Only Game in Town

Growing up, I loved going to the games played by the Amarillo Gold Sox. I had the privilege of seeing Dave Dravecky and Tony Gwynn work their way through the minor leagues. In the early 1980's they were gone, whisked away to a new location. Our only game in town was gone. I don't know any of the details about how our city tried to keep the team, but I often wondered how they felt after they were gone.

Last week at church we looked at how many people turned their backs on Jesus when they didn't like what He had to say. The disciples had the chance to turn away Jesus too, but listen to what Peter had to say:

66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.
67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, "Are you going to leave, too?"
68 Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom would we go? You alone have the words that give eternal life.
69 We believe them, and we know you are the Holy One of God." - John 6:66-69 (NLT)

Peter was smart enough to recognize that Jesus was truly the only game in town.

A couple of things really make it clear. First of all Peter recognizes what is at stake. So often we focus on the things that can give us immediate pleasure. But we see that Peter was thinking about the eternal benefit of what Jesus was teaching. When Paul told us to keep our eyes on the prize, it was an exhortation to keep a thought always of eternity in our minds.

Peter also understood the nature of faith. Faith does not answer all the questions we might face. Faith allows us to recognize God for who He is even though we do not always understand what He is doing. As we see later, Peter didn't totally understand what Jesus meant when He spoke of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, but He allowed himself to place his faith in Christ anyway.

Looking at Peter's comments leaves us with those very thoughts; what do I stand with eternity? The second is this: will my faith allow me to trust God even when I don't fully understand?

Jesus really is the only game in town. Where else could any of us go?

Spring is in the Air

Wow, how time flies. Today is one of my favorite days of the year. Sure, I'd like to tell you how super-spiritual I am and rattle off the spiritual significance of the day, but apart from quoting Crash Davis' (Bull Durham) misguided theology of the church of baseball, I cannot.

I guess one of my favorite quotes is "Hope Springs Eternal." There is always cause for optimism when everyone is at 0-0 for the year. Two years ago, no one expected the Rockies to visit the World Series. Last year, Tampa Bay surprised the world by getting to the World Series. The Yankees can spend more money than many countries and not guarantee themselevs a championship. Who will have a career year, who will have a career end? Not all is certain, but this: today begins the greatest sport of all...baseball. The blahs of winter give way to the joys of spring. You gotta love it!

My hopes are high, it may only be for a few weeks that a Rockies - Rangers World Series seems a remote possibility, but hope does spring eternal. See ya somewhere around home plate.

98.6 Degrees

I do not remember a time of such great sickness. It seems like there are plenty of sick children and adults to go around this winter. On her job, my wife seems to be covering for just about everyone imaginable forcing her to work seemingly impossible hours. The schools have had students out sick by the busload.

One thing I have been looking at is the organic nature of the church. It is an organism, not an organization. So I got to thinking about the two things together. One way we know someone has a fairly serious illness is by the presence of a fever. I think it is an amazing truth that most people are within a few tenths of a degree of the worldwide average 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. I was thinking about how amazing it is that humanity shares this closeness and how churches share something very similar. All living people have the same type of vital organs, but there is nothing more common than a temperature.

If our body temperature fluctuates too many degrees one way or another from that place, we ultimately die. Naturally, the base temperature for the church is 316 degrees for John 3:16. We always find a dangerous place when we move away from "For God so loved the world." Replace any of those words with some of what we see today and we see our problems. We say them correctly but live as if to say:

"For God so hated the world" - People and churches who isolate themselves from the world

"For I so loved the world" - People who try to earn their salvation by being a "good Christian."

"For God so loved the church" - People who buy into a "God will make me healthy, wealthy, and wise" approach to faith


I can claim an unhealthy fever from all of them at some point in time in my life, and I fear that if we do not see the passion of God behind His most gracious act of sending Jesus to die for "whoever" that we will see the death of many churches.

May we strive for health!

So here I am, one week in to my new birthday club. Loved the shirt I got: "In Dog years, I'm dead."

The truth is I don't feel any older, its everyone else around me thats getting older.

Preaching on the lost son in Luke 15 is such a reminder to me of what I have been in my life. I've been lost and rebellious; I've wasted and wanted. I've hurt people and been hurt by people. I guess most of us could write that same script.

This week, my attention turns to the Father in the story. This is where my perspective continues to grow and change. Being a father helps me relate in ways I never have before, and having kids approaching those teenage years really does a number to me.

While theologians debate wheter or not the father represents God in the parable, he, at the very least, points us to God and reminds us of Him...a wise and loving Father. He even treated his servants with plenty of respect. What an admirable example and one to strive to be more like. I will spare the 40 reasons to try and be like the father and leave it with one really good one: the world needs love and forgiveness.

Catch ya later.

More Ramblings about Life in the Key of F

This week, I come to the bottom of the series...futility. One lost son has squandered away his life and possessions only to come to the bottom of his rope. In our present economy, I know there are many who can relate financially as they sit in ruins. People are wondering where to turn, what to do hoping they have enough to hang on.

Luke 15:15-16 (NASB)
15 "So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 "And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.

Yet, when we read the story, we cannot help but consider the depths of this lost son's troubles are far deeper than his financial ruin. His problem is the chasm...the separation between he and God. In his case, it is evident by his state of lostness. His hunger highlights the emptiness not only of his stomach but his soul. Catch the last phrase however, no one was giving him anything.

No one can give what they don't have. I wonder how aware I am of the opportunities I have to take an active role in connected people at the bottom of their ropes with their Father? Someone needs to look out for the lost and help them be found. Our Father came seeking, we told should be seeking. Do I have something to give? Will I hold on to it tightly and be stingy

I am prayful that I will not miss any opportunity this day and that my eyes will be open and my heart will be generous. I hope you will do the same.

Fallen in review

Yesterday, I started a new sermon series "Life in the Key of 'f'" in which yesterday's message dealt with the tpic of the fallen nature of humanity. It doesn't take a hard look to recognize that people aren't all the should be.

I am no different from any culturally sensitive pastor in these days, I don't always know the best way to communicate the simple reality of our fallen nature...that due to our human desire to live life detached from God we are all bound to give into our darker sides. When I first started speaking, it seemed okay to stick out my fingers and rant about that three letter word...you know it...sin. Today, I don't ever feel much like shouting about it because as I look int my life, I see enough of it in me I'd much rather hold my head in shame. I'm certainly not afraid to broach the subject, but I do approach it differently.

I have helped many people who have literally fallen get back to their feet or waited with them while they get the care they need. When we think about what it means to have a fallen nature, I hope we will be reminded of our own weakness and we will be kind enough to help up those around us. Outstretched hands did a lot for me and I need to do the same.

Old and New

For every end there is a beginning for every ending there is a beginning. Our trip to visit Texas was a picture of both sides of that. While seeing my new niece, Rachelle commented how awesome it was that her ears were hearing the Christmas story for the first time. How awesome and how special of a thought that though her ears will hear much in her life that will cause concerns, she has already had a seed of the Good News planted in her life.

On the other side, we saw Rachelle's uncle who is in the very final stages of a long battle with cancer. At the age of 48, this temporary life seems to remind us that it is never fair. This Christmas, he heard the Christmas story for the very last time.

We never know when the first time or last time will be, but may this blog remind us all that time is short but the Christmas message is truly Good News to those who believe!