Category: Sermons

Oh, Save!

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!” 

Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

“Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”

At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

— John 12:12-16

This account of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem quotes Zechariah 9.9. The Septuagint, a Greek Bible translation that was common in Jesus’ day, says, “Behold, a King is coming to you, Just, and a Savior. He is meek and riding on an ass, and a young foal.”

People who knew the details of this prophecy surely understood the details. Zechariah was written during the many battles of Alexander the Great. This was the fall of the Holy Land to what would become the Greek Empire, later to be taken over by the Romans. The King’s entry on a donkey was appropriate. The very next verse refers to the war-horses, but entry on a donkey was a sign of a peaceful entry.

“Your king is just (or righteous),” unlike many of the traditional kings of Israel, and he was a Savior (or “having salvation” NIV). The very phrase “Jesus Saves” originates from verses like this. The word “Hosanna” is Hebrew for “save”. The cry of “Hosanna” was like crying, “Save us!” In Zechariah’s time, the King would save the people from the bloodshed so common under Alexander the Great. In the New Testament, people likely considered this salvation as liberation from Roman occupation.

After Jesus was glorified, the disciples understood this and other prophesies. But given that the Roman occupation continued and grew worse, they must also have understood that this salvation was spiritual, not political. Jesus saved them not from the troubles of this world, but from the troubling sins and doubt that curse every human.

For the most part, the New Testament writers are giving account of a journey, in which Jesus’ companions change and His nature is revealed in people and events He encounters along the way. Jesus goes from Bethelehem to Egypt to Nazareth to Capernaum through Samaria to Jerusalem and ultimately to Galgotha. We see the journey from infancy to childhood to submission to John, then on to His ministry as Messiah and Savior of the world. And in these encounters, as Jesus blesses a Gentile leper, a Roman centurion, a Samaritan adulteress and a condemned thief, we learn that Jesus came to fulfill the prophesies of Israel, but to bless and save all of humankind. Or, as Zechariah 9:10 proclaims, “He will proclaim peace to the nations.”

We shouldn’t get too cocky about those in history who expected Jesus to be a warrior or a literal king. Jesus enters our lives on a donkey, low and humble, with more fanfare than force. We have our own expectations of Jesus. We may expect Him to grant us riches, or perfect health, or some advantage over nonbelievers. We expect Jesus to make a path for us, when scripture says instead we should be clearing the path for Him.

So what good is peace in the midst of war and conflict? What is healing in a body that remains vulnerable to disease and age? How are our enemies defeated when to the naked eye they appear to remain in power? What is salvation, anyway?

In Romans, Paul had much to say about this “body of death” in which we live. We sin against our own better judgment. We are easily led astray. We fail to follow Jesus then cry that we are lost. Most of our wounds are self-inflicted, the result of a flawed human nature straying from God’s will for our lives and our world. It does little good to save us from war, poverty and suffering if we continue to harm ourselves and others by taking the wrong path and making bad decisions.

It is from that Body of Death that we are saved. We are saved from our own tendency to make wrong choices that hurt us and others. We are saved from the condemnation that we deserve for making those choices. In short, we are saved from ourselves. We die to self and live for Christ, and in doing so, we follow the only One who was without sin.

As we understand the humility of Christ, the peace of His reign and the nature of His kingdom, we start to lose our expectations of comfort in this life. The mature Christian is revealed not in our freedom from suffering, but in our integrity and faith in the midst of suffering. If we expect a material advantage from the Lordship of Jesus, we are as wrong as those who expected Him to conquer the Romans and drive them out of the Promised Land.

Once, when a brother asked Jesus to tell his brother to divide the inheritance, Jesus said, “Who made me judge over you?” Jesus did not come to mediate between fallen people – for all of us have fallen short. Rather, Jesus came to make us new creatures, and in doing so to make us a new family in God through Jesus.

The followers of Jesus are not divinely blessed with an advantage in this world. The advantage comes from Jesus saving us from the Body of Death, inspiring us to die to self and live for Him. These advantages are freely offered to everyone.

A caged bird might still be a bird, but it does not fly. When we clip its wings, we remove a part of its essence. Some of us see Christianity as a cage, a set of rules telling us, “Don’t fly. Don’t taste. Don’t touch.” But what if the cage is our own fallen selves, our tendencies to face the bars when we could as easily turn and fly through the door? Jesus came to set the captives free! We are held captive to our own appetites, misunderstandings, temptations and greed. If the Son has set you free from these, from that cage that we build around ourselves, then you are free indeed.

Jesus descends from the Mount of Olives, meeting us where we are in this dark valley of death and sin. He is humble, riding on a donkey, but He is righteous, and His offering to us is salvation. Jesus weeps over our stubborn Jerusalem hearts when we fail to see the great gift He offers. He also rejoices with all of Heaven over each sinner who accepts the gift with repentance and thanksgiving.

Save us from what? You know from what! From ourselves, and from the lie we have learned from this fallen world. As we enter Holy Week and march to Resurrection Sunday, I pray that we might all die with Christ and rise with Him into that newness of life He came to provide.

From Out of Nowhere

Jesus is the ultimate outsider – adapted by foreign cultures, rejected by His own, at conflict in His day with Pharisees, Sadducees and Zealots – translate as the radical, establishment and rebellious branches of Judaism. And with every new generation, Jesus is adopted by traditionalists and progressives alike, each convinced that His true teaching agrees with theirs.

Jesus is a religious outsider. According to Hebrews 5, Jesus is “a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” The first mention of any priest in scripture is a reference to Melchizedek, King of Salem (“peace”) and Priest of the Most High God (“Elyon El”). Melchizedek came from out of nowhere. “Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, [Melchizedek] remains a priest forever.” (Hebrews 7:3)

The people of His day expected the Messiah to be a King, not a Priest. Melchizedek was both, the first of his kind and honored by Abraham, father of Israel and many other nations. Through Joseph, Jesus’ lineage was accepted as in the house of David. With the virgin birth, that lineage is cast into doubt. And Jesus could not be a traditional priest because he was not a Levite, the priestly tribe. “For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.” (Hebrew 7:14)

Wrong place, wrong time, wrong people, friend of sinners and the outcast. In Him the Gentiles place their hope. Jesus was, and still is, the ultimate outsider.

