How To Prepare For Weekend Worship

If we’re honest, many of us show up to weekend worship services distracted, unprepared, and often times, more than a little late. This is sad when we consider the nature of what we’re invited into when we gather for corporate worship. 

Each week we gather to ascribe ultimate worth to Jesus, to hear God speak to us through the preaching of His Word, and to connect with the community of Christians Christ has saved us to.  What an amazing gift! In many ways, our worship services should be a sacred moment on which the rest of our weeks hinge. But, for this to be the case we have to be far more mindful of how to best prepare ourselves for this gift of grace. 

1. Begin the night before

Each week when I stand up to preach, I look out on more than a few bleary eyes who were up far too late the night before. If you want to be alert and prepared, then get to bed at a time that makes these goals possible.  

2. Wake up on time

Leaping out of bed, into last nights clothes, speeding to church, and sprinting to your seat, hardly provides you time to prepare for the task at hand. If you get to bed the night before, you should be able to forfeit a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning. This provides you the time necessary to prepare your entire self for worship. 

3. Warm your heart with God’s Word

Each Sunday (each day, really) I open my Bible and pray the same prayer: “Lord, please warm my heart with your Word.” Understand, I don’t mean, “Give me warm fuzzies like a Halmark card.” I mean, “Remind me of who you are and what you’ve done. Convict me of my sin and call me to repentance. Assure my heart and mind of your love and grace displayed, provided, and poured out through Christ’s death and resurrection.”  This is how God’s Word warms out hearts.

4. Pray for preparation 

As God’s Word reveals your sin, confess it and repent. As it reveals His grace, thank Him. As it commands your obedience, beg Him to empower it. This is the process that prepares us to proclaim the goodness of God with the people of God. Imagine what would happen if every Sunday morning you simply asked the Spirit of God to prepare your head and heart to hear from Him. That’s a prayer God always say, “Yes” to. 

5. Arrive with eager expectation 

We should head to church with a quiet excitement. “I’m getting ready to worship Jesus! I’m about to hear the Spirit of God speak to me! I’m getting ready to gather with my Christian brothers and sisters to do what we were made to do!” If we’ve prepared, if our church is centered on Christ, if the Word of God is proclaimed, we should EXPECT a life-changing encounter with God EVERY week! 

No more “church as usual.” No more treating corporate worship like a religious obligation. No more stumbling in late and rushing out early. This week, when you gather with the people of God go prepared to encounter the presence of God.

Ever prayed for something God didn't grant?

Of course you have. We all have. Some of us have begged, implored, and pleaded with God to move in a particular manner and been left feeling like our prayers fell on deaf ears. In my experience, one of the primary reasons people struggle to believe in the goodness of God is unanswered prayer. 

Furthermore, Jesus' own words in places like John 15:7 often add to our frustration. Jesus says, "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."

The problem is that when we weigh our personal experience against promises like this, many of us are left frustrated. We think, "I prayed, I asked Jesus to do something, and He didn't do it. Jesus said, 'Ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.' Well, it wasn't done for me. Jesus failed me!"

But here's the difficult truth: Inattention to the words of Jesus leads to the misapplication of His promises. 

Jesus did not say, "Ask whatever, whenever, however you want, and I'll give it to you." Jesus is no vending machine. Your prayers aren't coins that obligate Him to spit out whatever you demand. Yes, Jesus promised to answer the prayers of His people. But He also prefaced this promise with the following conditions: "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you..." 

To "abide" means to stay, to reside, or to remain. This implies more than mere memorization of Scripture. Jesus is not saying, "If you memorize a few verses, I'll answer your prayers." Jesus is saying that if you abide in Him and His words abide in you, then the full range of His life and teaching will dwell within you and inform your thoughts, feelings, and desires. The reason Jesus promises to answer these prayers affirmatively is that they're in line with His will. 

The reality is that if God does not grant what we wish, it's because it's not in line with His good and perfect will. Abiding in Christ aligns us with His will. Our hope, our goal, our prayer should be to wish for God's will, to want what He wants, and to be desperate for what He desires. This is what it looks like to abide in Christ and for His word to abide in us. Where the words of Christ abide, the will of Christ will be wished for. 

So the real question is, will you abide in Christ, and will His word abide in you?

3 Thoughts For Ryder's Third Birthday

Dear Ryder,

On the day you were born, God gave me a tremendous responsibility - raising you from a boy to a man. I'm not sure it's ever been an easy task, but these days it feels like a nearly impossible one.

Men in our culture are almost as rare as unicorns.

We have lots of boys. Being a boy is easy. Boys are silly. Boys are immature. Boys are irresponsible. It's fine to be a boy...when you're a boy. The problem is being a boy when you should be a man. God's called you to grow from a boy to a man, son. I know you're only three, but it's important we start talking about this stuff now.  You and I are to be God's men.

You are a strong, handsome, funny, and sensitive boy. My prayer is that God would grow you to be a strong, handsome, funny, and sensitive man. As we work towards this together, here are three things I want to share with you on your third birthday.

1. Jesus is greater than Iron Man...and every other hero.

I know how much you love heroes. I love that you love them...particularly Iron Man. We both know that Iron Man is an amazing superhero. Jet boots, repulser rays, unibeam...he's crazy cool.

