Archive for February, 2006
Loving Others
February 28, 2006 10:31 am
I was struck by these words recently:
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith… (Philippians 1:21-25)
Are you tracking with what Paul is saying here? He’s weighing the benefits of death–being with Jesus in heaven–and living here on this earth. He is saying that he is convinced he should stay here for the well-being of others. He is more concerned for the good of others than his own comfort or preferences. In his devotional commentary on Philippians, D.A. Carson has this to say on these verses:
“What is striking about Paul’s evaluation is how deeply it is tied to the well-being of other believers, rather than to his own… Often we are tempted to evaluate alternatives by thinking through what is best for us. How often do we raise as a first principle what is best for the church? When faces with, say, a job offer that would take us to another city… how quickly do we employ Paul’s criterion here established: What would be best for the church? What would be best for my brothers and sisters in Christ? The self-denial that is motivated by the spiritual good of others is unqualifiedly godly.” (p. 29-30, emphases mine)
To what degree does the church influence your decision making? As you are thinking about your future college and career choices, where you would like to eventually live, what sports teams you will join, what hobbies you will pursue, are you asking: What would be best for the church?
If you’re not sure how to answer that question, ask your parents!
Lunes Con El Profe, #3
February 27, 2006 9:45 pmLET’S BEGIN WITH INTRODUCTIONS
At Rancho Tres Eme (3M), there will be somewhere between 50- 60 kids. It could be difficult to try and remember all of their names. Let me try to help you in getting started by providing a few different ways of introducing yourself to them in Spanish.
NOTE (quick spanish grammer lesson):
¿Hola, como estas?
(Hello, how are you?)
I am now a part of an exclusive club. I am at a conference in Los Angeles this week with CJ and my brother-in-law Brian. Our first stop after leaving LAX was one of the world-famous In-N-Out Burger restaurants. I was expecting a lot since so many people have built up In-N-Out to such a height (not least my Dad and Mark!). I was not disappointed. From the bakery-fresh smell that assaulted us as we entered, to the delightfully simple menu, to the cleanliness and service, this meal delivered as advertised and more. From the first scrumptious bite of Thousand Island-drenched ground beef and bun, I was sold.
Don’t worry friends, I will always stand my beloved Five Guys as the best burger in the D.C. Area. But if you’re looking for the best in the world, it’s going to have to be In-N-Out. The following is a photoblog of this incredible experience.
First, you have to love the simple menu:
Dinner for the three of us: six Double-Doubles: (and fries and shakes, not pictured!)
Several bites into the glorious experience:
Surveying the damage:
The sign says it all:
Monday Matters: 02/27/06
7:15 am
Mark’s message yesterday–Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage–was tremendously helpful. If you are something-teen years old, you might be wondering what this message has to do with you. Actually, it has a lot to do with you.
I hope it is preparatory for your future matrimonial state, but there is also immediate application. You were probably already familiar with the sad statistic that more than half the marriages in our country end in divorce, and maybe you already knew that the divorce rate in American churches is roughly the same as the culture.
How encouraging for Mark to point out that divorces are exceedingly rare in our church, almost non-existent. This is no ground for smug self-righteousness on our power; it reveals the preserving power of God!
For teens, this means an opportunity to communicate gratefulness to your parents. As your parents remain happily married, growing in their love for one another, working out conflicts with the help of others in the church, rather than running to a divorce lawyer, they are displaying the grace of God to you, to the rest of our church, and to the world. They are worthy of specific expressions of your gratitude for their marriage. And thank God for preserving them and other parents like them!
Ed Update: 02/26/06
February 26, 2006 5:57 pm
A Flavor Of Gratitude, Part 1
2:23 pm
I announced at the Mexico Meeting yesterday that, like last year, I want our trip to have a distinctive flavor to it. Perhaps I should say flavors: humility, servanthood, and gratitude. You’ll be hearing more from me on this leading up to and during the trip.
Today I want you to be particularly aware of gratitude. Our Pizza Lunch and Bake Sale Fundraiser has just concluded; I was just helping to count the money that was generously given. I’ll have to get back to you this week with exact figures, but I can tell you right now that the giving was extraordinary. Far beyond what I expected.
SO, we need to be grateful:
- To God for moving His people to give so generously. He has provided for us once again.
- To all the people who bought pizza, soda, and bake sale items. They are making it that much easier for us to go through their incredible generosity. There are lots of other things they could be doing with this money, people!
- To Carol Sawyer for overseeing the Bake Sale and to Dave Dean for overseeing the Pizza Lunch. We should be especially grateful to Dave Dean for overseeing this, since he is not coming to Mexico. A huge sacrifice on his people.
Remember 1 Thessalonians 5:18… “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Winning Shirts
February 25, 2006 6:05 pmCongratulations! We have officially picked the winning shirts:
If you weren’t at our meeting today, please email Mary Ech with your pick and your size as soon as you can.
Living It, Part 4
8:55 am
I love how CJ orients us toward application in Living the Cross Centered Life.
“We make time for what we truly value. We build habits and routines around the things that reaqlly matter to us. This is an important principle to understand as we seek to build our lives around the gospel. Do you want to live a cross centered life? A cross centered life is made up of cross centered days.
Reminding ourselves of the gospel is the most important daily habit we can establish. If the gospel is the most vital news in the world, and if salvation by grace is the defining truth of our existence, we should create ways to immerse ourselves in these truths every day. No days off allowed.
Your audience is your own heart. and the message is simple: Christ died for your sins. Let me share five very simple ways I’ve found that help me draw near the cross each day.
1. MEMORIZE THE GOSPEL
2. PRAY THE GOSPEL
3. SING THE GOSPEL
4. REVIEW HOW THE GOSPEL HAS CHANGED YOU
5. STUDY THE GOSPEL(pp. 131-145)
Friday Favorites From Oh-Five, #5
February 24, 2006 12:23 pmLast year, some of the guys spent a few days working at Odres Nuevos, a little church in very poor neighborhood. This picture is grainy because of blowing dust, but it gives you an idea of what the conditions were like.
Remember The five15 Challenge
7:56 am
I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m reading Jane Austen’s Sense & Sensibility. And I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m enjoying it. She is a master of her craft. I love to read, I enjoy reading classic literature, and I especially enjoy an author who can provide unique insights into the human soul, as Jane Austen does.
My attention was arrested early on in the book when one of the characters, Willoughby, says this about Colonel Brandon:
“Brandon is just the kind of man whom every body speaks well of, and nobody cares about; whom all are delighted to see, but nobody remembers to talk to.” (p 49)
I think Jane Austen intends this sentence to tell us a lot more about Willoughby than about Colonel Brandon. Willoughby is petty and insincere, concerned only for superficiality. He can’t see beyond his arrogant assessment of Brandon to discover that Brandon is actually an honorable man, worthy of respect.
I immediately thought: I sometimes have this attitude towards people. I bet you do, too. This is arrogance and pride, considering ourselves better than others. Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility, consider others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
This is what the five15 Challenge is all about. I want to remind you that the five15 Challenge is about applying 2 Corinthians 5:15 and living for Him by stepping out of our comfort zone and caring for others. Going up to people you don’t know, introducing yourself, getting to know them, and so on. Let’s not be like Willoughby, people who don’t care about others and never remember to talk to those we don’t know. Rather, let’s prove that we’re people who have been transformed by grace: people who look first to the interests of others.
