Ruins of Ancient Ephesus

This coming Sunday morning at Redeemer I'm preaching on Revelation 2:1-7 - the letter to the church in Ephesus.

To get an idea of the magnificence of this city watch this video.

You can read more about the structures of Ephesus here. 

What Eternity Is NOT Going to Look Like

New Yorker, April 13, 2015 issue

Cross-bearers are the Ones Who Will Ultimately Wear the Crown

Worshiping at Redeemer, 4/5/15

Resurrection Sunday was beautiful at Redeemer yesterday, ending in a spontaneous burst of worshiping, dancing, laughing, and joy. I loved seeing and being part of this. It was, as one of our Redeemer family members told me, "organic!"

Now it's Monday morning, in the aftermath of the cross and the empty tomb. This means everything has changed. Life will never be the same again. That's how it was for me 45 years ago; that's how it is for me today. My life is different because of what God has accomplished, in Christ. 

Now I am one of Jesus' many followers. Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me."  I do want to follow. Therefore I must:

1. Turn from my selfish ways.
2. Take up my cross.
3. Follow Jesus.

Amazingly, Jesus did not live for his own self. He not only spoke words of other-centeredness, he lived these words out. Jesus gave his life for the sake of others. This is what any real follower of Jesus must do. This is the great imperative. And it happens now. Today my life is a life for God, and for others. a) God. b) Others. c) Self. That's the Jesus-follower's ontological order of priorities. I am going to live for others, today. There will be plenty of opportunities. 

Just as I wrote these sentences an email came to me. A friend is requesting prayer. I will contact them and pray with and for them. My plans are interrupted because there is a cross to bear. This is a microcosm of the greater life God has called me to, and for which Christ died and eventually rescued me. 

I am a follower of Jesus now. Therefore I must turn from my selfish ways and take up my cross, daily. Darrell Bock writes: "To pick up a cross means walking against the grain of cultural values, so that our expectations and needs take a back seat to God's call... Bearing a cross means leaving behind dreams created for us long ago by a citizenship we have now left behind." (Darrell Bock, Luke)  Cross-bearing never takes a holiday. Every day becomes a holy day set apart for the cause of Christ and his kingdom. 

"If we do not continually deny ourselves, we do not learn of Him, 

but of other masters. 

If we do not take up our cross daily, we do not come after Him, 

but after the world, or the prince of the world, or our own fleshly mind. 

If we are not walking in the way of the cross, we are not following Him; 

we are not treading in His steps, but going back from, or at least wide of, Him."

John Wesley, "Sermon 48, Self-denial." In The Works of John Wesley

To take up my cross is to walk "a path of opposition to all that is evil, even though that evil may appear respectable and even legal." (Justo Gonzalez, Luke, 122) While I am to pray for my government leaders I must remember that I am not governed by them, but by Christ. I follow Christ, not human leaders.

How do I know what "taking up my cross" is? What will this look like, today? Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes: "But how is the Christian to know what kind of cross is meant for him? He will find out as soon as he begins to follow his Lord and to share His life." (Bonhoeffer, The Cost of discipleship, 74)

Sharing the life of Christ via daily cross-bearing. It may sound burdensome, this "bearing the burdens of others" life. But it is ultimately burden-removing, for the both the cross-bearer and the captive. Cross-bearers are the ones who will ultimately wear the crown.

Christianity Is a Religion of Losers

Redeemer Youth Conference - 4/2/15

To become a follower of Jesus you have to have a realization of your own basic screwed-upness. Then, you have to get rid of your pride and ask for help. 

Many do not: 1) realize they are screwed up; and 2) if they do many do not ask for help outside of themselves. But for those who do realize 1 and act on 2 these become the door to life and freedom.

This realization includes a dim sense (at least) of how phenomenally ignorant we are. When this revelation hits know-it-all arrogance is in jeopardy. I'm ignorant, you're ignorant. You are on your way to knowing something important if you get this existential insight. To know anything important about life at all, know this.

