Going To The Concert Is Not The Same As Being In The Band

"We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets[!]" Luke 13:26

I admit it. At every concert I've ever been to, from Skillet to Phil Keaggy to Pillar to Brooke Fraser (just recently! photos forthcoming!), I've always imagined myself playing in the band. I mean, doesn't everybody do that? Don't get me wrong. I have as much or more fun at concerts as anyone - jumping around, dancing (or whatever it is that I do) and singing. I mean, one of my most satisfying neckaches ever came from headbanging at a Skillet concert. But...to play in the band...that would be AWESOME! That would just be so different, and it's nothing like merely being one of the crowd.

On a very small scale, I know this to be true. Twice a week I experience the profound blessing of playing and singing with our church band. The privilege of actually playing the music, singing my guts out to God and hearing His people lift their voices in praise...that's a whole 'nother level of experience.

And so I come to my point.


Like the folks in Luke 13 that Jesus is describing, there will be many (ARE many) who believe that because they are fans of Jesus, it also means that they are followers. People spend time in God's presence, listen to good preaching, give in the offering and get up early for Easter sunrise service and think that's enough, that is, that all of that is somehow salvific. And it's just not so. Salvation is found in repentance - in faith alone, in Christ alone. All else is secondary.

I can air guitar and jump around in the crowd and sing every lyric, but that doesn't mean the lead singer will recognize me after the concert.
This is one reason why preaching should be clear, why preaching should faithfully and accurately communicate the Gospel in its entirety. If anyone misunderstands the difference between "fan" and true "follower", I don't want it to be because my preaching was less than the full Gospel.

Mission of Hope to Haiti

Just a brief redirection, if you please...(Backstory: A couple weeks ago I created a site describing this upcoming event, and then Blogger had its meltdown and my new site went down the drain with thousands of others. Like the six-million dollar man, I have rebuilt it!)

My oldest son and I are headed to Haiti in July, click the link and read all about it!

MISSION OF HOPE TO HAITI

Outclassed

I'm never really political from my soapbox, but:

I'm not sure I can come up with a more comically juxtaposed pair of people at the moment. Obama should have to buy tickets to meet Benjamin Netanyahu.

On a somewhat related matter, here is a book about Mr. Netanyahu's brother Jonathan who led the IDF raid on the Entebbe, Uganda airport to rescue hostages in 1976. I recommend it.

Preaching Hopelessness

You wearied yourself by such going about, but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’ Isaiah 57:10


If you read Isaiah 57 in its entirety, you'll find that it is an accusation against those involved in spiritual adultery who shamelessly gives themselves over to false gods and prostitute their lives with idols. The language is graphic and the situation is seedy, shameful and sad. It speaks primarily to the people of Israel in the time of Isaiah, and secondarily but no less importantly to people of any age who wear themselves out running after anything OTHER than the one true Lover, yet never acknowledging the hopelessness of the pursuit.

One goal of Biblical preaching should be to demonstrate to people their hopeless case apart from the grace of Christ. Haven't all of us who believe been at that point? Haven't we each come to the place where we've said, "It's hopeless" and we've realized, while we're panting for breath, the absurdity of our running after "other gods" in order to avoid running to the One True God?

If we preach, we should pray for the Holy Spirit to convict while we plead the case: It's hopeless apart from Christ! Stop striving! The promise is that "whoever takes refuge in [God] will inherit the land and possess [His] holy mountain."

If people don't or won't realize they are hopeless, they will have no awareness of their need for hope.

What David Prayed

"Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, 'Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?'" 1 Chronicles 17:16

OK, now go back and read that again...only this time use your imagination.

David has just left a profound meeting with Nathan the prophet. Nathan announced the staggering news of God's sovereign choice to establish David and his kingdom. David is floored by the pronouncement. He walks in a humbled haze down the palace hall to a room where he can be alone. He flops down in a chair carved of aromatic cedar and puts his head in his hands as the news sinks in. He can only think of how ill-equipped he is to lead and how well he understands his own weaknesses and shortcomings, and yet, somehow, God in His infinite wisdom and sovereign grace has chosen . . . him.

Ever felt like that?

Who am I, that the baby diagnosed in utero with ARPKD almost eight years ago is happy, healthy and thriving in my home today?

Who am I, that the Lord has me in a regular preaching ministry in spite of my laziness and formerly debilitating fear of public speaking?

Who am I, that the Lord continues His grace and keeps me even though my heart is prone to wander?

Who am I, that I have such a gracious, patient and compatible wife even though I'm so hard to be married to?

Who am I, that my five sons honor and love me even though I know I am not worthy of love and honor? And who am I that I should be blessed to have them in my life?

Who am I? Who are you?

"To the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves!" Ephesians 1:6

Unsinkable - A Review

Autobiographical adventures are a favorite of mine; there are many that reside on my bookshelf at home. Unsinkable is the (mostly) autobiographical account of 16 year old Abby Sunderland's attempt to sail around the world solo and unassisted. Her story made headlines in 2010 when many people criticized her parents for allowing her to make the attempt. They were accused of gunning for a lucrative reality show contract and putting their daughter in grave danger.

