March 4, 2007 - The Shoeless Jesus

These are my rough notes for this Sunday's message - again they are my NOTES - they are first meant for ME to understand... hopefully they aren't to difficult to decipher.

Please join the discussion (or help start it)... drop a comment, illustration, poetry, dissagreement, question or something... it's very helpful to me.

WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO RULE ME?

• A foundational struggle in everyone’s life.
• Eddie is in ‘terrible two’s’ – he’s discovered his will and challenges us at every opportunity
• Hope’s first piece of chocolate
• Adults: governmental “rights” – speech, privacy, education

FUNDAMENTAL TO CHRISTIANS

• Is a life that is surrendered to God.
• A life that has exchanged one master (self) for another (God)
• The concept behind “LORD”

SLAVE / SERVANT – a good description of a Christian (Christ follower)

(not a popular description for Americans)

• New testament authors took the concept seriously.

• Watch how these authors begin their letters

Philippians1:1

James 1:1

2 Peter 1:1

Romans 6:12-22 – spends a good amount of time dealing with masters and slaves. – apparently, what or who masters us is important.

Jesus – equates the greatest in his kingdom to a slave! (Luke 22:26-27)

SLAVES / SERVANTS HAD NO RIGHTS

• Slaves were barefoot in the ancient world.
  

MOSES AT THE BURNING BUSH:

Told to take off his shoes – Holy Ground

- the significance was not lost on him – considering his former status in Egypt.

- He knew that going shoeless acknowledged that someone greater than he was in charge.

- Holy means “set apart” – going shoeless was a clear picture of being set apart from God – God being the highest, man being the created ones.

- Joshua also took off his sandals when told to by God

BOAZ –

• Took off his shoe while negotiating for Ruth (and the future of Isreal)…. As if he’s saying “… on my right as a free man, I’ll do this”
• Boaz was obeying old testament law (Deuteronomy 25:7-10) – had deep cultural meaning.

DAVID

• Walked barefoot out of Jerusalem
• He left with no “rights” – barefoot, humiliated… living out his former motto “The battle belongs to the Lord”

THE DISCIPLES:

• Went barefoot when Jesus sent out the 70
• They left as ones who would serve
• (again, we could miss the cultural significance)
• (Matt. 10:10)

THE HIGH PRIEST:

• Every garment was of great significance and was thought out in great detail.
• THERE WAS NO MENTION OF SHOES/SANDALS – (remember, holy ground)
• The priest wore no shoes when he entered the holy of holies.

JESUS HIMSELF

• Philippians 2:7 “…but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant…”
• Was our high priest
• Walked barefoot to the cross
• Jesus gave up the following “rights” to accomplish his mission in obedience to the Father

Food (Matt 4:12)

Sleep (Luke 6:12)

Privacy (Mark 8:2)

Marriage (Eph. 5:25-27)

Home (Matt. 8:20)

Reputation (Phil. 2:7)

Possessions (John 19:24)

Right to live (Phil. 2:8)

To follow Jesus means that we follow ‘in his footsteps’ – to turn our lives over to HIS leadership… this means that we give up control of our lives.

WE GIVE UP TO GAIN

John 12:24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

WHO’S THE MOST QUALIFIED?

• Teenagers wrestle with this question… they are in the process of questioning who is the best qualified person to make decisions for their lives. Parent/teen dance – parents learning to give up some ‘power’ to allow the teen more and more opportunity to make own decisions.

We ask this question all the time, too.

• When we get mad at the person who cuts us off. “Who do they think they are?”

We answer this question all the time, too.

• When we don’t involve God in how we spend our money (we’re saying “I’m the best qualified person in my life to decide where I should spend my money”)
• When we don’t involve God in our choice of boyfriend or girlfriend
• When we are at the end of our rope, then we ask God to help ( a recognition that He’s the best qualified person to ‘rule’ or make decisions)

THE MOST QUALIFIED: GOD

1. The one with the most POWER… power to see all the angles, power to guide and protect.
2. The one who is the most JUST… can be perfectly just in all situations
3. The one with the most MERCY… mercy to bring life where there is death or pain.

NEW MATH:

Responsibility

- rights

______________

= Rewards of deeper relationship with God.

BASIC POINT TO THE MESSAGE:

We’re in a (loosely) series called “Survivor” – about surviving life. In week one we looked at THE BEST POSSIBLE LIFE – which starts with the recognition that Jesus IS the best way to live for now and eternity…. Can’t survive life with out this… also, Jesus wants us to do more than just ‘survive’ life.

