Wanted: Dead but Alive

"In the same way, count yourselves DEAD to sin

BUT ALIVE to God in Christ Jesus."

(Romans 6:11)

I've been privilege to baptize Christ-followers for 22 years. And, the experience never gets old. Chills run down my spine every time I hear a believer say, "I want people to know that Jesus is my Lord and I will follow Him for the rest of my life." Four individuals were baptized yesterday at Devonshire Church. It was so encouraging!

Yet, it was also very challenging. Every time a believer is baptized it reminds me of my baptism. I made the same profession. And, there's the challenge. Every baptism I witness, I'm forced to ask the question,

"Am I living up to my baptism?"

You've heard the old slogan, "Wanted: Dead or Alive." But Saint Paul offers a different slogan for all of us who used to be spiritual outlaws, "Wanted: Dead BUT Alive!" In Christ, we can be both dead and alive. It's mysterious and it's real. When we were baptized into Christ, Saint Paul says we "were baptized into [Christ's] death" (Romans 6:3). He goes on to explain the mysterious benefit, "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" (Romans 6:4).

Today, let me encourage you to live up to your baptism. "Count yourself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:11). Say "no" to wickedness and "yes" to righteousness (Romans 6:11-14).

You Just Can't Shut Up

One of the things that truly invigorates me as I read the Gospels is the way people respond to their moments with Jesus. In one instance, Jesus’ steps intersected with a man with leprosy (Mark 1:40-45). The leper had heard of Jesus’ ability to heal people of their diseases. He knew if the Lord wanted to heal him, Jesus would. So, he asked. Jesus wanted to. The man was healed. After healing the man, Jesus told him to go straight to the priest and let him examine him. The Lord gave one other command, “Don’t talk to anyone along the way.”

What do you think this man did? “He spread the news, telling everyone what had happened to him” (Mark 1:45). He simply couldn’t shut up. He was a new man. His sores were gone. His posture was straight and tall. His disfigurement was erased. He couldn’t shut up. And, who could blame Him?

It’s the simple knee-jerk response of anyone who spends time with Jesus—you just can’t shut up! It’s true in my life. I’ve seen it in the lives of others, too. When we spend time with Jesus, we can’t shut up. Our hearts are lighter. Our lips are looser. And, that’s a good thing. We as Christians have every reason to speak out with joy to everyone around us. Our sin is forgiven. Our shame is gone. Jesus died for us and was raised from the grave, guaranteeing once and for all, our good standing with God on earth and in heaven. Because of his amazing touch, we stand tall…no longer slunched over by the heavy, depressing weight of our sin and guilt. Our countenance has softened because our face no longer wears the marring stress of past regret. We’ve been touched by Jesus. We can’t…we shouldn’t…shut up.

If you find yourself too quiet these days about your faith, do yourself a favor. Read the Gospels. You will come to find out again…or maybe for the first time…the secret to unlocking your tongue. It’s Jesus!

Wonderfully Made, Terribly Fallen

As a pastor, I am reminded nearly every day that I work with people who are not perfect. They are Christians, but they are not perfect. I call them "brother" and "sister," but they are far from perfect. What is more, I am reminded every day that I'm not perfect.

In a sense, this is bad news...and, good news.

I came across a quote I received while doing some graduate work that really solidified in my mind who I am...who we are as Christians: We are wonderfully made, yet terribly fallen.

Do you ever wonder why you do things that you don't want to do? It's because you are wonderfully made, yet terribly fallen. Do you ever wonder why you don't do things that you desperately want to do? It's because you are wonderfully made, yet terribly fallen. Don't worry. You're in good company with Saint Paul (Romans 7) and a host of saints that have gone before you and now exist in heaven as a "great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1) to cheer you on.

Listen, as Christians, each of us has the potential for for greatness within us. We also have the potential for rotteness. The difference is found in your humility to obey the Spirit of God who resides within you. You see, as my friend Gary Thomas says, "Our life is not meant to be perfect, but we are meant to trust the One who is" (Authentic Faith, Zondervan). The greatness I recommend to you is the greatness that God brings out in and through you to the world around you.

