Perseverance (James 1:12-18)

Perseverance is trusting in God's work. It is never giving up, because you trust that God is at work in the world even when you can't see it. It is never giving in, because you trust that God is at work in you.

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

The author of Hebrews says life is like a race that we are to run with perseverance. Whenever I run, it's easy for my mind to get distracted by how tired my legs are or how short of breath I am. Sometimes I think about the runners next to me or my friends and family in the crowd. It's the same with life. Sometimes I get distracted by how tired I am, how hard it is to wait on God's timing, how it feels like I am alone and no one else is doing the right thing. So how do we keep running?

Hebrews 12:2 says we fix our eyes on Jesus. We don't look at our legs and think about how tired we are. We don't look at the other runners and think about how much faster they are. We don't look in the stadium and worry about letting people down. We look at Jesus, and we keep running.

Jesus ran the race with perseverance. He did not give up or give in. He went through the hardest trial of all (being betrayed, mocked, beaten, crucified, and abandoned). What gave him the strength to not give up? It was the joy set before him. He saw that obedience to the Father would bring joy (both to himself and to the whole world). And he kept running.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:24 that we should run in such a way as to get the prize. What is the prize at the end of the race? It is the crown of life.

When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when full-grown, gives birth to death.

If those who persevere receive the crown of life, what is reserved for those who give in? Death. Why do we sin if we know sin gives birth to death? Well, there are many reasons we sin. One reason we sin is because it's hard for us to wait. A neuroscientist named David Eagleman observed, "Things that are offered right now have so much more power than things that are offered in the future." We will make all sorts of poor choices if something is offered right now, rather than later.

Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Sometimes we think God wants us to fail. We think he tempts us just to watch us fall. But that is not true! Sometimes we think God likes to keep good things from us, that he makes up rules so that we will be unhappy. But that is not true, either! God is the giver of every good gift.

Did you know that Satan does not have the power to create. He can only destroy. He can only take what God made for good and twist it for evil. He tempts us to take the gifts God has given us in the wrong way or at the wrong time. He is the trickster. He is the deceiver. James encourages us not to be deceived but to listen to the word of truth. If Satan is the liar, God is the truth-teller. Let's listen for the voice of Jesus. Let's look for God's good work in the world. Let's trust in the Holy Spirit's good work in us. Fix your eyes on Jesus and run with perseverance. Don't give up when trials come. There is a crown waiting for you. Don't give in when temptations rise. Life and joy come to those who stand strong.

Attendance:
1st Service Kingdom Kids = 4
Kingdom Kids = 29
Kinder-Kingdom = 10

Offering:
This Week: $4.45
Monthly Total: $31.45

Keeping Darkness at Bay

"My armor is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail is a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!"

"There He Lay" by Justin Gerard

Who can fight such a formidable foe? Someone with might? Great speed? Stealth? A trained warrior? A powerful wizard? An armored knight?

Gandalf chose a Hobbit. There is nothing magical about a Hobbit. They are small, ordinary folk who often prefer the comfort of home to an unknown adventure.

So you can understand Galadriel's curiosity when the council gathers to discuss an even darker shadow rising within Middle Earth. She asks, "Why the Halfling?" Gandalf responds,

"Saruman believes that it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I've found it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay, simple acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps it is because I am afraid and he gives me courage."

If you were to ask me why I am a children's minister, I think I would respond in similar fashion. Perhaps it is because I believe the meek will inherit the earth. I've seen giants fall to slings, kings succumb to shepherds, and strongholds crumble beneath the weight of a single cup of cold water. Why am I a children's minister? Perhaps it is because I am afraid and children give me courage. 

Survival Skills (James 1:1-11)

Phineas McDoogle Video Diary: "Blown and Tossed by the Wind" 

(James 1:1-11)

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. 

James is a New Testament letter written to Christians scattered among the nations. Why were they scattered?

Christianity began in Jerusalem with the death and resurrection of Jesus. The disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit, stood up among crowds and preached that Jesus was the Prince and Savior of Israel. The word of God spread and the number of disciples grew.

