Live Blogging Super Bowl Commercials--First Half

First Break After Kickoff
Beer commerical--The budget cutting commercial where they cant get rid of the beer for meetings. Ok, but overly formulaic.
Dan Brown movie "Angels and Demons"--Typical movie commercial. Kinda want to see the movie though.
Audi commerical--Interesting how they give nods to other European vehicles, and then show their vehicle as the evolution of all european cars

Second Break After Kickoff
Pepsi commercial--This was a fun commercial. I enjoyed the Wycliffe Jean/Bob Dylan mindmeld stuff. Not sure what they were saying about Pepsi except it is a multigenerational beverage
Doritoes--Crystal Ball--Loved this commercial with the snow globe crystal ball. I thought the broken vending machine was funny enough, but when the boss got a snowglobe thrown at his crotch--well that was funny right there.

Third Break After Kickoff
Bud Light--Conan doing the Swedish commercial. Lame, but very Conan.
Crackle.com--online movie with Jack Black. Is this an ad for a movie that is only online. I don't get it. This commercial worked. I had to look up the movie to know what it was about. An online movie service. Hmmmm. Worth the money for them, but not that fun to watch the commercial.
Toyota Venza-Boring commerical. Interesting how the foriegn cars are taking advantage of American car weakness during the Superbowl.

Fourth Break After Kickoff
Mr. Potatoe Head/Bridgestone--What man cannot relate to Mr. Potato Head's joy when her lips go falling down the hill. Funny stuff.
Fast and Furious Commercial--Looks like another good movie.
Grease Monkeys--Castrol Edge commerical. Quirky funny but predictable goofiness. Monkeys have been done before.

Fifth Break After Kickoff
Will Ferrell--Land of the Lost--Another decent movie. A little funny looking. A family movie perhaps?
Doritoes--girls clothes flying off. Money flying everywhere. Man dies. Very funny. Go to their website they say to watch them again. Again driving toward website.
Go Daddy. Com--Racy as usual. This time they refer people to their website for potential porn. Smart business stategy.

Sixth Commercial Break After Kickoff
Pepsi-Slapstick Comedy. I'm good. The Diet Cola for men. Good commercial
Dog Adoption drive--fun smart commercial. Loved it.
Budweiser--horse wanting a treat to.

Seventh Commercial Break After Kickoff
Budweiser--horses again? Horese runnning to get to his one true love.
Movie--New Star Track prequel. Very poorly done. Preview in the movie theater was better.

Eighth Commercial Break After Kickoff
G--Gatorade. Why is Gatorade marketing itself as G? Is it going to help me relate more to it? Is it trying to get credibility with the hip hop crowd? Seems silly.
Cars.com commercial--this wont be everyone's favorite. But...I thought it was really well done. Emphathizes with everyone's struggle on getting a good price on a car. Says that it is every man's concern. Hope they use it more and more.

Ninth Commercial Break After Kickoff
Hyundai Commercial is good. Has a sense of humor about its name. "Hyandai. Like Sunday." Again not an American car commercial.
Etrade--the friend is cute. Jenny loves the etrade babies.

Tenth Commerical Break After Kickoff
Disney/Pixar--Up. Looks interesting.
Bud Light--Drinkability. Ok commercial. But not great.

Eleventh Commercial Break After Kickoff
H and R Block--This is pretty funny. Death needing parking validation?
Teleflora Commerical--This is good. I loved this commercial. Very funny. And makes me afraid of sending flowers in a box.

Twelth Commercial Break After Kickoff
Cheetos--I love the Evil Cheetah. This quiet revenge stuff the evil cheetah leads people in, this passive-agressive tension, is brilliant.

A Poem by Wendell Berry

Enemies

If you are not to become a monster,
you must care what they think.
If you care what they think,

how will you not hate them,
and so become a monster
of the opposite kind? From where then

is love to come--love for our enemy
that is the way of liberty?
From forgiveness. Forgiven, they go

free of you, and you of them;
they are to you as sunlight
on a green branch. You must not

think of them again, except
as monsters like yourself,
pitiable because unforgiving.

from the Selected Poems of Wendell Berry (p. 160)

Turning Inward

I go through phases. Sometimes, in my life and in my ministry, I am driven to connect with people. At those extroverted times, making visits with people in the church is easy. I am eager to get to know people. At those times I crave social activities and social times with those I care about.

Then there are phases like I am experiencing now. I dread talking to people on the phone. At those times I am not very social. I either want to have my nose in a book or have my face in front of a computer monitor. I get into conversations, and think I should contribute something, but then hold back becaause I know the conversation will take too much work to unpack.

I often wonder,when I am going through either phase, if I should try and embrace the mood and phase I am in, or push back against the feelings I have at that time. For instance, should I push myself to be out among people when I am in my more introverted phase, or use that phase to accomplish desk work, pray and study? Should I stretch myself to find people to connect with when I feel like going into my metaphorical cave? Should I make myself take time to be alone when I am in the middle of a highly social stage? Or should I embrace my desire to indulge a social "binge"?

Most of the time I try and push myself toward balance. I think it is important to have balance. But right now, I am finding it hard to have balance. Is that a bad thing, or just a part of my natural cycle of ministry and life? Also, is this common in other people's lives, or am I alone in this socialization cycle?

This week, I finished the book Outliers: The Story of Success. It is a book written by Malcolm Gladwell,who also wrote the books Tipping Point and Blink, writes this book about the factors that influence one's ability to achieve.

As with all of Gladwell's books, one of the funnest parts about reading this book is all of the interesting factoids that Gladwell discovers. Whether talking about the birthdays of hockey players, or comparing Asian and Western farmers, Gladwell weaves a good story full of good conversation pieces.

At the heart of the book is the question, "What makes a person sucessful?" Is it natural ability and skill? Is it hard work? Luck? As you make your way through the book, there is a sense in which you discover that all of the above are true. Most powerful in the journey to success though, is the opportunity to be in a situation to succeed. Many times, very few people have the unique opportunities that others have. But without the hard work, the assertiveness to seize the opportunity, and a minimal amount of skill, the opportunity could be lost.

The book is smart, entertaining, and able to read through in small chunks. I would recommend anyone.

Sermon for 1/25—On Colossians 4:2-20

Remember My Chains

Colossians 4

2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
7 Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. 8 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he^[a] may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts, 9 with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all things which are happening here.
10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me.
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete^[b] in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal^[c] for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you. 15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church that is in his^[d] house.
16 Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it."
18 This salutation by my own hand—Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.

 

Last words. History records a lot of people's final words before they died. Beethoven is reputed to have said, "Friends applaud, the comedy is finished!" The famous preacher and evangelist Henry Ward Beecher is believed to have said, "Now…the mystery." PT Barnum asked what ticket sales were like at Madison Square Garden. Joan Crawford said, "Darn it, don't you dare ask God to help me" to her housekeeper. Thomas Edison said, "It is very beautiful over there." Poet Dylan Thomas, "I have had 18 straight whiskeys…I think that's a record." Edgar Allen Poe said, "Lord help my poor soul."

 

The Baptist preacher Tony Campolo tells the story of his father-in law on his death bed. He has been bedfast for days. He sat up, quoting I Corinthians 15 and said "O Death, where is thy victory. O Death, where is thy sting." He repeated this three times, and then died immediately after.