So, with this message we dive a bit deeper into what it may mean to us or cost us to follow Jesus. We look at how things in his kingdom operate (so much different from the ‘worlds’ kingdom) – Becoming a ‘slave’ or ‘servant’ of God is actually a HUGE key to living the best possible life. We up the ante with the notion that we need to actually TRUST God to take care of us and lead us. We look at the issue of LORDSHIP from the angle of being barefoot.

MORE POSTS COMING SOON! until then...

Here's a short post - please comment at the end (or read the very first post to understand this experiment)

The next message is about "The Best Life Possible"

The basic premise is that Jesus said that He came to give "life to the full" (john 10:10)- in otherwords, the best life possible!

There are ways to live life that completely "miss the mark" (sin) and "fall short" of the best possible way.

Compassion is better than Selfishness
Generosity is better than Greed
Moderation is better than Hoarding
Love is better than Hate
Passion is better than Apathy
Contentment is better than synicism

Mercy is the new cool
Grace is the new cool
Being 'healthy' is the new cool
Giving to the poor is the new cool

We'll discuss God's intended way for Humans to live and uncover ways that people live that essentially become 'anti-human' - therefore anti-God...

Either following Jesus is the best possible way or He was a liar or worse - a deciever.

Drop a comment.

Dangerous People, Dangerous Church

A few of the main points to this Sunday's message at Kastner - I'd love to have some feedback as I'm still putting this together... leave a comment. This is a very rudimentary sketch... helpful comments would be: How is following Jesus 'dangerous' to US, our PRIDE, our INTELLECT, or our PLANS?

When you first encounter the Lion-god of Narnia, "meek and mild" will never enter your head. In fact, Narnian beavers warn the four human children that the mere sight of Aslan will cause their knees to knock so much they may be unable to stand.

"Then he isn't safe?" asks Lucy.

"Safe?" replies Mr. Beaver.

"Course he isn't safe. But he's good."

Not safe but good – a strange description for God. But over and over in these seven stories we learn just what this means. One example occurs in The Silver Chair when the schoolgirl Jill is alone and desperately thirsty in unknown woods. She comes upon a stream, but between her and the water sits the great Lion. Aslan tells her that she can drink, but the terrified girl wants assurance that she will not be eaten. When he refuses to promise, Jill determines to find another stream. But he tells her, "There is no other stream." The Lion of Narnia makes uncomfortable and sometimes extreme demands, and he cannot be manipulated or controlled or bent to anyone's will. "It's not as if he were a tame lion," explains the magician in The Voyage of the 'Dawn Treader.'

What do we mean by Dangerous?
By dangerous we mean possible danger to your physical well being.
By dangerous we mean dangerous to the generally accepted way to do things.
By dangerous we mean challenging and confronting.
By dangerous we mean UNSAFE
By dangerous we mean risky

Historically speaking, Christianity has always been risky.

"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for
me will find it. Matthew 16:25"
"So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul- men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 15:25-27"

In 2,000 years 70 million Christians have been martyred

• Half died in the 20th century – approx 45 million
• That’s twice as many in once century than in the previous 19 centuries.

This year:

• 160,000 Christians will die because of their beliefs this year (450 people per day)

Today: Out of approx. 2 billion Christians, more than half live in a developing nation

• 600 million live under discrimination or legal repression of their faith
• 200 million daily live under threat of jail, torture or death
• In Sudan after 15 years of civil war approximately 1 million Christians have died – many starved to death – a fate that wouldn’t have happened expect for their beliefs

THIS IS MY OPINION:
The word CHRISTIAN has come to mean a system of belief - 80% of Americans call themselves christian and it's often watered down to.... lying, stealing and murder is bad... possibly Jesus was God's son and rose again on easter... it's just a cultural thing, with no major life impact

The word DISCIPLE is a word that I prefer lately, it's a step-up. It's about people who believe soooo much in Jesus that their whole life's pursuit is to become more like him and do what he did.

BEING A DISCIPLE IS DANGEROUS: (being a christian may not cost you must)

#1 – Dangerous to ME

"If you want to be my follower you must love me more than your own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters — yes, more than your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And you cannot be my disciple if you do not carry your own cross and follow me. "But don't begin until you count the cost. Luke 14:26-28 NLT

Carry cross – like an electric chair – means a giving up of your whole life. Meant death sentence
Streets lined with Crosses – just a few years before Jesus spoke this

For most of the Christians in the world, it is dangerous to live out the teachings of Jesus.

