md4jc

ALIVE

2009-07-07T12:41:00.006-04:00

Take a few minutes to read through Mark 16:1-8. These are just some reflections from that text. To watch the full message that was preached on this text, go to www.vimeo/genesisboston, or to listen to the message, go to - www.genesisthejounrey.com/media. Message title - ALIVE

We all know we will eventually die, but then what? What’s next? Heaven? Hell? Purgatory? Don’t know, don’t care?

This is the question that ALL of us must answer – ‘Beyond death, is there life?’ If YES, then how does one conqueror death? If NO, then there is even a great question one must wrestle with. What’s the point? Why are we even here? Are we the brunt of some cosmic joke? If there is no hope in death, then what hope is there in LIFE? Why care? Why love? Why do anything?

The final verses in Mark’s Gospel deal with death & life. Specifically, the death and resurrection of Jesus. The Bible makes clear that Jesus was brutally murdered, but that on the third day after His death, he was raised back to life. But if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then I would have to agree with 20^th Century Philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein once said –

“If he did not rise from the dead, then he decomposed in the grave like any other man. He is dead and decomposed. In that case he is a teacher like any other and can no longer help; and once more we are orphaned and alone. So we have to content ourselves with wisdom and speculation. We are in a sort of hell where we can do nothing but dream, roofed in, as it were, and cut off from heaven.”

SO – Why does the resurrection of Jesus ultimately matter? ‘So what?’ The following are three truths about the ‘so what’s’ of the resurrection…

1. Because Jesus is ALIVE, our relationship with God changes –

A. We are justified before God {made right with God both now and in eternity}

Romans 4:25 – “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”

B. We are raised up with Jesus to eternal life with God (Heaven), not eternal death (hell).

1 Corinthians 6:14 – “By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.”

John 11:24-25 – “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

2 Timothy 2:11 – “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him…”

John 6:40 – “For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

2. Because Jesus is ALIVE, our relationship w/ourselves changes –

A. Jesus resurrection sets us FREE to live a NEW LIFE!

Romans 6:4 – “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.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

Galatians 2:22 – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Philippians 1:20-21 – “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

John 15:5 – “"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

QUESTION – is how you are living today (who you are, and what you are doing) – is this how you want to be living when He returns for you? If no, then make the decision tonight to REPENT – turn away from self, and turn to the One who gives you new life.

3. Because Jesus is ALIVE, our relationship w/humanity (the world around you) changes –

Those who came into contact with the resurrected Jesus were compelled to introduce the world around them Jesus! The Good News that Jesus was ALIVE compelled His Followers to share this Good News, urging the world around them to be reconciled back to God (Read 2 Cor. 5:13-6:2).

The RESSURECTION of JESUS MATTERS b/c it changes our relationship with God, with ourselves, and with the world around us! Following the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the disciples – they were NOT THE SAME! There was NO more arguing over who’d be the greatest! There was NO more desertion, denials, or doubting who Jesus was and is! There was NO more life as NORMAL, rather what we see is a community of followers who preached fearlessly about the resurrected Jesus, who lived fearlessly the mission Jesus set before them and figuratively became the hands, feet, heart and mind of Jesus to the world around them.

They became known as ‘Christ-ones’ (Christians). The resurrection of Jesus Christ enabled them to live differently. The resurrected Jesus changed them, not just their circumstances, but it changed them from the inside out. They were forever different and the world around them began looking very different as well. Is He (Jesus) changing you so much so that you and the world around you is looking different?

If You See Him...

2009-06-20T10:54:00.002-04:00

I’ve been thinking a lot about suffering lately. Not by choice mind you, but because its become a reality for a close friend of mine. As I type these words, there is a heart that is breaking, and as their heart breaks, mine is breaking for them. They’re asking all the right questions – questions anyone of us would ask. ‘Why me?’ ‘Why now?’ ‘Where is God in the midst of this madness?’ ‘Is there purpose somehow in this pain?’ ‘Is there some greater good to be gained?’ ‘Will all of this somehow be redeemed, or will I just be left reeling in a sea of hurt, confusion, loneliness and anguish?’

They are fair questions. But fair questions don’t necessarily equate to helpful questions. Meaning – what happens when there are no answers? What’s worse – the suffering itself, or not having any answers to the questions you are asking? To suffer is bad enough, but to suffer with no knowledge of why you are suffering can lead one to despair.

So what does one do? Not just when suffering becomes a reality (and it will), but when there are few to no answers to the questions born out of a broken heart?

Answers would be helpful, but I’m no longer convinced that answers to my questions in the midst of suffering is actually what I need most. So what is needed most? If not answers, then what?

Vision!

Suffering as a unique way of blinding us. We can only see as far in front of us as our current pain will permit. Why vision? What does vision have to do with comfort in the midst suffering?

Consider Job – that’s the guy in the Bible whose life got flipped upside down, turned around and then flipped all over again. Talk about suffering, well let’s just say that Job would be somewhat of an expert on the subject. Throughout his entire story, he had no knowledge of what was going on. Meaning, he had no idea that a private meeting took place in heaven with Satan and God. He had no idea that Satan was the architect behind his suffering, and He certainly had no idea that God had granted Satan permission to do anything and everything short of killing him (Job 2:6).

No answers came to Job. He asked, but he never got understanding as to why he was enduring the suffering of it all. But the one thing that Job got in the end was VISION. Not answers, but vision. What did he see? God!

“My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” (Job 42:5)

Through it all, Job had heard of God, but he had not seen God until he endured the suffering of it all. We often want answers to our questions, but I don’t think what we need most is answers. What we need most is vision – a vision of God. And when one sees God the reality is that the suffering might not end, but our view of it will be radically altered because we have been given a new vision – a vision of something, rather someone far greater – God!

