Good stuff from Colossians

I have started reading Tullian Tchividjian's book, "Jesus + Nothing = Everything." At the same time, I am listening to Matt Chandler preach through Colossians. Kind of a double whammy, since Tullian takes a lot of what he says from Colossians. Anyway, here are some thoughts/quotes from the first 3 sermons by Matt.

• You can't love God and hate the church. (But that doesn't mean you have to agree with everything that is going on in current Evangelical churches either).
• According to the Bible, it is not just your badness that falls short, it is your goodness too. (So just showing up for church doesn't give me any brownie points? What about all the pain I am going through! Has God heard my preacher?)
• We don't do good works to fall in love with God, we fall in love and then do good works. (Just like obeying the speed limit really doesn't make me love that cop sitting behind that sign.)

I obey the speed limit because I don't want a ticket. If that is all there is to my religion, I fear that I am just wasting my time. If I don't see God as beautiful, I would feel just as out of place in heaven as I do when my wife hosts a Pampered Chef party. And I don't think that is any way to spend eternity. Do you?

Reasons 3 & 4

I want to quickly touch on numbers 3 and 4 of our pastor's reasons to read the Bible.

3.  So I will not sin. (Ps 119:11)
"I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."

Bible reading is a great place to start when it comes to not sinning against God. Knowing God and His ways, and seeing Him for who He truly is should keep us from sinning against Him, shouldn't it? So how come it didn't work out that way for David when it came to Bathsheba? I think the answer lies in Ps 119:10:
"With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!"
Verse 11 must be understood in light of verse 10. It is not just storing up God's Word that keeps us from sin, it is storing up His Word because of our great love for Him. Without that part, it is just a legalistic trap that will only make us think more of ourselves than we ought.

4.  So I can find comfort. (Ps 119:52)
"When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O LORD."

Yes, there are times when I find comfort in reading the word of God. And yet, there are times when I find it down right uncomfortable too. Especially some of those red-letter words of Christ. I find comfort in a Savior who loves me and gave Himself for me. But I get a bit squeemish when He calls me to carry my cross and die to myself. Rules I can live with. But if reading the Bible doesn't make me a bit uncomfortable at times, I question if I am reading it right.

I just can't get comfortable...

I was reading a bit in the back of my copy of "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan, and I read a bit about how he feels that lukewarm Christians will not make it into heaven, that God will spew them out of his mouth. He uses Revelation Chapter 3 to confirm this. (See verse 16).


So, let's see a show of hands, how many of the Christians that will (or won't) be in church this Sunday think they are lukewarm? Are you willing to bet your soul on it?


I went to the Crazy Love study at the church we have been attending. That lasted 2 weeks. That was the week that they were talking about why God created us, and of course the typical "for fellowship" answer came up. A few years ago I would have bought into this. This time, I just sat there wondering what to say, wondering if it was appropriate to upset the apple cart at this moment.


The church we have been attending is full of nice people. The preacher preaches nice sermons. They do nice things and encourage others to do nice things. It all feels so comfortable.


But I don't feel comfortable.


Sometimes I want to scream.


Is this what Jesus died for? So nice people could do comfortable things? So we could gather on Sunday to sing a few songs and listen to a couple of jokes or stories from the internet? So we could be challenged to volunteer in the community (not a bad thing, but not the primary thing), give, pray, do this or that, etc. These are not bad things, but are they what the church should be built upon?


I thought the church was to be built upon the ROCK, the confession that Jesus Christ is LORD. (Matt 16:16-18)


What about Matthew 7:21-23?


Is Jesus primary? Or have we made that which is secondary the primary thing we talk about, thereby making the primary (Jesus, the Gospel) a secondary issue?


Is anyone else uncomfortable, or is it just me?

God Doesn't Need Me

God doesn't need me. I have come to that realization a while ago, but was talking with someone tonight who has come to that place, and she doesn't like that idea.


I told her, you should take comfort in that thought!


But she was still feeling the pain of such an idea.


Yes, it is a tough realization at first. It first struck me on a ride home. I had just dropped my son off with his mother. I had lost my vocation, my family, and I was feeling sorry for myself. Hadn't I done some good things for God? Didn't He need me to continue? Why was this happening?


I suddenly realized that He didn't need me. I was devasted. I almost had to pull over, the feeling was so strong. But as I continued, I felt His arms around me. No, He didn't need me, but He wanted me.


Could I really served a God who needed me? Such a God would surely be small. But a God who doesn't need me, but who wants me, who loves me, that is a very big God. With a very big heart. That is a God I can serve, that is a God I can worship and love. And that is a thought I can find immense comfort in.