Heroes help, serve, protect, and save those in need. And as amazing as superheroes are, they don't compare to Jesus, our true and ultimate hero. Jesus is stronger than Iron Man. Jesus is more powerful than Iron Man. Jesus is a greater hero than Iron Man.

Jesus sacrificed Himself to save you, son. You're sin threatened to steal your life, so Jesus went to battle with it. Jesus climbed onto a cross where He died, and was then buried in a tomb for three days. Jesus did that for you!

Just when it looked like Jesus had lost, that your sin had defeated your hero, Jesus simply got up and walked out of the tomb! No jet boots, no repulser rays, no unibeam. He just walked out, crushing and killing your enemies of Satan, sin, and death. Iron Man, Thor, Captain America...all the Avengers couldn't do that on their best day. Jesus is a greater hero than Iron Man. My prayer is that you would trust Him by faith and follow Him.

2. Prayer is the most powerful weapon in every man's arsenal. 

Your life is filled with weapons right now. Lightening hammers, lightsabers, and swords are everywhere in our house. It's good that you love weapons. Men need to learn to fight. Men need to be able to protect themselves and those around them. While it's hard for you to believe and understand right now, there is a weapon God has given us that's more powerful than any other - prayer.

You're just learning to pray right now and nothing makes my heart swell like hearing your little voice talk to God. One of the things I'm praying for you each day is that you would grow to be a praying man.

Prayer is powerful. Because of Jesus you have direct access through prayer to the Creator, Savior, and Sustainer of the universe. Never forget that God hears, listens, and responds to your prayers. You can talk to God at any time, in any place, and in every season. Prayer is the most powerful weapon in every man's arsenal. Use it, son. You'll need it.

3. Sin will be the biggest bad guy you ever fight.

Sin sucks, buddy. I see you battling it already. Anger, rebellion, apathy...it's already in you. Sin is worse than Dr. Doom. Sin is worse than Darth Vader. Sin is worse than the Crimson Dynamo. Sin is real and it wants to destroy you.

You have to resist it. You have to fight it. You have to kill it. 

Jesus has already won the war, but the fight against the sin that dwells within you remains. You have to battle against it. Daddy's going to fight beside you. Most importantly Jesus is always fighting sin with you and for you. He's won, so we fight. 

You've already made daddy so proud. You're an amazing boy and you're going to be great man. I will always love you. I will always do my best to point you to Jesus. I will always pray for and with you. I will always help you fight your sin. You're daddy loves you...more than the world.

Happy Birthday, Son. 

Preacher, Or Zumba Instructor?

As I previously posted, we had our friend, Jake Moreland of Two Birds Photography come and shoot a service at Redemption recently. What I didn't realize until looking at the pictures, is that I apparently use a wide range of physical gestures in my preaching. The good news is, if preaching doesn't work out, I apparently have a hopeful career as a Zumba instructor.  

While we should take preaching very seriously, we should never take ourselves too seriously. Good thing, too.  I'm mean honestly, what was happening in these shots??

1. "Alright, if I stage dive, you promise you'll catch me, right?"

2. "Why has my hair receded so far?"

3. "I'm not going to say it again. We don't do the "Tomahawk Chop" during worship!" 

4. "If you fall asleep one more time, I'll walk right off this stage."

5. "Sometimes you just gotta grab hold of the gospel."

6. "Dance! Don't hold the wall..." (Yep. That's a Justin Timberlake lyric...)

7. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What do you mean don't dance while I preach?!"

8. "No, seriously. Just fall back and I promise to catch you."

9. "I believe I can fly..." (Wow. JT and R.Kelly in one post. Sorry.)

What Makes Jesus The "GOOD" Shepherd?

In John 10:11 Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Against the backdrop of the sinful leader (“thieves and robbers”) and the self-consumed leader (“hired hand”), Jesus, the selfless shepherd leader shines all the brighter.

Jesus is the good shepherd because he laid down His life to save His sheep. 

Remember, this wasn’t Jesus saying He would be willing to lay down His life for His sheep, the way I’d be willing to lay down my life for my wife and kids. Jesus actually laid down His life for you and I. Not only that, but Jesus went to specific lengths in John 10:14-18 to explain how He laid it down.

1. Jesus laid His life down SACRIFICIALLY 

Read John 10:11 again. Jesus says, “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Significantly, the Greek preposition (yep…I said it… “Greek proposition”) translated “for” in v.11 is used in an exclusively sacrificial context in John’s Gospel. It’s always used in reference to the death of Jesus for His people. Do you know what this means? It means that Jesus didn’t die to be a mere example to us, but a sacrifice for us. Instead of taking from His sheep, Jesus sacrificed Himself for His sheep. By the Shepherd’s sacrifice, the sheep are saved. 

2. Jesus laid His life down SOVEREIGNLY 

Four times Jesus says, “I lay down my life…” In verse 18 He leaves no room for misunderstanding stating, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again…” This amazing profession of power reminds us that Jesus was never a victim, but always the victor on the cross. Even in that darkest moment, when evil looked on the crucified Christ, believing it had won, it was actually looking at the source of it’s own demise and destruction. Christ wasn’t conquered on the cross - sin was.