I've had the ignorance-insight often. Probably God hits me withy this when I start thinking I know a lot. I'll never forget one time I was in my favorite bookstore in the world on the campus of the University of Chicago. I was browsing book titles old and new and then it hit me again. I had read less than 1% of 1% of 1% of 1% of these books. I felt like the self-made man in Sartre's novel Nausea who got a big-time apocalyptic insight into his own stupidity and the sheer futility and foolishness of thinking otherwise.

If you think you are some knowledge-gift to humanity then Christianity will not be for you. As Giles Fraser writes, "Christianity, properly understood, is a religion of losers – the worst of playground insults" ("Christianity, when properly understood, is a religion of losers"). This is good, since we are all a bunch of losers. This is why it has been more than good for me. As Fraser continues:

"But here’s the thing. The Christian story, like the best sort of terrifying psychoanalysis, strips you down to nothing in order for you to face yourself anew. For it turns out that losers are not despised or rejected, not ultimately. In fact, losers can discover something about themselves that winners cannot ever appreciate – that they are loved and wanted simply because of who they are and not because of what they achieve. That despite it all, raw humanity is glorious and wonderful, entirely worthy of love. This is revealed precisely at the greatest point of dejection. The resurrection is not a conjuring trick with bones. It is a revelation that love is stronger than death, that human worth is not indexed to worldly success."

This is the upside-down kingdom of God, where the poor and rich and the rich, poor; where the weak are the strong; and where the wise are ignorant and the ignorant, wise. Fraser writes:
"When [Jesus] was nothing but a suspended carcass, dripping with his own blood and other people’s spit, there were no worshippers around clapping their hands and singing their hymns. They were long gone. At the very end, ironically at the moment of greatest triumph, he had no followers left. That says something profoundly counterintuitive about what a successful church looks like."

The Pursuit 2015 - Begins Tonight at Redeemer!

For many years, we have been involved with Catch the Fire’s Freshwind youth conference in Toronto, to which we have taken our students, and in recent years, have hosted the conference at our church via live webcast. This year, we are hosting our own conference, the first annual Pursuit youth conference. We are excited to welcome all 6-12th grade students for an awesome weekend. Trevor Robinson (our Youth Pastor) and the Redeemer Youth Ministries’ team are leading the conference, as well as hosting several local speakers (details below). The conference will begin on Thursday evening, April 2, and end on Saturday night, April 4.

Our mission and goals for the weekend will be outlined at our parent meeting (March 26 @ 6 P.M.). We encourage all local parents to attend—bring a smile and plenty of questions. If you miss it, here is a brief summary:

We are committed to encouraging relationships with Jesus through a community and atmosphere focused on Him. Our hope is for our youth to experience God’s loving presence in a way that powerfully transforms their hearts and lives.

Any student (grade 6-12) is invited to attend the evening services (THUR/FRI/SAT), free of charge. They will run from 7 P.M. until 10 P.M.You do not need to register for the evening services.

Redeemer students are staying overnight Thursday and Friday to keep our focus on community. We are providing breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which is covered in the tuition of $25. We have modest sleeping accommodations. See the suggested packing list and schedule on the backside for more information. Make sure to register and get your payment in early.

All other students (local or out of state) who wish to attend the full conference must register and may apply for our sleeping accommodations. We have limited space and cannot guarantee a spot for everyone. After completing your registration, we will contact you within one week. If we are unable to accommodate your student(s), you may seek out other local accommodations (we will be glad to help you find a hotel). We cannot chaperon your student(s) at a hotel nor provide transportation to or from it. However, we will provide lunch and dinner (covered in a reduced $15 tuition for the weekend) so that your student(s) can stay within our building throughout the day. Local parents may drop their student(s) off in the morning and pick them up in the evening (details will be emailed). Additionally, we understand that out-of-state parents may want to pick up their student(s) from the conference earlier on Saturday. Please arrange this with us before the conference.

Registration is due on Monday, March 23. You will receive a confirmation email within one week of registering that will contain your parent permission form and any other relevant information. Register online here: http://goo.gl/forms/tNW7jc8E4M

Payment ($25/student) is due on Thursday, March 26, by cash or check payable to Redeemer Fellowship Church (put “Youth Conference” in the memo). Out-of-state students may mail their payment and parent permission form to the church—address below. We must receive your payment, via mail or otherwise, by the due date. If you are unable to meet this deadline, please contact us and bring your payment with you on the day of the conference.

