I live in Pittsburgh, otherwise known as "Steeler Town." In 2009 Pittsburgh is also known as "City of Champions." Now I have NOTHING against either the Steelers or champions - be they Penguins with a big silver cup or whatever.
However, I do sometimes want to stand in a prominent place in the city center (perhaps that's Heinz Field), and talk about idols of the heart. I am astonished at the people in this city who plan their lives around a football team!
Tullian Tchividjian - pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, FL - writes, "Idolatry is centering our attention and affection on something, or someone, smaller than God. In fact, most idols are good things in our lives that we turn into ultimate things–things that take God’s place as we unconciously depend on them to give our lives meaning."
John Calvin once said, “Our hearts are idol making factories.”
The great preacher Charles Spurgeon prayed, "Lord Jesus, take from us now everything that would hinder the closest communion with God. Any wish or desire that might hamper us in prayer remove, we pray You. Any memory of either sorrow or care that might hinder the fixing of our affection wholly on our God, take it away now. What have we to do with idols anymore? You have seen and observed us. You know where the difficulty lies. Help us against it, and may we now come boldly, not in the holy place alone, but in the holiest of all, where we should not dare to come if our great Lord had not torn the veil, sprinkled the mercy seat with His own blood, and asked us to enter."
Here's the shocking truth for my heart: I have my idols, too! My idols aren't Steelers, but I too make idols in my heart. I too center my attention and affection on something or someone smaller than God. My idols are "good" things, too. The problem is that my sinner's heart turns them into ultimate things - things that take God's place. God alone gives meaning to life! Idols - as the ancient prophet Elijah proclaimed on Mt. Carmel - can't do anything, see anything or be anything! (1 Kings 18:16-39)
So, before I "preach" to others, I need to "preach" the Gospel to myself!
Showing posts with label Steelers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steelers. Show all posts
Friday, September 11, 2009
Monday, September 1, 2008
Anything to See the VIP - Jesus or McCain!
This past Saturday afternoon John McCain, Sarah Palin and their entourage came to Washington, PA.
We went to see them. It was almost unbearably hot, but we suffered thru waiting for them. Never having seen a presidential candidate "up close" we wanted to go. It was a big deal for little ole' Washington, PA!
There was a really short guy who danced on stage with his two cane sticks while country singer John Rich sang. Lynn Swann of Steeler fame made a dashing and articulate appearace before jumping off the stage and crashing to the ground when he slipped on the plywood. He quickly recovered, broke into a run and scrambled over the wall on his way to his son's ballgame.
In thinking about that little man on the stage and our long wait to see someone important, I also reflected on what it must have been like to travel with Jesus or wait to see him pass along the road. Many, many people followed Jesus. They liked to see the things He did and hear what He had to say. Sometimes there were so many people around Jesus that short people at the back just couldn’t see.
Amos is a friend. Amos is very short because Amos’ legs are all broken and don’t work. Amos gets around most of the time on a skateboard. Sometimes he uses a wheelchair. Amos says that sometimes all he can see when people stand up is their legs or bottoms because he is so short.
Saturday afternoon after our long, hot wait the McCain "Straight Talk Express" pulled onto the field and parked right in front of the people who had been sitting for hours in the heat in the bleachers waiting. The bus just sat there after the VIP's went on stage. Soon chants of "Move that bus, Move that bus!" were reverberating across the bleachers. FINALLY the bus moved so we could see.
My experience Saturday gave me a whole new perspective on an account from the life of Jesus in Luke 19:1 - 10. The McCain Rally helped me see the story of Zacchaeus in a new light. I could get more inside the story after my day waiting in the sun for a glimpse of the important persons - McCain and Palin - who were supposed to show up. I can now understand so much better what the crowds who followed Jesus must have been thinking and feeling. I can understand why Zacchaeus climbed the tree and hid in the leaves.
One day Jesus met a man who was very short, too - like Mr. Two-Foot-Tall at the McCain Rally. (Luke 19:1-10) This man’s legs worked but they were just very short. His name was Zacchaeus. Even when he stood as tall as he could on his tiptoes, he still couldn’t see. Even when Zacchaeus jumped up and down, he couldn’t see over the tall people around Jesus. When Zacchaeus asked people to move over and let him get to the front so he could see, they pushed closer together and wouldn’t let him past.