On of God's followers was a man named Stephen. Stephen preached that Jesus was God's Messiah. He told the religious leaders that they we just like those who killed God's prophets, except worse. They killed God's Righteous One. This made them furious. They dragged Stephen out of the city and heaved heavy stones at him. They killed Stephen.

On that day, a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 

But threats don't thwart the preaching of the Good News. Those who were scattered continued to preach the Word wherever they went. More people heard, and more believed. In the face of great opposition, the Church continued to grow. Because you see, sticks and stones can't break the marrow of these bones. 

James is writing to these Christians who face death daily. He is writing to Christians who hug their loved ones tight because they know very well that it might be their last. James writes to Christians who face jeers, sneers, and tears, and he tells them, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds."

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 

In his letter, James passes along four survival skills to his brothers and sisters in Christ. We are introduced to all four of these survival skills in the first 11 verses of James' letter.

1. Perseverance

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Perseverance is trusting God's work. It is trusting God to work in and through us. It is holding tight to God's goodness and timing. It is doing the right thing and never giving up no matter what because you believe God is at work even when you can't see the immediate results. 

"After each failure, ask forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again. Very often what God firsts helps us towards is not the virtue itself but just this power of always trying again" (Lewis, Mere Christianity).

2. Wisdom

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Wisdom is trusting God's way. It is training your ears to hear God's voice.

3. Faith

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

Faith is trusting God's word. It is knowing what God says, he will do, and acting accordingly.

4. Humility

The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.

Humility is trusting God's worth. It is knowing God holds all power and glory and trusting that He will dispense it at the proper moment.

Attendance:
1st Service Kingdom Kids = 5
Kingdom Kids = 28
Kinder-Kingdom = 13

Offering:
This Week: $20.31
Monthly Total: $27.00

An Unexpected Gift

"Ooh, that's good! I better jot that down." It's a thought many of us had throughout the weekend. I was in Nashville attending that blessed convergence of wisdom and kindness, beauty and truth, ideas and service called Hutchmoot.

I reached for my notebook, opened it, and started with surprise. For there staring back at me was a ferociously whimsical face. It had disproportionate eyes, an open mouth, jagged teeth, and a single strand of hair atop an otherwise-bald head. Who sketched this creature and left it for me to uncover? Was it boredom that bore this beast? Was it mischief? Did the monster bubble up from the deep well of delight? Did he spring from some chasm of unnamed fear? However it came to be, it came to me as a gift.

Faces flashed to mind, faces of children I know and love, faces of those who know me and love me still. My story is not one of new characters, plots, and places, but of recognizable ones. I continually bump into people from my past: former coaches, teachers, and friends. I trod familiar ground: my home church, my alma mater, childhood playgrounds. Just last month, I stood in my high school gym and coached volleyball alongside my Freshman coach. I bought a house next door to the place I played as a kid. At Hutchmoot, I sat in on a session led by Andrew Peterson, singing Rich Mullins songs alongside the man who introduced me to the music of both. Memories rise and mingle with the present.

And yet, I only see a pinch of the history in these places, only a fraction of the narrative written in the lines of these faces. There’s enough gold in them hills to mine for a lifetime. There’s enough mystery to keep a girl searching, enough wonder to keep her seeing anew. There’s enough sadness to bring her to her knees, and enough joy to fill her days with laughter.

I remember sitting in attendance at the first Hutchmoot, observing the friendships around me. I longed so desperately to have what I saw. I even prayed for such a community. And God answered my prayer. No, a new group of people hasn't moved in, and no, I haven't moved, but something has moved in me. Instead of giving me what I saw, God allowed me to see what I had. I have a community. We all do. And I'm beginning to see the people I come in contact with each day, not as I wish they were, but as they actually are.

As a child, I remember marveling at the fact that I have control of when my fingers move. I once asked my mom, “What if I wasn’t me? What if I were someone else?” It’s a thought that baffles me still. Why this place? Why this time? Why this plot of earth and this passel of people? I can’t reason out an answer to those questions, but I can live out one. Here I sit at the crossroads of the past and the future. And it is here, right now in this present moment, that God’s kingdom can come to, in, and through me.