Maybe the answer is that suffering comes so that we would see what we cannot see in the calm of the day. Maybe the answer is that God is most concerned not with our comfort, but that we would cast our eyes on Him and Him alone. Maybe the reality is that His desire for us to see Him is so strong that He permits the unthinkable to happen in order that our vision of Him would be set aright. Vision is what we need most, not answers.

To my friend who is suffering right now – my prayer for you is not so much that you would have answers, but that you would see God. Despite the pain, confusion and hurt, my prayer is not for relief, but that you would see God with clarity. For I know if you can learn to see Him in the pain, you will never miss Him when there is peace. If you can see Him in the storm, you will never miss Him again in the calm. If you see Him, you will see a God who not only sees you, but you will see that He cares. If you see Him… that is my prayer for you!

be GENEROUS

2009-05-26T09:23:00.004-04:00

My college pastor told me that it is a good idea. He even went one step further and said that it was a Biblical command. I responded: ‘I don’t have anything to give.’ His response was transformational – “Michael, learn how to be generous and your giving will not be impacted by what you have or don’t have.” Perplexed, I mulled over his words and realized that giving is not always tied into being a generous person. Anyone can give, but I didn’t want to be just anyone, I wanted to grow and mature into being a generous person.

How about you? Would you use generosity as an adjective to describe your character? Like me, you might answer by saying you don’t have anything to give. But I want to encourage you to consider that giving and being generous are not always married together. Simply stated, not everyone who gives is generous, but people who are generous will always be found giving. The question is not which one are you, but which one would you like to be?

The Men and women of GENESIS seek to reflect the character of God to a world that is in desperate need of knowing that God not only exists, but that He cares. How does God show that He cares? He is generous beyond compare. As I’ve studied the Scriptures, I continue to see that God’s generosity is without end:

• John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…”

• Romans 8:32 – “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

How might we reflect the generosity of God to those around us? We ALL need to grow in the grace of giving; that we would learn how to be a generous people. The Apostle Paul made clear, the root of generosity is joy; and joy stems from the gospel at work in each of us. Grasped by the grace of God joy can be seen in our generosity.

The churches in Macedonia were facing severe trials from extreme poverty and persecution, but their joy in the gospel was evident by their generosity. They had nothing to give, but generous people are not bound by circumstances.

2 Corinthians 8:2-3 – “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.”

Let it be said of GENESIS that we give beyond our ability. As GENESIS moves forward into God’s call to church plant, you will have the opportunity like the Macedonian churches to be generous. On Sunday, June 7th, we will make a financial pledge of how we will support what God is doing within GENESIS.

Over the next two weeks, I would ask that you seek the Lord as to how He would have you use the resources that He has entrusted to you to support the work of His church.

The needs of GENESIS will be many, but generous people have a way of meeting needs.

Please don’t let your giving be done with an attitude of ‘I have to do this’. Rather be joyful knowing your generosity towards God’s work reflects to the WORLD the very character of God.

Has Christian America Come to an End?

2009-05-21T08:51:00.001-04:00

A great article written by Mark Driscoll that was just posted on FoxNews.com. To read the article, go to - FoxNews

Who Knows?

2009-05-19T09:59:00.004-04:00

One day GENESIS will launch out of its current location and begin a new journey in a new location. I've often wondered what that initial gathering might look like. I came across this video and thought, well that might be a bit much, but better a bit much, then not much at all. Enjoy!

I Do, I Don't.

2009-05-18T14:07:00.011-04:00

Take a few minutes to read through Mark 10:1-12. These are just some reflections from that text. To listen to the full message that was preached on this text, go to www.genesisthejourney.com/media - message title - I Do, I Don’t.

Some thoughts on Marriage…
1. Marriage is God’s Idea – not man’s (Genesis 2:20-24)
2. Marriage is NOT the GOAL in life – (Mark 12:28-31) The Great Commandment is not to get married, rather its to LOVE God & Love people.
3. Marriage is a GIFT, not a curse – (Ecclesiastes 9:9)
4. Marriage is a GIFT to the generations that will follow you. The greatest gift to be passed along to your children (and their children) will not be $, toys, and vacations, but it will be a HEALTHY, Christ honoring marriage.
5. Marriage is a PICTURE of the relationship that Jesus has with the church – (Ephesians 5:32). Marriage will serve as an INCREDIBLE witness to those around you of what God can do!
6. Marriage & the Marriage BED is to be HONORED – (Hebrews 13:4)

God has a DESIGN, a PLAN for marriage and its outlined in Genesis 2:20-24.
1. RECEIVE – Adam received Eve as a gift from God. Continually receiving your spouse as a gift from God is essential to the health of your marriage.
2. LEAVE – Dependent no longer on parents for physical, emotional, relational needs, but fully committed to depending on your spouse in this way.
3. CLEAVE – Literally to stick to, or follow (pursue) closely. Never stop pursuing your spouse!
4. ONE – Oneness speaks to the physical, emotional, spiritual and relational. When there is TRUE oneness, the husband and wife will be NAKED and have no shame.

