Mark Burget and I at Camden Yard last Thursday night.

I spent last week in Columbia, Maryland – a beautiful suburb nestled between Baltimore and Washington DC.  I was attending a one week training conference helping better equip me in sharing my faith with others.  Since I knew that my time in Maryland would be brief (only 5 days), I did not:

• Buy a house.  (I stayed in a hotel instead.)
• Go to the grocery store (choosing instead to eat at restaurants).
• Change my phone number to a Maryland area code (still proudly representing the 405).
• Get a Maryland driver’s license (my Oklahoma license is still valid).

The reason I chose to live my life in Maryland last week as a visitor was because I knew my time there would be very brief.

Now, contrast my time in Columbia with my experience of moving to Norman 12 years ago.  When we moved, we:

• Bought a house
• Found the nearest grocery stores
• Got an Norman area phone number

We did all these things even BEFORE we arrived.  Why?  Because we knew we would be here in God’s country for a while.

Now, as a theologian, I know that my stay in both Maryland AND Oklahoma is temporary and finite.  Even if I live the rest of my days in Norman, my time here is still very short in comparison to eternity.  How I live my life, however, varies greatly between the places I visit and the places I live.

I was thinking of this today as I read over again Jeremiah 29:1-14.  In these verses Jeremiah the prophet is delivering a letter to the exiled people of Judah who had been deported to Babylon (people like Daniel, Rack, Shack, and Benny).    God writes to them to let them know a blessed promise, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)”  

As people living today in 2013, we are probably quite familiar with Jeremiah’s good news from 29:11.  In fact, we have probably been given this verse on a graduation card, birthday card, or other well wished moment of apparent uncertainty.  It is quite appropriate for us to encourage each other with this verse.  However, sometimes in our use of this verse, we strip it out of its immediate context and expect God to bring us the “future we hope for” now . . . or at least very soon.

The reality is that God gave this promise to a people who would not ever see (in this life) the future they hoped for.  This promise was given to the people of Judah near the beginning of their 70 years in exile in Babylon.  Most of them would die in Babylon.  Most of their children would die in Babylon.  Only their grandchildren would benefit (in this life) from the fruit of this promise if they turned and followed God.

Jeremiah’s words (that are encouraging to us) were probably somewhat discouraging to the exiles from Judah.  A contemporary false prophet during Jeremiah’s day was a man named Hananiah.  He had gained popularity by proclaiming that the exile to Babylon would only last 2 years.  Based on divine revelation, Jeremiah 29 actually corrects the exiles understanding, letting them know that Hananiah was wrong and that they would be in Babylon for quite a while.

Under the wrongful influence of Hananiah, the exiles from Judah were living life in Babylon like they were in Maryland (on vacation), instead of like they were in Oklahoma (living their regular life.)  Jeremiah writes to encourage them to buy houses, go to the grocery store, and get a new phone number.

We live our lives, many times, on Jeremiah’s clock not Hananiah’s.  In light of eternity, all suffering is short term, but in our experience, life is longer than we think.  To borrow a famous phrase from Francis Schaeffer, “How shall we now live?”  in light of the length of this short life?

This will be the subject of this Sunday’s sermon at Wildwood taken from Jeremiah 29:1-14 entitled “This life . . .”  If you are in the OKC area this Sunday, join us at Wildwood Community Church as we look into this great (and famous) passage together.

Had to rearrange some chairs in the worship center for this Sunday’s sermon out of Jeremiah 2:9-13

Imagine you were living in the ancient land of Judah circa 627 BC.  You have a nice business selling widgets in the capital city of Jerusalem.  Your future looks bright and profitable.  Good King Josiah sat on the Throne.  Though he was only 21 years old, he had already been king for 13 years.  Though he was young, Josiah was wise beyond his years and reinstated worship of the Living God in Judah, and God was blessing the nation as a result.  It was during this era that God raised up a young prophet to be His spokesman among His people, Jeremiah.  Jeremiah was only 20 years old when the Lord made Jeremiah one of His mouthpieces to Judah.  So, in 627, the nation was led by a 21 year old king and a 20 year old prophet.  Though these lads were young, they were following the Ancient of Days, so the path ahead was clear and secure.  As Corey Hart would say, “The future was so bright you had to wear shades.”

