second says, “No. We’ll draw a circle on the ground, throw the money up in the air, and whatever lands outside of the circle – that’s what we’ll give to charity.” The third and most senior pastor says, “No, no. We’ll throw the money up in the air and whatever God wants he keeps!”

And that brings us to:

The word of the day: CASH

It’s time for church…

At the end of this digital church service there’s a place for comments. We’d love to hear from you. What did you take away from the service? What spoke to you? What do you have questions about? How can we do better to serve you and your friends and family? Thx!

In all honesty, though, ministry organization probably ask for money a lot less than you think. I’m not talking about the weekly church routine of collecting money, which different churches call different things:

– Taking the collection
– Passing the plate
– Time for tithes and offerings
– What else have you heard?

Though this has become a standard feature in many evangelical churches, ministry organizations is not quite the same thing as simply “asking for money.” In the life of a Christian, giving becomes an extension of worship – something we do in recognition that what we have is a gift from God and through our giving we say, “I value God and his kingdom and want to express it through my finances.”

So giving is an act of worship (assigning worth to something) and a practical way of making sure the needs of the ministry are met.

I had a friend tell me not too long ago:

The church doesn’t need money. Jesus didn’t need money.

But the truth is that the church does need money. Ministry requires money. And yes, Jesus did need money. Jesus had a group of financial backers that helped make his ministry possible:

And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means. (Luke 8:1-3)

Jesus and his staff (yes, I mean the disciples) were provided for out of the means (income) of these women.

Once the Apostle Paul was trying to raise money to do ministry to Christians in Jerusalem. He was collecting it from the Corinthian church:

On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. (1 Corinthians 16:2-3)

There are many different financial needs for a church to do ministry. Some are related to physical location: rent/lease/mortgage, utilities, salaries, etc. Some are material needs for people: rent assistance, utilities assistance, food/clothing aid. Some are for spiritual ministries: materials for communion, children’s church, Bible studies, etc.

Ministry requires finances. And how will Christians ever know about ministry needs unless someone tells them? It’s plain logic, really. It’s not about being money-hungry, it’s about letting Christian people know that, in order to do the ministry that God has called us to do, it’s going to take some backing.

But if you don’t want to give, no one is twisting your arm.

The Apostle Paul says:

The point is this…each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:6-9)

To honor God and to participate in what he wants to do through various ministries, my wife and I give. But that’s between us and God. Your giving is between you and God.

There is no promise in the Bible that if you tithe then God will repay you with worldly riches (no matter what some preachers may try to tell you). God doesn’t have a savings plan – you give 10% and you’ll see dividends 100x what you paid. It doesn’t work like that.

Giving says several things:
1) God, I give you this as an act of worship.
2) God, I recognize that all I have is from you.
3) God, I trust that you can take care of me even if I give my income away.

I believe that God will be faithful to us even if we give away 10% (or more) for his kingdom.

Whatever you decide to do, do it with joy for God in your heart, not for anyone else.

_ _ _

We’re going to have some reflection and response time. Think about the message and focus on the words of the songs.

Our first song is called “Come As You Are.” It’s one of my favorites and has an incredible message about coming to God regardless of our past. We’re not good enough for God. In fact, none of us could ever be good enough for God. Fortunately, it’s not about being good enough.

Lay down your burdens, lay down your shame
All who are broken lift up your face
O wanderer come home, you’re not too far
So lay down your hurt, lay down your heart
Come as you are

God accepts us as we are.

Our secondsong is “God Is Able”. It declares the awesome wonder of God – the foundation and rock upon which we build our faith and lives. The song declares,

God is able, He will never fail – He is almighty God
Greater than all we seek, Greater than all we ask – He has done great things

Lifted up, He defeated the grave
Raised to life our God is able
In His name we overcome
For the Lord our God is able

Let’s worship…

FOR REFLECTION:
– Where am I generous with God? Where do I withhold from God?
– Can I view my money and possessions as gifts from God rather than things I have earned?
– Am I willing to embrace a generous lifestyle?

MAKING IT REAL:
– This week, practice generosity of money. Then try being generous with your time.
– Identify some things in your life that you would do well to give away.
– At the end of the week share your God moments with us here on the site or on our page at Facebook.
– If you’ve never come to the place in your life where you have decided to be a follower of Jesus and want to know more, please shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to talk to you about what it means to be a follower!
– – – – – – – – – –

If there’s anything you would like prayer for just contact us and we’ll be happy to pray for you. We also provide pastoral counseling. Let us know how we can serve you. We’d love feedback from you. You can send us an email or comment below. Let us know your thoughts and how you think we can get better.

Finally, if today’s message resonated with you at all, we would appreciate it if you would share this digital church service with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other media you use. Help share about Jesus! Thanks, and have a great week!

Follow @chrislinzey
Follow @thechurchplant

Jesus Needs a Bath

I know a lady who told me a funny story. As best I remember her story it goes like this: She was walking down the street one day when she passed a guy walking the opposite direction. He had a camera around his neck and stopped her, telling her that he was taking pictures of people’s feet for a photo assignment and asked if she would mind taking off her shoes.

Flattered to be the subject of his assignment, the woman took off her shoes for the photo. As the guy bent down with his camera he got closer and closer to her feet and quickly licked her feet. As he tried to explain how it was about “lighting” she quickly scooped up her shoes and took off.