In the late 1960s and 1970s, boys could be expelled from school for wearing their hair too long or growing facial hair. In response, we all pointed to Warren Sallman’s “Head of Christ”, the iconic Jesus image with shoulder-length hair and that perfect beard. The painting sold more than 500 million copies, and that Jesus was also featured in other Sallman paintings. With that, our parents were forced to admit that “we don’t actually know what Jesus looked like”. That, in turn, opened the door to even the even more radical possibility that Jesus was more Middle Eastern than White.

Still, each generation tends to see Jesus as looking like themselves – in opinion and morality, if not physically. In 1939, German theologians established the Institute for the Study and Eradication of Jewish Influence on German Religious Life. It’s purpose was to remake Jesus in the Nazi image, the perfect Aryan who started Christianity to oppose Judaism. The notion turns history on its head, and yet it isn’t so different from many anti-Semitic, Aryan groups that exist even today.

In Matthew, Jesus sent out the twelve disciples, saying, “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.” (Matt. 10:5-6) But the people Jesus healed were largely Gentiles and Samaritans. And at John 12:21, the Greek visitors seeking Jesus during the festival was taken as a sign that Jesus’ ministry was nearly done. (“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” 12:23)

This outsider status of Jesus has spiritual significance. None of us can claim to possess Jesus; we are either grafted-in Gentiles to a Jewish Rabbi or descendants of His people who rejected Him. Jesus does not mimick our looks, our politics, our morality, nor anything else about us. He possesses us, not vice versa, and He is the cornerstone to which we must square our lives – not vice versa.

It is tempting to remake Jesus into our image. But Jesus knows no political party, because the parties hold the moral high ground like the gambler holds cards – some good, some not so much. All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God – and Jesus is the standard by which that is determined.

This outsider status is also a tool for evangelism. “But you were raised Christian; I wasn’t.” Jesus was not raised Christian! “If I was blessed like you, I’d be a Christian, too.” Jesus was a blessing, but few people would describe Jesus as “blessed.” “I just don’t fit in; I’m not like you.” Jesus was not like anybody. He was unique, from out of nowhere, after the order of Melchizedek.

In short, Jesus comes from somewhere else, from outside of our world, our opinions, our viewpoints. We are equally challenged by the life of Jesus, and we all fall short. We can’t use Jesus to control others – indeed, we can’t use Jesus at all! Rather, Jesus uses us to forward His kingdom. We pray for God’s will, not our own, and we see Jesus as the ultimate example of one putting God’s will above His own.

Jesus comes from out of nowhere. When we embrace that concept, we empower the Gospel story to bring eternal life to whoever believes, from all nations, cultures and generations. Remake Him like us, and we take Him away from those who are different. A Jesus who is more like us is less like Jesus. God forbid that we should compromise the Gospel to fit our agenda, regardless of which direction it leans.

God Had No Grandkids

The LORD took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and try to count the stars; you will have as many descendants as that”

 Abram put his trust in the LORD, and because of this the LORD was pleased with him and accepted him.

Genesis 15:5-6

And don’t think that you can escape punishment by saying that Abraham is your ancestor. I tell you that God can take these rocks and make descendants for Abraham!

Matthew 3:9

 You’re all set. Things are alright here with the Chaldeans. You’re daddy’s rich, and you’re all set to take over the family business. Next thing you know God Himself says go, Abram! Go away from your father’s house. I will make of you a great nation, and I’ll show you the land that your nation will possess. Why? Is it because you are the great Abram? No. It’s because God is the Great God! He speaks, and you believe, belief so strong that you leave everything to go where God says go. God calls that Righteousness! You trust in God, and therefore, God is pleased.

You’re too old, too sick, too tired. God says I will make your descendants more than the stars in the skies. You laugh. Your wife Sarah laughs. You’re kidding, right God? Not me; I’m too old! Too sick! Too tired! But you believe in God, and God calls it Righteousness! And He does what you believe He said he would do.

Maybe you’re like Moses. You messed up. You killed an Egyptian in anger, and you ran away. Next thing you know, there’s a burning bush. You argue with God. Don’t send me Lord, I stutter! Not me, Lord, I ain’t no preacher! I’ve messed up; don’t you know that, God? Yes, God knows it. But Moses believed enough to obey, and God credits it to him as righteousness!

What about us? You settle down in a sleepy little church, and God wakes it up. Next thing you know, you’re riding a whirlwind. It’s impossible to grow this tired little church, but God says it will grow. We laugh! We argue with God! But we hear God’s voice and we trust in Him. God is pleased, so he calls it Righteousness.

So are we Righteous? Are we accepted by God? Yes; not because of who we are, but because of who God is. Did we please God by being such great and talented people?

No. We pleased God by trusting in him, and he accepts us for it. He counts it to us as Righteousness!

Jesus worked with peasants, fishermen, sinners and tax collectors. His brothers and sisters called him crazy. All around, people say we don’t need you! We’re children of Abraham! But John the Baptist says so what? God can raise up children of Abraham from a pile of rocks! What Jesus, are you greater than Abraham? Jesus says before Abraham was, I AM.

The Jews say we are the children of Abraham, through the chosen son Isaac. The Moslems say we are the children of Abraham, through the firstborn son Ishmael. The Christians say we are children of Abraham, because we are heirs to the promise of faith. But John says God can raise children of Abraham from a pile of rocks!

We believe, but do we trust? We believe in God, and so do devils and demons. The question is, do we hear God NOW? Do we trust Him enough to obey Him?

Faith of our Fathers is a beautiful hymn. But you won’t be saved by your father’s faith. It has to be YOUR faith. It isn’t enough to say we are the children of Abraham. God will keep his promises — the covenant to Abraham, and the covenant to Jesus. But God can raise children to Abraham from a pile of rocks! And Jesus said that if we don’t praise him, the rocks and stones will praise Him.

Jesus had faith in God, not in Abraham. Before Abraham was, he said, I AM! Jesus put his trust in God the Father — and he told us to do the same thing.

We won’t get closer to God by trusting in our family history. It isn’t enough to go to an ole time church for that Ole Time Religion. This IS the God of Abraham, but that isn’t what makes us accepted by Him.