ONENESS KILLERS
1. Sexual Impurity – porn, thought life {lust}, inappropriate relationships w/people from the opposite sex.
2. Un-forgiveness – anger leads to bitterness; bitterness leads to hard-heartedness; and hard-heartedness leads to death in the marriage. Learning to forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:13)
3. Lack of Communication – learning to be a listener as well as a talker.
4. Lack of Intimacy – Intimacy has to do with knowledge. Knowledge of ALL not just parts of your spouse.
5. Lack of Time – LOVE can be spelled TIME. Make the relationship a priority. Take time to cultivate the relationship. There will be SEASONS where things are more CHAOTIC then others, but don’t let the SEASON your in dictate the health of your marriage, let the health of your marriage dictate how you walk through each season.
6. Spiritual Disconnect – Husbands who fail to spiritually lead.
7. Neglecting the ONE - GOD is your number ONE, and your spouse is your number TWO.

Thank You JESUS!

2009-04-11T13:47:00.008-04:00

Hundreds of years before the brutal beating and murder of Jesus Christ, the Prophet Isaiah spoke these words: "there were many who were appalled at him – his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness…" (Isaiah 52:14) The Hebrew word 'Samen' translated in English as 'appalled' describes a group of people who are 'stunned by the horror of it all.'

There are many things in my life where I have been 'stunned by the horror of it all' but nothing more 'appalling' then what Jesus Christ endured on the cross. He was beaten, battered, bruised, mocked, spat upon, humiliated and died in the most excruciating manner possible. Jesus, God in flesh came to us in order to bring us to God and we killed Him! But as I consider the 'horror of it all', its not Jesus on the Cross that is the 'horror of it all', rather its the knowledge that it was my sin that put Him on that cross. Jesus took my place. It should have been me, but He went to do for me what I could not do for myself.

As I am one day away from celebrating the reality that Jesus conquered sin, Satan and death, I am humbled by the truth that unless Jesus died the death He did, I would be without hope of ever having peace with God. "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." (2 Peter 3:18) He died for sin, my sin. Without sin there would be no need for Jesus on a cross, but my rebellion against God caused God to put into motion His plan of redeeming me and a fallen humanity back to Himself. That plan was personal. God entered into His created order so that He could redeem, reconcile and restore the created back to a perfect relationship with the Creator. There was only one man, a God-man who could make that a reality.

As I consider the weight of Saturday, the day before I will celebrate that Jesus is alive, I am reminded of God's plea to a sinful people spoken through the Prophet Isaiah - "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." (Isaiah 1:18) God is saying to you and I - 'Do the reasonable thing. Sin has stained your entire existence, yet God is offering you/I the opportunity to be clean in the most purest sense of the word.'

What does one say to a God who has done it all? What does one say to a God who has made possible eternal life with Him despite my rebellion against Him? What does one say to a God who driven by love laid down His life so that I might find life? What does one say to a God who endured the 'horror of it all' so that I could enter into the glory of it all?

Thank Your Jesus!

Thank You NEWSWEEK!

2009-04-08T12:38:00.004-04:00

If you have yet to read through Newsweek's current cover story entitled 'The End of Christian America', I would encourage you to do so. Of all that was said and the discoveries that were made, I was encouraged by the following statement: "While the unaffiliated have historically been concentrated in the Pacific Northwest, the report said, 'this pattern has now changed, and the Northeast emerged in 2008 as the new stronghold of the religiously unidentified.' As Albert Mohler saw it, the historic foundation of America's religious culture was cracking."

Why would I be encouraged by this you may ask? Simple - this is WHY churches need to plant churches that will plant churches. If followers of Jesus Christ (Christians) are going to impact and influence the culture for the gospel, we need to be planting churches where the church sees itself as a missionary to this 'post-Christian culture.' I realize there is debate as to if America is truly 'post-Christian' or not, but the point is simple, there is a NEED to plant churches that will love Jesus and their neighbor!

So thank you Newsweek for doing the research and affirming something that I hope and pray the church will respond to. The church was never meant to escape the world, but we are called to engage the world around as men and women who have been sent. Let us not forget the words of Jesus to his disciple post-resurrection: "As the Father has sent me, I am now sending you." (John 20:21)

To those in the GENESIS community reading these words, God has placed a call on our community to be that church that will not settle for anything but being the very hands and feet of Jesus Christ to this New England culture! Let it be said of us that we did not shrink back from this call, but that we like the Apostle Paul resolved to 'become ALL things to ALL men so that by ALL possible means we might save some.' (1 Corinthians 9:22-23)

Jesus, Heart and Questions...

2009-04-06T12:08:00.003-04:00

So I took my sermon notes from the message 'He Said What', plugged it into Wordle and this is what I got...

He Said What?

2009-04-06T09:29:00.006-04:00

Take a few minutes to read through Mark 7. These are just some reflections from that text. To listen to the full message that was preached on this text, go to www.genesisthejourney.com/media - message title ‘He Said What?’

Proverbs 4:23 says this: “Above ALL else, guard your hearts for it is the wellspring of life.”

The condition of our hearts dictates the condition of our lives – your heart is the WELLSPRING! What lives in your heart will reveal itself in how you live! So how do you know what lives in your heart? When you get squeezed, what comes out? When you get tipped over, what comes flowing out of you?

As you read the story of the Mom in Mark 7:24-30, what do her actions reveal about her heart? This mom comes to Jesus in humility (postured at his feet), begging for his help on behalf of someone else and Jesus insults her (calls her a dog) and then seeks to dismiss her!

Jesus is either having an un-christlike moment, or He is making a statement to this mom about His mission. I Love how this woman responds – she is quick, witty, bold, yet humble and she is the only individual to argue w/Jesus and win. Mark 7:28 – "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs."

She accepts the priority of Jesus’ mission – meaning she understands that Jesus mission is 1^st to the people of Israel, then to the Gentiles. She understands that Israel has preference over the Gentiles. She concedes that the children (Israel) should eat first, but she challenges Jesus to expand His vision that even the dogs (the Gentiles) should get something to eat as well!