The prosperity of 627 would not last, however, as Josiah died much too young at the age of 39, ushering in a difficult era in Judah’s history.  Three of Josiah’s sons and one of his grandsons would assume the throne of Judah in the years following Josiah’s death.  None of them followed the Lord . . . each of them walking Judah further and further away from the Rock of their Salvation.  Finally, God disciplined the nation as His Old Covenant had promised He would do, and allowed several of the surrounding nations to conquer Judah and enslave its inhabitants.  Due to ungodly living and covenant breaking, your once proud widget business was now shut down as you (and if you were lucky, your family with you) were carted off to Babylon in exile with Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel.

As the nation was going through this demise and difficulty, the now aging prophet Jeremiah served as the play-by-play announcer, describing the nation’s decay in vivid terms AND serving as the color commentator providing the divinely inspired analysis that the nation’s decay was their fault and that God was judging them for their sinfulness.  As you can imagine, this was not a fun, nor lucrative job.  Everybody loves a winner, but when things begin to go south, people begin looking for a lightning rod upon which to focus their anger.  By speaking God’s truth, Jeremiah became just such a lightning rod to his people, and he lived out maybe the most difficult extended period of time any prophet of God has ever endured.  Though Jeremiah did not enjoy his job, he faithfully adhered to all the Lord had called him to.  For this reason, Charlie Dyer says of Jeremiah that he was a “weeping prophet for a wayward people.”

In two of the next three weeks, I am going to be preaching out of the book of Jeremiah at Wildwood Community Church.  In many ways it is odd that I am going to do so.  It is odd because Jeremiah is not a book people today preach much from.  In fact, in my 39 years of church attendance I do not recall hearing a single sermon series out of this lengthy Old Testament book.  Additionally, it is odd because I only have two weeks to preach it!  With such limited time, you would think I would not tackle such a lengthy subject matter.

Though it may seem odd, I believe the Lord is leading me to direct our attention to this ancient text over these two Sundays.  Of course, we will not be comprehensive in our study . . . in two weeks that would be impossible.  However, in these two weeks I want to share a couple of things God has been teaching me as I have studied this book.  These are two lessons I think have great relevance for us today.  Jeremiah ministered at a time when God’s people were walking away from Him.  God spoke in vivid terms to His people through Jeremiah to awaken their souls and call them back into a relationship with Himself.  Though we no longer live under the Old Covenant and though we are not the people of Israel, Christians today could learn something by way of application from God’s pronouncements through Jeremiah.  This Sunday, April 14, we will look at Jeremiah 2:9-13 in a message I have titled “The Tale of the Broken Bucket.”  In these verses there is a great challenge for any people who are coming up empty in their pursuit of filling their buckets with anything other than the God of the Living Water.  Come Sunday and join us at Wildwood, worship God, and be challenged by His ancient word with relevant application.  See you then!

Today heaven celebrates the homecoming of one of the greatest men I have ever known. Today, Dr. Howard Hendricks (Prof as his students called him) shed his aging body for a heavenly home. Today, Prof did not just teach others about Jesus, he saw Him face to face. Today, Howie is singing – not on the stage of the seminary chapel – but around the crystal sea.

Many of you know that I received two degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary. Though I got my Masters of Theology and Doctor of Ministry degrees with a major in Pastoral Ministry, closer examination would see that I minored in Prof Hendricks. During my 8 years as a student at DTS, I took everything Hendricks taught during that span. He made a lasting impact on my life.