Why were people so mean to Zacchaeus? There was a reason. People in Jericho – where Zacchaeus lived – didn’t like Zacchaeus because he had stolen a lot of money from all the people in Jericho. Zacchaeus worked for the Romans. He collected taxes. He added to the amount of the taxes so he could take that off the top for himself. Zacchaeus was a cheat and a thief. He took money from all the people in Jericho. He gave the Romans their part and kept the rest for himself. SO Zacchaeus was a very rich man! He was rich on other people’s money he stole and cheated from them.
When Zacchaeus heard Jesus was coming to town, he really really wanted to SEE Jesus. So, when he couldn’t stand on tiptoe high enough or jump or push to the front, he ran ahead of the crowd around Jesus. He found a tree right by the road. Quickly Zacchaeus climbed up in the tree and waited. Zacchaeus knew how much people in Jericho hated him. He hid behind the tree leaves so he could see Jesus. Zacchaeus thought no one would be able to see where he was hiding. The crowd and Jesus came closer.
Finally Zacchaeus saw Jesus! Jesus was coming straight toward Zacchaeus’ tree. Jesus stopped right in front of the tree trunk, looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down right now. I am coming to your house to eat today.” Zacchaeus was so surprised and excited he almost fell out of the tree as he scrambled down. He almost skipped alongside of Jesus as they made their way to Zacchaeus’ house.
Jesus was always full of surprises! Boy! The people in Jericho were really surprised that Jesus wanted to eat with Zacchaeus. The people were also mad. They didn’t like Zacchaeus. They didn’t want Jesus to be nice to Zacchaeus either. They said, “What business does Jesus have getting cozy with this crook (Zacchaeus)?”
As Jesus ate lunch with Zacchaeus, they talked. Jesus must have told Zacchaeus that He is God’s Son. Zacchaeus got even more excited when he understood Who Jesus is. Jesus said to Zacchaeus: “Today is salvation day in this home!”
Jesus loved Zacchaeus and wanted to be his Savior. Zacchaeus knew he was a bad man who had cheated a lot of people and done other bad things. Zacchaeus knew He needed Jesus! Zacchaeus gave his heart to Jesus that day and loved Jesus from that day on. Zacchaeus is a member of God’s forever family!
Zacchaeus knew something else. Zacchaeus knew that he needed to do something really radical to show the people in Jericho that Jesus had changed his heart. So Zacchaeus gave away half of all his money to people who needed help and he promised to pay back the money he had cheated people out of. Zacchaeus did even better than just a pay-back. He paid back 4 times more than he stole! WOW!
Jesus really did change Zacchaeus’ heart, didn’t He?! Zacchaeus made a choice. He gave His heart to Jesus and made Jesus the King of his life. Kings rule. That means Zacchaeus gave up his rights to do what he wanted to do – like cheating people out of their money. Zacchaeus radically changed because Jesus changed Zacchaeus’ heart.
Jesus is still in the heart-changing business! He wants us to love Him and follow Him. He wants us to obey Him. He wants us to show we love Jesus by treating other people right, too – just like Zacchaeus did!
It is easy to say, “I love Jesus.” We can SHOW how much we love Jesus by loving other people! That might look like helping friends like Amos get a better view from low down. That might mean pushing someone's wheelchair or helping someone who shakes a lot eat. "Love for Jesus" changes our hearts in radical ways just like Zacchaeus and will show in how we act as well as what we say!
We went to see them. It was almost unbearably hot, but we suffered thru waiting for them. Never having seen a presidential candidate "up close" we wanted to go. It was a big deal for little ole' Washington, PA!
There was a really short guy who danced on stage with his two cane sticks while country singer John Rich sang. Lynn Swann of Steeler fame made a dashing and articulate appearace before jumping off the stage and crashing to the ground when he slipped on the plywood. He quickly recovered, broke into a run and scrambled over the wall on his way to his son's ballgame.