What do you need to submit to God in order to realize greatness today?

Relax. I Took the Sting!

There is a story about a father and son who were traveling down a country road one afternoon in the springtime when all of a sudden a bee flew in the window. Being deathly allergic to bee stings, the boy began to panic as the bee buzzed all around inside the car. Seeing the horror on his child’s face, the father reached out and caught the bee in his hand. Soon, he opened his hand and the bee began to buzz around once again. Again…the boy began to panic. The father reached over to his son, and opened his hand showing him the stinger still in his palm. “Relax, son,” the father said, “I took the sting. The bee can’t hurt you.”

Now I don’t know if this story is true or not, but I like it just the same. It reminds me of a another tale that I know is true. That story of Easter.

I will not take the time to recount the events of Easter except to say that Jesus Christ, the Son of God was crucified for the sins of humanity and buried. Three days later, He was raised from the dead and the tomb in which he was lain was empty.

The empty tomb is the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is also the promise that every individual who finds Jesus and follows Him will be raised to eternal life.

I pray that you are confident of the Easter hope.

Every Christian knows that Jesus took the sting out of death. Saint Paul even sarcastically taunts death, "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:54-55). Death is no longer something to be feared because God took the sting when Jesus was raised.

So, what do you really have to fear? One day, you will be raised also to live forever with God in Heaven?

Celebrate Easter every day.

Waiting & Peeking

“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End…Yes, I am coming soon.”
—Jesus, Revelation 22:12-13, 20 (NIV)

I don’t wait well. Anticipation usually gets the better of me. This is especially true at Christmastime.

Case in point: All I wanted for Christmas in 1971 was a Hot Wheels race track. Since my wait couldn’t outlast my wonder I started snooping two weeks before Christmas Day. Mom and Pop weren’t particularly creative in hiding our presents. So, I went to the first place I could think of…under their bed. I found a thin, long, rectangular box that was already wrapped. I wasn’t certain that the box contained what I wanted, so I had to peel back one corner to confirm the gift. Sure enough, I got it!

Now, you’d think verifying the toy would’ve pacified my waiting. Nope. Seeing the gift served only to pique my wonder, “What would it be like to experience this gift now?” Nearly every day until Christmas, I’d retrieve the box from underneath the bed, peel back a corner of the box, pull out some track pieces, and race my cars. Then, when I was done (or when I heard a noise in the hallway) I’d stuff the pieces back in the box, reapply the tape, and carefully place the box back in its exact location.

Did I mention that I don’t wait well?

The calendar has turned to Advent…a season of quiet waiting and joyful expectancy. For there to be anticipation, something or someone must be coming. During Advent, Christians everywhere live in anticipation of the final coming of Christ, which brings these “heavenly” benefits along with His mighty presence: “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Revelation 21:4).

“There will be no more...,” gives me reason to wait in joyful expectation of an eternity where there will be no more death and pain and sorrow and crying and mourning. Yet, I must admit that I can’t wait for the days of “no more.” I ache for an eternity of “no more”… no more sin, no more sickness, no more war, no more violence, no more abuse, no more addiction, no more divorce, no more poverty, no more cynicism and hopelessness, no more hatred, no more, No More, NO MORE!

So what is an impatient 42-year old suppose to do in the meantime? I will start peeking, of course. I will look for the momentary “no mores” that bear evidence that God’s will is at work on earth as it is in heaven. I will peek to find moments where God has chosen to heal the sick. I will peek to spot God meeting the needs of the poor through the generosity of His Church. I will peek to catch sight of God bringing reconciliation to the estranged husband and wife. I will peek to set eyes on God delivering those men and women, boys and girls caught in the trap of addiction. I will peek to observe the cessation of war and cheer God for His victory.

