Momentum

While this isn't my usual way of publishing here, I thought you might like to see the video message we did for last Sunday.
We had some sync issues at times, but my hope is you get the general idea.

Fake

When I was a kid and staying at a friends house overnight, we decided it would be a good idea to raid the liquor cabinet.
We grabbed what looked like some whiskey to give it a try.
To our surprise it didn't taste anything like we thought it would.
And when we got caught...which was always bound to happen...we found out we had been drinking something called Claytons. A fake type of Whiskey.

A little later in life I became a teenager. And part of my teenage experience included a holiday with my Dad in Hawaii.
One day we went to the markets and I bought a fancy looking watch.
The problem with it was that every time your clapped your hands or it got some other sort of a jolt...it would reset to 00:00:00.
Not really that helpful when it comes to a watch. It was a fake!

Recently our culture to some degree decided to celebrate a little event called St Patricks Day.
People dress up in green. Some drank green beer. They drink a lot in many cases.
It is called St Patricks Day, named after a real person who existed a long time a go.
But the reality of this event and the reality of history don't match on any level. This Patrick guy was someone who came to Ireland to share the good news about Jesus. For them to stop living their lives worshipping fake gods and even getting drunk. He wanted something better for this people. And we have in turn created a day named after him, to do the complete opposite of what he was about.
You could even say the day might be kind of fake...

Isn't it kind of funny (sad I mean) that we live in a culture where fake does exist.
And even more sad that many prefer the fake to the real.

Jesus does not have this in mind for us.
He said that He wanted us to have life and all it fullness.
He came to open the blind eyes to and reveal truth.
He wants us to understand who God can be to us and His great plan for our lives.

As for me, I don't want fake.
I don't want fake activity disguised as good religion.
I want the the real that God has for me. I want to experience His power in and through my life.
What do you want? Real or Fake?
I leave that question with you...

Something to think about...

example

Here is a thought to ponder today...
"If everyone followed your way of living, your standards, your morals, your level of commitment to whatever you value,
would you actually be ok with that?"
Because how you live your life, tells everyone about who you actually are.
What your standards are.
What your morals are.
What you values are.
And sets the example for others in life...

It is in part why Jesus did what He did I believe.
He came to earth to show us and not just tell us...and that is important for a number of reasons.
If it was all about verbal instructions He could have written them in the sky for the whole world to read.
Or written on some new stone tablets for others to hold on to and potentially pass around.
Instead He came to earth and showed us the way.
And because He showed us the way, he set the tone for what a life lived for Him actually looks like.
He set the bench mark for what our standards, morals and values could be.
He took it beyond ideas and debate to what it should be and what it could be.
One of the reasons why I encourage people to read the Gospels...because then you will know what you are supposed to do with your life.

When He washed His disciples feet, it was never about dirty feet!
It is was all about showing them that serving others was the highest form of humanity and even leadership.
When He did things that God told Him to do instead of what others expected...it showed whose opinion He valued more.
When He did anything, for any reason...it spoke volume upon volume of what mattered most and what He wanted others to micmic.
He is our example - nice and simple!

Our lives with Christ are the same.
How you live it tells everyone else how to live it.
In fact it shows people the upper limit or ceiling. You are a walking, talking, breathing example.
I have found that when we live to a certain level of whatever it is...others follow.
As a follower of Christ you are following His way. That is what a disciple actually does. And to what ever level you choose to go to...others will go there to.

If you have faith, don't be surprised when others seem to have more faith.
If you are generous, don't be surprised when others are more generous.
If you do the minimum, don't be surprised when others do the same.
If you look for reasons to avoid people, don't be surprised when it appears others do the same to you.

You set the tone for the world around you. You are that influential!
Because the same power that rose Christ from the dead lives in you.

You choose. You decide. You are leading the way for others around you!
Be an example of what you would like the world to be...

Something to think about...

catch phrase theology

Great quotes or inspiring catch phrases are fantastic...
I read them, get inspired by them and pass them on where I can.
I have noticed sometimes that quotes or little catch phrases while useful can also be dangerous.
Why?
Because if they are based on a segment of our theology, the teaching we want to embrace...sometimes they become islands to themselves.
When that happens, the catch phrase can become powerful and the rest of scripture from where it may have come, potentially gets ignored.

Sounds a little dramatic does it?

In the 90's people used to talk about 'winds of theology'. Used to explain that sometimes certain theology got emphasis over others. Was popular for a season in time.
Great examples were the faith movement or other experiential movements.
There was plenty of validity in them, but taken too far, your lose sight of the rest of our theology and follow a fad or a wind.

Today I read a catch phrase...
Sinners didn't kill Jesus, religious people did.

People are liking it on Facebook. Others will be sharing it around their friends.
But as I sat looking at it...I wondered if it was a good thing to say?
If you read the account of Jesus life where he actually gave it up, you don't read it quite like this phrase implies.
To me it makes it sound like Jesus was simply the victim of some conspiracy.
That the main reason He died even was because religious people are all jerks.

I would say this...
I am a sinner and you are a sinner...
Sinners killed Jesus.
And religious people were the tool for that to happen.

Because when I look at the whole of scripture as best I can, that first catch phrase while having some element of truth, just isn't enough to convey how amazing this Jesus is to me!
Jesus didn't simply die because some religious leader got offended.
Jesus died because of my sin!
It didn't sneak up on Him like He was unaware it would happen.
Jesus planned to give His life this way before I was even born, so that I could have forgiveness and relationship with my God now.
While religious people played a very sad part...my sin played an even bigger part!

Why say all this?
2 reasons...
One, to encourage you to examine all of our faith and all of our theology. Don't settle for catch phrase theology so that you grow in your faith, rooted and secure.
Second, to remind you that our Jesus is amazing! And I can never simplify His love and power to a catch phrase. God help me if I do!

Something to think about...

am i "gifted" enough?

If you have been around Christians and Church for more than a few minutes you will have heard people talking...
Talking about what "gifting" they have.
Talking about discovering their "gift" or "gift's".
It even seems that if you have more than one, then God really likes you or something?
Even the world around us talks like this. They see someone like a sports star and say they are very "gifted" in that particular field of endeavour.

God gives His people "gifts".
Each one is given by the grace He has for each one of us personally. And I am a firm believer that each follower of Jesus should desire them and use them to His glory.

The flip side of all this talk is actually how limiting it can end up being for God.
While these are something special from God, they were never supposed to be a limitation on what a follower of Jesus can be or do.
The gift or gifts sometimes become labels that some use as even an excuse. You might have heard someone say "that is not my gifting"...with as much sincerity as they can muster.

I am not saying that if you are not "gifted" musically that you should join the worship band. What I am saying is that if you are "gifted" musically then you shouldn't just limit your involvement in Gods Kingdom to just that...

Here is a great example from the Bible!
Nehemiah 3:8 niv
Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.

These people were "gifted" in working with gold and making perfume...but their desire to serve God went far beyond their "giftedness".
That help, that ministry, that service was in helping Nehemiah rebuild the wall around Jerusalem.
You don't see them saying, "wall building is not my gifting".
You do see them getting stuck into building something for the Kingdom beyond themselves and the "gift" they have.

I think a lot of us could learn something from this?
I think it is a huge challenge to the so-called modern christian...

Something challenging to think about...