 

My great-grandmother passed away in August of 2005. My birthday is in August. Imagine my surprise when I received a birthday card from my Grandma Pearl postmarked the day after her death. It seems, the last day she lived she sent me a birthday card on an old card meant for another occasion that she had laying around the house. She told me how much she loved me, and how much she was thinking of me on my birthday, and remembering watching me grow up. Then she spent a lot of time giving me the update on the flowers in the garden and the deer in the back yard. Though her health was getting more and more frail, she was taking care of the flowers that her health would allow her to care for. That night they told her she had colon cancer and she was going to have to go to the nursing home after surgery. She had a massive heart attack and died a few hours later.

 

And now we come to the end of the book of Colossians. The apostle Paul is there in his prison cell. And he senses that he senses that is most likely that he will be the last time he gets to communicate with the people in Colosse. In many ways these are like his last words, and at least his last words to the Colossians. So he grabs the pen from the man that was writing down his words, with manacles around his hands and feet. He draws attention to say that he is writing these last words, in many ways these final words, in his own handwriting And what does he say? He says, "Remember my chains".

 

Last week we talked about remembering our baptism. We talked about how a baptism is a chance to recommit to our relationship with Jesus. To refocus on what Jesus had done. And to recommit to what he has called us to.

 

Remembering is a big part of our lives as people. We are hardly able to function without our memory. Our memories help us tie our shoes and drive to work, they help us be able to know and love our friends and neighbors. A life without memory would be very painful and very difficult. We only have to look at those we know with Alzheimer's to know this. Remembering is important.

 

It is not only important to remember our pasts. It is important that we remember them rightly. It is important that we remember the important things. It is important that we remember with grace and truth and love, and not in petty and childish ways. It is important that we let our memories be guided by the Word of God and be energized by the power of the Holy Spirit. There is no telling WHAT we remember and what we do not. But it is important that we let Jesus guide HOW we remember.

 

God, through Paul, is challenging us to remember in Christ-centered way. He is asking us to remember his chains. Through asking us to remember his chains, he is asking us to remember certain things about who he is, and who God calls all of us to be. When the apostle Paul says "Remember my chains" he is saying us to remember our purpose as a church. So let us dig a little deeper into what this passage says to see what that means.

 

When the apostle Paul says to remember his chains he is urging us to remember him in a way that causes us to act. To live out our faith. And to live it out in four key ways.

 

1. Remember to pray.
   

   My friends, I am convinced we do not pray enough. I am convinced that I am not as committed to prayer as I should be. I am convinced that many of you are not feeling as connected to God through prayer as you should be. I admit I could be wrong. But I do not think I am.
   

   
    

   We need to take time to pray with one another. Not just at the beginning and at the end of meetings, but we need to move prayer to a more central place in our life together. We need to devote ourselves to prayer so that we can bring our needs and our prayer requests before God. Of course we need to do that. But we also need to learn to pray prayers of praise and thanksgiving together. As our book club book suggests, we need to practice God's presence with us in all we do. As we whittle wood in our backyards, and do our churches business, we need to invite and be aware of the presence of God in our midst. And invite him to guide us, lead us, direct us, forgive us, and love us.
   

   
    

   Everything we try and do, everything we do as a church should be soaked in prayer, and led by God's Holy Spirit. It is easy to try and do things on our own power. And when we do that the church becomes not much more than a religious Lions Club. We need to be passionate about having a relationship with Jesus, and growing in our knowledge and relationship with Jesus. Even if that causes us to make major changes in our lives. We must remember to pray.
   

 

1. Remember the mission
   

   My friends, it is so easy to come to church and focus on how it meets my needs, and focus on what I get out of church for me. Let us avoid that pitfall. Let us remember that following Jesus, first and foremost, is about carrying out the mission of Jesus.
   

   
    

   Verse 3 says we need to pray for open doors for sharing the gospel. Verse 5 says to pray that we will have the right words to speak at the right time. Even as Paul is suffering and about to die, he is passionate and wholeheartedly committed to sharing the gospel.
   

   
    

   
    

   Church, this church does not exist first and foremost for those that are a part of this body. First and foremost, this church exists for those that need to hear the life-changing message of the Word of God. Our church does not exist for us. It is exists for God. And it exists to reach others with the love of God.
   

   
    

   A couple of weeks ago we discussed an outreach project for our church where our church would be a center of mission for other churches around Southern Colorado through hosting a weekend of hands-on ministry in our community. We are still in the process of discerning whether this is something God might lead us to do.
   

   
    

   I am not going to push you either way on this decision, but I will tell you this. Even if this is not what God is calling us to do, we darned well better be seeking something else that pushes us as a congregation to have an intentional outreach in our community.
   

   
    

   Joining together with civic organizations like meals on wheels is a good thing. It is something Jesus would want us to do. Doing nursing home chapels once every few months is a good thing to do. We should be proud of our membership in the Ministerial Alliance. But our gospel ministry should go beyond our community partnerships. We cannot outsource all our outreach to mission giving and the ministerial alliance.
   

   
    

   We need to intentionally, as members of First Baptist, and as our congregation, to go into our community and to share about the saving love of Jesus with our words and with our actions. First Baptist, you are a GOOD CHURCH. I love you. I love pastoring you. But if we just keep doing the same old stuff the same way we are going to be closing our doors in the next 10 years.
   

   
    

   We must reach out. Passionately. Now. That is what we are all about.
   

   
    

2. Remember your brothers and sisters in Christ
   

   As Paul continues on, he shares about a number of people, and asks the church in Colosse to remember and care for the people he mentions. Many of them are a part of Paul's ministry team. Interestingly enough, many of them where failures at some point in their ministry. Onesimus was fugitive from the law, and an escaped slave. Paul asks the Colossians to forgive him and accept him as a brother in Christ. (The book of Philemon which is an attachment to this letter for a man named Philemon asks Philemon as onesimus' former slave owner to grant him his freedom). Paul mentions John Mark, who flaked out on the first missionary journey he went on, and was the source of Barnabus and Paul going their separate ways in their missionary endeavors. Each of the people he mentions has ministry gifts, but also big time failures
   

   
    

   Nevertheless, the Apostle Paul urges the Colossians to accept these men and support their ministry among them. In the process he reminds us about something we often forget.
   

   
    

   This church is a place where we not only offer grace to the world, but we offer grace to one another. We need to forgive each other. Bear with one another. We put up with one another. Even more, we choose to love one another.
   

   
    

   
    

   That doesn't mean we cannot speak our mind. That does not mean we cannot keep one another accountable. Loving one another is not always easy and it is not always nice. But we need to look out for each other, and bring out the best in one another. We need to seek to see how God is working in each of us, and encourage one another to grow in that way.
   

 

1. Remember the cross
   

   This is implied, but it is important. Probably the most important point. When Paul says to remember his chains what he is saying is to remember his suffering, and as you remember the suffering of Jesus.
   

   
    

   There are a lot of TV preachers and popular authors that will tell you that following Jesus is something that you do so your life will be happier and easier. So that you will have more money and success. Most of these preachers do not preach the gospel. They preach idol worship. They want you to bow the knee to success, power, control or wealth. Following Jesus means something different.
   

   
    

   Following Jesus means that we are willing to sacrifice everything to follow him. We are willing to lose friends for the sake of the gospel. We are willing to sacrifice physical comfort. We are willing to follow Jesus even if it means pain. Even if it means failure. Even if it means heartbreak. Even if it means death.
   