However, the truth of the matter was, as the book describes, that this exceptional family was more than well prepared and trained for such a trip as Abbey had been sailing since she was a very young girl. The Sunderlands have seven children and have always lived on or near the water. In fact, Abby's brother Zac completed his own solo-round the year before in 2009, so this was no whimsical decision on Abby's part. She had the full support of her parents and years of sailing knowledge behind her.

When you boil it all down, even though the setting is the high seas, Unsinkable is more about a loving, courageous family than it is about sailing, though I know a whole lot more about the sea than I did 199 pages ago. Definitely a good pick for anyone from their early teen years on up. Abby's daring spirit, her resolve in the face of danger and her faith in God are definitely stirring.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Dynamic Duos

Music is such an amazing gift from God - it is audible emotion, it is an invisible force that moves the heart and mind, it is color that your eyes can't see but your heart can discern.

So, on this Monday after a tiring weekend and the frustration of having Blogger "lose" one of my blogs, I'm offering music to entertain and inspire.

This first piece is one I've listened many times since I was teen. It's Vivaldi's iconic "Summer" movement from the Four Seasons, with an electric guitar twist. Very nice.

The second is the F Major Invention from Bach, played on mandolins by Rich Mullins and Mitch McVicker.

Haiti Still In Need

(PLEASE NOTE: The blog I created and linked to below has been lost by Blogger! I am attempting to find it, and if that is to no avail, I will be recreating the blog...)

If you wouldn't mind, head on over to the page linked below. My oldest son and I will be involved in a pretty cool opportunity this summer, and a few friends of mine have already opened their hearts to help us out.

HAITI MISSION OF HOPE

Stolen From Another Blog - Parenting 001

This post on parenting from Kevin DeYoung is brilliant, humble and realistic. If you have kids, take it to heart...

Parenting 001 by Kevin DeYoung

Dead Egyptians

"For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again." Exodus 14:13

Captors, pursuers, enslavers, dead. And not just dead - gone. Every time I read this passage about Israel's exodus I get really excited. It reminds me of my separation from sin through the blood of the Savior and that I am dead to sin. It also gives me hope. Although I still live in corrupt flesh and I'm often disturbed and downtrodden because of the sin that still lives in me, there will be a day when those Egyptians will be dead, too, and I'll never see them again.

Daylight

Here's a song to enjoy (if it's your style) as you head into the weekend. The band is Remedy Drive, and I like their sound. Lyrics from their other songs are also solid, and I appreciate that. Plus the fact that these fellas aren't from Seattle or the West Coast or Miami...they hail from just up the road from me in Lincoln, Nebraska. Good ol' midwestern boys like my man Rich Mullins! Oh, and does anybody think the lead singer resembles a cross between Steven Tyler and Jim Morrison???


Hover here: ROMANS 13:12

Fig Leaves of Morality

Are you trying to get on God's good side with good deeds? Are you banking on your morality securing you a spot in heaven? I'm sorry. It doesn't work that way.

The Lord in his mercy will bruise us will whatever afflictions are necessary until we see our only hope is in Christ.

Quoting Richard Sibbes:

"This bruising is required before conversion that so the Spirit may make way for himself into the heart by levelling all proud, high thoughts, and that we may understand ourselves to be what indeed we are by nature. We love to wander from ourselves and to be strangers at home, till God bruises us by one cross or other, and then we 'begin to think', and come home to ourselves with the prodigal...this bruising makes us set a high price upon Christ. Then the gospel becomes the gospel indeed; then the fig-leaves of morality will do us no good."

Where is your confidence for the covering of your soul? Just fig leaves...or just Jesus?

A Symbolic Death

Proverbs 11:10 (Hover your mouse over that for a second...)

My Facebook news feed was buzzing about Osama last night. Nearly every status update had something to do with bin Laden's death. Sprinkled in amongst all the celebratory comments were occasional posts that basically urged people to not be so happy about it, since God takes no pleasure in the death of his enemies (Ezekiel 18:32) and we should be saddened that Osama was no believer.

I agree with that sentiment, but I'm not going to fault people for rejoicing in his death. His death means much, much more than "Hey, we finally got that sucker." His death is symbolic; it carries with it the weight of the 3000 souls lost on 9/11. The death of this one man is a whole lot bigger than he was. His death was personal to multiplied millions of people. What people are rejoicing over, I think, is Justice. So I won't chide folks for being happy that he's gone.

When it comes down to it, Osama's death is the same as Joe Schmoe's down the street in that anyone who expires apart from Christ is lost, and lost to the very same degree. Osama's soul is no more depraved than mine. The extent of his crimes was farther reaching, perhaps, but his sinful affront to God's holiness separated him just as effectively as I did in the past with my own sins. And let's remember that God has saved worse critters than bin Laden...

I agree with my friends who say we shouldn't celebrate someone's death, who urge compassion. But I also celebrate in a fashion with everyone else that we finally got this evil man. Didn't people in 1945 mourn Hitler's death? Anyone remember Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his part in the plot to eliminate Hitler?

Ultimately we need to understand that there's more than one thing at work here: there is Justice in which a cold-blooded murderer has been dispatched; there is the power of a nation's memory stirring up sincere emotions; there is the eternal Truth that souls who perish apart from Christ are eternally, horribly, lost.