3. Jesus laid down His life SUBMISSIVELY

Jesus concludes v.18 saying, “This charge I have received from my Father.” Think about the quantity of love this reality displays. The Father loves you so much He sacrificed His own Son for you. I have two sons and I honestly can’t comprehend a love that would compel a sacrifice so costly. It doesn’t even stop there. Jesus, the perfect Son of God, loves you so much that He willingly obeyed the Father and sacrificed His life for your sin. No Christian need ever doubt the love of God. If they do, they need to take a long and lingering look at the cross. 

Jesus is the good shepherd because He laid down His life for His sheep. He laid it down sacrificially, sovereignly, and submissively. How could we not follow a Shepherd so generous, gracious, and good?

Listen to the entire sermon here...

God Is Greater Than The Zombies...And Whatever You're Facing

Imagine you walked into church one Sunday and everywhere you looked were zombies. Not real zombies, of course. Because of course, there aren’t real zombies, or are there? Anyways... 

Imagine you walked into a worship service one Sunday and everywhere you looked were zombies.

Zombie posters.

Zombie pictures.

Signs that scream, “Zombie!” 

Everywhere you look, zombies. Now, no matter how much you love The Walking Dead, I think you’ll agree that zombies don’t necessarily create an environment conducive to corporate worship. 

A few weeks ago, this is exactly what we walked into at Redemption. We meet in a High School Auditorium where the stage is surrounded by zombie pictures for the current production they’re working on, entitled...wait for it...Zombie Prom. Yep.

Zombie Prom.

The start of Zombie Prom coincided with our launch of a new sermon series called "I Am," which works through the seven “I am” statements Jesus makes in John’s Gospel. I will admit, the irony of teaching Jesus’ “I am the bread of life...Whoever feeds on my flesh...” statement on the first Sunday was not lost on me (nor anyone else in the room). 

When I was first informed of our Zombie Prom themed stage, I was a wee bit frustrated. I’d had such high hopes for the series. I’d planned on people coming to faith. I’d planned on Jesus moving in power. I'd planned on Jesus transforming lives. But now,  the zombies had ruined everything.

Yeah, not so much. 

Turns out that God is greater than the Zombie Prom. Despite the posters, the pictures, the signs, and even this:

Yes, that is in fact an upside down cross on this demon babies head...

I've still had conversations with people who have trusted Jesus by faith. I've had multiple encounters with people who have said that God is transforming their lives through this series. In short, God is moving in power...in spite of the stupid Zombie Prom.

In Psalm 145:3 David writes, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.” That fact that God’s greatness is unsearchable does not mean that we are incapable of understanding any aspect of God's greatness. It means we are incapable of fully comprehending all of God's greatness. 

It means God is greater than whatever obstacle your church is facing. It means that God is greater than your weakness. It means that God is greater than your sickness. It means that God is greater than your weariness. It means God is greater than your marital issues. It means that God is greater than your finances.

No matter what it is—no matter what issue you face, no matter what obstacle you encounter, no matter what hardship you experience,

God is greater. 

Even than the zombies.

6 Steps To Prep A Sermon Start To Finish

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “The work of preaching is the highest and the greatest and the most glorious calling to which anyone can ever be called.” I’m so thankful to be a preacher. It’s my favorite part of being a pastor. While I love the act of preaching, I often find the art of prepping sermons tedious. I love to study and preach what the Lord gives me. It’s the blood, sweat, and tears in between that makes me long for the time when I was a vocational coffee maker. 

Because I preach about 45 times a year, I’m always prepping a sermon. I’ve tried just about every means possible, but finally seem to have fallen into a consitent rhythm. I’m a bit of a nerd, but I’m obsessed with hearing about the process other preachers use to prepare sermons, so I thought I’d share my own. Here are the 6 steps I take to prep a sermon start to finish...

1. Pray With Persistence.

The development and delivery of Spirit-filled, eternity-altering, life-changing preaching demands a posture of prayer. Preachers are called to a task we’re incapable of accomplishing. Prayer is an acknowledgement of our dependence. We petition the Spirit of God to do what we can’t do. Prayer must persist throughout the preperation and presentation of the sermons we proclaim. 

2. Read And Record.

If your sermon prep starts with something other than an open Bible, you’re doing it wrong. The Apostle Paul told a young pastor named Timothy to “preach the word.” We don’t preach our creativity, thoughts, feelings, ideas, or stories. These may be PART of the sermon, but if they ARE the sermon we’ve wasted the time of our listeners. 

Monday’s for me are marked by coffee, my Bible, and a blank piece of paper. I’m marking up the text, writing it out by hand, recording my observations and questions, and beginning the difficult, but rewarding work of letting the text speak. I LOVE this part. Every week, even when I’m worn out, the Spirit reminds me that the Word of God is living and active (link).  Every sermon starts with Scriptures and a sheet of paper.

3. Supplement Your Study.

By Tuesday morning, I’ve done my own work and have hopefully begun to get my heart and mind around the text. While the Holy Spirit speaks to me directly through the text, I also know that He uses the work of other men and women to sharpen and clarify my thinking as well. This means on Tuesday I have Logos open and I’m checking my own interpretation against the best commentaries I can find. I typically have one primary commentary that I’m studying in depth and two or three others I’m skimming as well. BestCommentaries.com is a very helpful site for picking and choosing the ideal commentary. 