   
    

   Why? Because we believe in the cross. We believe that Jesus is more than a self-help guru. He is the way. The truth. The life. And we cannot find true hope without him. We cannot find truth without him. Without him all our life is a mirage. And in a relationship with Christ all our life, our pain, and our heartache makes sense. Because even if we have to suffer and hurt, be in chains or take up our cross, we can somehow have that heartache and pain mean something if we have Jesus. Our live can be bigger than wood, and metal. It can be about truly knowing God, and truly doing God's eternal mission in our small part of the world. In small little ways our lives can have eternal influence. And if we truly believe, we should be able to sacrifice and use all we have to serve the one who has made all, and created all, is all around us, and who hold the whole world in his hands.
   

   
    

   Will you have the courage to trust him. With your whole life. Will you remember Paul's chains? Will you remember Christ's cross? Will you remember your mission? Your eternal call?
   

   
    

   Please do so. Today. And then…continue to remember.
   

Recent Movies

Jennifer and I recieved a nexflix subscription for Christmas. So far, we have watched three movies.

The first movie that we watched was Charlie Wilson's war. I was both entertained and educated by this fine movie. For instance, I was unaware that taking over Afganistan would have allowed the Soviet Union control the flow of oil through the Middle East. I love biopics that tell true stories about real people. Charlie Wilson's war does this, and by doing this informs America about a lesser known part of its intelligence/military history.

One of the things that intrigued me about this movie is that I began to wonder what the agenda of the movie maker was in light of current events in the middle east. The quote at the end of the movie mad me think that it was making a more liberal statement, but the movie as a whole made me wonder if they were endorsing what we were doing in the so-called "war on terror".

The second movie was "Righteous Kill". This was an entertaining movie. The ending would have really surprised me if my wife had not guessed the ending a head of time. Any crime flick with DeNiro and Pacino is good, and this was no exception. No thought provoking stuff though, it was just mindless entertainment.

The third movie was "Traitor" and we saw that last night. This was a high-energy, thought-provoking, brilliant movie about a double agent played by Don Cheadle. It is a movie about international terrorists that slowly make their way to America. Watching it, you wonder how close we are to more terrorist attacks on our own shores. This is a man-flick, full of a lot of energy, gunfire, and suspense. I would recommend seeing this movie more than any of them so far.

Ted Haggard in the News

It appears there are more people who fell into Uncle Ted's web, and now some of them are reputed to be members of his church

Best of...blog posts

On Home Brew by J.D.

The Mixed Blessing of Technology by Matt

Lizzie's Splinter by Michele

Becca, Stan, and Kim and Steve on Politics

Quote from The Jesus Way by Eugene Peterson

But despite the unrelenting witness of the Scriptures to the contrary, a surprising number of people are uncomfortable with this witness and try their best to spiritualize both creation and history: spiritualize the dirt and mosquitoes out of creation and then sign up for lessons in flower arranging: spiritualizing the accidents and train wrecks out of history by reducing them to dates in a textbook. To spiritualize in this sense involves the reinterpretation of life into something that is not comprised by cancerous growths, or difficult neighbors, or corrupt economics. It reduces the vast world of creation and the complex world of salvation to a few memorized Bible verses, a devotional book or two for inspiration, and a handful of truths or principles to keep us on the straight and narrow. By hook or crook, spiritualization insists on deconstructing a gospel way of life into a feeling or an idea or a project. Spiritualization succeeds when it sanitizes prayer into pious clichés and cordons Scripture off from the traffic….Spiritualizing the gospel means that we love God but not the world that "God so loved." (p.168)

Sermon on 1/18—On the Occasion of the Baptism of Holly Smith and Megan Hollenbeck

NEW CLOTHES

 1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Yes, this morning we are back in Colossians 3. Again. I said that there was more than one sermon is this passage and we are back looking at Colossians 3 today. You had a hint why in our children's message a little over a month ago. This passage, among many other things is a passage that challenges us to remember our baptism. To remember our commitment when we came to Christ, and when we were baptized. It challenges us not to a sentimental remembering. Rather, it challenges us as a church to a remembering that effects the way that we live. The way that we eat and sleep, the way that relate to people every day.

 

As I shared in the children's message a couple of weeks ago, ancient baptismal traditions are a little different than our own today. One common baptismal tradition was to have people come to the bathroom with one set of clothes (a robe often in this case), to take off one's clothes for one's baptism, and as one came out of the water to be immediately covered by a new robe. This symbolized that they moved from an old life and put on a new life.

 

That is the decision that Holly and Megan celebrate today. They stand up and declare that they have made that decision. As they do this, we should celebrate with them. We should also remember that we have done the same. If we are disciples of Christ we have made the same decision. As they proclaim their commitment, we need to recommit to ours.

 

When we come to participate in a baptism, either as a congregation or as an individual person, we celebrate both a burial of sorts and a birth of sorts. A death to one way of life, and a birth to a new way of life.

 

You know, this is my first baptism with you, and my first baptism using a stock tank to immerse someone, but in other ministerial settings I have baptized someone. In the last church I served we had enough staff that if you were baptizing someone you just did not have to do that much the rest of the worship service. And so, the baptism was usually somewhere between the beginning and the middle of the service. So, I usually got to sit and visit with whomever was the baptismal candidate.

 

 

One time, I was baptizing one of the teenagers in our church. And as we got to visiting, I asked if he was scared or nervous. He said he was. The other person there to help him told him not to be worried or nervous. I told him I disagreed. This was an important moment. A public statement of a huge commitment. It is a moment that should come with a little anxiety and a little fear.

 

It comes with a new anxiety and a new fear because it is a kind of like a death. I have been with people as they are dying or are near death. I have sat in a few hospitals and by a few beds. And when you are there, at least for me, it never feels easy or safe or normal. It is never quite easy or comfortable when you are in that room.

It surprised me that when I visited with people near death, especially people who knew Jesus, that a lot of them were not anxious or worried about dying at all. Some are but many are not. It surprised me that many were worried about how their friends and family were going to manage after they are gone. The hard part for several people that I know is the letting go. The letting go. The being out of control.

 

Why do I share this? Because as you two, Holly and Megan, come to the waters of baptism, there is a death to an old way of life that requires a letting go. A death to worshipping your own agenda. A death to a way of life that is all about you. A death to a way of living that is all about being a slave to sin, to the world, and to the devil.

 

Colossians says that living the new life means that you have to put to death that old life. That old life that is full of a whole bunch of ways of living that bring regret. Regret about what we have said, who we have slept with, about how greedy and selfish we are and we can be. Even though we are imperfect, and we stumble, a baptism is statement to the world that we have chosen a different direction for our life, a different trajectory.

 

Romans 6 says it this way in THE MESSAGE:

 

 1-3So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? I should hope not! If we've left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn't you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land!

 3-5That's what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we're going in our new grace-sovereign country.

Jennifer and I like watching a TV show called Clean House once in a while. The concept of the show is that there is this house that is a TOTAL DISASTER AREA. It is messy enough that there is hardly room to walk through the house. And at the end of the show the house is not only cleaned, it is professionally decorated. Usually with some sort of new furniture or flooring with it. But, before they can get to this huge benefit, they have to part with a lot of their junk. Because, most of these people are pack rats. And usually the owners of the place are attached to well—they are attached to some personal junk. And they know that there is something better on the other side, but they have a hard time letting go of their invaluable junk that they never use and hardly ever even see. Baptism is about finally letting go of all of that junk that causes all sorts of distress and clutter in our lives, and letting go in the hope of the new life that is ahead of us.