God has no grandchildren. If I am to be accepted by God, if I am to be Righteous, it won’t be by my heritage, my religion, my works or my family tree. My grandfather’s a preacher, but I don’t get righteousness from my grandfather, or my father. I trust in God; I hear him, and I obey him. And if that is true — if I really trust and obey God, even if I mess up — God counts that trust and obedience as Righteousness!

Abram was a liar. Everywhere he went, he said to his wife, tell them you’re my sister. If they think you’re my wife, they’ll kill me, but if they think I’m your brother, they’ll be nice to me. The Ten Commandments came a long time after Abraham. So he was NOT righteous, if it’s up to us to say who’s righteous.

Isaac lied like his father — saying to his wife, say you’re just my sister, and they’ll be nice to me.

Jacob stole his brother’s birthright. Later, he slept with a prostitute and played favorites with his sons. But Jacob believed in God, and became the father of the nation Israel.

Moses was a stuttering murderer, and a runaway. King David committed adultery and had a good man killed in battle. And yet, God used these men to bless a nation.

Now don’t get me wrong; sin is bad. Don’t go saying I said it was okay to sin. These great men of the Bible did suffer for their sins; they did get into trouble. Jesus was the only truly righteous man in the Bible, and he suffered for the sins of the world. Sin is bad. If we don’t pay the price for our sins, someone else will.

But like Paul, we have to forget what’s behind us and press forward to the prize. Like Jesus, we have to forgive the sins of others, yes, all of them, and just drop all that baggage to press on to our goal.

I woke up on the couch to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band on The Late Show with David Letterman, and I wrote these notes. Before September 11, Springsteen was a washed up, fading rock star, and the E Street Band would never get back together. But there they were, blazing out a chorus that was even better than Born to Run. Music so fine it made me cry!

What’s that all about, Bruce? I don’t know if Springsteen heard from God. But I know he does trust that no matter who might think he’s all washed up, or that the race isn’t worth finishing, he certainly doesn’t think so. He believes that after the World Trade Center fell, he needed to be out there, making music, pumping up a generation to press on to the prize. Old man Springsteen rocks like kid rock Springsteen never could. He has trust in the future, and I say, man, that’s Righteous!

We, too, have to press on. We have to get psyched. We have to trust in God, and I mean in a BIG God, a God who calls us Righteous and sets us up to do big things. Abraham was too old, but God didn’t care. I was too old to start preaching, but God didn’t care. This church is too old to grow, but God doesn’t care. We can trust in God, we can obey God’s call, and he will accept us! He will count it as Righteousness.

In the book of Acts, some guys went around saying, in the name of the God of Jesus and Paul, we demand you demons be gone! Those demons said, “Jesus we know, and Paul we know, but who are you?” Yes, believe in Jesus, but don’t just say you love him. Do what he says do! Listen to God the Father. Trust in God. Obey the Father. God can raise children to Abraham and followers of Jesus from a pile of rocks! God has no grandchildren.

It isn’t enough to believe that our fathers were tight with God. We have to be tight with God. Believe in the great things Jesus did, but remember that God has great things for YOU to do. Even if you’re old. Even if you’re sick. Even if you have really messed up. Don’t just trust in the children of God. BE children of God.

Talk to your Father, and obey him. Believe in the Great things God has for you to do, and press on! And as with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and David, and Jesus I assure you, he will count it to you as righteousness.

In the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and of Jesus, Son of God, and of the Holy Spirit, which lives today in the Children of God… amen.

 Tropical Sands Christian Church – October 27, 2002

Follow the Servant-Leader

When Jesus says the same thing over and over, I have to think He wants to make sure we understand it.

A lot of what Jesus says goes against of human nature. Some of it is not what we would call common sense.

So, as you’ve heard, there’s balls, there’s strikes, and there’s scripture. I’d like to say I calls em like they is, but we all know the best I can do is to calls em like I sees em. The good news is they is what they is no matter how I calls em.

Let us hear for ourselves the word of our Lord:

” You call me Teacher and Lord, and it is right that you do so, because that is what I AM. I, your Lord and Teacher, have just washed your feet. You, then, should wash one another’s feet. I have set an example for you, so that you will do what I have done for you. “

–John 13: 13-15

There are still churches that have foot-washing ceremonies. It really is a humbling experience. But

Jesus was not performing a ceremony on clean feet with warm water and a clean towel. The disciples did not buy clean socks for the occasion.

Jesus actually washed, as in removed the dirt from, at least 24 dirty feet. That included the feet of Judas Iscariot, just before Judas left to betray Him.

If we have trouble taking Jesus at his word, then we must be as human as the people in His days on earth.

He came unto His own, but His own just could not accept a humble Messiah. They wanted a Warrior Messiah, the Lion of Judah, not the Passover Lamb. Some of them thought Jesus was a poor excuse for a Messiah.

Some thought he was no better than a foot-washing house slave.

In that day, a foot-washer was the lowest of the household slaves. No job more degrading than washing feet. Nobody puts foot-washing on their resume under leadership skills. A foot-washer doesn’t fit our image of a leader.

Some of us, especially us guys, think a good leader is more like an action hero.

We really like the part where Jesus trashes merchandise in the Temple and chases the merchants out with a whip. Now there’s a Scripture for Guys Who Like Scripture.

So who is this foot-washing story for?

At the Last Supper, John tells us that Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, like a lowly house slave. Jesus tells them, “I have set an example for you, so that you will do what I have done for you.”

Don’t you wish He had said that when He cleared the Temple?

He goes on to say, “No slave is greater than his master, and no messenger is greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know this, you will be happy if you put it into practice.”

I have a friend who made a big mistake. He was caught in such a scandal that his name was stricken from the roles of his church.

That was many years ago. Some of those people still can’t forgive my friend. But the weird part is that he still goes to that same church!

This guy volunteers for everything, always mopping floors, cooking, cleaning, taking out the trash. It is just so degrading to see him cleaning up after people who dispise him. He ought to have more gumption than that.

My friend has the gall to think he can actually do what Jesus tells him to do. He repented and turned from his sin. Now, he actually loves those who hate him, and physically blesses those who curse him.

Some people call him a wimp, cause he’s just such a servant.

But a lot of Christian work gets done in his church because good-hearted people see his work and follow his example.