4. Frame It Out.

Wednesday is my day off, so all the work I’ve done on Monday and Tuesday is marinating throughout the day. Thursday morning I’m back in my office, my Bible and notes are out, and it’s time to find and frame the sermon. I’m crafting my Big Idea and looking for how to best outline my main points.

My outline changes week to week, but with each point I preach I’m seeking to do the same three things: 1) Interpretation  2) Illustration ( 3) Implication - explain what the text is saying, illustrate for the purpose of clarity, and bring the text to bear on our lives.  For me, this is the most difficult step. Once I have this in place the rest is merely discipline. 

5. Write. Write. Write.

I know a growing number of people preach with no notes. While fine for some, preaching with no notes often results in rabbit trails, rants, and random thoughts that go unfiltered. Unless you have an abnormally strong memory, I believe everyone should take some type of notes into the pulpit with them.

For me, this means spending each Friday holed up in my office. With my door shut and my headphones on, I write. I write what I call a “broken manuscript.” It doesn’t contain everything I WILL say, but it contains everything I MUST say. Here’s how I format my notes:

• Two pages printed front and back on cardstock in landscape with two columns so my notes can be folded in half to fit in my Bible.
• Typed in Adobe Garamond Pro with main points bolded at 13 and regular text at 11 with all Scripture italicized.
• I use bullets to better visualize complete units of thought.

If I have framed my sermon well, writing takes as few as four hours. More often than not I write from 9am-2pm each Friday and at times have to write a bit more on Saturday. It’s tedious and I often loathe Friday. However, when done right, I feel the fruit of this work on Sunday. 

6. Vandalize To Internalize. 

I’m not sure there is anything worse than a pastor taking a word-for-word manuscript into the pulpit and proceding to read it to his people (I fell asleep writing that sentence, it sounds so boring). NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR YOU READ! You can’t just write a good sermon, you have to PREACH it! This means you have to get all the work in you so that it can come out of you with conviction, clarity, and compassion. I have to vandalize my notes in order to internalize them. 

I edit, circle, and underline. I write out transitions, jot down illustrations, and clarify my application. I also highlight. BLUE is main points, GREEN is illustrations, YELLOW is textual, PINK is implications, and ORANGE is transitions. At times on Sunday mornings, someone will catch a glimpse of my notes and think I’ve lost my mind. When I’m done they look like the walls of every serial killers hideout in every movie you’ve ever seen. But, somehow this is how I get them in me. 

Conclusion.

In talking with pastors about preaching, one thing has become clear: Every preacher has their own process. This is mine. It’s hard work, but it’s fruitful work. I’m humbled that God uses this work to grow others, but I’m most grateful that God uses this work to change me. I have a pastor friend who says, “Sermon prep is the crucible of my sanctification.” I couldn’t agree more and I thank God for the honor of studying and preaching His Word. 

I Am - Part 3 - Jesus, The Door Of Life

Title: Jesus, the door to life (John 10:7-10)

Listen to the entire sermon HERE...

Sermon Overiew:

You and I were created to experience a particular quality of life - Jesus called it abudant life. Sadly, many only exerience a cheap knock off of this true life Jesus desires for us. For this reason He stepped into human history -  so that humanity could experience what we were created for. 

In John 10:7-10 Jesus claims to be the only door to this true and abundant life. This claim has at least two implications:

First, if Jesus is the only door to true life than all others doors must be shut as a means to life - resource, relationship, religion - any and all doors promising true life apart from Jesus will eventually destroy us. 

Second, if Jesus is the only door to true life than everyone must enter through Him. There is no “choose your own adventure” option for true life. There is Jesus and everything else. He's the only means to true life.

Jesus goes so far as to describe this abundant life He came to offer us. In John 10:9 He hightlights three marks of abundant life: 

1.  Salvation

“If anyone enters by me, he will be saved...”

Despite the popular notion that there are an infinite number of doors leading to the same God, Jesus claims to be the only means by which we are saved. If anyone is going to be forgiven of sin and made right with God, they must enter through Him.

2. Security

“If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out...”

Those who are in Christ, are secure in Him. Jesus pictures sheep moving in and out of the sheepfold free from fear. This means, even in the face of chaos, you’re secure in Christ. Your sin can’t steal your salvation. No tragedy can alter your eternity. Those who are saved by Jesus are secure in Him.

3. Provision

“If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.”

To find pasture is to find provision. Jesus promises to provide for every one of His people’s needs - every single one. There will never be a need you have that Jesus will not provide for. If Jesus doesn’t provide it, it’s because you don’t need it. 

Jesus is the only door to true life. So the ultimate question is, do you believe that?

Questions For Reflection:

1. What do you believe constitutes “true life?”

2. What door are you most prone to look to for the purpose of true life? 

• Resource (i.e. a different job, the next raise, a new home, etc.)
• Relationship (i.e. someone to date, a spouse, kids, better community, etc.)
• Religion (i.e. another faith, a religious distortion of Christianity, etc.)

3. What would it look like for you to shut this door as a means to life?

4. Where do you need to need to trust Jesus? 

• Salvation - have you turned from your sin and trusted Jesus by faith?
• Security - What fear, anxiety, or insecurity do you need to trust to Jesus’ protection?
• Provision - what need are you currently dependent on Jesus’ provision for?