Baptism is about a death. It is also about a new way of living. Because baptism is not just about celebrating a burial. Even more it is about celebrating a birth.

It is about celebrating a birth that has happened in your hear and in your mind. It is a new life announcement to the whole world. It is like a spiritual baby shower of sorts.

In most churches I have been in, people react to seeing someone coming out of the water much like they do when they see with little children the first time With ooos and aaaahs. And most of the time when you come out of the water you come out of the water your hair is all wet and plastered to your face and you are blinking and taking a deep breathe and trying to get your bearings, just like a new child entering the world.

Baptisms are one of the most beautiful things in the world because they are all about new life.

Our Bible passage from Colossians talks about the new life. It talks about the new direction of our lives in following Jesus. A life that is about forgiveness and compassion, humility and grace, hope and love. And trust that when our life does not seem all that full of any of these that God gives us grace and love to keep going in that direction. And he gives us peace, and patience, and hope, and joy.

Baptism says that about us and our choices.

Baptism also speaks about a new extended family. This family does not replace your biological family. But you find a whole new spiritual family when you pass through the waters of baptism. Colossians says by going through a number of ethnic and social backgrounds that none of those matter in the family of Jesus. You don't have to have some special background to be a part of the family You just need to have decided to follow Jesus.

Holly and Megan, I want you to know that you have a whole church family here that wants to support you, to help you grow to be more like Jesus. To support you when you are having a hard time, and to celebrate with you when you are being blessed by the Lord. We want you to know that you have a place in our mission to share the love of Christ with the community and the world. We want you to know that if you have not already sensed it, we want to be like family to you.

We will stumble and need forgiveness just like you do. But we all have God as our father. And we all have Jesus as our Master and Leader. And the Holy Spirit and our Guide. And we are here to follow Jesus together And we are thankful that we have you to serve with and love and to care for

Baptism says a lot about us. It says a lot about the group of people we joined together with. It says even more about our Lord

If you remember our study of the book of Colossians, it is all about how Jesus is our all in all. About how Jesus is the center of everything. It gets to chapter 3 and it talks about this resurrection life.

When you come to these waters of baptism, you tell the world about a choice you have made for your life. You also tell the world a choice you have made about your relationships. Particularly your relationship with Jesus. Both the passage that we have read in Colossians and the other one talk about resurrection life. They talk about what happened with Jesus on the cross, and with the empty tomb.

 

 

When you come to these waters of baptism, Holly and Megan, you come saying that you believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose again to offer you eternal life. You are saying that you believe that enough that you are willing to stand up in front of all of us here and go through a baptism that tells people that Jesus died for our sins, and that he rose again. That is what baptism says you know.

You are telling the world more than this though. You are telling the world that Jesus has come into your life. That he has touched your heart. That you have surrendered your life to Jesus. That when you could not do anything to earn or deserve God's love and grace he reached out and loved you. Even more he treasured you, and each one of us, as if we were his favorite child.

And when you do that, Holly and Megan, it speaks to all of us.

It gets us back to basics.

It helps us to remember that church isn't all about all of the business that we do as an institution called a church. That is all a means to an end. Church is all about this. This relationship with Jesus. This call to new life of hope and faith that starts even now. This eternal life Christ has given to us if we choose to trust in. him.

And so we remember our commitment to Christ as a church. To follow him and believe him and trust him. We remember our commitment to one another as a church. To be the hands and feet of Jesus. Loving and forgiving. We remember, even more, Christ's love for us. Christ's grace in our lives. Christ rising from the dead and offering us new life. Even now.

Live Blogging the Inaguration

933am

Interesting contrast between the three news channels. FOXNEWS is a lot louder than every station at the same volume. And they spend a lot of time talking about how good looking Michelle Obama and Jill Biden are. Interesting.

Also, Brit Hume mentions "President Clinton always appears as though he is searching for the right expression on his face". So true, Brit, so true.

I think that my dog may be a Republican. As soon as it goes on CNN, he goes into the other room. He does not want to witness the innaugriation.

938am
Dick Cheney in a wheelchair? I guess he twisted his back trying to move his own stuff. Typical, having to do all the heavy lifting himself. Dont VPs have movers?

A lot of different stations talking about the peaceful transition of power.

Why do all dignitaries work hard not to smile. This is one thing I enjoy about Biden. He is planning on enjoying the heck out of the whole thing.

941am
Huge crowd. It is really amazing how many people are there.

FOX has as its team Brit Hume, Chris Wallace, and Juan Williams.

CNN Anderson Cooper and Wolf Blitzer
Interesting how many journalists for American politics are not American born

944am
Goose bumps as Obama enters. This really is an amazing moment in American history. Each station seems to mention the slaves building the White House. Each station also echos the beauty in American democracy of the non-violent transition of power. Diane Fienstein echos this.

947am
Diane Fiendstein is speaking. Polticians like preachers always have to preach there sermon

Rick Warren is speaking/praying. He is very expressive, and he actually sounds a little nervous. He is also preaching more than praying. His prayer may go as long as some of the speeches. But it is well done and gracious. Ending with the Lord's Prayer is a very nice and moving touch. Allows all to participate.

Aretha Franklin singing. I did not know that was going to happen. Nice touch. Sounds great. I find this particularly moving for some reason as well. I think because it is another example of someone coming from nowhere to stand in the highest and most honored stages in the world. Only in America.

I disagree with a lot of Biden's politics, but I think he is a fun guy and I like him. He seems like someone you could hang out with for a little while. I like how he raises his hands and shrugs to his friends in the Senate.

MSNBC has Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, Rachel Maddow, and Eugene Robinson. Man do I miss Russert on moments like these. Keith Olbermann and Maddow drive me nuts. I enjoy listening to Matthews and Robinson.

The quartet is amazing, and an interesting way of introducing more diversity. A jew, an asian, a black man, and a white man. I love both Air and simple gifts. Especially simple gifts.

"Dance then...where ever you may be....for I am the Lord of the Dance said he" (the worship song based on the tune for simple gifts. I truly believe this was part of the thought.)

Obama is nervous a little bit. Actually I think a little emotional. I like that it was a little awkward in the swearing in. Seems more authentic.

There is now a man on MSNBC a YES WE CAN t shirt screaming Yeah...Yeah. I think he may have some bling on as well.

I think as the president gives his speech there is a moment that he realizes how big the moment is. Bigger than him. Maybe even bigger than the country he has chosen to serve.

At times Obama speeches can seem pedantic. This speech seems very strong and muscular. Short declarative sentences. Excellent approach.

"The nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous"--good line

For a post-partisan speech, this speech seems very partisan. I wonder if that is common.

His speech to the enemies of America is strong. It is good to have that part in the speech.

"your people will judge you on what you can build..not what you destroy"

This is a smart speech. Intelligent and inspiring at the same time.

Washington quote is brilliant.

All in all a well done speech.

As you watch the greetings after the speech, it appears Bush and Obama get along. Michelle was crying.

I like the poem--especially the "all about me is..." stuff.
"what if the mightiest word is love.."

I like the benediction. It too is also long.

tanks shall be beaten into tractors.......this is an excellent retelling of the swords into plowshares

the whole racial thing at the end was both funny and a good touch.