#2 Dangerous to our PRIDE

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. Luke 5:1-2

He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." 5 Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. Luke 5:3-7

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" Luke 5:8

hamartolos (ham-ar-to-los'); a sinner, less than the mark.

At many points in a journey with Jesus, we will encounter a confrontation with our “good enough”

• May be because of SIN (wrong doing)
• May be because you don’t believe/feel you are good enough to accomplish a task or a life lived for Jesus.
• May be because you actually aren’t good enough at something and you need God’s supernatural strength.

#3 DANGEROUS TO OUR INDEPENDENCE AND OUR INTELLECT

OBEY FIRST ASK QUESTIONS LATER:

"Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." Luke 5:4-5

Left to depend on his own intellect Peter would never have “let down the nets” again. Following God is often dangerous to our ways

“…Because you say so…” - you may not understand, but still obey – this is dangerous (or confronts) our independent spirit.

Someone hits you – the rabbi says “turn the other cheek”
Someone flips you off – the rabbi says to bless people and do not curse.
Someone asks for your shirt – jesus says to give them your coat too
Someone says go a mile – jesus said to go two
Jesus says to give and it will be given to you – you may not understand, but you do it because he says so.

Questions are OK – but don’t use that as an excuse not to obey today.

I love questions. If there were no room for questions, then there would be no room for me!
Questions lead to more questions than answers

#4 DANGEROUS TO OUR PLANS

So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. Luke 5:11

For the disciples this was a ‘no-brainer’ – the greatest rabbi, the son of God is calling them to join Him in what He’s doing in the world.

THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THE WORLD COULD OFFER THAT WAS BETTER THAN IMMEDIATE ABANDONMENT OF THE OLD LIFE TO EMBRACE THE NEW.

nothing back there was worth hanging on too!

Building blocks for community Nov. 12 2006

Building Real Community:
3 Building Blocks for Real Community:
November 12, 2006

Again - a rough draft, although not as rough as previous ones. Do you have a story in your own life where these things helped you? Can you think of a poem or a song that is on this topic that you'd like to share? Drop a comment at the end.

Intro:
The bible says that we were made for relationships. It’s not good for man (mankind) to be alone.
God has developed a place for you to meet your relational needs – the church.

Central to Christianity is ‘belonging’. Once we become a believer we become a belonger.

If you’ll put into practice these 10 building blocks to community then you’ll find a more fulfilled life, more meaning.

1. Frequency.
Hebrews 10:25 “Let us not give up the habit of meeting together. Instead, let us encourage one another.”
(circle ‘habit’) – habits – something we do frequently.
Real community only happens if we meet together often… over and over.

Maybe it seems obvious, but you can’t build real, meaningful relationships without spending TIME with people.

“They worshipped together regularly at the temple each day, (daily) met in small groups in homes for communion, and shared their meals with great joy.

Circle “shared their meals”… didn’t just meet on Sundays (gathered) and they didn’t just do communion (a spiritual discipline) – they ATE FOOD together with great joy! Too often we think it’s more spiritual to go to church than it is to hang out around fun people and good food. The bible doesn’t make the distinction as one being more spiritual than another… in fact it lumps the 2 in the same positive light!

The Bible says, “Enjoy the companionship of those who love the Lord.” – 2 tim. 2:22

Ask a personal question “What’s keeping me from meeting more consistently?”
Convenience says “I go when I have time for it”.
Conviction Says “I go because I MAKE the time for it”

Pointer: if you don’t control what’s on your calendar, your calendar will control you. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

Why should we make time for gathering together frequently? Because it’s one of the reasons God has put us on earth! You can study the bible all you want, but if you don’t get the need for deep fellowship, you can’t achieve what God has designed you for on this earth!

Rate your frequency: (Weak) 1-2-3-4-5 (Strong)
How can you increase your frequency? What changes need to be made in your heart or your schedule? If frequency is strong for you, then how can you encourage or practically help another person in this area?

2. AUTHENTICITY
I summarize authenticity as “loosing the need to pretend”

In the real world, I think few people are comfortable enough with them selves not to pretend. The fear of rejection or disapproval is strong, even in 'spiritual' leaders.

