on the walk

I was able to preach today.  I am always grateful when I have that opportunity.  You can catch the audio here.  As always happens when I get to preach, I always have a few leftover thoughts that I wish I could have shared but ran out of time.  I won’t bore you with all of those, but I will share just one choice quote that had to leave on the cutting room floor.

(Actually in the spirit of honesty, this is really more of a paraphrase, I am working from memory.  You can find the original somewhere in the middle of The Great Divorce.)
C.S. Lewis once said something like this:

Anything no matter how good, if it is not given to Jesus, can drag you down into hell.  Likewise, nothing, no matter how evil, if it is given over to Christ can keep you out of heaven.

The truth of that quote sustains me in my darkest times and challenges me in my brightest.

Today in the sermon we all had a rock.  The rock represented those things that are obstacles to our following after Jesus.  Things that we will nto release into his control but instead cling to on our own.

When I  went to church I was pretty sure that I knew what my rock was going to be.  It was as if I was pre-scripting the encounter I was going to have with God based upon the script I have used so many times before.

But as I stood in line holding my rock, I was startled.  I got off script.  I asked God, “What is holding me back from following you?”  And with surprising clarity, I knew.  It wasn’t a sin issue.  That was what I planned to do with my rock.  But that wasn’t it.  I have long ago surrendered the evil in my life over to Jesus and I trust he can handle it.  Instead I was confronted with something good.  Good plans that I have for my life.  Plans that are admirable and important.  But nevertheless they were plan that I had not surrendered to God.  They were my big plans.   How many half-deals I have struck with God offering him most of my life as long as I still get to pursue these big important plans of mine.

And suddenly to my great greif, that was my rock.  Those good plans, those plans so precious to me were my rock.  I was glad that the line moved slow.  It took me a while get up the nerve to set my rock on the stage.

I’m still not exactly happy about it, but I feel a great peace.  I don’t pretend that the temptation to those plans won’t return, but for the moment, I feel a great release of conflict.  I feel like I am following.

on the walk

-Ethan

Here is a bit of what Lewis says on the subject of choosing life. He is unapologetic that living a godly life leads to rewards. The rewards we seek through sin pale in comparison with the good rewards that God desires to give us through the life God offers. (Let us be clear this is not what many popular preaching today says about how God wants to bless us. Notice we are talking here about the good rewards that God desires to give us, not the base rewards like money and comfort that we desires from God. Continue Reading »

I am teaching on Romans right now. It is a wonderful process. I am learning so much and am being so inspired by reading this book so closely. I love Romans.

This Sunday we are discussing 1:18 – 3:20. This section is all about idolatry sin and death. It is great stuff. Continue Reading »

I have realized that perhaps the titles of these sermon reflection posts needs some explanation. (To hear the sermons upon which I am reflecting, go here.) Many of the hippest playgrounds these days not only have tire swings and ladders, but they also have a soft squishy surface that is made from shredded tires.

My first reflection this week does not come specifically from the sermon or even the specific topic. (Although I have a few of those coming.) Rather I have a general reflection on recycling. Most recycling involves destruction. Turning an old tire into a tire swing is not very destructive, but to turn it into a play surface involves at the very least, shredding the tire into little pieces. Recycling paper involves shredding it, and soaking it in water and mixing it with chemicals and mashing it back together.

In Douglas Adams wonderful book Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Ford Prefect describes traveling through hyperspace as “Unpleasantly like being drunk.” Aurthur dent replies, “What is so unpleasant about being drunk?” Prefect deadpans, “Ask a glass of water.” Continue Reading »

At the end of our staff meeting, our executive pastor shared the following blessing. I was reminded how dangerous it is to prayer the will of God. I always feel safe when I pray the selfish prayers that are my habit, but when I am confronted with a prayer that so expresses the example of Christ and the values of God, I realize that prayer is dangerous. To pray “thy will be done” as a follower of one who was sent by God to die is a truly dangerous thing. Continue Reading »

Last night I was tired (not quite tired enough to sleep, which is nice because I was determined to end my night in prayer) and consequently when I turned to prayer I was wordless.  Silence did not seem an option for I knew that silent prayer would quickly become slumbering prayer.

So I grabbed a hymnal. Continue Reading »