Will be interesting to hear the commentary.....and then get to work

Couple Dating: Who Knew (New)?

I guess I am just blind. Before I got married, I socialized with both married folks and single folks as friends. Sometimes I would go to my married friends' houses, and we would do something together after their kids went to bed Sometimes, a number of friends would get together for dinner or movies. If I had friends I wanted to spend some time with, we would find a way to spend time together.

Now that I am a married man, I have discovered that there is a phenomenon called "couples dating". It seems that when you are married, that different couples decide to go out together on something very similar to a date. Often this is like a blind date, because only two of the four people involved in the social gathering know one another before the four people meet. But somehow, married couple's find it pleasurable to go out to eat or go to movie together in a way very similar to dating. We have recieved several such invitations.

Who knew??

Peterson on the prophets

Lots of people more or less believe in God. But most of us do our best to customize God to suit our convienience by adapting and modifying, making him "relevant to our situation". Prophets insist that God is the living center or nothing. Our task is to become relevant to His situation. They insist that we deal with God as God reveals Himself, not as we imagine him to be.

Too bad other people have not thought of this sooner....

Take a look at the new cheerleaders for the Florida marlins--the Florida Manatees.

Live

My friend Matt wrote about a book he read by Albert Borgmann on technology. In it, there was a discussion on how we lose a little bit with most of our musical experiences being recorded, which is something that did not happen that much until after world war two.

It got me to thinking.

One of the things that is different about Jennifer and I is that Jen likes live music and live recordings, where I have much less interest in either, especially recordings of live performances. I like my music to be relationally distanced from the performer. I like to be able to listen to something while reading a book, and have the music help me write well. I like to listen to music that leads me to prayer while I am alone. For me, musical stuff is rarely a social event.

Jen and her friend Hollie almost glow when they talk about going to a Dave Matthews concert. They love the community experience. The chance to experience music live. The chance to be connected to the artist in that way. Jen and Hollie love the uniqueness of each concert experience, and will hear someone live more than once.

I would like to hear a few folks live in concert. The reason is different. Mainly, at some point, I would like to say, for example, that I saw U2 in concert. Or Van Morrison. Having said that, there are people that I was not a fan of until I saw them in concert. This is especially true of Christian musicians, and most true of Jennifer Knapp (a 90s Christian musician). To be honest, I had a celeb crush on Jennifer Knapp for a while.

So, my question is, are you a "live" person, or do you prefer music on a CD in your easy chair to being at a concert?

It’s For the Birds

Why are so many NFL teams named after birds? Are they really that ferocious? This next week the teams in the conference championships include three teams named after birds: the Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Pittsburg Steelers are also in the conference championship. Now, as most of you know, my team is also names after a bird, the Seattle Seahawks. To me, though, I wonder if a bird is an appropriate mascot.

My wife is afraid of birds. I think she was traumatized by the movie "The Birds" as a child.

So, do you think a bird is an appropriate mascot?

If so, which out of the ones below do you find the most frightening?:

Seattle Seahawks

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Philadelphia Eagles

Baltimore Ravens

Called Away

I stood up on that platform. And I was confident that the people could catch me. But I was not sure that they would. I am a big man. But I had done trust falls before. With squirly teenagers. From greater heights. And they had caught me. But this time I had concerns.

The camp was unique. From the beginning, it was structured in a more contemplative fashion. A way that encouraged youth and adult sponsors to seek God through prayer and spiritual disciplines. That part of the camp was brilliant. And it benefitted the kids and the other adult sponsors in many ways.

At the beginning of the camp, we were asked to come to God with a question or concern that we wanted God to speak to us about. My question was, "Do you want me doing this anymore?" By "this" I meant both youth ministry and ministry at First Baptist Church of Colorado Springs.

Admittedly, I came into the experience frustrated as it was. I do not like camps. God has used me to make a difference in people's lives at camps, and for that reason I continue to do them. And I have made friends at camps. And that is a good thing. But I prefer mission trips to camps or conferences. We did the camp because that is what the parents and kids that were left at church pushed for in the middle of our church crisis, and because I felt it might be what the kids needed even if it was not what I liked or what I wanted.

I don't like camps because camps seem to be a replay of my junior high years. Everybody seems to be connecting and growing closer to everybody, and I feel like the nerdy fat kid that nobody likes. The one exception is the class on camp leadership I took in seminary, because I had my buddy Shawn Geer as a roommate. (The way I remember it, Shawn could have had a room alone but chose to be my roommate because he did not feel having a room by yourself at camp was right. I felt valued and honored that he chose to share a room with me when he did not have to.) This camp gave so much free time to adults and kids on top of it, that I felt disconected from my group for big chunks of the day. (Have I ever said I like structure and clarity?) So, I throw all my camp issues in as a disclaimor.

As I went through the week, I kept asking my questions. I kept struggling through. I kept feeling this tug that God was leading me elsewhere. That I would not be at that church the next year.

I had a phone interview on one of those breaks with an area minister in Michigan. I was in conversation with another church, with youth ministry responsibilities, in Illinois.

My boss called to relay messages to me through the other adult leaders husband instead of calling me directly. I saw this as a sign he would never treat me with respect while I was working there (I was right).

The harder I tried to get connected with the kids, the further I felt from them.

There were a lot of other issues happening, but they do not need to be on a public web page. Some would embarass folks. Others would betray confidences. Others are just hurts that I have not shared with anyone, and should not be put on a public blog.

I guess what I am trying to say is I was struggling. And I was coming to God with this question all week. And I was leaning toward an answer. And there was a whole bunch of stuff going on in my heart and my soul. And it all kind of built up to this trust fall.

I was the first one to do the trust fall. And I was eager to do it. I was eager to do it because I needed my answer. Should I stay in youth ministry or not? Should I stay in Colorado Springs or not?

And I had this trust that the answer that I was seeking was supposed to be answered by that trust fall. These people represented God. If these people caught me, maybe God was supporting me in my ministry with youth and in Colorado Springs. If they dropped me, which hardly ever happens even with big boys like me, then it was a sign from God to move on. It was like God dropping me and no longer supporting me in my ministry I was at anymore.

They dropped me. I visited four churches in the next six months. Interviewed with 8. I preached in view of a call and tendered my resignation seven months later. But it was in Green Lake I knew I was being called away from Colorado Springs, and at that time was being called away from working with youth. I no longer had value there. And as far as I was concerned, I was a complete and total failure. The dropping had confirmed everything I felt and had sensed. I know it is not rational. I know it does not make sense. But that is how I felt.

Nearly a year after my first interview with Fowler (Feb 2), I am missing the work I used to do a little bit. A friend called me this week, and was excited about the young adult ministry in Colorado Springs. I guess a number of the folks that we started a small group with about 2 years ago are plugging in with an outreach that the church is doing. And the group is even growing. It sounded exciting. I was happy they were experiencing growth and success.

It also makes me wonder if maybe I wasn't as much of a failure in some regards as I thought I was. Especially with young adults. Maybe I did a lot of what I was called to do. Maybe I wasn't dropped by God. Maybe I was just let go, or released. And if that is the case, maybe I can hold out hope and dream that we will grow here.

Anyway, a email conversation with a friend made me think of this today, and I thought I would share it with you.