I think there is a message that God has for us; it goes something like this
Get rid of hypocrisy, stop hiding behind masks. Lose the religious pretense; it's destructive to authentic faith. I want honest, authentic people.

Authenticity: Loosing the need to pretend.

As a human being, I don't want to be a place where you put on your churchy-face and pretend. I want to allow you to be a work in progress. I want you to do the same for me.

When we pretend, we're stuck. We absolutely cannot become better people until we admit the areas that need work. We can't find our security in God if we never feel insecure. We can't overcome our anger problems if we continue to act like we're fine.

You can't fix that relationship with your boyfriend if you never tell him the things that make you uncomfortable. You can't find eternity in Heaven until you admit your inability to get there on your own. You can't until you admit, come clean, and be honest.

Good relationships require honesty, including the relationship you have with yourself.

Part of orienting our ENTIRE lives around the ways of Jesus – we must learn to be authentic. Or simply put, we are continually guilty of lying and dishonesty.

Rate your authenticity: (Weak) 1-2-3-4-5 (Strong)
Can you create a plan to become more authentic? One more authentic act this week than last? If you’re strong in this area, then how can you teach others to be authentic? Make a plan.

Community is built on MUTUALITY/ACCOUNTABILITY
We are better together. Together we are stronger. Participate the “togetherness” of Axis.

ILLUSTRATION: Read the story of Josh from “no perfect people” pgs 106 – 109

Mutuality is 3 things:
1. Mutual accountability‘Let us consider how we can spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” – heb. 10:14

“Keep each other on your toes so sin doesn't slow down your reflexes.” Heb. 3:13 (Mes)

2. Mutual encouragement“Encourage anyone who feels left out, help all who are weak, and be patient with everyone.” 1 Th. 5:14b (CEV)

Growing up (well, healthy) without encouragement is nearly impossible

3. Mutual honoring“Take delight in honoring each other. – rom. 12:10

No amount of darkness can erase God’s divine imprint on humanity. When we take to celebrate/honor the ‘God’ things in others, that’s worshiping God. Any time we say “YES! That’s from God”, then we are honoring God and that person.

UNPACK MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY

Destructive way of accountability partner (an old model)
• Ask each other if they are living up to the ‘standard’
• Offer forgiveness if they screw up (‘fall short’)
• Encourage to try harder.

Why the above is destructive:
This is a picture of ‘The Law’ – this style exposes a problem, but doesn’t offer solution.

New model emphasizes GRACE and TRUTH.
It points out that we can never become what God wants by just trying harder – NEVER!!!! Our model must always point to complete dependence on God for change.

INTRODUCE RUNNING PARTNERS (ACCOUNTABILITY)
Rules for running together:

1. Accept and encourage as often as possible

2. Ask a lot of questions. Only give advice with permission

3. Correct people only when absolutely necessary (prov. 27:5-6)
• Nothing kills accountabily relationships than mr. or mrs. Fix it. – the person that always has an answer to everyone’s issues.
• At axis we will stop trying to fix people and ask God to fix people

4. Never condemn, always protect. (Romans 2:1)
• Confidentiality is mandatory.

Personal: “Where can I use the most support in my spiritual growth?”, “Who around me could use support in their spiritual journey?”

Rate your accountability: (Weak) 1-2-3-4-5 (Strong)
Do you have a running partner? Would you consider finding one? What action do you need to take to find one? If you are strong in this area, then can you invite someone to be your running partner even if you already have one?

ourspace3: "Community" for October 29

Ourspace3: community

Inside look to early Christian community•

Lived in a world of oppression – the inhabitants weren’t all “Roman” – they were from MANY different nationalities. Forced to serve and worship Caesar.