She gets it! She does not become embittered by Jesus words! She’s not concerned that someone else has priority over her. AND she does not take NO for an answer!

Jesus was blown away be her response b/c her response revealed what resided in her heart? Question – Anyone ever insulted you? Say something about your personhood? Your character? How did you respond? Humility or fight back defend yourself? Remember, actions reveal the heart!

In this mom’s heart was humility, wisdom, courage, love, and faith! What RESIDES in your HEART will surface in how you react and respond to those around you!

Read the story of the friends that brought their deaf and mute friend to Jesus (Mark 7:31-37). Similar to the story in Mark 2, do you have friends that love you enough to ‘lead you’ to the place you need to go, which might not be the place you want to go?

What was in their hearts is revealed in what they did for their friend. They not only brought him to Jesus, but they ‘Begged’ Jesus to heal him. When’s the last time you begged someone for something on someone else's behalf? Not for you, but for someone else?

What these guys did was revealing of what resided in their hearts: love, humility and compassion.

What RESIDES in your HEART will SURFACE in how you react and respond to the NEEDS of those around you!

Now go back and read the story of a group of men whose hearts were at best far from God (Mark 7:1-23)

The Pharisees wanted to know why Jesus and his disciples were not like them – morally pure on the outside – meaning, why didn’t they wash their hands before meal time.

The Pharisees had begun to create a lot of traditions, but the problem with their traditions as with many of ours, is that they were not biblical – they were just man-made!

As you think about your own traditions ask yourself this question: ‘Are they shaping you into a person where they really only impact your hands, but never touch your heart?

Jesus responds to the Pharisees by calling them Hypocrites (play actors). What do you do when you realize you’ve become the very thing that you’ve worked so hard to avoid? You that person who said I can’t stand Christians b/c they are so judgmental, selfish and hypocritical but yet what do you do when someone points out to you that you have become that person? Either REPENT of your religiosity, or you can carry on your rituals in order to keep playing the part.

What a tragedy when the WORD of God is ‘let go off’, ‘set aside’ and ‘nullified’ ALL in order to justify a life that’s really all about you and not God! It begs the question of what does God really care about? Exterior performance, or inward moral purity of the heart. We know the answer, but typically live for the former! Why? Its easier to dress ourselves up so we look good to an outside audience, rather then deal with what lies beneath the fancy clothing – SIN!

Jesus message was clear – ‘what goes into you, does not make you unclean, its what comes out of you that makes us impure. Meaning: tThe guy who cut you off is NOT the problem – the issue is the ANGER that resides in your heart that manifests itself in Road Rage. Pornography is not the issue, it’s the LUST in your heart. Gossip & Judging others is not the problem, it’s a heart that’s filled w/pride that says you’re better then everyone that is problem.

‘From out of men's heart comes: evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, folly! Did you notice that ALL of these things impacts our neighbor! The un-holiness of our hearts not only impacts our relationship w/God, but it has a serious impact on those around us!

The reality is ALL of our hearts are inclined towards these things and its only b/c of Jesus that we have a shot at a regenerated heart. How do you get that HEART that is not refurbished, but the heart that is GENUINELY filled with:

forgiveness, generosity, compassion, love, peace, joy, etc?

Psalm 51:10 – “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” The beauty of this PRAYER is that it acknowledges that God can and will CREATE in us what we cannot CREATE in ourselves.

Remember: what’s in your heart will show up in how you live!

Ask Jesus to create in you a new heart for it will lead you to newness of life!

GENESIS Church!

2009-03-31T21:39:00.003-04:00

What do you get when you compose a document with 5,574 words? GENESIS Church! Thanks to 'Wordle' the two most repeated words in the task forces report were 'GENESIS Church.' I praise God for the call that He has placed upon the GENESIS community to become a church in this New England culture that is in such desperate need of a community of people that will Love Jesus, and their neighbor. God's blessings on ALL of us as we step into His call!

P.S. Just thought I would make sure that 'Wordle' was accurate, so I tried it again and it came back with the following image. Pretty cool!

He Did What?

2009-03-30T20:55:00.004-04:00

Take a few minutes to read through Mark 6:45-56. These are just some reflections from that text. To listen to the full message that was preached on this text, go to www.genesisthejourney.com/media - message title ‘He Did What?’

Solitude has a way of keeping you focused on what matters most – consider what drove Jesus towards solitude by reading John 6:15 – “Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.”

I’ve noticed that the harder you work to get to that space of solitude, the more you’ll value it when your their. ‘He(Jesus) went up on the mountainside (solitude) to pray.'

Why is silence and solitude so difficult? Blasé Pascal once said that “you can trace the SIN of the world back to one thing, man is afraid to sit alone in a room with His God”

Solitude forces us to wrestle with the thought: ‘Am I content w/God, and God alone?’ Will He be enough?

When the wind was hindering the disciples, why didn’t anyone PRAY to rebuke the WIND? I wonder if the reason Jesus waited so long before coming to the disciples on the water was to see if anyone would do what He would of done? Was Jesus thinking, ‘Come on guys, you know what to do, you’ve seen me do it – just try!”

What holds us back from doing what we’ve seen Jesus do? ANSWER: FEAR!

I love that Mark seems to highlight (2x) that Jesus WALKED. He did not run, skip or frolic across the water, HE WALKED – fully confident that He would not sink!

When God comes near, why is our natural response to panic, rather then to have peace?

When God comes near, do we fear that He’s coming to level us, or love us?

When God comes near, do we fear that He’s coming to condemn, rather then to demonstrate just how much He cares?