My Favorite Kind Of Video...

...is the one that captures the story of Jesus altering the trajectory of someone's eternity.

The story of the Holy Spirit replacing a dead heart of stone with a new heart of flesh. The story of Jesus giving spiritual sight to blind men and women. The story of Jesus setting someone free from sin and shame.

The story of Jesus saving, changing, and sustaining.

This is why we've begun capturing the testimonies of those who come to faith and are baptized at Redemption.

This past Easter Sunday we had the great privilege of baptizing four people and hearing the powerful stories of Jesus' work in their lives.

I hope they bless you the way they continue to bless me.

How To Comment On A Blog Like A Christian

We've all read them.

Some of us have even posted them - smug, condescending, even vile and angry blog comments. The comment section of a blog is often a cesspool of sinful speech.

And now begin the justifications.

"It's not sinful speech! They're wrong. Their doctrine wasn't just right. They don't think like I do. I don't like their opinion. I don't like their preaching, music, philosophy of ministry..."

I get it.

Nobody's doctrine is perfect. Nobody thinks just like you do. There are lots of different styles of preaching and music, and even more strategies for making disciples...some better than others. None of these things, however, are a justifiable reason for sinful speech...even in the comment section of a blog. The point you're trying to make may even be the right point. The problem is, you can be right the wrong way.

So, how can we have a robust difference of opinion, but still honor one another? How can we confront error passionately, but do so with respect? Ultimately, how can we comment on social media like Christians?  

1. Read carefully

I don't receive an enormous number of comments on my blog. Of the comments I do receive, I can't believe how many simply don't pay attention to what I've actually said. People who communicate are trying to make a point. Before we confront, disagree, or dispute what they've said, we need to read carefully in order to insure we have actually comprehended what they've said.

2. Reflect biblically

Prior to pointing out problems with what's been written, we need to ask better questions? "Is there truly a problem with what's written, or does this merely conflict with my personal preference? What does it look like for me to reflect the fruit of the Spirit in this comment? Will my words please the Lord? Should I even post this? Is this true? How can I say this gently?" Less haste. More reflection. 

3. Respond clearly

Writing in a way that is clear, concise, and coherent is not easy. I've read many comments wondering, "What in the world is this person even trying to say?" I'm fine having people disagree with me. One of the reasons I write is that I want to learn. But we can't learn from one another if we're not clear.

As Christians we need to have more fierce conversations - they simply must be saturated in the full measure of grace and truth. We should hold our convictions passionately, but humbly. We should enter in to the number of amazing conversations that are happening on line. We simply need to read carefully, reflect Biblically, and respond clearly as we do. 

Feel free to comment below:-)

Ryder's Lightsaber Surprise...

It's pretty normal for Ryder to follow dinner with some sort of weapons demonstration. The lightsaber is typically his weapon of choice. He has three...

Why?

Because you just never know which one you're going to need, of course.

Last night Ryder was using his old lightsaber that broke long ago.. he just can't let it go. Toward the end of his near 15 minute demonstration, it miraculously turned back on and his response was awesome.

So, with no further ado...

Here is Ryder's lightsaber demonstration surprise (underscored by the great Meredith Andrews)...

"I Am" - Part 2 - Jesus, The Light Of The World

Sermon Overview:

Something in us longs for light. Sadly, darkness is descriptive of the way many of us feel about our lives. Many live with emptiness, and a void they can't fill. Many live marked by anger, fear, depression, resentment, discouragement, or disappointment. The good news is that Jesus shines into the darkness that defines many of our lives.

Listen to the full sermon here...

Sermon Text:

John 8:12-20

Big Idea:

Jesus is the light that leads to true life.

Outline:

An Eternity-Altering Claim (v.12a)

An Immediate Consequence (v.12b)

The reality of Jesus as light of the world results in two ways to live...

• Option #1 - Apart from Jesus you're stumbling in the dark
• Option #2 - With Jesus you have the light that leads to life

The Deciding Factor = Following Jesus

5 Signs You're Following Jesus...

1. You Believe

2. You Draw Near

3. You Listen

4. You Trust

5. You Obey

Questions For Personal Reflection:

In what ways are you seeking to follow Jesus?

What does it look like for you to draw near to Jesus on a daily basis?

When do you find it most difficult to trust Jesus?

In what areas of your life is Jesus calling for more faithful obedience?

A Clinic On Corporate Scripture Reading

At Redemption we seek to saturate our services in Scripture. We read it over our church, we read it as a church, we sing Scripture, we pray Scripture, and we preach Scripture. There is power is God's Word. Hebrews 4:12 says,

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (emphasis mine).

Furthermore,  in Isaiah 55: 10-11 God says,

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it (emphasis mine).

Don't miss this.

When God's Word goes forth is does exactly what God wants it to. There is never a time when the Bible is proclaimed to no end. The Scriptures succeed exactly as the Spirit would have them.

Because we believe these promises about God's Word, we seek every opportunity to share it. One of the ways we do this is by reading Scripture in our services, out loud, over our church.

Sounds simple enough, right? Not so much. Reading Scripture out loud in front of people is not something everyone does well. It takes preparation and practice. Calm down, I realize the power is in God's Word itself, not our ability to read it, but that should never be an excuse NOT to labor to show God and His Word the honor deserved.