• MOST didn’t enjoy citizenship or security – they were strangers in their own countries. Aliens in their own homes.
• These Christian communities soon formed all over the know Roman world – a world where the Caesar claimed to be divine and carried the title “Lord”
o Note the subversive nature of the Christian writers who call Jesus – LORD. (King of Kings and Lord of Lords)
• In a letter to Diognetus at the end of 2nd century, it was noted that "Christians are not distinguished from the rest of humanity by country, language, or custom. For nowhere do they live in cities of their own, nor do they speak some unusual dialect . . . They live in their own countries, but only as aliens; they participate in everything as citizens, and endure everything as foreigners. Every foreign country is their fatherland, and every fatherland is foreign . . . They live on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven . . .
• Ephesians 2:19 – Paul says – “no longer foreigner and aliens” – but members of God’s household
o Oikos – Household - place of belonging (had leader(s), extends to aunts, uncles, cousins, grandkids and slaves – a household could even extend to different buildings.
• Minucius Felix - "[Christians] recognize each other by secret marks and signs; hardly have they met when they love each other; they indiscriminately call each other brother and sister . . ."
• Rumors of it being sexual in nature
• The community was so meaningful… The devotion to God became so important… Marcellus
• Tell the Marcellus story 298 AD – martyred because he couldn’t worship Caesar and worship God.- he denied his allegiance to the ‘divine’ Caesar.
o - Marcellus appeared before the governor Anastasius Fortunatus who demanded, "What was your intention in violating military discipline in this way?" Marcellus responded: "I declared clearly and publicly before the standards of this legion that I was a Christian, and said that I could not serve under this military oath, but only for Christ Jesus, the son of God the Father almighty."

It’s because of these radical communities of faith that the Christian “church” grew 40% per decade in the first 300 hundred years.


COMMUNITY is like…

1. A FAMILY: Matthew 12:49-50 , Ephesians 1:5 – God’s unchanging plan (predestined) has always been to ADOPT us.
• Truly known, protected, needs supplied, everyone contributes.

2. A BUILDING: Ephesians 2:20-22
• You can be in the building and not be part of the building.
• You can be in the community and not a part of the community.
• There IS a place for you to contribute.

3. A BODY
Romans 12:4-8, Ephesians 4:25
• Connected, count on each other, all parts and functions are needed and important.

3. things to remember about being in community.
1. You are unique. You will not lose your uniqueness, your personality, style, etc. by being in this community.
2. Nobody gets a free ride – everyone contributes.
a. Contribute means more than attendance. It's Time, abilities and Money.
3. Community means that these people mean more to you than the random person you pass in the grocery store.

A NEW HUMANITY
Ephesians 2 – Talking to 2 distinct groups
• Jews and gentiles – different customs, clothes, background, types of food and skin color. Yet, in the same community of faith.
• Paul makes amazing claims… about joining the 2 groups and the eternal significance.

Ephesians 2:14
• Jesus is our peace
o It’s HIM that made the 2 groups into one,
o He destroyed the barrier… by abolishing the law. – no longer about rules and regulations (remember the Greatest rule? Love God, Others, and Self)
• 1 group (Jews) – They know all the right bible verses to tell you when you’re sick or lonely – they know the words to all the songs, etc.
• 1 group (Gentiles) – EVERYTHING about this new faith is new to them. They are learning ‘christianeese’, where to meet? What to do when you get there.
• Both groups are trying to orient their lives around following the ways of Jesus.

Verse 15: now there is ONE man (mankind)… through cross. Creating a “new humanity” out of the 2 groups.

POINT:
• 1 body. No division.
• Connected intimately not because of ourselves, but Jesus.

Notice who is listening to this – reading this letter.
• Ephesians 6:5 slaves
• Verse. 9: Masters.

Galatians 3:26
• No jew, greek, slave, free, male, or female
• All ONE in Christ
• The first writer in the history of humanity that argues that all people are equal.

NO rich, poor, Nerd, smart, corporate, etc. No color, race, long hair, short, etc.

Ourspace, our community actually becomes a new humanity. A new way of living. Ourspace becomes THE main way to re-paint a picture of God to a world that desperately needs to see Him for what He is.

We believe that we were created to live deeply with one another, to carry each other’s burdens and share our possessions, to pray for and confess our sins to each other, to suffer and celebrate together. It’s in these sacred relationships and honest, loving communities that God transforms us. The way of Jesus cannot be lived alone.


The challenge for us - can we take this as seriously as the bible makes it? What actions should we do individually to participate in building a community? What actions should we do corporately to build a real community?

Can we go beyond mental ascent? - knowing in our head that this is a good thing, and make the neccessary adjustments in our lives needed to build this community.

Would you consider:
1. Giving your time.
- There is a place for you to work here... we are currently organizing ourselves.
- Attendance at ALL of our meetings are vital - in the beginning especially.
- The Scattered events ARE church... don't think of them as less important or less spiritual
2. Giving your money.
- There is no money tree.
- Simply put, it takes money to do ministry.
- Our heart is where our money is... is this (or can it be) YOUR community?
3. Inviting people.
- a characteristic of a healthy church community is one that is growing.
- we desire to make an environment/experience that won't embarass you or any guest you may invite.