Three things Jesus used Hendricks to drill into my brain:

1. “It is a sin to bore people with the Word of God.” I heard Prof say this a hundred times. We have the greatest message to share in all the world. We have the Spirit of the God who created EVERYTHING living inside of us. Therefore, we should be trusting Him to allow us to share in creative and compelling ways the greatest story ever told. I have spent my teaching life thinking of this every time I prepare to write a blog post or take the pulpit.
2. “Only two things will endure on this planet: God’s Word and people. Therefore, we should spend our lives building God’s Word into God’s people.” This was more than just Hendricks slogan, it was his way of life. His signature course at the seminary when I was there was “Bible Study Methods,” teaching every DTS student how to study the Word of God on their own. Dr. Hendricks always pointed us to the Word of God . . . but he also helped us as students never forget that we were not just “Preachers” we were “Pastors.” Our job was not just to proclaim, but it was to disciple. Prof modeled this to us, demanded it from us, and inspired me to never want to just be a “talking head” Preacher. Prof gave me a seminary level booster shot to the discipleship mandate Todd Stewman and Bill Boldt modeled for me in my undergraduate days at OU.
3. “It’s not about what YOU can do, but what THEY can do.” As I mentioned earlier, Dr. Hendricks taught Bible Study Methods to all the first year students. He taught this class for four decades. For most of that time, one of the first assignments students had to do for the class was bring observations of one verse: Acts 1:8. Every year 300-400 students would come to class with their lists of 20-30 observations from this one verse. Over 40 years, Prof probably heard 500,000 observations on the two dozen words in Acts 1:8. I am pretty sure he had “heard it all,” when it came to this one verse. However, I was amazed at the enthusiasm he showed over students observations. He would run around the front of the room almost cheering with excitement at his first year student’s thoughts. Over time I have come to understand why Dr. Hendricks was so excited. He was enthusiastic not because we were seeing something HE had not seen, but because we were seeing something WE had not seen before in the text. The process of us “getting it” is what excited him about being a professor. It was not about what he knew (and he knew a lot) but about our growth and development. I hope this marks my ministry as well.

Thanks Prof. Your investment in my life is prayerfully paying dividends down the line. It is possible that Prof was the most influential American Christian leader of the 20th century. Not because of what he did, but because of the legacy he passed along to some of the most dynamic church leaders of the past 50 years in America (men like Tony Evans, Chuck Swindoll, Andy Stanley, Dennis Rainey, and Jim Rayburn).

Prof will certainly be missed, but I am certain I will continue to hear and see echoes of his influence for the rest of my life.

Justin Bieber.

That’s right. I have never had a case of Bieber fever. I may have had that strange Carly Rae Jepsen sing along in the summer of 2012, and “Hmm Bop” from Hansen is certainly in my iTunes rotation, but somewhere, someplace, a man has to draw the line. I have drawn my line with Biebs.

I may know what he looks like, may recognize a song or two on the radio, and may even tune in to see him on SNL tonight (who knows, the night is still young), but I certainly do not “get” him. I don’t understand the incredible fascination with this young pop singer . . . after all, he’s no Jon Bon Jovi . . . but I digress.

You know what else I don’t “get” sometimes? – The Christian life.

That’s right. Even as a Pastor sometimes I forget what it is all about. Sure, I walked the aisle of a worship service and gave my life to Christ. Sure, I had Petra’s “Petra Means Rock” greatest hits cassette always cued up in the summer of 1990. But sometimes, I just fail to “get” it.

I may know what the Bible says, have the Lord’s prayer memorized, and know all five verses to Amazing Grace (you heard me), but sometimes I fail to “get” it. What do I mean? Well, maybe looking at Mark 8:14-21 will help add understanding.

Mark 8:14-21 follows a series of miraculous demonstrations of Jesus’s power. In Mark 6, He feeds the 5,000 and walks on water. In Mark 7, He casts out demons and returns sound to the deaf. In the beginning verses of Mark 8, He feeds the 4,000 . . . and the disciples see Him do ALL OF THIS. So, after seeing Him do all this stuff, do you know what they were fixated on? Food. Really? Yes . . . food.