Doggie Crack

My dog is addicted to begging strips. He sees them. His eyes get big. His heart start palpitating, and he slobbers. I make him work for his money by performing tricks. But he short circuits his tricks to get his dope quicker. He yelps at me. I tell him he is not allowed to get a treat for half-ass work. He needs to sit all the way down and roll all the way over. Eventually he gets the point. Then he paws and begs for more.

Everyday Heresies

Today I was reading through one of the many books that I have yet to finish--The Trinity by Roger Olson and Christopher Hall.

In particular, I was reading a summary of the development of Trinitarian theology from the patristic era. As I was reading, it suddenly occured to me that it is very easy to become a heretic in one's trinitarian theology. Especially, in the patristic era, or the era of the early church fathers.

At the same time, it is also interesting to note what theological heresies continue to rear their ugly heads over and over again. In particular, I was struck by the human tendency to present the Old Testament God and the New Testament God as almost two different Gods, or two different kinds of Gods. According to this line of thinking, the Old Testament God is Rambo, and the New Testament God is more like Mr. Rogers. There are a million variations of how people communicate this "divine personality change" between the Old Testament and the New Testament. But this understanding of God is unbiblical, heretical, and immoral.

In the early church (or patristic period) this idea was advocated by Marcion, who as a result had a number of beliefs that were very close to gnosticism, and were rejected by the early church councils. Iraneus says of Marcion's beliefs that the Old Testament and New Testament God are different that one cannot "Divide God into two, calling one good and the other just. For in doing so he (Marcion) destroys the divinity of both." (Hall and Olson, p.27) As Gerald O'Collins correctly states "The Jewish Creator God is identical with the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ". (The Tripersonal God, p. 97).

The OT God v. NT God theological approach creates a problem because it allows us to quickly dismiss the bulk of God's Word, or a least not give it as strong of an emphasis. Yet, a quick study of the New Testament demonstrates that the early church used their Old Testament as their primary Scriptures, and through the Old Testament texts were able to see how the message of Jesus was consistent with the God revealed in Scriptures (namely the Old Testament).

Relatedly, even though this was less a concern of the church fathers, this "divine personality change" divorces Jesus from his Hebrew context. And when we divorce Jesus from who he was ethnically, an ancient Jewish peasant/laborer, then it becomes very easy to misunderstand Jesus. Specifically, it can lead to anti-semitical theology and behavior. If you doubt this, study the theology of 18th-early 20th century German theology, which both puts less of an emphasis on the Trinity, and Jesus' Jewish heritage. This poor theology in many ways led to the holocaust.

Ok...enough of me rambling...sometimes I just need to write things down or I forget what I was thinking about.

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men....

Last night I was trying to catch up on a little cleaning before my wife got home from work and her dentist appointment. We had some left over cookies from before Christmas. They were a little too stale for Jen and I. I thought I had a great idea. Lets give the dog the leftover cookies. It will make him happy. It will help us clean up the shelves a little bit. So I slowly doled out between 6-12 peanut butter cookies to Jake.

I was feeling pretty proud of myself until.....he vomited in living room. And the dining room. And the kitchen. And outside. And he did all this about 5 minutes before Jen got home. So much for cleaning the house before Jen got home from the dentist...

Live and learn I guess.

2 Bowls in a Row

My Ducks won in a shootout over Oklahoma State. In the process, they proved that the Pac-10 is not soft or weak, even though they play fast-break football. GO DUCKS!

Doubt: The Movie

Last night I went to a movie to mother and wife. We watched the Movie "Doubt". The Movie "Doubt" is based upon the play "Doubt".

Doubt has a stellar cast. The characters that play the minor roles do a good job with the parts that they play. But Meryl Streep and Phillip Seymour Hoffman do a superb job with their lead roles. So much of the acting in this movie is based upon subtlety--the looks and expression someone gives, or the little cues about what is going on between body language between two characters. Thomas and Streep pull this off brilliantly.

One scene in particular that is fascinating in this regard is when the nun decides she is going to confront the priest about something she feels he has done wrong. The priest begins the situation by taking the nun's seat at the desk. Then there is this subtle dance where the nun attempts to and finally does take control of the situation. The tension of the scene in palpable, and the subtle ways each person tries to take control of the situation is so brilliantly written and acted that is just sucks you in.

The movie did well in letting non-human "characters" speak. For instance, the light in the mother superior's office keeps going out at important times. The wind blows at points in the movie, and you wonder how the director intends that wind to speak to you.

The movie, says the author, is really about what the title says it is about--the relationship of doubt and certainty. It is set in a post Vatican-II catholic church in Boston, with the incoming of a new priest of a church and perochial school in the 1960s. At some point, the mother superior suspects the priest of an inappropriate relationship with a student, and the nun and priest get caught up in a power struggle. This power struggle escalates throughout the movie, and does not have a "disney" conclusion.

It also touches on the issue of homosexuality.

The role of the young boy's mother is also played brilliantly.

If you want a movie that will challenge you and make you think, watch the movie DOUBT.

Lower Arkansas Valley

Black and white when it is almost night

Sunset

This is a picture of a sunset between Avondale and Fowler, Colorado.

Hwy 50

This is on the road from Fowler to Pueblo on Highway 50, just east of Avondale, CO.

Phrases or Subjects that make me change the channel

1. In this post 9-11 world... This declaration is a red-herring and merits an automatic changing of the the channel. As long as we mire in self-pity and depravation of civil liberties after 9-11 we let Osama Bin Laden win.

2. Any combination of these three words: Rick Warren, gays, prayer: This issue is also total bull. If the democrats cave on this, they will show that they are simply panderers and slaves to self interest. The gay lobby is flexing its muscles hoping to bully Obama around. I hope Obama is strong enough not to cave here, or he is going to be bullied by every other special interest.

3. Exit Interviews and (insert member of Bush administration)...An exit interview is something done by supervisors on a job. The media (conservative and liberal) has set themselves up as supervisors of politicians, and thus, they believe, as rulers of the world. I will not play their game anymore. Media members do not offer "exit interviews". They do not run the White House. I hope they never do.

The Middle Road on Gay Marriage: Respecting Civil Rights and Religious Freedom

I remember having a conversation with a leader in my former church that advocated pretty strongly for our church to be a welcoming and affirming church. Welcoming and affirming in Baptist cirlces means that you both welcome homosexuals into you chruch fellowship, and affirm that their lifestyle choice to be engaged in homosexual behavior can be both moral and healthy. I often disagreed with this person, I think it is clear that homosexuality is incompatable with Biblical teaching and Christian witness. However, we both agreed that we should extend the same welcome to gays as we do to anyone else. We both also strongly agreed that gays should be treated equally under the law.

As we discussed the issue, we got to a point where we discussed gay marriage. He shared with me a proposal that I thought was intelligent and reasonable, and I think in the end is the direction that both conservatives and liberals should aim for. He stated that legally marriage and civil unions should be separate institutions for both homosexual and straight couples. Civil Unions should be a legal partnership and open to people of all sexual orientations. Marriages should not be civil unions at all, but should be strictly religious institutions. In many cases, through common law marriage legistlation, this civil union/marriage separation is already a reality. I know several couples who would be recognized as common law in court, or who even have common law papers before they get married.

Why is this a good idea? It allows gays the rights that any couple in their position should have. The ability to visit loved ones in the hospital. The possibility of having equal parental rights in adoption situations. To have shared life and property together. There are a lot of heterosexual marriages that are less than ideal morally, but they still have these rights as well.