Jesus says that whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. That must be why they say Pride is one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

But aren’t we supposed to be proud? You got to stand up for yourself! You just can’t turn the other cheek these days.

If you don’t stand up for yourself in this world, you’ll get crucified.

In Matthew 20, Jesus says, “You know that the rulers of the heathen have power over them, and the leaders have complete authority. This, however, is not the way it shall be among you. If one of you wants to be great, he must be the servant of the rest; and if one of you wants to be first, he must be your slave like the Son of Man, who did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life to redeem many people.”

If that is the price to pay, then some of us don’t want to be first, or great.

In Matthew 23, Jesus says, “You must not be called Teacher, because you are all brothers and sisters of one another and have only one Teacher. Nor should you be called ‘Leader,’ because your one and only leader is the Messiah. The greatest one among you must be your servant.”

I read a book by a former pastor on building leadership in an organization. He told step-by-step how he built mega-churches by replacing meek and humble servants with strong, dynamic leaders.

He never said so directly, but the author seems to think that Jesus is out of date. Now this guy is no longer a preacher; instead, sells his advice in business seminars across the country.

I’d say that that ex-preacher has found his true calling at last.

He said the church needs strong leaders. By faith I say he is wrong. The church already has a strong leader, and that is Jesus Christ. What the church really needs is strong followers.

Jesus is the Head of the church; what did Jesus say we should do?

Wash feet?

Take the low seat?

Turn the other cheek?

Humble ourselves?

No one can rise to a leadership position with that attitude! At least, not in any worldly organization.

But Tropical Sands Christian Church is not a worldly organization. I thank God that this church is run by servant-leaders.

I know they don’t care about titles, because they get the job done when they have titles, and when they don’t have titles. So we put those people in charge, of course.

But we give them a title, or two, or sometimes three, because we want to pin them down on a job, or two jobs, or maybe three jobs.

I just thank God that those men and women keep rowing the boat. Without em, we’d be dead in the water.

If they don’t accomplish enough, let’s just say the field is ripe for harvest, but the workers are few. A handful of people can only do so much.

Now some of us have figured out that the leader really is the servant. If nobody follows the leader, the leader gets to do all of the work. We may or may not want the title, but we surely don’t want to do all that work. We don’t have to be leaders, or servants.

On the other hand, there are some good-hearted people in this world who are called to teach, but they don’t want to be called “Teacher.” There are some who are called to preach, but they don’t want to be called “Preacher.” There are even some who are called to sweep, but they don’t want to be called, “Sweeper.”

The world needs all that talent and service. How do we bring it out without saddling someone with a label she or he doesn’t want? What do we call these people?

The apostle Paul called himself a servant of Christ. In closing his letter to the Romans, Paul writes “I commend our sister Phoebe to you, being a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord, as is worthy of the saints, and may assist her in whatever thing she may need of you.”

Sounds like Paul gave this woman a lot of authority.

Our English Bibles sometimes translate the word as “minister” when it describes a man, especially a male leader, and “servant” when it describes a woman. But the word for both “minister” and “servant” used by Jesus and Paul is usually “diaconia”, or “diaconos.”That’s where we get the term “diaconate.”

Paul calls Sister Phoebe a “minister” of the church, just as surely as he called himself a “minister” of the Gospel.

So it matters what we call you. “Minister” makes you puff out your chest, square your shoulders, watch your P’s and Q’s. “Servant” makes you feel sorry for yourself.

But in most of the New Testament, it’s the very same word; a minister IS a servant.

Maybe you are not a leader because you don’t feel worthy to be a leader. Maybe you are not a servant because no leader has asked you to serve. If so, then please mark this date in your calendar.

On this date, the sixth day of May, in the Year of Our Lord 2001, I, Joel Tucker, duly licensed lay preacher in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Florida, hereby proclaim you a fellow minister of the Gospel.

I hereby proclaim you empowered to share God’s love with all the world with all the talent and strength God gives you.

I proclaim you empowered to preach repentance and forgiveness.

I can proclaim this as true because God’s word says it is true.

With Christ Himself, I bestow upon each and every one of you the grandest human titles I know: Sister. Brother. Minister. Diaconos.

With the Apostle Paul, I bestow double honor on those who serve as Elders and officers, past and present. You are the voice of experience.

And I salute the Deaconate, past, present and future. You are the voice of Christian service.

We are a family, and as a family we have been called to serve the Living God. Christ calls us Brothers and Sisters, fellow servants in the body of Christ.

Even if you’re humble, even if you’re meek, even if you just want to be a servant, this family is responsible for helping you find ways to serve the Living God, as a member of this family.

I bet you already know our servant-leaders. You can see who is pulling the plough. I say follow the servant.

Our servant-ministers would actually enjoy helping you find ways to serve the Lord. Think about it. Talk to them.

The question is not are you a minister; the question is, what is your ministry?

What is your calling?

Maybe you are called to teach, to preach, to visit the sick, or to balance the books. Or maybe you are already there, already serving the Lord.

If so, Jesus says you are blessed. Now that you know this, Jesus says, you will be blessed, or happy, if you put it into practice.

Let’s get happy, shall we? Let us learn to follow the servant. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

If you would like to join this church, we will be happy to elevate you to the position of servant. You can join us in ministry to the world, in the name of Jesus Christ.

You may come by baptism and confession of faith, by transfer or for dual church membership. You may come forward to join this church, or to rededicate your life in service to Christ.

If the Lord leads, please come forward as we sing our Hymn of invitation, “The Servant Song”.

Delivered at Tropical Sands Christian Church
 – May 6, 2001.

Bent Reeds, Flickering Lamps

The disciple Matthew was a flickering lamp. As a Roman tax collector, Matthew was banned from synagogue and Temple, so he could not read the Sacred Scrolls in Hebrew. But Matthew’s gospel quotes the Septuagint, a Greek translation of his day. After Jesus healed a man in the Temple, the Pharisees started looking for a way to kill him. So Jesus and his disciples were hiding in the wilderness. Jesus healed all who came to him, but he told them not to tell anyone where he was. Those days reminded Matthew of this Old Testament prophesy.