This is demonstrated in Mark 8:14-21:

Now they (the disciples) had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And He (Jesus) cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

In these verses, Jesus is teaching the disciples an important truth. They are to beware of the “leaven” of the Pharisees and Herod. “Leaven” is a substance added to bread (like yeast) to make it rise. It was also a common idiom in Jesus day referring to false teaching. Jesus was warning the disciples to not be tempted to incorporate the false teaching of their day into their understanding of the spiritual life. The Pharisees in particular were a group that practiced a self-earned type of righteousness . . . believing that if a person followed their rules strict enough, they could earn the approval of God. Not needing Jesus as their Savior, the Pharisees sought out Jesus merely for the show. Mark 8:11-13 tell us that the Pharisees came to Jesus demanding to see signs (as if the feeding of 20,000+ people, casting out demons, walking on water, and healing the deaf was not enough). The “leaven” of the Pharisees tempted people to focus on the food. To them Jesus was a sideshow, not a Savior.

But, the disciples were too preoccupied to “get” Jesus’s point. All they heard Him say was “leaven” and (like the Pharisees) they became fixated on the food – what they had to offer. Jesus realizes this and strongly rebukes the disciples. By looking only into their own napsacks, the disciples illustrated their lack of understanding. They had seen the miracles, but had missed the point. They thought the miracles were about the food. They thought the miracles were just a part of the show. They missed the message Jesus was preaching to them through the feeding of the 5,000 and 4,000. They were still focused only on what they had, not on Who they had with them.

In our Christian lives, all too often we get focused on ourselves. Our shortcomings, our plans, our dreams. We can spend way too much time fixated on the lack of “food” in our spiritual backpacks. We study the “food” of our ambition or the “food” of our religious activity. When we focus on this food, we miss the reality that Jesus is calling us to have faith in Him.

Jesus was trying to train His disciples to understand that living in relationship with Him is not about how much we pack in our backpack. It is all about faith in Him who takes our “one loaf” and makes it enough. Our good works do not fill our spiritual backpacks. In fact, on our own, we can never be good enough to satisfy the holy hunger of a perfect God. We need a Savior, not a sideshow. As we place our faith in Him, He fills our packs and then some . . . even if we brought far too little onto the boat.

When it comes to the Christian life, sometimes I just don’t “get” it.

I reveal my lack of understanding so many times in private moments that none of you see. Moments when I think my sermon was terrible or my counseling appointment was a disaster, or that I have somehow missed my calling and should be writing for someone’s sports page instead of leading Wildwood Community Church. When I have these thoughts, I am merely looking into my backpack instead of looking at who is in the boat with me. Jesus is with me. The One who fed the masses through His disciples wants to feed others through me as well. I need to stop fixating on my food and start having more faith in Jesus Christ.

The same may be true for some of you who are reading this and have spent a lifetime waiting until you had a “full backpack” before you “got in the boat with Jesus.” If this is you, then maybe you just don’t “get” Christianity yet. Sure you may have attended church, own a Chris Tomlin CD, and support a Compassion child in South America, but if you are looking at your own spiritual resources to save you instead of to Jesus, then you are treating Him like a sideshow and not a Savior. He is calling you to get in the boat and follow Him, allowing Him to provide the food if you will just reach out in faith.

Here’s hoping we all “get” it tonight.

This week, we are continuing our study of 1 John by looking at 2:15-17, 5:4-5.  This study is a part 4 of a 5 week Bible study adapted from a sermon series I preached in July 2011 entitled “In the Light.”

Week 4:  1 John 2:15-17, 5:4-5

Intro to the week’s study:

Several years ago, I wrote a piece about my dog entitled “What I really want.”  As I was preparing this week’s study, I thought of this piece, and thought I would include it here as a preview our study:

I have a dog.  A very stubborn dog named Rocky.  When he wants to do something, he is going to do it, regardless of what I think.  Even though his will seems unchanging, I can still out negotiate him in almost any circumstance.  How can I do that, you ask?  The answer is simple:  I have found his weakness.  If watching cartoons as a kid growing up taught me anything, it taught me that all the great ones had a weakness . . . Superman had kryptonite, Batman was worthless without his utility belt, Wonder Woman wasn’t all that wonderful without that invisible jet or magic lasso.  And so, I have found Rocky’s weakness:  his appetite.  This dog has never met an edible item he didn’t like, and it has led to his downfall on many occasions.