Yesterday, Abby Wickman, one of our worship leaders at Redemption, did an excellent job with a corporate reading of Romans 11:33-35.  Here's the video:

I love Abby. She's all of about 5 feet tall, with a voice and heart twice that size. As I listened to her yesterday, I believe there are five things she did that are key to effectively reading Scripture corporately.

1. Read Beforehand

Abby was clearly prepared. She'd been assigned the text ahead of time, she'd read it, practiced it, and had it in her heart, prior to reading it over the congregation. When we read the Scriptures over people, we're participating in the supernatural work of the Spirit of God. That warrants preparing prior to participating.

2. Read Thoughtfully

Think about WHAT you're reading and HOW it should be read. I love the way Abby's reading built to a climax. People erupted into applause when she finished - not for her, but because of the truth she read. Some readings should be somber, some reflective, and some celebratory. Examine the text and seek to capture the appropriate tone.

3. Read Naturally

It should sound like you reading God's Word. Ditch "the preacher voice." Read with a strong, clear, and natural cadence. If you've prepared and been thoughtful, this should be easy. Get it in you and then let it out of you, but do it naturally.

4. Read Loud

Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word of Christ (Romans 10:17). This means people have to be able to hear it. Don't read in a whisper. Stand up, lift your voice and proclaim God's Word in a LOUD voice.

5. Read Passionately

Too often the good news is heralded like bad news. Reading about the greatness of our God, the nature of Christ's sacrifice, and the joy we have in Jesus should evoke emotion. These things should move us and our reading of them should reflect this! Passion doesn't mean yelling, but it does mean feeling what you're reading. Do you feel it?

We can't have too much Scripture in our lives. Let's fill our services with the inspired, inherent, authoritative Word of God. Let's read it beforehand, thoughtfully, naturally, loud, and passionately. God's Word will succeed just as God wants it to. Rest in that.

5 Reminders For Ava's Fifth Birthday...

Dear Ava, Five years ago today you were born and my life changed. I will never forget looking down at your sleeping face the day you born. I remember thinking my heart might explode I was so overwhelmed by the love I felt for you.  Sometimes at night before I go to bed I still make my way into your room, cover you back up with the blankets you inevitably kick off, and look down again at your sleeping face. That feeling hasn't gone away. I still can't believe how much I love you.

I've wanted to be a daddy since I was little boy and on April 12, 2008 God gave me you. Today you turn 5-years-old and for some reason it feels like a new chapter in your life is beginning. There's no more baby. There's no more toddler. You're a little girl now. As you begin this new chapter there are five reminders I want to share with you on your fifth birthday.

1. Jesus loves you more than daddy ever could

You know I'm not a perfect Daddy. Sometimes I can be crabby, selfish, and impatient. Jesus is none of those things. When you were at your worst, Jesus gave his life to love you. Daddy loves you more than you will ever know and there's nothing I would not do for you. But, on my best day, my love can't compare to Christ's love for you.

2. Always follow Jesus

Everyone in your life will have expectations of you. Daddy, mommy, your brothers, friends, people at church...everyone. Sometimes these expectation will align with Jesus' expectations and sometimes they won't. What matters is that you follow Jesus. Even when it disappoints others, follow Jesus.

3. Even when all else fails, Jesus is faithful

Psalm 36:5 says, "Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds." You will have days where it seems everything and everyone has failed you...including me. BUT, on your darkest day and in your most difficult season, Jesus will be faithful.

4. Daddy loves you more than any boy ever will

You are a smart, funny, creative, strong, and beautiful girl. This means a day is coming when boys will come around wanting to date you. On that day they will have to sit with me (most likely while I clean what I hope by then will be a large gun collection) and answer a host of questions. No matter what they do and what they say, never forget that apart from Jesus, no one will ever love you more than daddy. I promise to both declare and display my love for you each day, so that you'll always know this to be true.

5. You can always talk to me about anything

It doesn't matter what it is. Even when it's bad. Even when it's scary. Even when it hurts. There will never be anything you can't ask me, tell me, or talk to me about. I love you. I will always love you and you can always talk to me about anything.

My life changed with that first look at your little face and I'm so thankful for you. I know you won't read this today, but I hope one day in the future you will find it and know how much I have and always will love you. You're my joy. Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

With Overwhelming Love,

Daddy

New Series. New Staff Pictures.

God has blessed Redemption with some extraordinarily talented people. One of them is Jake Moreland of Two Birds Photography. Sunday he came early to shoot pictures of our elders and staff for the new website and also to shoot the new series, "I Am..." He did a great job as usual. Here are a few shots from Sunday...

Mackenzie Morey (Administrative Assassin)

Pastor Tyler Drewitz (Ministry Development and Disney Connoisseur)

Pastor Ashley Herr (Elder and Lover of Spreadsheets)

Pastor Scott Holthaus (Musical Savant)

The Reverend Ryan Huguley (My official title)

New stage design for "I Am" series (the border around the stage is for the new high school production entitle "Zombie Prom"...so that's awesome.)

Pastor Scott and Olivia leading us into the presence of God.

Not only does lead worship, but Pastor Scott also has some sick new boots.

So humbled by the passion with which Redemption worships Jesus each week.

I realized in looking at these pictures that I use a lot of gestures in preaching.