The church's address is:
Redeemer Fellowship Church
5305 Evergreen Drive
Monroe Charter Township, MI 48161

Speakers

Trevor Robinson
Trevor has worked in youth ministry for 10 years and has been the youth pastor at Redeemer Fellowship Church for 2 years. He earned an associate's degree from Monroe County Community College. He has also led the youth ministry of Holy Spirit Renewal Ministries’ Green Lake Conference since June 2013. Trevor has been one of the drummers for Redeemer's worship team for 12 years and is a life-long member of the church.

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Jason Horton
Jason is a 21-year-old revivalist from Toledo, Ohio. Currently employed as a stabilization advocate at Cherry Street Mission Ministries, he works with the impoverished of downtown Toledo as well as in North Toledo with Gideon House Ministries. In April, Jason will be transitioning out of ministry to the homeless to work full time at Gideon House.

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Joel Junior ("JJ") Beaucejour
Joel, a son of God most high, is a man who walks with the Lord. He is a visionary and catalyst, desiring for all peoples and nations to walk out their purpose and calling. A cosmopolitan, Joel believes that the world with all of its systems, economies and cultures, is to be touched by the ever-increasing kingdom of God. Joel lives a naturally supernatural prophetic lifestyle with a passion for souls, releasing the kingdom and good news of Jesus.

Eugene Peterson on the "Antichrist Church"

"A consumer church is an antichrist church."

- Eugene Peterson, The Jesus Way, p. 6

Easter Week Day 4 - Jesus Takes the Second Cup

Linda, walking in Jerusalem

THURSDAY, APRIL 2

SCRIPTURE - LUKE 22:14-18

¹⁴When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. ¹⁵And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God." 

 ¹⁷After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. ¹⁸For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." 

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THESE VERSES?

The cup Jesus takes is one of the four cups taken at the Passover meal. New Testament scholarJoel Green thinks it was the second cup. This is important.

Cup #1 – the head of the family gave a blessing over that cup. Cups 3 & 4 came after the Passover meal, and then Psalms 114-118 were sung – "The Great Hallel."

Cup #2 – that’s the point in the Passover Meal where the youngest son in the family asks the father, "Why is this night different from other nights?” “Why is unleavened bread eaten on this night?” And other questions…

Jesus, on that night 2000 years ago, took the second cup. It was a different night, and would change the world.

At the Passover meal the father, on taking Cup #2, would tell the story of the exodus, and give a message on Deuteronomy 26:5-11. The meal was interpreted as and seen as an act of remembering and thanking God for his past liberation of an oppressed people. It was a celebration of God’s faithfulness and hope for the future deliverance of God’s people.

They would eat lamb and bitter herbs. They would drink the series of four cups of wine.

At the original exodus Passover lambs were slaughtered. The blood of these lambs was applied to the doorways of the Jewish homes as a sign for the Angel of Death to pass over their homes and spare the life of their first born. When the father tells this story, the Jews at the meal imagine themselves right back in the world of Moses in Egypt. Haven't you ever heard someone tell a story in such a way that you feel as if you are right there? You feel the emotions that were felt back then, as if you could smell the food being described and sense the oppression yourself, and then... 

            … experiencing the incredible thing of being set free!

Here, unknown to Jesus' disciples, it was one of those different nights. The Jewish Meal of all Meals was happening, for the one-thousandth time. The original Passover WAS a night different from all other nights. It was the night when the avenging angel of death “passed over” the homes of the Israelites so God could liberate the people of Israel! But this night, recorded in Luke 22, is going to be very, very different from any other night. And it will be remembered forever, not just by Jews, but by the peoples of the world.

This quite-and-very-different night begins by Jesus talking, not of the Moses-Exodus story, but about His impending death, and His Kingdom that is coming in its fullness. Jesus is changing the meaning of Passover. This is shocking and unexpected.

Can we just stop here for a moment?