Let us hear the Word of GOD:

The LORD says, “Here is my servant, whom I strengthened — The one I have chosen, with whom I am pleased. I have filled him with my spirit, and he will bring justice to every nation. He will not shout or raise his voice or make loud speeches in the streets. He will not break off a bent reed nor put out a flickering lamp. He will bring lasting justice to all. He will not lose hope or courage; he will establish justice on the earth. Distant lands eagerly wait for his teachings.”

–Isaiah 42:1-4 (CEV)

I stand in the pulpit today with fear and trembling. I know that a good word can turn your life around. It can draw you closer to God. And I know that the wrong word might be the last straw that turns you away from the church. I have great respect for the pulpit.

My respect for the pulpit goes double for THIS particular pulpit. Pastor Jim Burton is one of the most consistently loving pastors I know. I wish that he were here now. I can only dream of matching his love for this church, and his skill with the word of God. I stand before God in Brother Jim’s pulpit. I am eager to hear him again. I’ll say for Jim something that I am not quick to say about anyone: Jim Burton is my pastor.

My Grampa, the Rev. Roy Tucker, has graced this pulpit as well. You can’t inherit 50 years’ experience in the pulpit. Grampa, I wish I had been a better student. We have real preachin in the Cabin every Saturday night. You’ll be blessed if you come hear him speak. We’ll get Grampa back up here in May, if not before.

I had the pulpit one Sunday evening at Shady Grove Church in Alabama, back in 1993. We did some singing, and I did some preaching. When it was all done most folks agreed that we should have just kept on singing. I shook hands with one of the elders on my way out, and he said, “Well, I’m gonna pray for you.” I think that was less than a glowing endorsement.

I haven’t done much preaching since then. I wanted to, but a funny thing happened while I was looking for a church home.

My wife and I tried to fit in at one church, but it was tooooooo soft. Then we tried another church. That church was tooooooo hard. Finally, we tried Tropical Sands Christian Church. This church was just riiiiiight.

That soft church was a big church. They had classes and trips and apple pies, but trying to get involved was like trying to hop a freight train while it roars past. There was so much going on that we just got lost in the shuffle. By the time they finally had us on the mailing list, we had long since shuffled out the door. They still don’t know that we left.

The hard church was a brand new church. We were ready to take on the world. I put a few miles on the standup bass in the praise band at that church. We started in a living room and moved to an auditorium. Eventually, I started playing saxophone, and everything about that church started changing. The heat was on to get better musicians, to pick the right people, and to line up on the doctrine.

A lot of good people got shuffled aside while I was blowing saxophone, center stage. I did not want that spotlight. I made some very dear Christian friends in that church. Most of them left before I did. It was like the love for the worship got stronger than the love for people.

I knew about Tropical Sands because of the Christian music coffee house here the first Sunday of every month. The coffee house all about fellowship; nobody knows or cares what church you come from. It’s live and let live, let’s jam and have some coffee. That’s how I knew a lot of the people here.

That first Sunday morning I came to this church, I was hiding out. I could not stand the thought of blowing one more note on that Brass Idol of a saxophone. I just wanted to worship in peace. So I came in here that Sunday morning, just to hide out.

People, I was so tired. I don’t remember what Brother Jim preached on that day – I’m not even sure if he was speaking that day. I just remember how sweet it was to be out there, and not up here. The choir and organ made the most beautiful music. They looked like they really loved doing it. In the lobby after church, I remember everyone was so civil. I mean civil! Friendly and polite. I was so impressed to find old fashion friendliness, everywhere I turned.

I came back a couple of times, and I decided it was safe to bring my wife, or my Grampa, or my children. I don’t worry that somebody I invite to church might be shunned, or ignored, or put on the spot. When I want people to meet my Christian friends, I invite them to This church.

Some of you know we have an informal worship gathering every Saturday at the Log Cabin, across the parking lot. That gathering was started by a bunch of hard church dropouts. We just wanted to worship like we used to, when we kept things simple and everybody got to play. We were so tired of rules that we made three rules right away. No rehearsals. No collection plates. No amplifiers.

Anyone who wants to sing or play with us is invited to do so. No experience necessary. No skills required.

We felt like religious refugees, and Tropical Sands Christian Church let us use the Cabin. This church never once tried to steer or restrict the Log Cabin service, in any way. It has never once tried to recruit me or any other member from that group. This church gave us encouragement, love and freedom to worship however we pleased, for no payback.

What an incredible testimony that was.

Let’s see if that arrangement has done any good. People who swore they would never again set foot in a church sing and pray with us every Saturday night. Grampa pulls the Gospel plough right straight down the middle every week. People who were afraid to sing in public two years ago are now worship leaders at other churches, thanks to the Log Cabin. As far as I know, we have not brought any members into this church. But we have sent a lot of people back to church somewhere. I say that knowing that you care more about the role up yonder than the roles on the church computer.

Nearly 200 years ago, this denomination — The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) — was founded on an official rejection of all man-made creeds and doctrines. Our constitution is the New Testament, and our battle cry is the prayer of Christ for Christian unity.

Think about that name – The Christian Church – PARENTHESIS – Disciples of Christ – CLOSE PARENTHESIS. That’s the official name. We couldn’t agree on which one to use. We just decided it wasn’t worth fighting about. That’s how deep this goes.

Think about how this church encourages non-denominational worship. Think about the cabin, and the coffee house. That’s what Jesus prayed for, that we might be as one, not as many. This church is serious about Christian unity.

Our Elders and Deacons really lead this church. Most of us don’t know who they are. When they think nobody is looking, they patch the roof, paint the walls, cut the grass and balance the books. They like to give in secret, and they don’t like to take any credit. That something else they got out of the Bible, that humble servant thing. They’ve got it down to a science.

A lot of those people are shaking their heads and saying what’s the big deal? Isn’t church SUPPOSED to be a nice, safe place? Tropical Sands, you don’t even know how precious you are. You’re so used to loving each other, and anyone else who walks through the door, that you don’t even know how weird that is. Praise God, you are a peculiar people.

It is said that the times are changing, and the church has to change with ’em. I speak for more than one new member of this church when I say, We don’t want you to change. We’ll have more of the same, please. Nobody’s perfect; we understand. Everything humans touch, including this church, falls short of God’s plan. But you are proof of what the disciple Peter meant when he said in his letter, “Above all, practice fervent love, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

The church is told get ready for change. Brace yourselves for Mohawks and nose rings. Meanwhile, meek and lowly people are looking for a safe place to worship God, and they don’t all wear Mohawks and nose rings.