On the other hand, it allows religious groups the right to understand marriage as their theology allows. It allows these churches to perform marriages for who they feel comfortable marrying, without the drawbacks of government oversight. It lets the church better understand its theology of marriage and divorce without having to deal with the legal ramifications that homosexuality brings up. For instance, when someone chooses to follow Christ, and as a result wants to leave the homosexual lifestyle, what does the church do if the homosexual person wants a divorce? Divorce and homosexuality are both morally problematic for many believers. This would create quite a moral dilema. If it were simply a relgious ceremony, maybe it would be easier for the church not to recognize.

Anyway...these are just a few thoughts as I think through some of the challenging issues of our times. What are your thoughts?

HGTV Effect

Lately I have been watching HGTV. There are a number of consequences from watching several shows about home buying and home renovation:

1. You feel like you are smart enough to take on all sorts of projects when you are really not able to really begin.

2. You long to buy a home, even when you cannot afford it.

3. You start finding fault with the design of where you are living. Currently, in the parsonage we are in, each room had been revovated in a different era.

4. You learn the infinite value of a fresh coat of pain on about any wall.

5. You start wondering if you will ever be able to buy a home

6. You develop a strong distaste for people in their 20s and early 30s who seek to buy their first home and demand the PERFECT house.

7. You want to have a large account at home depot

RIck Warren and Barack Obama

It seems that it is a controversy for Rick Warren to pray at the innauguration. What do you think?

International Version of Street Musicians singing Stand By Me

Quote from The Jesus Way by Eugene Peterson

When we pray, we cannot be too careful about our verbs. Are our prayers a means for putting us in charge of kingdom affairs, or making us the person through whom God can reveal himselv or bring his will into being in this world? Are our prayers assertive and demanding: "O God, make me like Herod and I'll do great things for you!"? Are prayers self-serving, separating ourselves from others:"O God I thank thee that I am not like this tax collector"?

Or are our prayers acts of submission that shape a life of willing obedience in the kingdom of God: "Let it be to me according to your word"?

(p. 219)

Czar

Lately, people have been discussing having a "car czar" for managing the automobile industry bailout. I think this is interesting.

Why do we use the metaphor of Russian despots from the middle ages to describe reformers in our government? Does this language help or hinder the accomplishment of the goals that we have "czar"s for? Which of the government "czar" positiions have really had a lot of success?

Sermon on December 7, 2008

Family Matters

 1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
2 Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. 3 Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. 4 Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. 5 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, 6 and Jesse begot David the king.

   David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife^[a] of Uriah. 7 Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa.^[b]
8 Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. 9 Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. 10 Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon,^[c] and Amon begot Josiah. 11 Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.
12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. 13 Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. 14 Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. 15 Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. 16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.

As I said last week, this week we are looking at the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. And when we look at this particular passage, it is easy to jump to conclusions. And what is that conclusion: Yaawn (act out).

I went to a college in Kansas in a small town of about 2000 people. In many ways Sterling was a lot different than Fowler. It was in Kansas, and in many ways Kansas is different than Colorado, especially the closer you get to Wichita. Most of the crops here I have seen are corn and melon. Most of the crops in that part of Kansas are wheat related. Sterling had 500 students living on the edge of town from August to June, and a disproportionate number of Ph. Ds in town. Instead of four Baptist churches in town, there were two, but there were two Presbyterian churches and two different kinds of Methodist churches to make up for it.

In some ways it was the same. It was a town on the Arkansas River. Neither town had a stoplight. It had been the size it was since it was founded for the most part. It had one grocery store about the same size as Jack's, although the meat was not nearly as good of meat as we have here in our little Fowler market.

The most popular church in town was the Evangelical Mennonite Church. They actually had a bus that went around and picked people up from the school and brought them out to their rather large church in the country. Or at least I heard it was large. I never went.

I went to a small Baptist church a half a block from CMART in the middle of town. The church ran between 20 and 40 on a Sunday morning, and had a series of part-time pastors. I came to the church and wanted to get plugged in with ministry. The church let me do the children's messages and teach Sunday School. Since I was the one college student that attended their church, they kind of adopted me as their own. There was a group of three couples that were the core of the church. And they went out to eat Sundays and Tuesdays. And they would usually invite me along. And they would fight over who would get to buy my dinner. It was all very nice.

Anyway…to my point. I would sit in those diners and restaurants with them for week after week, listening to them visit. And most of their visits with one another would run a similar course. They would talk about stuff going on with the church or their families for the first five minutes. Then, someone would walk out of the door and they would recount their stories. Some might call this gossip. Sometimes it was. But many times it not done with any sort of destructive quality. It was done with caring. Caring about each person's well-being. Each person's story.

At first, my reaction to recounting each person's name and story was the same as yours might have been when you heard this geneaology. Yawwwn. But slowly, as I sat and listened. Listened to how one person has lost his wife tragically. How another's wife is really his second wife, even though a lot of the new folks in town did not know that. How yet one more person was a hard worker, even though they recently lost their job. You know how it goes. You have been at those tables, in those restaurants and around those tables.

The stories were important. Because each other person's story was a part of their personal history, and their community's history. When I first heard them tell the stories, all I heard was names. Names that meant nothing to me. Names that bored me. As I lived in that place longer, and heard the names more and more, the names that helped me understood who my friends were, and who the people in their community were.

If this is true of people in a diner in the middle of Sterling, KS, then surely it is true of a family tree. I have talked to many of you about your family trees. Some of you have had seven generations of Fowler people here that have been born here and lived in the area. Some of you have relatives that were military commanders in the civil war. Some of you are children of Russian Jewish immigrants. Why are you interested in your history? Because it tells you a lot about who you are, where you have come from, what you are about.

And just like our web of relations and our family trees tell us something about us, Jesus' family tree tells us something about him and his mission. And Jesus' family tree is really more than just a bunch of names. Because of his bloodlines, and because of who he is as the personification of all the hope and dreams of Israel….because he is the King of Kings and the Messiah, his bloodlines in many ways is our spiritual family tree as well.

Now, if your family tree is like my family tree…well…there are some branches of the family tree that are something to be proud of, and there are some that are …well….a little more colorful. Jesus' family tree is like that. There are a little more colorful parts of his family tree as well.

One of the tell tale signs of where the unique stories are in Jesus' family tree is that there are certain parts of Jesus' family tree where the women are mentioned as well as the men. Let us look at those specific stories.

The first woman mentioned is Tamar. And actually one of her sons is mentioned who was not a part of Jesus' direct genealogy. Matthew Tamar had her children through Judah. It is an interesting story how Tamar had Judah's children, since Judah was Tamar's father in law. You see Tamar married Judah's eldest son. His eldest son died. Because his eldest son died, the custom was to make the next youngest brother marry the same wife, and father at least one son as the dead son's heir. Well, the middle brother did not like this arrangement and refused to impregnate Tamar. God allowed him to die as well. Judah, thinking Tamar was jinxed, sent her back home to her birth family. Tamar was shamed by Judah and his family in front of the whole world. She came up with a plan. So she decided when she knew Judah was coming through town that she would disguise herself, and present herself as a prostitute along the road. Judah came through and solicited Tamar as a prostitute. Tamar got pregnant and gave birth to twins. Those twins are mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus, and one is in his direct bloodlines. There is a prostitute in Jesus' family tree. What's more, Jesus is here on earth as a direct result of this immoral event.