In the midst of the disciples FEAR – Jesus immediately speaks to them – He does not criticize, but uses His words to comfort them. “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

The reality is that in the presence of Jesus, there is NO need to have fear! Not now, not ever!

Fear causes us to FORGET the activity of God in our lives because our current situation (or problem) seems to cause a sort of spiritual amnesia within us. And when we forget what GOD has done, we error on the side of thinking He’s done nothing! And when we believe that God’s done nothing, our hearts grow hard towards Him!

From the OVERFLOW of a hardened heart comes FEAR.

The main problem with FEAR is not so much what fear causes you to do (panic, scream, freak out), but what FEAR PREVENTS you from doing! TRUSTING JESUS in ALL things!

For those of you who struggle with FEAR, know that this is a condition of the heart, not a condition of your circumstances! The Good News is that God knows how to deal with the human heart. When Divine love is driven into the human heart, ALL fear is driven away! 1 John 4:18 – “perfect love drives out all fear!”s

Jesus is speaking to you – ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’

You're A Pastor?

2009-01-08T16:11:00.005-05:00

If I collected a quarter for every time I’ve heard that said to me over the years, it’s a good chance I’d be able to take my bride on her dream vacation by now. I’ve grown accustomed to hearing that said to me from a variety of people I’ve met along the way. I concede that the sandals, ripped jeans, frosted tips, and the minor obsession with the world of MMA is not consistent with the typical pastoral profile, but I’ve never been a huge fan of ‘typical’. It’s no heartbreak for me to hear the surprise in people’s voices when they discover what I do for a living, but it would be tragic if someone said to me ‘You’re a Christian?’ To hear that would mean that my lifestyle is somehow inconsistent with who I claim to be. Meaning, if I claim to be a follower of Jesus, then one should be able to follow the decisions and choices I make on a day to day basis and see a reflection of Jesus not only in ALL I do and say, but in who I am as a person.

So the question I would pose is this: ‘Does the world around you know that you’re a Christian?’ Would one be able to peruse your Facebook profile, observe your entertainment choices, survey your work ethic at your job, listen in on the multiple conversations you have throughout the day, or gaze upon who you are when no one is watching and know that you are a follower of Jesus? A simpler way to put this is – ‘do you stand out, or are you just blending in?’ Jesus stood out! He did not blend! People often think that Jesus only stood out for what He said and what He did, but fail to realize that what set Jesus apart was who He was. His character. His integrity. His purity.

As a follower of Jesus, I am not only commanded to be His hands and feet to the world around me, but to imitate His personhood. On the heels of exhorting Christ followers to have the same attitude of Jesus, the Apostle Paul goes on to say that we are to “become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.” (Philippians 2:15) Called to be blameless and pure. In a culture obsessed with beauty, sex and hedonism, who will take a stand to be above reproach (blameless) and holy (pure) in our personhood? Will you? We are called to shine, not blend in with the fading reflection of the world around us. Rather than hearing people say ‘You’re a Christian?’, let the world around us see not only our deeds, but observe our personhood and declare ‘You must be a Christian!’

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T11:02:00.004-05:00

'He will be called Immanuel.' (Isaiah 7:14) God is with US!

ONE

2008-10-08T11:01:00.009-04:00

Bono has a song about it. Marriages fight for it. Churches are confused by it. And Jesus prayed that we would have it. According to Bono, it will leave us if we don’t care about it and the sad reality is that there are a lot of marriages that stopped caring about it a long time ago, and consequently it has left them. A shift from sharing a heart, to sharing a house – from sharing a house to dividing who gets what in the house once the divorce is settled. Then there is the church who might claim to care about it, but at best is utterly confused by it. Some estimate that there are over 30,000 different denominations world-wide with even more independent churches popping up everywhere. What is it? Oneness. Unity.

And then there is Jesus. He prayed that if anyone would be a follower of His, that we would model the type of relationship He had with His Heavenly Father – a relationship that typifies unity and oneness (John 17). Pride, self-centeredness, and independent attitudes are obvious oneness/unity killers, but I wonder if there is something beyond what appears to be obvious. The question that serves as yet another ‘splinter in my mind’ is this question – ‘do I really want to be one and have unity with others?’ If we’re honest – if I’m honest, I’m not sure that’s always the desire of my heart. How about you?

I readily confess that the desires of my heart can often be ‘jacked up’, but I know there is a greater desire within me that says I want to be an answer to Jesus’ prayer. His prayer was an expression of what His heart longed for most – and it would seem that what Jesus longed for in would be followers is that we would be ‘one.’ I see two options before me. Fight like an MMA man to make oneness/unity a reality and be an answer to Jesus’ prayer, or ignore the prayer of God’s Son. I know the road to unity/oneness will be ladened with difficulties and potential disappointments, but a greater disappointment to me would be a refusal to be an answer to my Savior’s prayer.

LOST

2008-10-02T13:17:00.002-04:00

Boston is not an easy city to navigate. It’s happened before, and it happened again yesterday – I got LOST! I thought if I just keep going, I would eventually see something familiar that would point me in the right direction. I kept going and going even though I had the reoccurring thought ‘stop and turn around.’ But I could not stop now because of how far I had gone. I kept thinking ‘certainly I will recognize something soon that will put me on the right path or point me in the right direction.’ Yes – I could have stopped to ask for directions, but I wanted to get ‘unlost’ on my own. After about 50 minutes of going in the wrong direction and ending up in a town that I’d never been in, I finally stopped, turned around and retraced my steps. I worked my way back to where I needed to go, but I wasted a lot of gas and time in the process.