Meek is a funny word. Children are meek. Kittens are meek. Jesus is meek. Some people don’t like that; they want a savior who is as loud, brash, and forceful as they are. We are bombarded with shouting and violence. “In your face” is the buzzword for intrusive, forceful communication.

Some people think it’s OK to get in your face for God. But to a meek and lowly person, “in your face” is an assault, and they won’t fight back. They just leave. To the poor in spirit, “in your face” is poison. They won’t fight back either. They just give up.

I know a lot of you have been praying for me, and maybe occasionally biting your tongues. Thank you for not getting in my face.

This church will change. Everything changes. We will grow, and we will grow even closer to God. We will see new faces, and we will hear new songs. Never be afraid to invite people here; this church will do you proud. Just remember, we are not interested in how the world would change us, but how can we change the world. We are in the world, but we are not of it.

We met at [a congregant]’s house a few weeks ago to discuss small group meetings. That would be Bible studies and fellowship circles in our homes, during the week. That fits the New Testament pattern, and it fills a spiritual need that the larger service might not provide. That is exciting, but it is not new to this church. This church began as a small group, and it has sponsored many small groups. [Elders] are heading up that effort, and now is a good time to get small groups going again.

Many of our Elders are also Prayer Warriors. A few weeks ago my wife received a prayer card from the Christian Women’s Fellowship. Ladies, that was good medicine. At a deep, personal level, God wants to be intimate with his children. He loves it when we talk to him.

I had the privilege of giving chapel service for our preschool this week. Have you ever been surrounded by tiny children who really want to talk to you? If you have, you might know some of the joy that God feels when we pray.

Next Sunday [02/18/01], at 9 a.m., we’re starting an eight-week study on prayer in the cabin, across the parking lot. If you don’t have a Sunday school class, or if you want to learn more about prayer with us, you are invited to attend. Please don’t get upset if we run out of books; just show up, and we’ll work it out.

Prayer and fellowship are nothing new to this church. Like I said, we’ll have more of the same, please.

To the new members, and to those who may not be active in the church, let me point out how difficult it must be to make nice to all these people. We see so many new faces now that the last visitor might slip away without a courteous greeting. We need to help make sure that does not happen.

We are free to come and go as we please, but we have found a church home. Let’s move in. Let’s get behind all the do-ers in the church and see if we can learn to show the love of God like they do. Let’s all read the bulletin, get involved, and keep up with each other. This is your church, too.

To the visitors, let me say you are always welcome here. I was a visitor once, myself. There is never any pressure to join this church. Please, worship with us to your heart’s content. This is God’s church, and you are God’s child, so this must be your church, too. This church was loving to me and my family long before we joined. That’s just how they treat people here.

If you ARE looking for a church home, this is the only one I can recommend. No one here wants to hurt you, or even to change you. Changing you is not our job. Like I said, you can trust these people.

Now it might be that some of the Elders, deacons and members of this church still don’t get what I’m saying, or why I’m so excited. What’s the big deal? The deal is you did something right, over and over, dependably, every time.

Here’s what you did:

  • I was hungry, and you fed me.
  • I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink.
  • I was a stranger, and you received me into your homes.
  • I was naked, and you clothed me.
  • I was sick and you took care of me.
  • I was in prison, and you visited me.

I am also impressed by what you didn’t do:

  • A bent reed you did not break.
  • A flickering lamp you did not snuff out.

You remind me of somebody else I know …

Thank God, you look familiar.

Delivered at Tropical Sands Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ) – February 11, 2001

A Walk in the Spirit

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

–Romans 8:1-2

What is this law of the Spirit? It is the Golden Rule, but it is also something more. Paul came from a rigorous religious background; he was well versed in Law — in the laws of his sect and the Roman laws of the land. He knew what it meant to live by the law — it meant attention to detail, and a focus on avoiding unclean things and illegal activities.

The law of the Spirit, on the other hand, does more than to merely follow the commandments of Christ. Paul said this Spirit — capital S — is the Spirit of God, which raised Christ from the dead, and the Spirit of Christ that dwells within us.

Paul spends much of the book of Romans contrasting life in the Spirit vs. life in the flesh. The flesh, he said, is where the struggle is, and it is also where we fail. Paul said, “the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither can it be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

But aren’t we all in the flesh? The answer is in part, yes, and in the same part, we cannot please God. God gave humanity a law for the flesh, and the flesh broke that law; now, all flesh suffers the consequences.

Paul would say that no good thing dwells in the flesh, and that the flesh has no hope of doing good. That’s where he said, “O, wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.”

No, Paul was not endorsing sinful behavior. His body serves the law of sin in its imperfection, demonstrating the wages of sin, both his own and those that are heaped on all of us through the accumulated sins of humanity. His body serves the law of sin and death, and it will die.

But notice how he serves the law of God — with his MIND. He is consciously serving that law, intentionally, with his will.

I went to this scripture in search of something that isn’t there. I wanted to find a message about the value of motive, as in when we get “in the spirit.” I was looking for a message of “love is all you need.” That isn’t what I found.

To Paul, this Spirit is the literal indwelling spirit of God and Christ and of Christ in us. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” Paul’s obedience to the law of the Spirit comes from a communion with that indwelling Spirit, from an awareness of the Spirit of God in Christ that dwells within him.

To Paul, his obedience is to a Spirit that is his very Creator and constant companion. And, it is a spirit that he serves with his Mind — that is, with intent, planning and forethought.

This is the Spirit of God Himself. The Law of God, or the Law of the Spirit, is not a the former set of rules to be followed. Rather, it is a life to be led, a life in which the Spirit leads the flesh, and not vice versa. It is living with heightened awareness of the very presence of God, and of His Spirit within us. It is trusting that Spirit to dwell within us and striving to give the Spirit complete control.

I can’t give you a formula for this walk in the Spirit. It is not a matter of maintaining an attitude, or following a set of rules. It is a spirit to Spirit relationship, our spirit to God’s Spirit, and it is a conscious, mindful relationship. It is what Jesus was illustrating when a disciple asked, “Show us the way,” and He replied, “I AM the Way.”

