Just about twenty years ago a woman (who was forty years my senior) from the church I was pastoring at the time strongly encouraged me to purchase a cellphone. At the time I checked email about twice a week, owned a VCR, and still enjoyed slides; and I don't mean playground equipment. You remember them; don't you? Those photos you (or your parents) inserted into a carousel.
Well, anyway, back to the phone story. She wanted her pastor to be within reach in addition to landlines and home phones. So I bought a phone (or maybe the church did). I've been connected ever since.
I still write most things with my Pentel P205 and I like my paper At-A-Glance Planner; yet an Apple tablet and an iPhone are just within reach.
I enjoy the old ways and the new ways; at least the "new" ways I understand. In light of new ways (to me), I am starting a new thing. Tomorrow I will post my first vlog. With the help of a man over twenty years my junior, in addition to preaching, teaching, and blogging, I will have another vehicle through which I can communicate the importance of faith, God's Word, family, and living the Ordinary. Thanks, Jonathan!
I invite you to connect with me every Wednesday to view my vlog. You can find the link at rabbitcreekchurch.org
Here's to New Things!
#ordinarylives
Yesterday people from every race celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day as Americans have done since the bill establishing the holiday was signed into law in 1983 by President Ronald Reagan. The day celebrates the life of a man who forever changed our nation for the good.
Reflecting on King's influence, I thought about his influencers, that is, those who influenced him. As the "Jr." indicates, he bore the name of another - specifically, the name of his father. King Jr. was the child of Alberta King and Martin Luther King, Sr.
While reading Jr's "An Autobiography of Religious Development" (1950), I found the following words of great interest . . .
"It is quite easy for me to think of a God of love mainly because I grew up in a family where love was central and where lovely relationships were ever present."
As well as . . .
". . . the influence of my father also had a great deal to do with my going in the ministry. This is not to say that he ever spoke to me in terms of being a minister, but that my admiration for him was the great moving factor. He set forth a noble example that I didn't mine [sic] following."
MLK Jr. recognized the value of his formative years as those that were filled with love, support, and a noble example.
Just as it is quite difficult to imagine our nation today without the influence the son shared with us, one struggles to imagine MLK Jr. rising to those nation-changing mounts (speeches, marches, sermons, etc.) without the influence of Sr. and Alberta on him as a boy, teenager, and young man.
The King story reminds us to pay attention to our influence on the next generation - our own children and the sons and daughters of others. Through love, support, and noble example, we can shape tomorrow.
Thank you, MLK Jr., for your conviction and courage.
Thank you, MLK Sr. and Alberta, for your influence.
#ordinarylives
On January 19th, my friend Dane and I will teach a class called "Gifted for Ministry." During that time, we will explore the ways in which each man and woman present is uniquely gifted by their Creator to serve God and others.
We offer the class with a desire to debunk a far-too-commonly-held belief that only a few are qualified and, therefore, suitable for ministry (serving God and others). A companion belief, equally false, is the thought that some gifts are more valuable to God than others; and, therefore, some people are more of an asset to the Kingdom. This belief leads to self-doubt on one side and pride on the other. Jealousy connects self-doubt and pride.
Think with me about a few of the accounts of brothers in Scripture.
- Cain and Abel
- Jacob and Esau
- Joseph and his brothers
- Jesus and His brothers
In each of those stories, jealousy raises its ugly head.
- Cain despised Abel.
- Esau relied on the wisdom of his appetite while Jacob deceived.
- Joseph's brothers were bitter toward "daddy's favorite."
- Jesus' brothers thought their actually perfect Brother was out of His mind.
If you are a Christian, Christ is calling you to serve. We, as brothers and sisters, need to encourage one another and support each others' efforts. No room for self-doubt. No room for pride. No room for jealousy.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV)
#ordinarylives
Around two thousand years ago, a group of astrologers (aka Magi) journeyed to a humble home in the town known as the house of bread (Bethlehem). There the Magi, perhaps three (we don’t really know), presented the young Hebrew boy who would, as a man, refer to himself as the Bread of life, with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
The Twelve Days of Christmas which began on December 26th and culminated on January 6th end with the celebration of Epiphany, a word meaning “to reveal.” In the giving of those three gifts, the Magi revealed (perhaps not even clear to them) the role, identity and destiny of the young Child.
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:1-2 (NIV)
10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, and of incense and of myrrh. Matthew 2:10-11 (NIV)
Gold
The precious metal, today worth approximately $1560 per ounce, was a sign of Jesus’ royal status. Surely a fitting gift for the One later known to humankind as the King of kings.
Frankincense
By giving frankincense, they acknowledged Jesus as Deity. While others, save Joseph and Mary, viewed the Hebrew boy as just that, the visitors, through the power of the Holy Spirit, saw Him as one worthy of worship. As my four favorite words of “O Holy Night” declare, “Fall on your knees!”
Myrrh
Myrrh was a resin commonly used to prepare a body for burial. As we learn in the gospel, Jesus was born to die.
Later in time, the Recipient of the Magi’s gifts became the gift-giver. It is the greatest of all gifts.
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26:26-28 (NIV)
#ordinarylives