After Tamar we meet a woman named Rahab. Rahab was from Jericho, and she was known as a prostitute as well. When God told the Israelites to enter the land after having them wander in the wilderness for 40 years, He led spies to Rahab. Rahab gave shelter to God's people, and made an alliance with them that allowed her family to be saved, even though they destroyed the rest of the community in Jericho, they saved Rahab. Rahab became a part of God's people, even though she was of another race and a prostitute. She committed treason against her own people to side with God's people. This woman, who was a prostitute and a heroine at the same time, is a part of Jesus family tree. The Israelite people were dependent on her to begin their entrance in the promised land. They could not have entered the land without this woman of poor reputation. This woman, with a colorful past, is also a part of the direct lineage of Jesus.

The next woman mentioned in Ruth. Many of you are familiar with her story. She cared for a mother-in –law she had no obligation to stay with. She moved with her mother-in-law back to her homeland of Israel, and helped her mother in law support herself. Eventually, Ruth marries a man named Boaz, and gets grafted into Jesus' family tree. The interesting thing about Ruth is that she was not an Israelite, she was a Moabite. She was a foreigner. A person of a different ethnic background. A different race. A person who at one time had worshipped other gods. There was an outsider in Jesus' family tree. Scandalous.

The woman we meet after Ruth is so scandalous she is not mentioned by name. She is simply mentioned as the wife of David and the mother of Solomon. The next woman that is mentioned in Bathsheba. Bathsheba, was married to a man named Uriah in her first marriage. At one point, David lusted after Bathsheba, coerced her into coming into his home and having sex with him. She got pregnant with David's baby. So, King David had her husband Uriah killed, and then married Bathsheba. Bathsheba miscarried. Later she gave birth to King Solomon. Who is in Jesus' family tree. Jesus has a murderer and an adulterer in his family tree. His birth is the direct result of this immoral relationship that spawned this murder of Solomon's mother's first husband.

Then there is Mary. Who is the faithful servant of God, and the mother of Jesus. Not much to say there, except for she was a teen mother without a biological father in the picture. A poor girl from the outskirts of the nation of Israel.

What are we to make of all of this? Of all these whores, adulterers, and foreigners in the bloodline of the Messiah..the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords?

Last week we discussed how Jesus is our deliverer. This week I want us to take us the next step.

Not only does Jesus deliver us from our sin, he takes all of our mistakes, sins, peculiarities, and failures and makes them a part of a story of his love and his grace.

God does not simply forgive us our sin. He is much more powerful and amazing than that. God takes our sin-sodden lives, and transforms them into monuments of His grace and His love. Often using those very points of brokenness, failure and sin as centerpieces of his power and strength to heal, transform, and redeem.

Pastor Fred Allen, who was here as Pastor from 2000 to 2006, wasn't a Pastor for his entire life. He did other things for years. Actually, for many years he was an alcoholic. Or to be more direct and less politically correct, a drunk. Then, in an encounter with Jesus, he told the Lord that if God would help him quit drinking, because he believed he was powerless to do it otherwise, that God would deliver him from his battle with alcohol. Miraculously, God healed him. And Pastor Fred became a pastor.

And a lot of the power of Pastor Fred's ministry with you, as well as with many others, was as Velma says, "Because of the power of his testimony". You see, God was able to deliver Pastor Fred. He was able to do more than that. He was able take the tragedy of his sins, and transform them from tragedy to testimony.

Testimony to God's power to take our sin and shame, even our worst moments and biggest secrets, and make them a part of HIS STORY OF LOVE and GRACE.

As we come to the table this morning, we come to remember Jesus. To remember Him and to proclaim him until he comes again.

We come to remember we need him. We need him like we need the bread we eat and the liquid we drink.

We come and remember that it is not only this table that is a signpost to God's grace. It is the lives of the people that partake of this bread and this fruit of the vine that are the signposts of God. And as we come, rededicating ourselves to follow Jesus, let us know that nothing we have done or will ever do is outside of the scope of his redemption—if we will surrender our lives to this One who has come to earth to make us whole. This Jesus.

Shane Claiborne on the Church and Relevancy

As important as it is to be relevant, I think it’s important that we’re peculiar. We need to be a contrast culture.

Possible Names of Children

Jennifer and I are not planning on having children. Especially anytime soon. But we had a conversation about it due to people naming their dog's with full names, including adding their family names.

As we were talking, we thought we could add some names that would work well with our family name:

1. Skyler Walker

2. Streeter Walker

3. Faith Walker

4. River Walker

The wife wants me to clarify that we are not having a child anytime soon, we are also not getting another dog.

Anyone else have any fun names that could go with our last name?

Expectations game

I thought this was an interesting little piece here by CNN. And, I suspect Campbell Brown has a pretty good point. Although, I suspect Rendell was speaking in advocacy of his collegue to someone who is a little hesitant to support her.

There are two issues here.

Do singles get treated differently in the workplace than married folks?

How are women seen differently than men in the workplace?

Having just recently been married, I think singles do get treated differently than married persons in the workplace. More than once in my single years I have heard directly, "You are single, you don't have a family so you can....." Single persons are treated differently. So are married persons. In my work, it means that expectations are put on my wife to be involved with things and their is more expected of us as a family. I think this is true in other professions at times as well, it is not completely unique to ministry. Especially in Montana, as a single person I felt like a lot more was expected of my time and energy than would have been expected had I been married. Colorado Springs was very supportive of my transition into marriage, and for the most part was very understanding and supportive in my professional transition to married life.

As for gender, I think the gender issue goes both ways as well. In some ways women have to deal with the kinds of sexism demonstrated by Gov. Rendell. But, from my perspective, there are some women who are able to use their gender to also get away with things men in the workplace do not. For instance, my wife's former boss in La Junta started crying as she was leading a meeting of her department because they were mean to her. Very few men would get away with that, and get understanding in that situation in the workplace. Although I know that all workplaces are different, I think that women are often given more understanding for less emotional control in the workplace because they are women. I have seen that in my own workplace, I have heard about this in my mother's and my wife's workplace, among others. It does not always happen. There are workers in strongly male environments that may not get away with this (I am thinking of you, Robin), but I think for the most part gender expectations cut both ways.

In my experience, this was especially true in Colorado Springs. I say this was true because of a confrontation with a coworker. The coworker said something that I took offense to in a meeting, blaming me for something that I thought was due to her lack of communication. I took sometime to cool off, and then I confronted her directly. I told her that I was angry with her, and that I did not think I deserved to be embarrassed in front of the whole staff by her. She started crying. She sat in her office and cried. Then she went to my supervisor, and told him that she was thinking she couldn't work in the office because I was too mean to her. My supervisor called me into his office after she left. He said that in theory I handled this appropriately, but that I should not approach these things this way because I was older, my body was larger, and I was male.

From that point on, I learned in that workplace men and women were treated differently. Women were allowed to speak their minds. Men had to be careful. Women were allowed to scold the supervisor. Men were not allowed to question him. Women could lose their temper, even cussing in the middle of a church staff meeting or crying. Men had to be strong and keep a stiff upper lip. I think this is because women were seen as a support, and men as a threat. Thankfully, the church has called a female to fill my position. I felt strongly enough about this that I recommended that the church consider women strongly for the position in my exit interview. A woman will be granted more freedom in that work situation.

I guess I say all this because I think both men and women, single and married, can be caught in an expectations game. Sometimes we have to live with those expectations, and sometimes we need to challenge them.