The Gospel - Part I

To watch the full message, visit GENESIS on Vimeo, or to listen to the message, visit the GENESIS website.

Some questions to consider…

What is at the CENTER of your LIFE? We all have something or someone at the CENTER of who we are. And whatever is at the center drives us to do what we do, act like we act, think like we think, or respond like we respond. Simply put, whatever is at the center determines who we are, and who we are becoming.

For some, FEAR is at the center. And if FEAR is at the center of who you are, your life will be marked by INSECURITY – a life that is desperate to be loved, accepted and embraced. The desperation is so great that you’ll do whatever you can to obtain the favor and approval of others in hopes that you’ll be able to taste the security that comes with knowing you are loved.

For some, ANGER is at the center. And if ANGER is at your center, then your life will be marked by UN-FORGIVENESS. Not only will you lack joy, but when ANGER is at the center, there will be a trail of broken relationships largely due to your inability to forgive, be gracious, compassionate and merciful.

For some, LUST is at the center. And if LUST is at the center of who you are, then your life will be marked by EMPTINESS. You will always be telling yourself, “If I could only have that, then I would be filled and content.” Your life will be a constant chase of consuming that which you hope will fill – whether that be the relationships, career, fame, fortune, etc. The pain is great when you realize that what you’ve chased not only did not fill, but only exposed how great your emptiness actually is.

For some, TIME {past, present, future} is at the center. And if TIME is at the center of who you are, then you will live an utterly CONFUSED life. The confusion comes because you’ll allow your past to not only shape who you are, but who you are becoming. For some, the present is marked by an overwhelming sense of worry & anxiety over what was, what is and what ‘might be’. For others, thoughts of the future fill you with paralyzing uncertainty because of thoughts like: ‘what if that or this happens?’, or, ‘what if they do that or don’t do that?’, or, ‘what will I do, or where will I go and when will that actually happen?’

We ALL have someone or something at the CENTER, it's just a matter of identifying what’s at your center. When we decide to place the GOSPEL at the center, the core of who we are, something amazing happens –

There is no need for FEAR which manifests itself in insecurity because the Gospel declares that I am loved perfectly, completely and unconditionally {1 John 4:18; Romans 8:35-39}.

There is no place for ANGER which manifests itself in un-forgiveness because the Gospel floods our life with the love, mercy, compassion and the grace of God, and that which is at the center of you, overflows to those around you. The Gospel brings freedom from anger, and births within us healthy fruit {Galatians 5:22-23} that breads healthy, deep, meaningful relationships with those around you.

There is no room for LUST which manifests itself in emptiness because the Gospel at work in us does what only the Gospel can do – it fills us completely. Not only does the Gospel fill, it brings with it great contentment {John 10:10; Philippians 4:12-13}.

There is no concern over time which manifests itself in a confused life because the Gospel at work in our lives brings transformation. The Gospel does not cover past wounds with band-aids. The Gospel does not offer cliché answers to present situations and circumstances which are neither helpful nor beneficial. The Gospel does not speak of empty promises for your days ahead. The Gospel transforms time – meaning, the Gospel at work in us leads us to declare that I can trust God in ALL things at ALL times because He is Faithful, Sovereign, and Worthy of my trust. The Gospel not only redeems time {past, present, future} and ALL that has happened within it – but the Gospel has the power to transform you so that it is not time that shapes you, but the Gospel! {Genesis 45:7-8, 50:20}

If you are going to have the Gospel at the center of your life, you must understand fully what the Gospel declares. The Gospel means Good News, so what is the Good News of the Gospel? This question will be answered in The Gospel – Part II.

ALIVE

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...

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

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?

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

Who Knows?

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.

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.