Had it been me the guy would have had a few teeth knocked out after I punched his lights out! Most of us have this thing about feet – for just being feet they are an intensely personal part of our bodies. They also get dirty. The idea of choosing to dote on feet seems…well…less than normal. And that brings us to:

The word of the day: Gross

It’s time for church…

At the end of this digital church service there’s a place for comments. We’d love to hear from you. What did you take away from the service? What spoke to you? What do you have questions about? How can we do better to serve you and your friends and family? Thx!

So Jesus had an interesting thing happen to him, too.

One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”

We’re used to seeing Jesus interact with the outcast people but here he shows he is just as comfortable in the presence of the religious elite. He accepts the invitation to eat with Simon, a Pharisee. While not the main point of Luke’s story, we would do well to realize that Jesus’s call is for everyone.

But Simon probably doesn’t want to become a follower of Jesus. I think he’s looking for a chance to challenge Jesus. Thus we don’t see a private dinner between Simon and Jesus – we see a public event. The house was likely open to others to come and observe the interaction between the Pharisee and the rabbi. This is exactly what the unnamed woman does.

She does something incredible – she begins washing his feet with her tears, wiping them with her hair, kissing his feet, and anointing them with oil.

Um…say what?

Dealing with people’s feet was a job reserved for the lowliest of servants. Feet were dirty and smelly. Giving someone a footbath was not something people chose to do. And here this woman willingly puts herself at the lowliest place before Jesus. This doesn’t sit right with the religious guy. Simon is upset that this kind of woman would be at Jesus’s feet. Luke never tells us what sin the woman is involved in. We can guess, but that’s it – a guess.

Whatever her offense is, Simon thinks it’s enough to make righteous people keep her at arm’s length. Funny enough, many religious people still feel this way about sinners today. When we know what offense people have committed against God we keep them at a distance. It’s as though we think their sin will taint us before God. Heaven forbid we keep company with people who need Jesus, too. We forget what we were like before God began working in our lives.

As a pastor, I’ve heard Christians talk about “sinners” in this way before.

“Pastor, he’s a drinker.”
“Pastor, she’s a smoker.”
“Pastor, she’s living with a man who isn’t her husband.”
“Pastor….”

It really goes on without end. To Simon, the fact that Jesus would allow such a person to touch his feet is proof that Jesus is NOT a real prophet. But then Jesus does something cool.

He demonstrates his prophetic prowess by answering the question that Simon is THINKING.

And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

Jesus’s story to Simon is something that most of us can understand. He puts forgiveness in a practical setting – monetary debt. I think most of us know what it’s like to owe money on something. When someone forgives or pays off the debt for us it’s a pretty cool thing. But someone paying off a $5 debt isn’t quite as momentous as someone paying of a $5000 debt.

So it should come as no surprise to us when people who have come a long way to Jesus become exuberantly expressive in their love. There are two ways to take this. 1: when we come to Jesus it is perfectly acceptable to be extravagant in expressing love and devotion. There is no one right way. Do what your heart moves you to do in response to Jesus. 2: for those of us who are already with Jesus we must not exclude others from joining – no matter what we think of their background. We love grace and forgiveness until we have to extend it to people we disapprove of. But we all come from somewhere, and Jesus loves us all.

And being at his feet is where we all should be.
_ _ _

We’re going to have some reflection and response time. Think about the message and focus on the words of the songs.

Our first song is called “Come As You Are.” It’s one of my favorites and has an incredible message about coming to God regardless of our past. We’re not good enough for God. In fact, none of us could ever be good enough for God. Fortunately, it’s not about being good enough.

Lay down your burdens, lay down your shame
All who are broken lift up your face
O wanderer come home, you’re not too far
So lay down your hurt, lay down your heart
Come as you are

God accepts us as we are.

Our second song this morning talks about worshipping God with everything we are. The song is called “From the Inside Out” and says:

My heart and my soul, I give you control
Consume me from the inside out, Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love you from the inside out

Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring you praise
From the inside out Lord my soul cries out

It means we don’t just give God lip-service, saying we love him but inwardly loving something else more (ourselves, our wants, our jobs, our kids, etc.).

Let’s stop giving God part of ourselves and holding back part for something else. Let’s love him from the inside out.

FOR REFLECTION:
– What part of my past do I need to let go of in coming to Jesus “as I am?”
– Am I willing to embarrass myself in front of others to demonstrate my love for God or am I bound by rules of appropriateness?
– What kind of people and background do I find it distasteful to interact with?

MAKING IT REAL:
– This week, do something out of the ordinary and extravagant to demonstrate your adoration of Jesus.
– Identify someone who is normally considered a religious “outsider” and welcome him/her to worship with you.
– At the end of the week share your God moments with us here on the site or on our page at Facebook.
– If you’ve never come to the place in your life where you have decided to be a follower of Jesus and want to know more, please shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to talk to you about what it means to be a follower!
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If there’s anything you would like prayer for just contact us and we’ll be happy to pray for you. We also provide pastoral counseling. Let us know how we can serve you. We’d love feedback from you. You can send us an email or comment below. Let us know your thoughts and how you think we can get better.

Finally, if today’s message resonated with you at all, we would appreciate it if you would share this digital church service with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other media you use. Help share about Jesus! Thanks, and have a great week!

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