It’s one thing to be lost in a car headed in the wrong direction, but what happens when being lost is a summary of your life. Too many people travel down the highways and byways of life never stopping to ask a very simple question – ‘is where I’m headed actually going to lead me to the place I want and need to be?’ Rather than asking that question and pausing long enough to compose an answer, far too many people are content to travel along in life hoping that eventually they will recognize something along the way that will potentially point them in the right direction. What if you never recognized anything along the way – would you just keep going? Ultimately, if you don’t know where you’re going, how would you know when you arrived?

Life is far too valuable a gift to live lost. Jesus once said – “The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Admitting lostness and allowing someone other than you find you takes great humility, but there is no greater joy than getting found. Live lost, or get found – which one will you chose?

Think Food!

2008-08-27T17:30:00.002-04:00

This picture pretty much sums up the main idea behind fasting. What is it that you think about most? Not all, but a lot of us think about food constantly – what we will eat, where we will eat, and when we will eat it. There is nothing wrong with food – it is a gift from God, but what fasting does for the human heart is to keep in check the gift from becoming a god. It happens easily, quickly and often before we even realize that its taken place.

Its food for some, whereas for others it might be working out constantly in order to get the ‘perfect body.’ Still for others, it might be an obsession with the way they spend their time – TV, internet, movies, video games, or sleeping. Yes, sleeping can be an obsession. Sleeping is a gift from God in order for our bodies to rest and recover, but as stated above, has the gift become a god?

How do we know if the gift has become a god? Simple – what do you think about most? What consumes your thoughts more than anything is often the thing to which we will give ourselves.

If you are a follower of Jesus, then following Him should consume all of us. When Jesus said ‘love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength’ – He wasn’t kidding. How can I become more like Christ? How can I think more like Christ? Behave like Christ? These are all questions that we allow to permeate our minds through out the day in order that we might live out the answers.

When fasting, we communicate to God that ‘I Love you more than ______! (you fill in the blank) In fasting we tell God that I desire you more than __________! (fill in the blank) In fasting we tell God that He and not __________ (fill in the blank) is of supreme importance to us.

Fasting allows us to reorient and align our hearts, minds and bodies towards God, and not the things that often play the role of god in our lives.

One final warning from Jesus – “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:16-18

Fasting is not ‘extra credit.’ It might be impressive to others, but we cannot impress God with empty religious rituals. Don’t fast to get something from God – fast in order to express your love to God. The reward that Jesus talks about is not ‘an answer to prayer’, but the reward is God Himself – He is always the reward.

Practically speaking, when fasting from food, you are making the conscious decision not only to not eat food for an extended period of time, but to replace the time you would have had both in thought and time spent eating food, to connect with God in a significant and meaningful way. That’s why praying and fasting go hand in hand. When we fast from something, we are committing to direct the thoughts and time usually spent on something else towards praying about a specific request, or expressing gratitude to God for something.

For those who will be fasting and praying with the GENESIS community on Thursday, August 28th – please specifically be praying for God’s clear leading, provision and blessing on GENESIS becoming a church plant. Then, gather with the GENESIS community on Thursday evening in order to worship and pray together, and then declare the fast over by celebrating communion as a community.

Fasting is a way to draw the totality of your being towards God – so as you fast know that you’re not seeking to get something from God, except God Himself. Like the Psalmist declared: “Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.” Psalm 73:25-26 (NLT)

WORDS

2008-08-11T18:55:00.003-04:00

WORDS - everyday all around us words are being exchanged. Some helpful, others hurtful while others are just meaningless banter. If you were to examine some of the conversations that you have been part of say over the past week, how many were meaningful? Meaningful being defined as conversations that left a lasting impact and brought about some semblance of change. If that's the case, then I'm guessing that a better contingent of us are lacking in the department of meaningful conversations. I guess the question that one must wrestle with is this - are WE talking about meaningful and significant things to those around us, or are we just hoping that someone else will say something meaningful?

This past week, I’ve had the opportunity to be part of some 'meaningful' conversations. But what made the conversation meaningful was not anything insightful or intrinsically intelligent that I had to offer, but what made the difference was the Gospel. If I did not believe in Jesus, I really wouldn't have much to offer. The reality is we all have something to offer, but is what we're offering humanity actually helpful, meaningful and significant? Outside of Jesus, I have nothing to say when it comes to purpose, meaning, significance, value and worth. Outside of Jesus, I have nothing to offer when it comes time to wrestle with some of life’s toughest questions. I have a lot to say about a lot of different things, but what really struck me this past weekend is that without Jesus in the conversation, ALL of my (self) perceived wisdom is not really all that wise. When talking with an agnostic, some Muslims and some people who were at best indifferent to spiritual things this past week, the only meaningful things that I had to say were because of Jesus.

People around you and I are dying for someone to stand up and say something meaningful. If you know Jesus – start talking. If you don’t know what to say, quote Jesus – His words always seemed to get a reaction out of people, and His words seem to have a had a meaningful impact on people over the past 2,000 years. They have on me at least!

thinking man

2008-07-22T16:40:00.008-04:00

Do you ever have those ‘splinter in your mind moments?’ That one thought or question that just seems to stick, and the harder you try to get it ‘unstuck’ from your mind, it actually only drives the splinter deeper in. Well here’s my ‘splinter’. Does God have a purpose? Now before you answer that question, you must realize how I and ‘Webster’ are defining purpose. Purpose answers the question of ‘why do I exist?’ This word can be used in a few different ways, but for the purpose of this splinter, I am being single-minded in defining purpose in its most pure form – ‘the reason for which something exists.'