Concluded our services remembering Jesus, the bread of life, through communion.

Thanks to Jake Moreland and Two Birds Photography. Make sure you check them out!

"I Am" Part 1 - Jesus, The Bread Of Life

As I mentioned last week, Sunday marked the start of a new 7-part teaching series at Redemption entitled "I Am: Letting Jesus speak for himself."

Everyone feels free to make claims regarding the identity of Jesus, but few actually listen to the claims he made about himself - we label him without listening to him. Seven times in John's Gospel Jesus said, "I am..." and then proceeded to make a defining claim about who he was and what he'd come to do.

In Part 1 of "I Am" we studied John 6:22-59 where Jesus identifies himself as "the Bread of Life." Jesus claims that he is the bread of life who gives eternal life to the world. This eternal life is received through the singular means of believing in and on Jesus by faith.

You can listen to the full sermon here... In the meantime, here's the outline we followed and some questions for personal reflection:

Title | Jesus, The Bread Of Life

Text | John 6:22-59

BIG IDEA | Belief in Jesus is the work God wants.

4 Affirmations About Jesus, The Bread Of Life...

1. Jesus satisfies our deepest longing (v.35-36)

2. Jesus receives everyone who believes (v.37-40)

3. Jesus raises those the Father draws (v.41-48)

4. Jesus gave his flesh for the life of the world (v.49-59)

Questions for personal reflection:

• What do you believe about Jesus? What are the primary informers of your perspective regarding the person and work of Jesus?

• How are you guilty of making Jesus a mere means to an end?

• Where do you struggle to be satisfied in Christ?

• Where do you struggle to allow your faith in Christ's work to be the means of your standing with God? Where are you prone to atone for your own sin? Where are you trying to base your relationship with God on your own work and not Christ's?

Series Hashtag: #LetJesusSpeak

He Will Sustain You

We've all experienced one of those seasons we simply didn't believe we could endure. One of those seasons where life was hard and we were so tired we just weren't sure we could take any more. A sickness. A job loss. A divorce. A death. The seasons change, but the fatigue remains.

I don't know about you, but my prayers tend to be more fervent in these seasons. Typically, they sound like this: "Lord, please deliver me out of this season. I can't take any more. I just want this to end. Please make it stop!"

I've been feeling this way lately. Our kids have been sick the past 3 weeks, so there have been many sleepless nights catching vomit in a bucket and watching my kids suffer. Ava got so sick that she was admitted to the hospital for dehydration.

All week I've been praying, "Lord, make this stop! Please take us out of this season!"

Then on Wednesday morning, I sat on the couch, sick kid in one hand, Bible in the other, and read Psalm 55:22:

"Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you."

My first reaction was to express my frustration to God. "Lord, I've been casting my burdens on you all week, and it's not getting better! Now I even have a verse! Why aren't you doing what you promised?"

Then in the midst of my tired and childish rant, the Holy Spirit graciously focused my heart and mind on the latter half of this line: "...and he will sustain you."

Being sustained through something and to be delivered from it are two very different experiences. One of the reasons people get angry at or frustrated with God is that they hold him to promises he's never made. God never promised that, if we pray, he will deliver us OUT of seasons of hardship. He's promised to sustain us THROUGH them.

God is always faithful to his promises.

So what are you currently facing? Are you worn out and wondering why God doesn't deliver you out of whatever you're facing?

Maybe your marriage is suffering. Maybe your kids are sick. Maybe money is tight. Maybe a relationship is strained.

If that's the case, be encouraged. Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you. He may not deliver you out of what you're facing, but he will get you through.

Know why? Because he's promised that he will. God is always faithful to the promises he makes. He's promised to sustain his children through any and every season as we cast our burdens on him.

So what burden do you need to cast on the LORD today?

I Am: Letting Jesus Speak For Himself

This is the time of year when it seems that everyone has an opinion about Jesus. The History Channel will run documentaries, TIME magazine will print articles, countless bloggers will post to their websites, and millions of people will debate the identity of Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, few people will actually allow Jesus to speak for himself. Instead, they will put words in his mouth.

But what if we did not import our own opinions? What if we did not allow the claims of others to influence the way we perceive the most controversial person in history? What if we did not speculate as to who he was and what he did?

What if we simply let Jesus speak for himself?

This is the goal of a new 7-part sermon series I start on Sunday at Redemption entitled ""I Am: Letting Jesus speak for himself."

Seven times in the Gospel of John, Jesus made unequivocal statements about who he was and the mission he'd come to accomplish. Over the course of this series we will explore each of these statements and allow Jesus to both define and describe himself in his own words.

If you'd like to follow along, I will post links to the podcasts, sermon outlines, discussion questions, and some additional resources. I'd covet your prayers as we begin this study and hope you will will jump in with us.

Series Schedule:

Part 1: "I am the bread of life" (John 6:22-59)

Part 2: "I am the Light of the world" (John 8:12-38)

Part 3: "I am the gate" (John 10:1-21)

Part 4: "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:1-21)

Part 5: "I am the resurrection and the life"( John 11:1-44)

Part 6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:1-14)

Part 7: "I am the vine" (John 15:1-17)

Getting Ready For Good Friday

Tomorrow is Good Friday. Many of us will file into churches and be reminded that our new lives came at a significant price. We will remember that the cost of our redemption was Jesus’ own blood. We will be reminded of the cross where God displayed both His love and His justice.