In thinking about that little man on the stage and our long wait to see someone important, I also reflected on what it must have been like to travel with Jesus or wait to see him pass along the road. Many, many people followed Jesus. They liked to see the things He did and hear what He had to say. Sometimes there were so many people around Jesus that short people at the back just couldn’t see.
Amos is a friend. Amos is very short because Amos’ legs are all broken and don’t work. Amos gets around most of the time on a skateboard. Sometimes he uses a wheelchair. Amos says that sometimes all he can see when people stand up is their legs or bottoms because he is so short.
Saturday afternoon after our long, hot wait the McCain "Straight Talk Express" pulled onto the field and parked right in front of the people who had been sitting for hours in the heat in the bleachers waiting. The bus just sat there after the VIP's went on stage. Soon chants of "Move that bus, Move that bus!" were reverberating across the bleachers. FINALLY the bus moved so we could see.
My experience Saturday gave me a whole new perspective on an account from the life of Jesus in Luke 19:1 - 10. The McCain Rally helped me see the story of Zacchaeus in a new light. I could get more inside the story after my day waiting in the sun for a glimpse of the important persons - McCain and Palin - who were supposed to show up. I can now understand so much better what the crowds who followed Jesus must have been thinking and feeling. I can understand why Zacchaeus climbed the tree and hid in the leaves.
One day Jesus met a man who was very short, too - like Mr. Two-Foot-Tall at the McCain Rally. (Luke 19:1-10) This man’s legs worked but they were just very short. His name was Zacchaeus. Even when he stood as tall as he could on his tiptoes, he still couldn’t see. Even when Zacchaeus jumped up and down, he couldn’t see over the tall people around Jesus. When Zacchaeus asked people to move over and let him get to the front so he could see, they pushed closer together and wouldn’t let him past.
Why were people so mean to Zacchaeus? There was a reason. People in Jericho – where Zacchaeus lived – didn’t like Zacchaeus because he had stolen a lot of money from all the people in Jericho. Zacchaeus worked for the Romans. He collected taxes. He added to the amount of the taxes so he could take that off the top for himself. Zacchaeus was a cheat and a thief. He took money from all the people in Jericho. He gave the Romans their part and kept the rest for himself. SO Zacchaeus was a very rich man! He was rich on other people’s money he stole and cheated from them.
When Zacchaeus heard Jesus was coming to town, he really really wanted to SEE Jesus. So, when he couldn’t stand on tiptoe high enough or jump or push to the front, he ran ahead of the crowd around Jesus. He found a tree right by the road. Quickly Zacchaeus climbed up in the tree and waited. Zacchaeus knew how much people in Jericho hated him. He hid behind the tree leaves so he could see Jesus. Zacchaeus thought no one would be able to see where he was hiding. The crowd and Jesus came closer.
Finally Zacchaeus saw Jesus! Jesus was coming straight toward Zacchaeus’ tree. Jesus stopped right in front of the tree trunk, looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down right now. I am coming to your house to eat today.” Zacchaeus was so surprised and excited he almost fell out of the tree as he scrambled down. He almost skipped alongside of Jesus as they made their way to Zacchaeus’ house.
Jesus was always full of surprises! Boy! The people in Jericho were really surprised that Jesus wanted to eat with Zacchaeus. The people were also mad. They didn’t like Zacchaeus. They didn’t want Jesus to be nice to Zacchaeus either. They said, “What business does Jesus have getting cozy with this crook (Zacchaeus)?”
As Jesus ate lunch with Zacchaeus, they talked. Jesus must have told Zacchaeus that He is God’s Son. Zacchaeus got even more excited when he understood Who Jesus is. Jesus said to Zacchaeus: “Today is salvation day in this home!”
Jesus loved Zacchaeus and wanted to be his Savior. Zacchaeus knew he was a bad man who had cheated a lot of people and done other bad things. Zacchaeus knew He needed Jesus! Zacchaeus gave his heart to Jesus that day and loved Jesus from that day on. Zacchaeus is a member of God’s forever family!
Zacchaeus knew something else. Zacchaeus knew that he needed to do something really radical to show the people in Jericho that Jesus had changed his heart. So Zacchaeus gave away half of all his money to people who needed help and he promised to pay back the money he had cheated people out of. Zacchaeus did even better than just a pay-back. He paid back 4 times more than he stole! WOW!