So here’s where the splinter begins to dig in a little deeper. God has no beginning or end – meaning, there is no starting point for God. He’s always existed. There was never a point in time when God was not. So if God has always been and always will be, how could He have a purpose? Who would define His purpose? The only reason you and I have purpose is because our Creator has made clear what our purpose is. God does not have a Creator – so who defines His purpose? Does He define his own purpose, i.e. why He exists? But, how does God who knows nothing of not existing answer the question, this is why I exist?'

My purpose (why I exist) is clear – to know my Creator. To be in right relationship with Him, both now and for eternity? Jesus, God’s son made that possible. But God does not exist to be in relationship with me. He is completely satisfied and complete within Himself (the Trinity).

Scripture makes clear on numerous occasions that God has a ‘purpose’, that is He has plans, or a Will to be carried out, but again, I am not speaking of purpose in terms of plans, or a will. The splinter of this ‘thinking man’ is why does God exist? He was not created, so how does one answer that question, and how is it possible that the created being could say of its Creator – ‘this is why our Creator exists?’ Any thoughts on this particular splinter?

Luggage

2008-07-15T00:57:00.004-04:00

As I sit in the Philadelphia airport headed back to Boston, fresh in my mind is the question ‘do people know that God cares?’ Care about what you may wonder? The plight of humanity is what I had in mind. Like most, when I travel I enjoy doing one of three things – zoning out to my music, reading a book or sleeping. But today was different. As I sat down in my seat, I noticed the person I was sitting next to was crying – not uncontrollably or anything, but certainly enough for me to notice. It didn’t take more than a few seconds for me to hear God say ‘Michael, I want you to let this person know that I care.’

What God wanted me to do got me thinking – ‘do people know that God cares?’ Everyone would answer this question differently, but for me, I would say that a majority of the people I’ve encountered along the way believe that God is aloof to their story. I wonder how this could be, but an answer came to mind as I spent the better part of the day in the airport.

Every where I look, I see people carrying some form of luggage. Some luggage is carried on people’s backs, while others is pulled behind them. No shock to see this at an airport, but the reality is that people carry all sorts of luggage even outside the confines of an airport. People can be found with all sorts of luggage. Guilt. Fear. Shame. Doubts. Worry. Brokenness. The list could go on and on, but I wonder if we pack so much into our suitcases because we do not know that there is One who has invited us to cast the contents of of our suitcases on Him. The one verse that I shared with the individual sitting next to me on the plane is one of my favorite in all of the New Testament.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) This one short, but powerful verse reminded me of a transformational reality – God cares! Life can be lived one of two ways. We can carry our own luggage, and in one lifetime we can accumulate a lot, or we can allow the God who created us, knows us and loves us to carry that luggage for us. Peter gives only one reason for why we should cast our anxieties on God - because He cares! That’s it. Not because we can’t handle it (which if were honest we often can’t), but because He cares. A lot of people don’t know of this invitation. A lot of people don’t know that we were not meant to carry the anxieties, worries, doubts and fears that come with being human. At the end of the day, a lot of people do not know that God invites you and I to cast our ‘anxieties’ upon Him for one reason – because HE CARES!

It was a good plane ride today. Partly because of a conversation that took place between me and a new friend, but mostly because I was reminded that God cares. I can either give Him my anxieties, or I can go on carrying my own luggage. After a long day at three different airports, my shoulders are tired from carrying around my luggage. I am thankful that God has invited you and I to drop our luggage, however big or small it may be, and trust Him to carry these things for us because He cares for us!

Run FREE

2008-07-09T14:28:00.008-04:00

Great questions have a way of flooring you. That happened to me today. “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.” Galatians 5:7-8

As I pondered this question, it occurred to me that we spend a better part our lives running somewhere, but what often happens is that we get ourselves running so fast, we never stop to consider if we are running in the right direction. It happens to me more often that I’d like to admit – running real fast, but not always in the right direction. To Paul’s question – he recognizes that the Galatian community had been running a good race, but something or someone ‘cut in’ on the race they were running. They were at one point running a ‘good race’, but something happened that got them off track. And when we get off track, we don’t stop running, we just start running in another direction. For the Galatian community, they began running towards a works based faith – but Paul loved them enough to ask them a tough question ‘who cut in on you?’

I love to run – metaphorically speaking. But this morning at 8:56 AM I was floored with a question. God gently but firmly reminded me that I was not only created to run, but to run free. As I look at this picture, I see a little man who is running free indeed. His head is looking forward, not to the right or to the left, and certainly not behind. Maybe he sees his father in the distance and he is running towards him? I pray that that little boy will continue to run free, and I pray that this little boy now grown up will continue to run the good race which Jesus invited him to do - in FREEDOM!

Feast in the House of Levi

2008-07-04T09:41:00.003-04:00

The story behind this painting is told by Philip Yancey in his book 'What's So Amazing About Grace.' 'Paolo Veronese (1528-1588) got in trouble with the Inquisition because of this piece. As you can see, the painting depicts Jesus as a banquet with his disciples, complete with Roman soldiers playing in one corner, a man with a bloody nose on the other side, stray dogs roaming around, a few drunks, and also midgets, blackamoors, and anachronistic Huns. Called before the Inquisition to explain these irreverence's, Veronese defended his painting by showing from the Gospels that these were the very kinds of people Jesus mingled with. Scandalized, the Inquisitors made him change the title of the painting and make the scene secular rather than religious. In doing so, of course, the Inquisitors replicated the attitude of the Pharisees in Jesus' day. They too were scandalized by the tax collectors, half-breeds, foreigners, and women of ill repute who hung out with Jesus. They too had a hard time swallowing the notion that these are the people that God loves.'