October 15. ourspace.comeasyouare

Ourspace: come as you are October 15, 2006

Text: Romans 15:7, Ephesians 2:8, Romans 8:1, john 8:2-11, romans 2:4 (i put all the scriptures at the bottom of the blog)

Point: Creating a Come as you are culture.

Series: ourspace, expanding our network.

Big questions: From what posture do we invite people; increase our community? Who do we invite?

NOTE: This is a very rough draft. Pardon the spelling mistakes. You should get a very basic idea of where I'm going with this message. Please take the time to open a google account before you respond (my wife wrote her comment then tried to post it. It then told her she needed a google account. She signed up for the account - it's easy - but lost what she typed). Need help knowing how to respond? What do/should these verses mean to a non-believer? A 'sold-out' believer? Do you agree with the difference between grace and tolerance? would you say it different? Do you have a story of non-grace in your life? been hurt by judgmental christians? Dissagree with me completely? Moved to tears? Do you have a piece of art or music or story that speaks to this topic? I have other illustrations to use and I'll probably sing a song called "as i am" as my own artistic connection to the topic. (not an original song - although some of you know of an original of the same title)

MESSAGE:

GRACE, beyond tolerance:
Ephesians 2:8 – saved by Grace

Grace says “God accepts you and loves you unconditionally”. – AS IS.
We know that God loves every human being on the planet.
We can’t do anything to make God love us less or more.
Then why does the church get the label of not being TOLERANT?

“The world can do almost anything as well or better than the church. You need not be a Christian to build houses, feed the hungry, or heal the sick. There is only one thing the world cannot do. It cannot offer grace” – Gordon MacDonald.

The Buddhist eight-fold path
The Hindu doctrine of Karma
The Jewish covenant
The Muslim code of law

All these show ways to EARN approval.

Grace says that God accepts you JUST AS YOU ARE. Right now.

TOLERANCE: a cheap substitute for Grace.

Tolerance: “sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one’s own.”

The idea of tolerance implies putting up with something that you don’t like or don’t value. Tolerance is such a buzz word today.

Why is tolerance a cheap substitute? Tolerance doesn’t value people only puts up with behavior or beliefs. Tolerance deals with differences, but doesn’t embrace people for their good and bad parts. Because tolerance can’t label something as “bad” or “wrong” or “sinful”. Tolerance doesn’t embrace both Justice and Mercy; grace does.

God is the most tolerant being in the universe.
Romans 2:4 – contempt for Gods ‘tolerance’? it’s his kindness that leads to repentance.

God does tolerance and more. We should do the same.

GRACE MEANS THAT WE DON’T FIX PEOPLE
I’m trying to teach our new leaders and you to give up trying to fix people – it’s not our job. -- - it’s God’s job.

If you saw the mona lisa covered in mud, you wouldn’t focus on how bad the mud is but rather how valuable the painting is. On the flip-side, if you saw one of my paintings covered in mud, there would be no value in spending anytime trying to clean it – a waste of time.

Back to the mona lisa – you’d be excited and nervous to have something so valuable in your care. You shouldn’t try to clean it up yourself, but you should take the art to a master who could guide the restoration process. That’s a picture of Grace.

People are to be introduced to God who is the master of restoration.

ACCEPTANCE
Romans 15:7 – acceptance
Acceptance is the most tangible way to show grace
How accepted to you think people feel when they come to church?
How can we accept people who come to our church?

THE RISKS
People will use ‘grace’ as a license to sin more and more – I’ll take that risk.
People will confuse acceptance as agreement. Acceptance isn’t an agreement of people’s choices, beliefs or behaviors.
If God is willing to take these risks, shouldn’t we?

NO CONDEMNATION:
Romans 8:1, John 3:17

God’s plan isn’t to condemn people. God’s plan is to show Grace that will FREE us.

How do we put skin on this kind of Grace?

John 8:2-11
Beyond tolerance, a story of Grace.
She was brought into the temple courts, made to stand before the crowds. The ‘church’ people exposed her shameful faults for the world to see.
3 things Jesus did
1. He drew attention to himself by drawing in the ground
2. He leveled the playing field “he who is without sin”
3. Without condemning, he told her to leave her life of sin.