Jesus really did change Zacchaeus’ heart, didn’t He?! Zacchaeus made a choice. He gave His heart to Jesus and made Jesus the King of his life. Kings rule. That means Zacchaeus gave up his rights to do what he wanted to do – like cheating people out of their money. Zacchaeus radically changed because Jesus changed Zacchaeus’ heart.
Jesus is still in the heart-changing business! He wants us to love Him and follow Him. He wants us to obey Him. He wants us to show we love Jesus by treating other people right, too – just like Zacchaeus did!
It is easy to say, “I love Jesus.” We can SHOW how much we love Jesus by loving other people! That might look like helping friends like Amos get a better view from low down. That might mean pushing someone's wheelchair or helping someone who shakes a lot eat. "Love for Jesus" changes our hearts in radical ways just like Zacchaeus and will show in how we act as well as what we say!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Renewable Resources
The only time I watch TV is to catch the news or see the weather. I don't even watch all the Steeler games start to finish. That's akin to HERESY in Pittsburgh - big time! This morning I turned on the TV to catch the news and caught an ad for Sea World in Orlando, Florida instead. The first line of the ad was "Fun is a renewable resource."
The ad is intended to entice people to Sea World suggesting that Sea World is where great fun and other positive experiences can be had. The "renewable resource" part is geared to suggest "going green" and "taking care of our planet Earth." I'm not a "greenie" but I think we should all take care of the little patch of earth on which we live (that's another whole blog post).
What the ad started me thinking about is other "renewable resources" of far more value than a visit to Sea World. Restoration, forgiveness, grace, mercy, justice are just a few "renewable resources" that come to my mind this Monday morning.
The ad is intended to entice people to Sea World suggesting that Sea World is where great fun and other positive experiences can be had. The "renewable resource" part is geared to suggest "going green" and "taking care of our planet Earth." I'm not a "greenie" but I think we should all take care of the little patch of earth on which we live (that's another whole blog post).
What the ad started me thinking about is other "renewable resources" of far more value than a visit to Sea World. Restoration, forgiveness, grace, mercy, justice are just a few "renewable resources" that come to my mind this Monday morning.
- What a gift God gives us in that there is no brokenness in life that He cannot heal and restore!
- What a gift God give us and models for us in that forgiveness is always ready and available from our loving heavenly Father! He also calls us to have a ready store of forgiveness for others. We have - after all - received huge forgiveness so we should be ready and willing to forgive the much smaller offenses that come our way!
- What a gift God planned for and gives in that His grace (His favor and smile on us that we can never be good enough to earn but can receive as a free gift because of Jesus) comes in abundant supply over and over again!
- What a gift God gives us in His mercy! We deserve His anger and frown. Instead He gives us His Son to take our punishment (the death for our sin that we deserve to have to take for ourselves). Then His mercy is nenewable from moment to moment every time we stumble, every time we fall, every time we fail. We are all "screw-ups" in God's eyes, and He still loves and gives His mercy in new supply with the dawn of every day.
- What a gift God gives in his renewable justice! We all have hurts in life. We all want life to be fair. LIfe just isn't fair. That's a given. But the good news is that God extends both mercy and justice. God promises to fight our battles for us if we are part of His forever family! That's good news! He can and will do a much better job. He may be slower to work justice but, be sure, He will. It is His promise! God always keeps His promises!
- That's another "renewable resource" - God is always faithful! He does what He says He will do all the time and every time! Our hearts can take hope and comfort from knowing that God's restoration, forgiveness, grace, mercy and justice are only a prayer away and often just given even before we know our need!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
What is the church?
Remember the children's rhyme (with motions), "Here is the church, here is the steeple, open the door and see all the people."? What is the church in the rhyme? It's the building with people inside. So, even the rhyme almost gets it right.