Change is hard. This change is beyond hard. Because up to this point Passover was celebrated in the SAME WAY ALL THE TIME! "We always have done it this way!” (These, BTW, are the 7 Last Words of the Church.) The same questions are asked. The same answers are given. And it has been this way, this very same way, for hundreds of years.

But ON THIS NIGHT, as Joel Green says: “Instead of the expected focus on the historic deliverance enacted by God in Israel’s past, Jesus talks about his own death and vindication, and the coming of God’s dominion.” (JG, Luke, 761) "As you drink Cup #2, this cup, remember Me."What Jesus does on this night draws on the Exodus story. But, as N.T. Wright is so fond of saying, this is the "New Exodus."

"After taking the [second] cup, Jesus gave thanks and said..." He did this on a night that is different from any before it, and from any that will follow. Jesus was showing that He was the "New Moses" who was leading not only Israel but all of humanity in the New Exodus and the liberation of all humanity.

Tonight, the night Jesus was betrayed, Jesus lifted the second cup.

It was the night before the day when all humanity would be set free.

REFLECTION

1. Had you been one of Jesus' disciples at that Passover Meal, how would you have felt when Jesus reinterprets hundreds of years of tradition in terms of His own life and sacrificial death?

2. Think of how Jesus has liberated you from your enslavement to sin. Count the ways He has done this. Give thanks to God for this. 

If God Made the Universe, then Who or What Made God?

If God made the universe, then who made God?

See University of Notre Dame philosopher Peter van Inwagen answer this question HERE. 

If God is understood as a necessarily existing being (and not a contingent being like us, e.g.), then God cannot not-exist. If something cannot not-exist, or necessarily exists, then it is simply logical nonsense to ask the question "What caused this necessarily existing being to exist?"

Welcome to McChurch

Greg Boyd, in his excellent The Myth of a Christian Religion, has a section called "The Invention of McChurch." Here are some Boyd-points.

• Once a week a lot of people "go to church" rather than viewing themselves as the church. Not good. Real Church is not something you "go to." 
• "As good consumers we typically choose our church based on our own preferences, conveniences, and needs. Since we're conditioned to assume that "the customer is always right," we believe we have the right to have things our own way. If one church fails to please us we simply shop for another that will. Since there are only so many of us religious consumers to go around, churches have to compete with one another to acquire and keep as many consumers as possible." Is this not true? And sad?
• So, what is a pastor to do? Typically, they feel pressure to please their parishioners so they "sweeten the religious product they're peddling by adding as many blessings as possible to their messages and by refraining from saying or doing anything that might drive consumers away." True? Of course it is. Is Greg judging others? Not at all. He's simply reporting the religious behaviors of many pressured pastors who feel the need to keep their people happy. Greg says...
• "Welcome to McChurch, where you get served up a Gospel tailor-made to suit your personal tastes and needs and that never confronts you or causes you any discomfort." (See also Christian Smith's work on Moralistic Therapeutic Deism.)
• McChurch fails to confront the idols and pagan values of Western culture. Worse than that, "if often 'Christianizes' them. Not only do we not have to give up our possessions, as Jesus commands; we're told that following Jesus ensures that we'll get more of them! Not only do we not have to love and serve our enemies, as Jesus commands, we're told that God is on our side when we applaud our nation bombing them!" 
• Studies show that "there's hardly any difference in Western countries between churchgoers and non-churchgoers in terms of the core values we embrace." Why? Well, "McChurch" reflects culture rather than the Kingdom of God. You can feel the cognitive thunderous dissonance shake your soul if you actually read the four Gospels and then turn on religious TV.

6 Core Messages at Redeemer

We finished preaching our 6 core messages at Redeemer. These messages represent who we are as a church.

We'll package them on thumb drives and give to visitors and friends who are checking us out.

You can listen to them and pull up the power points here:

6 Core Messages

o   2/8 – The Presence-Driven Church

o   2/15 – The Real Jesus Church

o   2/22 – The Abiding Church

o   3/1 – The Praying Church

o   3/8 – The Worshiping Church

o   3/15 – The Spirit-Empowered Church