Some of us resist the concept of a “personal” relationship with God, but I think that’s what this walk in the Spirit is. If we get personal with God, setting personal goals to know Him and to serve Him, it will impact us at the very core of our beings, from the inside out.

Youth Among the Prophets

“After that you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, tambourines, flutes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying. The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.”

As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. When they arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he joined in their prophesying. When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”

As a preaching musician who became a musical preacher, I sometimes wonder whether music per se has gained unworthy supremacy among the elements of worship. Formality and production values look very similar from the pews, and that look has something in common with silk flowers and faux finishes.

I remember the days when I would play opening and closing hymns, then go outside for a smoke during the sermon. Musicians, I note, are sometimes held to a far lower standard of behavior because they are so vital to the church. And the impact on churches of losing a worship leader can be as devastating as the loss of a beloved pastor.

But for some reason, these verses from 1 Samuel 10 came to mind just before tonight’s weekly youth gathering. Maybe it was that pile of bongos and ukuleles in my office. There’s a lot of musical talent in our youth group, but some of our youth are reluctant to share that talent in a worship setting.

So I gathered up the bongos, tambourines, ukuleles, song flutes and the like and spread them out. I prepared communion and read how Saul went from a good son seeking donkeys to the first king over Israel after a worship experience. He became a different person.

Our youth group often prays, certainly studies a lot of lessons, but rarely worships. For too many years, Sunday morning youth group has been their escape from worship services that fail to inspire them.

So tonight, I told them that worship was historically a way to communicate with God, just like prayer and meditation. I encouraged them to grab a drum, uke or flute and simply worship, freestyle and without regard for quality of sound. As they worshipped, they were to listen for inspiration from God, however they might perceive it. Upon gaining said inspiration, they were to each take communion and return to the worship circle.

The results were amazing. After five minutes of what settled into a nice rhythmic melody, they took communion one by one and returned to the circle. The music faded and I invited each one to share what God had told them.

One habitually bored youth noted that he was energized, and it showed. Another with chronic gothic depression noted how happy it made her feel. The shy one confidently shared the sense of unity and potential she felt in the circle.

I was envious of how God spoke to them. One teen was inspired to feed the poor, then spent several minutes challenging and testing the idea before deciding it was truly God’s message and not his imagination. Two related expansive visions, one of our worship parade passing the sick and depressed, inspiring them to turn tools, weapons and crutches into their own instruments of worship; the other of this circle of makeshift musicians drawing crowds to hear the word of God.

I urged them to hold on to these visions and use them to shape a worship experience that would be inviting to their unchurched friends. I told them my visions of a recurring drum circle of youth, and a “third service” tapping something beyond the traditional/contemporary divide.

Sometimes I think the noninstrumental Church of Christ is on to something — musically, not theologically. But on this night, I am reminded of the power of music to capture and tap imagination. I remember how I felt when worship music was inclusive and encouraging, and I long for those days again.

I don’t know if there has been a permanent change in our youth group, but I know that I have a revived appreciation of the power of worship to connect us to God. I pray we can find ways to strip the elitism that has turned worship into a show, and restore the sacred jam session that makes each of us a different person, one who dares to dance among the prophets.

Lion of Judah, King of Israel

I preached this sermon on October 29, 2006, and guess what — the vision came true! A 53-year-old church still satisfies even charter members with traditional worship, draws young families with contemporary worship and children’s church, and builds a new community on a recovery ministry. With 150-200 worshipers on Sunday and 60-90 at Celebrate Recovery, Tropical Sands Christian Church thrives because the old supports the new — and vice versa! The premise is simple: If you want to settle down in the grasslands of Judah, you have to help the other tribes take the Promised Land!

The Bible is our story. It is not merely a story about the children of Israel, because all people are basically the same. We all have the same passions, potential and shortcomings. The Bible is not just a book of history, because people haven’t really changed much in the last 8,000 years. Adultery, thievery, murder, and, yes, bravery, intelligence and faithfulness, are no more or less common in the book of Genesis, than they are today.

The Bible is the inspired message of God to mankind, for all generations. The writer of Hebrews illustrates this with a thousand-year-old Psalm that looked back six centuries to a timeless truth. That truth applies as well today as it did 2,000 years ago. Let’s hear the Word of the LORD.

So then, as the Holy Spirit says, “If you hear God’s voice today, do not be stubborn, as your ancestors were when they rebelled against God, as they were that day in the desert when they put him to the test. There they put me to the test and tried me, says God, although they had seen what I did for forty years. And so I was angry with those people and said, ‘They are always disloyal and refuse to obey my commands.’ I was angry and made a solemn promise: ‘They will never enter the land where I would have given them rest.'”

My fellow believers, be careful that no one among you has a heart so evil and unbelieving that he will turn away from the living God. Instead, in order that none of you be deceived by sin and become stubborn, you must help one another every day, as long as the word “Today” in the scripture applies to us. For we are all partners with Christ if we hold firmly to the end the confidence we had at the beginning.

— Hebrews 3:7-14 (GNB)

So what is the story being told here? In Numbers, Chapter 13, When Moses led the children of Israel to the Jordan River, they sent spies across to search out the Promised Land. The spies come back saying yes, it’s a great place, everything God said it would be. But the people who live there are giants, and we are like grasshoppers in their eyes. Joshua and Caleb said no, we’re strong enough, and the LORD has promised us that land. The people rebelled, and in his anger God swore that generation would never enter the land. That generation lost the promise because of hard hearts and a lack of faith. Instead, they went back to the desert and roamed like nomads for 40 years.

600 years later, the writer of Psalm 95 repeated the story to say that God still had a promise for the people, and that they could hear His voice and seize the promise, or reject it out of fear and return to the desert.

The Psalmist and the writer of Hebrews, are telling us that throughout history, there’s a promise of God to be fulfilled, and God will punish those who rejected His promise. Fulfill the promise, or spend decades in the desert.

In 1958, Tropical Sands Christian Church was chartered to spread the Gospel and make Disciples in northern Palm Beach County. We could have said, no, the housing costs are enormous there! We like it right where we are. We’ll never make it! But we didn’t say that. We obeyed God, we crossed the Jordan River and took the Promised Land. And for 48 years, we’ve been living in the Promised Land. But the Word of God remains true as long as it is called Today. There were other Promised Lands along the way — new locations, new ministries, and new pastors. And since it is still called Today, there must be Promised Lands to seize today as well.