Thank you Jesus for having a heart for me – a sinner that once was lost, but got found, was dead but had life breathed back into my soul. Thank you!

The Prodigal Son

2008-07-02T08:57:00.006-04:00

'The Return of the Prodigal' by Rembrandt. A painting that has moved many to tears throughout the centuries including me. Its a story that speaks to the human condition, and this painting beautifully depicts what humanity longs for most. If you live in Boston, join the GENESIS community beginning this Sunday (7.06) as we walk through this powerful story... md4jc

Another great image of the prodigal was a piece created by artist Charlie Mackesy entitled 'The Prodigal Son'

Extension Cords

2008-06-26T10:48:00.003-04:00

I was ‘weed wacking’ recently and had a bit of an epiphany. I had three extension cords connected, giving me roughly about a 100 feet of cord to work with. It didn’t take long for the cords to become entangled, knotted up getting stuck on anything and everything along the way. As frustration was kicking in for having to continually detangle the cords and get them ‘unstuck’, God brought a verse to mind. Hebrews 12:2-3 “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…”

As I thought about this verse, it occurred to me that much of life tends to be like that of an extension cord. We so easily get tangled up in things that slow us down from living the life that God invites us to live. Might this be why the author of Hebrews issues the command to ‘throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run…’ Its hard to run when we are entangled. It felt like the extension cord had a mind of its own – meaning it seemed like it was looking for things to entangle itself on. I wonder how many of us look for things to ‘entangle ourselves on.’ Why would we do that? Because its what we know and have grown familiar with. I’ve learned over the years that what we grow familiar with is what we grow comfortable with, and when one grows comfortable, the thought of something different (change), is at best to unsettling.

‘So easily entangles’ – it doesn’t take much for us to get tripped up. What ever it is that is tripping you up – remove that from your path. If I would have disconnected two of the cords and just worked with one, it would have made my ‘weed-wacking’ so much easier. Lose the excess cords so that you can run – and when your running, remember to keep your eyes fixed on person… JESUS!

Mother Teresa & Bill Clinton

2008-06-24T04:53:00.002-04:00

Former President Bill Clinton had a lot to say while in the Oval Office. What was the most meaningful thing he said while serving as our President? I would love to hear your thoughts on that question, but since this is my blog, I get to go first. Some context to help you understand the power of Clinton’s words.

Mother Teresa was invited to speak at the National Prayer Breakfast in 1994. All speakers at these bi-partisan events are instructed to avoid making any comments that might cause shall we say ‘controversy.’ Well, Mother Teresa did not get that memo. The following are some excerpts from her speech delivered on February 3rd, 1994. As you read, please keep in mind her audience which included all of the heavy hitters in Washington, including the Clinton family alongside Al Gore and his wife.

“I was surprised in the West to see so many young boys and girls given to drugs. And I tried to find out why. Why is it like that, when those in the West have so many more things than those in the East? And the answer was: "Because there is no one in the family to receive them." Our children depend on us for everything - their health, their nutrition, their security, their coming to know and love God. For all of this, they look to us with trust, hope and expectation. But often father and mother are so busy they have no time for their children, or perhaps they are not even married or have given up on their marriage. So the children go to the streets and get involved in drugs or other things. We are talking of love of the child which is where love and peace must begin. These are the things that break peace…

But I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself…

And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? How do we persuade a woman not to have an abortion? As always, we must persuade her with love and we remind ourselves that love means to be willing to give until it hurts. Jesus gave even His life to love us. So, the mother who is thinking of abortion, should be helped to love, that is, to give until it hurts her plans, or her free time, to respect the life of her child. The father of that child, whoever he is, must also give until it hurts…

By abortion, the mother does not learn to love, but kills even her own child to solve her problems...
And, by abortion, the father is told that he does not have to take any responsibility at all for the child he has brought into the world. That father is likely to put other women into the same trouble. So abortion just leads to more abortion...

Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. This is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion…

I will tell you something beautiful. We are fighting abortion by adoption - by care of the mother and adoption for her baby. We have saved thousands of lives. We have sent word to the clinics, to the hospitals and police stations: "Please don't destroy the child; we will take the child." So we always have someone tell the mothers in trouble: "Come, we will take care of you, we will get a home for your child." And we have a tremendous demand from couples who cannot have a child - but I never give a child to a couple who have done something not to have a child. Jesus said. "Anyone who receives a child in my name, receives me." By adopting a child, these couples receive Jesus but, by aborting a child, a couple refuses to receive Jesus…

It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish…

Please don't kill the child. I want the child. Please give me the child. I am willing to accept any child who would be aborted and to give that child to a married couple who will love the child and be loved by the child…

From our children's home in Calcutta alone, we have saved over 3000 children from abortion. These children have brought such love and joy to their adopting parents and have grown up so full of love and joy…

From here, a sign of care for the weakest of the weak - the unborn child - must go out to the world. If you become a burning light of justice and peace in the world, then really you will be true to what the founders of this country stood for. God bless you!”

How did Bill Clinton respond to Mother Teresa’s speech? When asked by a reporter how he felt about what Mother Teresa had to say on abortion, Bill Clinton said the following: “How can anyone argue with a life so well-lived?”

There you have it! Bill Clinton’s most memorable words. How true they are. Might that be said of all who have read thus far. Might we live our lives in such a way, that people regardless of differing backgrounds (social, economic, political, ethnic and spiritual) would be able to speak those words over our lives as well. Let us love Jesus and humanity in such a way (i.e. Mother Teresa), that people would be challenged and encouraged to follow suit – to live ‘A Life Well Lived.’