Sunday, August 23, 2015

Prophetic youth sermon from ten years ago

This was a devo/sermon that I gave when I was a Youth Pastor (Forerunner!) to a Lutheran High School over TEN YEARS ago at their chapel service...guess it was prophetic (and Politically Correct as always...) 

Culture Wars! 
Revenge of the Sissies 

Intro 
Saw Star Wars recently. It was such a good movie. Got to see Anakin freak out, and go Sithy on everybody…I only wish that JarJar would have been one of the victims! 

Your education by nature is a preparative thing. It is constantly focusing you on your future. This is right and it should be that way…but one of the drawbacks can be that you tend to view your life as something that “will be” instead of “is.” 

Don’t settle into a wait and see. 
Your life becomes a “wait and see” thing. 

We cannot afford for you to wait and see. We need you now. We need you now young Davids and Deborahs. Just imagine if David had waited to see what his life was going to be. Imagine if he viewed life as a wait and see prospect. He wouldn’t have killed the lion. He wouldn’t have killed the bear…and as a result he wouldn’t have been ready to step up and kill the giant. 

1 Samuel 17:34-37 (NKJV) "But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”" 

Right now there are culture wars going on around you. You may not be too aware of them, but you will be as you live determined to honor Christ in this life. Your faith and values are assaulted everyday, every time you turn the tv on. Every time you listen to the radio, or download songs. Some things will be as intimidating as giants to you. 

You will have people taking a stand against you, telling you that you are not to take a stand. 

You will have people tell you that the only absolute truth is that there is no absolute truth. 

You will have people assaulting you, telling you that you are cruel and intolerant because you live your life by standards. 

It’s a mess! And it is easy to live intimidated by these giants and turn into one of the sissies that refuse to govern themselves with honor and live according to the standards and principles found in the Word of God. They will tempt you to live with your knees knocking in fear like everyone else, and start saying things like “well that’s just my truth…” “everything is relative” 

What to do? Move to some remote mountaintop and eat bugs and mushrooms? Lock yourself in a church and plug your ears like much of the church today? I say the best defense is a good offense. Doesn’t mean try and be “offensive,” but it does mean live in the power and blessings that God provides us. Live with purpose. Live with peace. Live out loud and make a difference around you. God is recruiting champions, and he is looking squarely at you! 

There will be rough times ahead. Not going to deceive you. Learn to cherish them…those times are the Forge of Champions. 

Revenge of the Sith was kind of a dark movie. Saw people walk out all bummed and some even crying at points. Life will be like that. It will seem like the Hand of God has left you, hope will seem a distant memory. But do you know that just like with this last star wars movie…I know how it all ends. You see I saw the other movies…I know Anakin gets “saved” (if I can use that term), I know Luke and Laura go through some trials, but they emerge strong and victorious. 

Do you know I’ve read the end of this book too! I know how thing turn out for those that hold on, and persevere. I know the King is coming back. I know that in this life God’s hand of favor rests on those He calls His own. I know that when they do go through tough times and trials that it isn’t meaningless, it isn’t empty, we’re not alone! I know that there is destiny on God’s kids, we can live like champions, and one day at the finish line…we get the Grand Prize!

Monday, August 17, 2015

True-faced



All of us have a public face. It's our best face. It's the face that we want to be judged by since that is the one we use for good deeds, religious activity, facebook, etc. We even start to judge ourselves by that face compared to other people's.  We think we are "pretty good."  But there's a problem.  That's not our true selves...our true face. Our true face is the one that keeps popping out at inopportune times. It's the one that needs healing and is often ignored in fantasy or medicated into silence. Our true face is the one that is a broken sinful mess and is longing for acceptance. Our true face also happens to be the only face that God will deal with.  He doesn't engage our veneers. He doesn't engage who we wish we were, but rather who we really are. He says "there's the real you...the one that I love and want." 
"But the cost...," we say as we think of our mess and cling to our security blankets (idols) of entertainment, unhealthy relationships and the rat race to get more stuff. He acknowledges our mess and points to the cross. And then it is decision time...again.  Will we shrink back into the darkness or will we finally embrace His gift through faith and turn away from everything that has failed us so many times? For those who choose life and freedom, all of a sudden our true face becomes our best face because we are whole, loved and redeemed. 

"Then Jesus spoke out again, 'I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'"
https://bible.com/107/jhn.8.12.net