The Grace that jesus showed her, by leveling the playing field and drawing the attention away from her… allowed him to acknowledge the wrong (sinful) in her life, while still accepting her.

everyone finds beauty in this story, yet jesus called sin sin. Grace is that powerful. I think it's hard to condemn when I remember my own sins, faults, hang-ups, and insecurities.... maybe my problem is when i think i'm 'without sin'?

Romans 15 Read This Chapter
15:7
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Ephesians 2 Read This Chapter
2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--

Romans 8 Read This Chapter
8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,


Romans 2 Read This Chapter
2:4
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?


John 8 Read This Chapter
8:2
At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.
8:3
The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group
8:4
and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
8:5
In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"
8:6
They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
8:7
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
8:8
Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
8:9
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
8:10
Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
8:11
"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

ourspace Part One: Good Relationships are Necessary

Ok, let's start the experiment.

On Sunday we are having our first PREVIEW SERVICE. For all intents and purposes, this is a REAL church service. Not fake. Not a practice.

All the messages that I am preparing are all titled "OURSPACE" - a play on the myspace.com thing...the online community. Basically all that we will talk about in the next weeks or months is COMMUNITY (i.e. ourspace). This is ourspace - expand your network.

The first message is about RELATIONSHIPS. Specifically, that good relationships are necessary to build Community. That may seem basic and elementary, but you and I both know that it's not as easy as it sounds.

Here's the journey through the text... see if you can follow my line of thinking (I'm not yet fully prepared for the message)... when you're done reading, please leave a comment, a question, a suggestion, a frustration... a response. What does this mean to you?

Mark 12:28-29 Says:

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is
the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

Jesus quoted the "Shema" (a jewish prayer). The Shema is found in Duet. 6:4-7 (part of the Torah). In Jesus day (and for centuries before and after) the jewish people quoted the Shema regularly, maybe even several times per day.

Here's some notes about the Shema:

• Meant a renewal of your relationship with God
• A celebration of Gods promise of Grace
• Acknowledgment of allegiance to God alone
• A whole-hearted acceptance of life IN God… Again, and again and again... quoted regularly

When Jesus was asked the question (in the above verse) by another teacher of the law - he was asking Jesus what his interpretation of the Torah (the first five books of the bible) was. He was asking Jesus to give the bottom line about living the faith.

His answer (found in the scripture above) puts emphasis on 3 relationships... I highlighted it in RED

1. A relationship with US and God (love the Lord...)
2. A relationship with US and others (Love your neighbor...)
3. A relationship with US and US (...as yourself)

Jesus is telling us that the GREATEST thing we can do in life is to LOVE in those relationships listed above.

Let me summarize love: "Doing the best thing possible for that person". Love is an action.

• Us and God - doing the best thing possible in our relationship with God
• Us and Others - doing the best thing possible in our relationship with others
• Us and Us - doing the best thing possible in our relationship with ourselves.

In Luke 10:25-37 Jesus expounds on "who is our neighbor"... I will re-tell this story in a modern setting so that we "get" the shock of the story like the original listeners where jolted when Jesus originally told the story.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE THE CHURCH? HERE? NOW? TODAY? How does this scripture speak to these questions?

• What is the bible all about?
• Who is a Christian? What’s a Christian supposed to DO?
• How do you summarize Axis?
• What’s the big picture for our lives?
• What's ourspace (our community) supposed to be about?

The answer is found in the scripture I quoted above. The answer is to do the best thing possible for God, for Others, and for ourselves... the answer is LOVE.

I suggest that all the problems in the whole world are relationship problems. Everything can be traced back to a problem in one of those 3 relationships (God, others, self).

The answer to the problems is Love.

We are either part of the problem or part of the solution. Axis will be part of the solution.

That's the basic idea... there are details and examples that I want to throw in, but that's it.

Please give your thoughts, opinions, illustrations, share your story.

Need help responding?

How about this... WHAT SHOULD LOOKING AT A SCRIPTURE LIKE THIS MEAN TO A NON-CHRISTIAN? WHAT WOULD YOU PULL OUT OF A VERSE LIKE THIS (the Mark 12 verse quoted at the beginning) AND TELL AN UN-CHURCHED PERSON?

WHAT SHOULD IT MEAN TO A NOMINAL CHRISTIAN?

WHAT SHOULD A SOLD-OUT BELIEVER DO WITH A VERSE LIKE THAT?