Take the other day for example.  Rocky was laying on the couch relaxing when I was ready to leave the house, and thus needed to put him outside.  So what did I do?  I walked over to the door, opened it up, and kindly asked him to go outside.  He wasn’t budging.  He didn’t even move an inch.  So I asked him again.  Still . . . no movement.  I can only imagine, that if this dog could talk, he would have told me that he had no interest in going outside, because he was fully satisfied lying on the couch and taking a nap.  Finally, in the interest of time, I walked over to the closet, got out a Milk Bone, and waved it in his face, before throwing it out the back door.  This dog that lay there motionless the moment before, now sprung to life, and in an instant flew out the back door, and grabbed the milk bone.  Why?  Because that is what he wanted to do.  There was a problem for him, though.  In about 5 seconds he had eaten the Milk Bone and now wanted back inside, but it was too late.  Rocky had forfeited the luxury of the sofa for the longings of his stomach.  He had traded what he REALLY wanted for what he thought he wanted.  In 5 seconds the bone was gone, but for the rest of the day, he now had to stay outside.  He had traded long lasting fulfillment for a 5 second reward.

You may want to laugh this story off, and mutter something to the effect of “dumb dog.”  But in reality, believers in Jesus Christ make similar decisions all too often.   What do I mean by that?  The Bible tells us that when anyone places their faith in Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for the forgiveness of their sins they have become a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).   Now a part of what it means to be a new creation is that all believers in Christ have a new set of desires:  desires to do the will of God.  In other words, at the core of every believer, what they REALLY want to do is the will of God.  Philippians 2:13 says it this way, “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  In other words, God has provided the desire to do His work.  So why is it that we don’t do it?  If that is what believers REALLY want to do, what is the problem?  I believe the problem is found in our flesh: that part of us that wants to do only what we want, and leads us into sin.  Like my dog’s stomach, our flesh is tempted by things we think we want, but in the end bring only 5 seconds of pleasure, not lasting satisfaction.  We may be tempted to have inappropriate sexual relationships or lie or cheat or drink to excess or whatever else our flesh may be tempted by.  But regardless of how appealing that temptation looks, it will not bring us lasting fulfillment. In the end, it leaves us outside in the cold, not fully satisfied in the resting place of God’s provision.  Are you a believer in Jesus Christ?  Are you fully satisfied?  If not, understand that the only way to get there is to unleash the desires of your “new creation.”  Take by faith that you long to do the will of God, and then experience the joy of true fulfillment.

This week in our study, we will be continuing our series on the book of 1 John entitled “In the Light”  This week we will be looking at 1 John 2:15-17 and 5:4-5.  In these verses, we see John talking about something similar to the above story about my dog as he talks about believers being tempted by the world’s temporary pleasure instead of resting satisfied in God’s victorious over-coming eternal life.  I hope this study is encouraging to you in your walk with God!

Discussion Questions:

1. Read 1 John 2:15-17, 5:4-5
2. To the best of your understanding what is the “world” that we are not to love (2:15)?
3. Why are the things of the world so appealing to us?  What is it specifically about the things of the world that are so enticing to us?
4. The passage indicates that it is impossible to simultaneously exhibit a love for God and a love for the world.  In what way do you think that is true?
5. According to 2:17, the world is temporary, but God is eternal.  In what way have you seen the temporariness of the world in your own life?  In what ways have you seen God’s ways provide more lasting fruit?
6. In 2:16 we have what some have called an “unholy trinity” – “desires of the flesh, desires of the eyes, and the pride of life.”  Which of these three categories are most tempting to you?  In what way does remembering the temporary nature of their thrill help you in resisting temptation?
7. 5:4-5 speaks of the triumph of believers over the world/temptation.  According to these verses, how is this victory won?
8. In what way will you apply the truth of these verses in your own life?