On the night before Jesus died, he introduced His disciples to a radical concept: it is the "Fellowship of the Towel." Pittsburghers understand that as we have our own 'fellowship of the towel" - the terrible towel that we wave at Steeler games. Jesus wasn't talking about the terrible towel and Steelers, however. He spoke of His betrayal and death. He illustrated His body broken and blood spilled. He talked about what would come after His death and resurrection. Jesus' "Fellowship of the Towel" was His showing His followers how to serve others when He served them by washing their feet and wiping them with a towel. His main men didn't understand, but they heard His words. His disciples didn't get it, but they did let Jesus wash their feet as He initiated them into the "Fellowship of the Towel."
On that astonishing evening, Jesus told His disciples that they would literally become His body here on earth. He told them that the Holy Spirit would help them represent Jesus to the world.
Richard Halverson, former chaplain of the US Senate, flew into Washington, DC one evening. As he looked at the city's lights from his airplane window, he tried to spy his church - Fourth Presbyterian Church. Somehow he coldn't pick it out of the darkness, but he could see the lights of the Capitol, White House and many other government buildings. Suddenly he realized a wonderful truth: he was looking at his church represented by THOSE buildings. Members of his congregation worked in those buildings. They were being the Body of Christ (the Church) as they worked and lived and all the hours in-between.
The church isn't bricks and mortar or even a steeple. The church is people living and loving and serving the Lord of the church wherever life takes them. The church is "the Fellowship of the Towel"! The church is marked by thousands of points of light across our nation's capitol (and wherever else) pushing back the darkness as Christian believers "BE the church"!
"BEing the church" is us - believers in Jesus Christ, the people whose hearts are being restored by His Gospel! The church is us 24/7 showing Jesus' love with our hands and feet and hearts to a world lost in darkness. The church is us being willing to serve others at the point of their need - even washing dirty feet!
What the world needs now is love shown by restored hearts who love Jesus! The world doesn't need bricks or steeples. The world needs Jesus! And ONLY a restored heart - restored and being restored by the Gospel of Jesus Christ - can BE the church and show Jesus to the world!
We don't go to church. We are the church: the "Fellowship of the Towel"! It's something to think about!
On the night before Jesus died, he introduced His disciples to a radical concept: it is the "Fellowship of the Towel." Pittsburghers understand that as we have our own 'fellowship of the towel" - the terrible towel that we wave at Steeler games. Jesus wasn't talking about the terrible towel and Steelers, however. He spoke of His betrayal and death. He illustrated His body broken and blood spilled. He talked about what would come after His death and resurrection. Jesus' "Fellowship of the Towel" was His showing His followers how to serve others when He served them by washing their feet and wiping them with a towel. His main men didn't understand, but they heard His words. His disciples didn't get it, but they did let Jesus wash their feet as He initiated them into the "Fellowship of the Towel."
On that astonishing evening, Jesus told His disciples that they would literally become His body here on earth. He told them that the Holy Spirit would help them represent Jesus to the world.
Richard Halverson, former chaplain of the US Senate, flew into Washington, DC one evening. As he looked at the city's lights from his airplane window, he tried to spy his church - Fourth Presbyterian Church. Somehow he coldn't pick it out of the darkness, but he could see the lights of the Capitol, White House and many other government buildings. Suddenly he realized a wonderful truth: he was looking at his church represented by THOSE buildings. Members of his congregation worked in those buildings. They were being the Body of Christ (the Church) as they worked and lived and all the hours in-between.
The church isn't bricks and mortar or even a steeple. The church is people living and loving and serving the Lord of the church wherever life takes them. The church is "the Fellowship of the Towel"! The church is marked by thousands of points of light across our nation's capitol (and wherever else) pushing back the darkness as Christian believers "BE the church"!
"BEing the church" is us - believers in Jesus Christ, the people whose hearts are being restored by His Gospel! The church is us 24/7 showing Jesus' love with our hands and feet and hearts to a world lost in darkness. The church is us being willing to serve others at the point of their need - even washing dirty feet!
What the world needs now is love shown by restored hearts who love Jesus! The world doesn't need bricks or steeples. The world needs Jesus! And ONLY a restored heart - restored and being restored by the Gospel of Jesus Christ - can BE the church and show Jesus to the world!
We don't go to church. We are the church: the "Fellowship of the Towel"! It's something to think about!
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