In 1958, this church had 50 active members. Now, it has about 90 active members. At one time, we had close to 200. Did we fail to cross the Jordan River when we let our youth program fall to the wayside? Did we fail to cross the Jordan River when we stuck with old programs and lesson plans that suit us fine but failed to speak to the next generation? Are we failing to cross the Jordan River when we let our elderly miss church because their eyesight fails and their licenses expire? We do a great job of feeding ourselves, but aren’t we supposed to be feeding others as well? From where I stand, we are once again looking across the Jordan River. We have another chance to reach baby boomers, another chance to reach young adults, and an opportunity to keep seniors active longer. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.

We have a Celebrate Recovery program starting next year, and we all know that a lot of us Baby Boomers and Generation-X’ers are either doing drugs or trying to kick the habit. Is that a Promised Land we’re ready to take, or just a program for those other people? We have a young adult program going on Sunday afternoons, and we all know how those young adults like to rock-n-roll and get creative. Is that a Promised Land we’re ready to take, or just another distraction from the real service? We’re trying to keep our contemporary service going Sunday evenings. Is that a Promised Land we’re willing to fight for, or just another tick on the electric bill? We have half-empty cars driving by seniors in need every Sunday morning. Is ride-sharing a Promised Land we can seize, or a nuisance that doesn’t fit our busy schedules?

Looking over Jordan to the Promised Land, I see a church with 150 people every Sunday mornings, a few dozen every afternoon and 50 or 60 every Sunday night. In the Promised Land, we have a lot of kids running through the halls, a packed house every Tuesday night and more teenagers hanging around than we can keep up with. In the Promised Land, we stop on the way to church and share the ride with our brothers and sisters.

To me, that looks like the Promised Land. To a lot of you, it looks like the church you had 20 or 30 years ago. Let’s at least agree that it is not the church we have today — not anymore — and not yet.

“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…” A soft heart looks for ways to share the Gospel with more people. A hard heart says I’ve got my church, and that’s all that matters. Some of us may have hard hearts, and others might not hear God’s voice. But there’s another issue that might have us stuck in the 80-plus bracket. Maybe we’re just so happy where we are that we don’t want to cross the Jordan River!

There’s a parallel to that one, too. In Numbers chapter 32, after 40 years in the desert, the children of Israel came back to the river Jordan. The tribes of Gad and Ruben and the half-tribe of Manasseh came to Moses and said, “You know, the land over here is pretty good, too. There’s plenty of grazing land, and we have a lot of cattle. What say we just settle in over here and let the rest of you take the Promised Land.”

Moses warned them about what happened last time, so they came up with a good plan. They said, “Not only will we help the others take the Promised Land, we’ll lead the charge.” That suited Moses and God just fine. And that is why we’ve heard of the land of Israel and the land of Judah. The children of Israel took both sides of the Jordan River, Israel on the west and Judah on the east.

Some of us are looking across the Jordan River, and we see souls to be saved for Christ. There’s a battle to be waged, because it is going to take work to launch Celebrate Recovery, to kick our youth program up a notch, and to make Sunday night a viable service. But some of us like things just fine the way they are; we don’t want to change and don’t need to work any harder to have the friendly little church we want. We’re perfectly content to settle down where we are, on this side of the Jordan River.

“For we are all partners with Christ if we hold firmly to the end the confidence we had at the beginning.” What was that confidence we had in the beginning, way back in 1958? That we could win souls for Christ! Are we holding firmly to that confidence, or have we changed the game plan? If we are still partners with Christ, then our focus must be spreading the Gospel and making Disciples.

Like Judah and Israel, the East and West banks of the Jordan River. We can have new members, new ministries, new services, and still have our Sunday morning service just like it is. But if we don’t take the Promised Land, if we don’t serve God with new members and new services, then we will fade like so many churches that have died out before us. If we want to hold on to the green pastures here in Judah, we have to take the Promised Land as well.

It’s an interesting problem, but a promising solution. If we’re content with church exactly like it is, then we have to help it grow. Otherwise, our earning power won’t keep up with our expenses. But if we use the strength we have, the strength of our resources, ideas and talent, we can hold onto everything we love about church and still open the doors for more people and new Disciples.

On the other hand, if we just abandon what we have for something new, we won’t be strong enough to go for it. We won’t have the talent, or the resources, or the ideas we need to make it happen. We can’t take the Promised Land without the tribes of Judah, and we can’t keep Judah unless we take the Promised Land!

We are strong enough to grow Sunday Morning, and launch Celebrate Recovery, and revamp our Youth Program, and grow our Sunday Night service, and maybe ramp up our elderly ministries, too. The question is, are we willing? Is everyone going to pitch in and help? Is everyone going to latch onto the vision? The vision is not a threat to what we have; it is the salvation of what we have!

I think that’s what Jesus was saying when He said that the one who has will get more, and the one who has not will lose even what he has. When it comes to church, it’s use it or lose it. Use it to save souls, or lose it to time and the wrecking ball.

Jesus said that the tree that bares fruit will be cared for so that it bares even more fruit, but the tree that bares no fruit will be pulled up and burned. Will we bare fruit? Will we grow, and add new ministries? We can do this with faith, courage and effort. And not only can we, we must. Those of us who love it here in Judah must lead the charge to take the Promised Land of Israel.

Today, if you hear His voice — the roar of the Lion of Judah, and the commands of the King of Israel — do not harden your hearts. Bare fruit. Lead the charge. Take the Promised Land.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Joel Tucker

Epilog, 2010: Our traditional church Elders serve dinner each Tuesday at Celebrate Recovery, and they love it! We have a nursery full of babies on Sundays and Tuesdays, and a growing teen group on Wednesday nights. Sunday morning rocks at 8:30; at 10, we don the choir robes and crank up the organ. The financial struggle has turned into expansion plans to make more classrooms and youth activity space. My plea: Stop trying to scrap one generation for the next. Instead, remind your church of its mission — to win souls — and give them ideas for how to support the next “tribe.” (It helps to remind them that the next tribe will help pay the bills.) I’m telling you, this Bible stuff really works!