But, I’m nervous for us.

I’m nervous that we may merely go through the motions tomorrow. I’m nervous that whatever Good Friday service we attend tomorrow will be nothing more than an item on our "To Do" list. I’m nervous that we will sing songs with a more somber tone, hear a more sobering sermon, take communion and head home…completely unaffected by the weight of what really happened on what we call Good Friday.

Good Friday is a gift to the Church. We have the opportunity to be struck afresh by the reality of Jesus’ brutal death in our place for our sin. We have the opportunity to have our affections stirred by the display of Christ’s love on the cross.

In order to take full advantage of this Good Friday, we must prepare our hearts ahead of time. We can’t blow in and out, expecting to be moved. We must to give thoughtful and careful attention to this significant day. Here are three ways to get ready for Good Friday…

Meditate On The Passion Narratives

Each of the four Gospels record details of Jesus’ gruesome death (Matthew 26-27; Mark 14-15; Luke 22-23; John 18-19). These are painful, heart-breaking texts that reveal what my sin subjected Jesus to. Set aside time and pick one, or read all of these narratives. Pay attention to the details. Engage your mind, imagining what it would have sounded like, smelled like, and looked like to watch Christ endure what He did. Read slowly and prayerfully, taking the time necessary to reflect.

Spend The Day Fasting

Fasting cuts out intentional time and space normally given to other activities, for the purpose of getting alone with God. Fasting reminds us that our sufficiency is in Christ and not the many things we often use to feed our souls. Typically, fasting makes us think of foregoing food, but you can fast from anything. Maybe tomorrow you could skip a meal (or all of your meals), or shut off your media intake and shift the eyes of your heart to the cross. Find time you would typically spend doing something else, and intentionally redirect that time to the Lord.

Identify Your Specific Sin

I don’t know about you, but if I’m not careful, I tend to think about sin in a general, rather than a specific sense. The danger in this, is that sin becomes an idea rather than a reality. This means Christ died for a vague idea we label “sin” and not for the specific ways our hearts and lives have declared war on the God who made us. On the cross, Jesus dealt a definitive blow to my sin and yours. However, unless you get specific regarding the sin in you that put Christ on that cross, it won’t grow the gratitude in your heart it should.

Sunday we will celebrate Christ’s victorious resurrection! At Redemption we’ll sing loud, proclaim the gospel, and baptize people. But… We can’t celebrate the empty tomb until we’ve been to the bloody cross.

Don’t go through the motions tomorrow. Don’t miss out on what God wants to do in you. Seize this gracious opportunity to remember the price Jesus paid for you, as we remember Good Friday together.

Sharing The Gospel In 3 Parts

"Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary."

You've most likely heard some version of this quote, often attributed (incorrectly) to St. Francis of Assisi. The problem with this quote -- other than the fact that St. Francis never said it -- is that it forces an unnecessary, unhelpful, and unbiblical dichotomy between displaying the Gospel with one's life and declaring the Gospel with one's mouth.

While I wholeheartedly agree that Christians should live exemplary lives that display the work of the Gospel, the Bible doesn't hold this up as the definition of evangelism. Until you open your mouth and actually tell someone the good news about Jesus, you have not done the full work of Biblical evangelism.

Herein lies the majority of our insecurity and fear. Most of us feel ill-equipped to share the good news of Jesus with others. "What if I get it wrong? What if I trip over my words? What if they don't get what I'm trying to say?" I totally understand that and feel this same insecurity.

This past Sunday at Redemption, I gave our church a simple way to share the message about Jesus by dividing the good news into three parts -- the Problem, the Provision, and the Promise.

The Gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose so sinful people could be saved. If you can lock these three parts away in your heart and mind, you can share the Gospel wherever the Spirit of God leads you.

1. The Problem

The problem facing all of humanity is that sin separates us from a holy God (Is. 59:2). All of us are sinners by nature and by choice and thus stand under the righteous wrath of God (Eph. 2:1-3; Rom. 3:23). Sin is the reason there is so much evil, suffering, and tragedy in our world. The Bible is clear that the consequence of our sin is physical and spiritual death (Rom. 6:23). The good news of the Gospel is that God has made a provision for our problem.

2. The Provision

His name is Jesus. God sent Jesus, His only Son, to live a sinless life and willingly die the death that we deserved (John 3:16). In His death Jesus both pacified the righteous wrath of God and put away our sin once and for all (Rom. 3:21-26; Heb. 2:17; 1 John 2:1-2, 4:8-10). Three days later He rose from the dead, removing the penalty and destroying the power of sin (1 Cor. 15:3:-4). With this gracious provision came a promise.

3. The Promise

The Bible promises that if we repent of our sin and trust Jesus by faith, we are forgiven, free, and saved from the consequence of our sin (John 3:16; Rom. 3:22, 10:9).

One of the many things that makes the Gospel so incredible is that we can author innumerable books, blogs, and articles expounding the nature, content, and implications of the Gospel, and by the same token explain it in mere seconds. If you lock away these three parts in your heart and meditate on them in your mind, you (yes, even you) can share the good news about Jesus with anyone the Spirit of God allows.