Here is the audio file from a sermon on 1 John 2:15-17, 5:4-5 – In the Light – Part 4

To listen to the sermon online, you can listen below:

As many of you are aware, I concluded a short two part sermon series this past week at Wildwood entitled, “M+”.  In this series, we were looking more in depth at the events that will occur in the first 1,000 years after the return of Jesus Christ to the earth, as described in Revelation 20-21.  I have had a lot of dialogue with many of you about this short series, so I have decided to post the audio from the sermons here on my blog, as well as write a few questions for further reflection in case you or your small group are interested in exploring the idea further.  May God bless your study of His Word!

Here is the link to the audio from the sermon:  M+ Part 2

or, you can listen to the audio online via the player below:

Discussion Questions:

1. Read Revelation 20:4-21:4
2. Our lives are very short compared to eternity.  In other words, we will spend much more “time” on the other side of the grave than in this life.  As a result, I make the comment that we should spend some time planning for our life after death.  Do you spend much time thinking about life after death?  If you do, what are your thoughts?  Scared?  Uncertain?  Excited?  Indifferent?
3. In 20:11-15, the Great White Throne Judgment is described.  All humanity stands before the throne and are judged on the basis of “what they have done.”  Many times people push back toward the concept of God’s judgment because they think it is unfair.  Do you feel it is fair or unfair for God to judge humanity on the basis of our works?  Why or why not?
4. Though judgment comes on the basis of works, salvation comes only through one’s name being written in the book of life.  I mention in the message that my understanding of the book of life is that it contains the names of those who have placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.  Only those with their names written in this book are saved . . . the rest are cast into the lake of fire.  If judgment is on the basis of works (what we have done), then we need better works.  Being identified with Jesus allows His righteous works to be credited to our account, while our sin is fully paid for in His death on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Whose works are you counting on for your salvation?  Your works or His work?  How does this picture of judgment in the end times help you understand more about the salvation offered in Christ?
5. Revelation 20:4-6 describes the saints reigning with Jesus for 1,000 years in His Kingdom.  Have you ever stopped to think that if we trust Christ now, we get to reign with Jesus in His Kingdom?  This would involve real work on the earth in our “life after death.”  How does understanding that we will get to reign with Christ effect your view of life after death?
6. Revelation 21:1-4 describes the New Heaven and the New Earth as a return to a “Garden of Eden” like experience . . . living in relationship with God, without sin, or pain, or loss.  This is more of our traditional understanding of heaven.  What about our current world makes you most long for this New Heaven and New Earth that Jesus promises?
7. What do you most take away from this message, passage for your life today?  In other words, how will you apply the truth talked about in part 2 of this series?

“Are we there yet?”

“No.  Not yet.”

“How much longer?”

“A while.”

“Ah, man!”

So go many conversations from front seat to back in the Robinson family Truckster on any trip longer than 10 minutes.  I am really getting tired of Kimberly asking that question!

JUST KIDDING!  Of course, these are conversations between parent and child.  The child wants to get to the destination and has little patience for the journey.  The parent, meanwhile, understands that to get from here to there requires planning, provision, and execution.  We don’t live in a Star Trek “beam me up” world, so transit time is our reality.

In the book of Revelation, there is an ongoing conversation between the human population of heaven and our heavenly Father:

“Is the pain, injustice, and suffering of this world over yet?” humanity cries out.

“No.  Not yet,” our Father responds.

“How much longer?” humanity queries.  (Revelation 6:10)

“A while,” our Father responds . . . “I do not wish that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”  (2 Peter 3:9)

“Ah man!  Life is hard here.  Come Lord Jesus!” we reply.

“I will certainly send My Son back to the earth,” Father replies.  ”But when I do a swift and permanent judgment will come upon humanity.  The reward for those in Christ is great, but the penalty for those who reject Him is extremely severe.  I have people called from every tribe, every nation, every era (including future ones) . . . so we will wait, until it is time.”

What will that time look like?  How do we make sure we are safe on judgment day?  These questions and others will be examined this Sunday as we conclude our 2 part series “M+” by looking at Revelation 20:1-21:4.  Please join us at Wildwood as we contemplate the future of humanity.  Join us in either our 9:30 or 10:50 worship services.