I am back in my hotel in Seoul after an all-day trip to the DMZ or Demilitarized Zone. As I am sure you know, the Korean Peninsula is divided into two nations: North and South Korea. The DMZ is the “no man’s land” that stretches across the 150-mile width of the peninsula and serves as a “safe zone” between these two nations.
On the bus ride to the area, I kept thinking about my dad, who served in the Korean War and was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries sustained while taking supplies to the front lines. In addition to being injured physically here, my father also suffered the loss of his mother while he was serving in Korea. By the time the Red Cross got the message to him and he arrived home, my grandmother had already died and been buried. It was hard not to feel a great deal of pride, about both my dad and my country, as our guide spoke about the significant role America played and continues to play in the freedom South Koreans experience.
I am here in another kind of fight for freedom. I have come to talk about the freedom we can have in Jesus. Isaiah 61:1-3 reads, “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” These words were read by Jesus at his very first sermon. Jesus’ purpose in coming to Earth was to fulfill this promise.
There are many types of bondage in the world today. Some people are in bondage to wicked political systems, some are in bondage to sinful patterns and habits, some are in bondage to cycles of success and money, and some are even in bondage to religion. I have come halfway across the globe to preach a message of grace. I have come to declare that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:17-19).
Earlier today, I stood under close military guard with one foot in South Korea and one in North Korea, but I was forbidden to have any contact with anyone from North Korea. However, I have been told that when I preach on Sunday, the message will be broadcast through the Far East Broadcasting Company into parts of North Korea. What amazing times we live in. Wouldn’t it just be like God to use an unknown pastor from Maryland as a voice of grace and set some more captives free here on this beautiful peninsula? Grace is truly amazing!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Where Is Your Auto-Pilot Taking You?
I have come to believe that I am a spiritual creature living temporarily in a physical body. But I have noticed something: when I am tired, I default to the physical. Wouldn’t it be great if, when we were exhausted, we defaulted to the spiritual? Wouldn’t it be great if, when we get overtaxed, we just naturally saw our prayer life and worship life come alive? When I start feeling drained, I tend to start running on “auto-pilot” and my auto-pilot seems to be more “flesh” than “spirit.”
Apparently it takes energy to live a spiritually connected life. Like any relationship, our connection with God quickly atrophies from a lack of time and attention. How about you? How are you doing? Have you noticed that you are losing more and more battles with sin? How tired are you? When we get running too fast for too long, we find ourselves drained of the very life-giving energy that God intended for us to live by. In Galatians 5:16, the Lord speaking through the Apostle Paul says, “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”
When I am tired, I struggle even more to live by the Spirit. God created us for rest, for Sabbath. It is idolatry to think we can live without the God-given mandate of both work and rest. Instead of living as creatures that were designed for some rest, we have started to believe our own press—that we can do anything, and that we can continue to “push through.” It’s Friday. Take a break this weekend. Give yourself an hour or so to spend reading God’s Word, talking with God and listening to what He is saying to you and doing around you. Rest! It’s what God wants you to do.
Friday, July 16, 2010
When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong
Have you ever had the experience of seeing something new in something very familiar? You wonder: “How did I not see that before?” I noticed something new yesterday in Acts 1, which relates how Jesus appeared to His disciples for 40 days following His death and resurrection—but before He ascended to heaven and the Holy Spirit arrived on the scene. The Bible says that one day, while Jesus was eating with them, He gave an order: “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what he promised. Remember, I have told you about this before” (Acts 1:4, NLT).
Shortly thereafter, He commanded them to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth” (Acts 1:8). It suddenly struck me for the first time that the Disciples could easily have done this without the power of the Holy Spirit. After all, we're not talking about doing something supernatural, such as healing the lame or raising the dead. How much “power” does it take to tell another person what you have seen with your own two eyes?
This morning at 5:04, I woke up to a minor earthquake. Facebook is now filled with people in the region asking the same question, “Did you feel the earthquake?” So far, no one has responded, “I can’t answer that question yet. I have not received power from on high!” Why do we need power just to tell other people what we have seen and heard and experienced?” That was when I saw it. We tend to focus so much on having our part in life right—making sure our “testimonies” and our ministries are in order. But the best preaching, programs, actions, etc. in the world are inadequate unless they are energized, timed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a person remains in me and I in them, they will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5). I don’t think Jesus meant we are incapable of doing anything without Him. Rather, Jesus is saying that we are powerless to produce spiritual fruit on our own. The best sermon, without the influence of the Holy Spirit, is devoid of spiritual power. However, a simple witness empowered by the Holy Spirit can be transformational.