This Advent, let’s wait together for the days of “no more,” when Christ will return as promised. But, if you start peeking without me, let me know what you find. It’s the kind of encouragement that helps us wait a little bit longer.

Mistaken Identity

“…for all of you were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Galatians 3:26-27)

Sometimes it’s fun to be considered something or someone that you’re not. While serving as a driver for Senator McCain's motorcade last week, I was mistaken on several occassions for secret service. As stated in a previous post, it was humorous to be perceived other than I actually was. And, when your own son is gets your identity wrong...that's really funny. I'll explain.

Once the drivers' photo-op with Senator McCain was done, three of us immediately followed a staffer out of the venue. We had to hurry up and get back to our vans...and wait. (The rhythm of the day). As we exited the Forum, we emerged quickly from behind the hedges onto the lawn, seemingly popping up to the public out of nowhere.

We were walking like blazes to our vans. Janis Creason (who was key to me having this opportunity), her daughter, Sandy, and my son, Jordan had found our vans, hoping to see us in action. (Jordan was a "Student-for-McCain" volunteer inside the Forum). Later, Janis told me that while they were waiting beside our vans, Jordan suddenly commented, “Senator McCain must be on his way because here come four secret service agents.” Janis got all excited, looking for the camera she forgot. Then my son said, “Oh...no he isn’t. That’s just my dad.”

As fun as it was to assume the mistaken identity of a secret service agent, there is, however, only one identity for whom I want to and should be mistaken: Jesus!

When I was baptized, I donned the "clothes of Christ." I stripped off my vices (Galatians 5:19-21) and put on Jesus' virtues (Galatians 5:22-23). So, what does that mean to me? In simplest terms it means that when people see me, they should mistake me for Jesus. Such a mistaken identity is a good thing. I can't think of anything more disappointing than hearing, "O look! Here comes Jesus! Oh, wait. No. It's just Todd."

If you've been baptized as a Christ-follower, let me encourage you to putting on the "clothes of Christ."

(Click here to listen to the message I shared with the folks at Devonshire. I think you'll be encouraged...and challenged).

Greater Than

"[Christ] must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less"

--(John the Baptist in John 3:30, NLT)

I was recently a part of a youth retreat at Ocean City, NJ. Eighteen students and 9 adults attended. I spoke 4 times on the theme, "Jesus Is Greater Than..." John the Baptist's life and words were the motivating message. My specific challenge was for everyone to commit to a life that makes Jesus famous.

So, following Saturday night's message, about a dozen students and adults came forward to commit something in their lives that they were making greater than Jesus. A relationship? Their iPod? Their Facebook or MySpace pages? Their career? Anything. The challenge just kept coming at them, "Who are you making famous with your life? Is it Jesus or you?"

I shared personally with them that my life has been a series of moments where I had to make Jesus greater than something in my life, i.e. my music, my relationships, my career, etc. I even shared that the purpose of this blog was to make Jesus famous. (That's why I have stopped blogging about my beloved Bengals...it just makes me too angry and negative when I think about their below-than mediocrity level to which they have sunk).

Well, the moments of their commitments were powerful as each student and/or adult came to the front of the room to physically turn a makeshift "greater-than" sign (>) that stood beside the hanging letters, J-E-S-U-S. With "lesser-than" pointing at "Jesus," each individual turned the sign so that "lesser-than" was aimed at them and "greater-than" was directed at J-E-S-U-S.

As a result of this retreat, I've heard students say that they needed to take a closer look at their Myspace & Facebook pages to make changes that will bring less attention to themselves and more on Jesus. Others are going to read a chapter a day from the Gospels and meet weekly to talk about what they are reading. Some were convicted about their movie/entertainment choices and are putting greater time into deciding if the movie is something that helps them honor God.

It was a great experience to be with Devonshire students. And we've got great adult-leaders who care about these students enough to join them publically in making Jesus greater than. Join me in praying for our students as they make the changes that God has prompted in them so that Jesus might become famous to those people around them.