The sketch in my notebook stands as a reminder. It's a reminder of you, my friends and neighbors. It's a reminder of all who daily share their thoughts, food, home, time, and yes, even their art with me. I look upon this drawing and thank God for you. More than marks upon a paper, you leave an imprint upon my heart. You are to me, a living letter of Christ, "written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts" (2 Cor. 3:3).

A Christmas Invitation

Jacob runs. He runs until the sun sets and darkness descends. Taking one of the stones, he puts it under his head and sleeps.

Jacob dreams. He dreams of a ladder, resting upon the earth and stretching to heaven. He dreams of the Lord atop the ladder, His angels walking up and down.

Jacob stirs. He awakens aware of another presence. "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it."

And Jacob trembles. "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven." Could Jacob have stumbled upon a portal between heaven and earth? Jacob seems to think so. He sets up the rock and names the place, Bethel, meaning "the house of God."

1800 years later, in a stable in the town of Bethlehem, the ladder fell once again. The gateway between heaven and earth opened and God, Himself, passed through. From the womb of an innocent girl, a baby came.

Christmas is about coming. Christ came and bids us come. You see, the portal between heaven and earth opens both ways. This morning, I read through the lyrics of Jason Gray's [newly released] Christmas album. The album feels to me like an invitation.

Christmas excites different feeling in different people. Some look back on Christmas past with warm nostalgia; others with regret. To some, the season is a happy reminder there are better times and brighter days ahead. To others, every peal of laughter is a mockery of the silence felt, every family gathering a painful reminder of those absent. Some get lost in lists; others feel unprepared. Some thrive on hope and expectancy; others temper giddiness and lower expectations. Perhaps you've felt one or all of these emotions yourself. I know I have. This album is for you. You are welcome, come.

Come, step back in time and see the events unfold through the eyes of the characters present. Christmas Stories: Repeat the Sounding Joy intersperses classic Christmas hymns like "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "O Holy Night" with original songs telling the stories of the Christmas characters. While we can easily dismiss cold facts, stories don't allow that luxury. They spark imagination and draw us in. Story disarms us. Before we know it, we turn from a passive observer to an inhabitant within the tale. We are the Innkeeper looking for Sabbath rest. We are Mary, carrying hope and bearing shame through the darkness. We are Joseph, faced with a choice between resentment and forgiveness. We are the Shepherd, bursting with good news. We are the Wiseman, hiding behind gifts.

Come, be filled with joy. Though the songs lead us through the darkness of betrayal, fatigue, disgrace, and fear, this album, ultimately, is an invitation to joy. How fitting that "Joy to the World" puts the punctuation mark on this collection of songs.

Come, let the season awaken your inner child. Christmas Stories celebrates little things: a baby, a town, the humble. What better way to illustrate that God's Kingdom "belongs to such as these," than to turn the lead vocals over to a child? "Christmas for Jesus," sung by Jason's son, Gus, wonders what kind of present God would put on his list. Bracketing the album are "Christmas is Coming," a song about how the season beckons the child in us all, and "Children Again," a song for the wizened grown up. Christ came as a baby. Could it be that, in order to come to him, we must become children, as well? "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of God" (Matthew 18:3).

So, come. Oh Jacob, what you once knew in part, may you now know fully. The portal was never a place. It is a person. Christ descended the ladder. He came that we, too, could come. "Love found a way in and left open the door." Will you crawl through?

...the things themselves told her.

He showed her things on the mountain, things in the sky, things in the pools and streams wherever they went. He did better than tell her about them; he made her see them, and then the things themselves told her.

(George MacDonald's, Sir Gibbie)

When I teach, I want to do better than simply tell my students about the things of God. I want to sit them down at the feet of Christ, himself.

More than speak of beauty and truth, I want them to taste of it. I want their thirst slaked by living water, their hunger satisfied by the bread of life.

Word of God, speak. Illumine our paths. Sword of the Spirit, penetrate. Judge the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. Cloud of His presence, come down. Fill us with your glory.

"Soaked in silliness and seasoned with truth."

Each Sunday, Kingdom Kids starts with a "Stop." It's a song from one of my favorite children's albums, Slugs and Bugs and Lullabies.

Slugs and Bugs is recording a new CD, and you can help fund the project. Here's how. Become a backer and join me in promoting music for kids that is "soaked in silliness and seasoned with truth."