You and I have been invited by God to build the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. At its core, the Kingdom of Heaven is the place where God is at the center and His commands are obeyed. I believe God wants us to experience this right here and now. The presence of the Holy Spirit is what makes this possible. Doing the right things in our power won’t build God’s Kingdom. The best churches are not the ones with the best people doing the best programs and raising the most money. The best church (dare I say, the only real church) is where ordinary people are waiting on, filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Shortly thereafter, He commanded them to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth” (Acts 1:8). It suddenly struck me for the first time that the Disciples could easily have done this without the power of the Holy Spirit. After all, we're not talking about doing something supernatural, such as healing the lame or raising the dead. How much “power” does it take to tell another person what you have seen with your own two eyes?
This morning at 5:04, I woke up to a minor earthquake. Facebook is now filled with people in the region asking the same question, “Did you feel the earthquake?” So far, no one has responded, “I can’t answer that question yet. I have not received power from on high!” Why do we need power just to tell other people what we have seen and heard and experienced?” That was when I saw it. We tend to focus so much on having our part in life right—making sure our “testimonies” and our ministries are in order. But the best preaching, programs, actions, etc. in the world are inadequate unless they are energized, timed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a person remains in me and I in them, they will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5). I don’t think Jesus meant we are incapable of doing anything without Him. Rather, Jesus is saying that we are powerless to produce spiritual fruit on our own. The best sermon, without the influence of the Holy Spirit, is devoid of spiritual power. However, a simple witness empowered by the Holy Spirit can be transformational.
You and I have been invited by God to build the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. At its core, the Kingdom of Heaven is the place where God is at the center and His commands are obeyed. I believe God wants us to experience this right here and now. The presence of the Holy Spirit is what makes this possible. Doing the right things in our power won’t build God’s Kingdom. The best churches are not the ones with the best people doing the best programs and raising the most money. The best church (dare I say, the only real church) is where ordinary people are waiting on, filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Shepherds and Ranchers
Since I believe everyone wants to feel connected to and know more about the pastor who preaches on Sunday mornings, I have decided to begin writing a weekly blog. I don’t read blogs regularly and I have never blogged before now, but I am anxious to see if this use of interactive technology can help us grow closer together and partner to build the Kingdom on earth where Jesus reigns. I have named my blog “Heart Matters” because I want to share with you more of what is in my heart. So here goes…
There are two kinds of churches, shepherd churches and rancher churches. These distinctions are made primarily on the size of the church. Shepherd churches are usually under 200 in worship attendance, have only one or two generations that are active and the senior pastor (most likely the only pastor) provides all of the pastoral care for the congregation. In a rancher church, there are usually three to four active generations, the church’s focus is as much on the needs in the community as it is on internal church needs, and the senior pastor primarily “shepherds” 10-15 leaders who then shepherd people in their own area of responsibility.
Don’t get me wrong, everyone needs the care of a shepherd; the question is how many people one person can effectively care for. With 500 to 600 people in worship on Sundays, Oakdale Emory is in a difficult place in some respects. We are too large to be a shepherd church, but many people in our congregation still feel that the senior pastor should be their “primary” shepherd. If Oakdale were a church with 1,500 or 2,000 people active each week, there would be little expectation that the senior pastor could be in touch with that size congregation on a personal level. The truth is shepherding people has great rewards. There is no better feeling than to know that you have been used by God to bless someone. There are few greater privileges than standing by the bedside singing hymns and praying as someone eases from this life to the next. Pastors, like me, who have the privilege of being a part of “rancher” churches, are forced to give some of that up and to train others to share in that privilege.
Thanks for reading my first entry. I believe you will agree that “heart matters” and hope you will let me know what you think by posting your comments below.
There are two kinds of churches, shepherd churches and rancher churches. These distinctions are made primarily on the size of the church. Shepherd churches are usually under 200 in worship attendance, have only one or two generations that are active and the senior pastor (most likely the only pastor) provides all of the pastoral care for the congregation. In a rancher church, there are usually three to four active generations, the church’s focus is as much on the needs in the community as it is on internal church needs, and the senior pastor primarily “shepherds” 10-15 leaders who then shepherd people in their own area of responsibility.
Don’t get me wrong, everyone needs the care of a shepherd; the question is how many people one person can effectively care for. With 500 to 600 people in worship on Sundays, Oakdale Emory is in a difficult place in some respects. We are too large to be a shepherd church, but many people in our congregation still feel that the senior pastor should be their “primary” shepherd. If Oakdale were a church with 1,500 or 2,000 people active each week, there would be little expectation that the senior pastor could be in touch with that size congregation on a personal level. The truth is shepherding people has great rewards. There is no better feeling than to know that you have been used by God to bless someone. There are few greater privileges than standing by the bedside singing hymns and praying as someone eases from this life to the next. Pastors, like me, who have the privilege of being a part of “rancher” churches, are forced to give some of that up and to train others to share in that privilege.
Thanks for reading my first entry. I believe you will agree that “heart matters” and hope you will let me know what you think by posting your comments below.
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