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Monday, September 29, 2008

John 11- This Sickness Will Not End In Death

"This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God' glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." -Jesus

Jesus just received report that his friend Lazarus had fallen ill. It was obviously not merely a cold but a serious illness that was frightening his loved ones. We can assume that due to the nature of the sickness and the condition of Lazarus, they were concerned that he would not make it (otherwise they wouldn't bother Jesus with their request). But, it was a serious ordeal so they sent for Jesus to come and heal, and they waited anxiously for his response to the plea.

Surely, Jesus knew. He is all knowing and all powerful. He knew Lazarus was going to die. He knew it would be hard on everyone including himself. Yet, "he stayed where he was two more days." He hesitated. He didn't rush to their aid. He patiently waited two days while Lazarus grew worse and died. And his comment to his disciples shows us what he was up to, "this sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified."

Obviously, Jesus could have healed him. He could have spoke a word like he did in the instance of the centurion's servant (Luke 7), and all would be well. But, Jesus used this opportunity to be glorified.

Are you experiencing this in your life? A sickness? Something that you just don't understand why it is happening? Here is the truth: God uses the brokenness of this world, He uses sin, He uses what at a glance appears horrible and painful and terrible to glorify His Son. Jesus is magnified by taking situations that seem bleak and hopeless and by turning them for good. Just like Joseph telling his brothers that sold him into slavery, "you intended to harm me but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many. (Genesis 50:20)" God uses the ill of this world to glorify His Son Jesus Christ. I know when you are in the middle of the situation and weeping, falling at the feet of Jesus and saying, 'if you would have been here, my brother would not of died' it can feel crazy and out of control. But, as you continue to pray and cling to Jesus I pray that you would see how He was at work the whole time. He is at work. He is being glorified by reconciling the world to himself by the shed blood on the cross (Colossians 1:20).

Jesus called Lazarus from the dead friends... talk about a hopeless situation!? Lazarus was in the tomb. It was done. It was over. But, Jesus is never done. It is never over! He calls Lazarus from the tomb and Lazarus is risen from the dead. Jesus will speak that word to you. "Arise my child, I am at work and I am drawing all men to me." Though the world is broken Jesus is glorified!

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Expository Preaching -pt. 3

John Piper recently shared his insights in this concept of preaching the word of God. He wrote an article titled In Honor of Tethered Preaching. Below is the link.

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2008/3243_In_Honor_of_Tethered_Preaching/

Expository Preaching -pt 2

John Stott founded an organization called the Langham Partnership to help train pastors in the 'major world.' Below is a link to a video describing the intent of the ministry and their process... they are committed to biblical preaching. Pay close attention to the part where Stott shares.
http://mrc.christianity.com/players/?sc=lpi&tg=a58e826c-6926-4434-af05-4dd893f4db32&pf=video&custom=1

Enjoy!

Expository Preaching

I was probably 18 at the time... So it was around 8 years ago that I was sitting on the floor in a hotel room having my devotional time during our family vacation. I began to take a piece of scripture, the lord's prayer, and write it out into sermon form. I remember looking at my "sermon" and thinking, "I might be called to this?"

Today I am sitting at my desk in my apartment, where I study and read for my task as pastor. We just looked at Nehemiah Chapter 8 this last week and talked about the role of expository preaching in a worship service. As I read Nehemiah I notice that expository preaching is exulted over every thing else that happens during our understanding of a "worship service." I also cannot help but covet the role of Ezra the priest and scribe. A man who found favor with the Lord and had the hand of the Lord evidenced in his life because, "Ezra set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach His statues and decrees... (Ezra 7:10 ESV)."

Two friends of mine are at the Desiring God conference in Minnesota learning about the power of the Word of God. My Pastor and friend David Clark is preparing to preach the word tonight. So, I thought it would be fitting to share some insights on this weighty call to "preach the word!"

I am reading a brilliant book called Between Two Worlds by John Stott. Here is an excerpt from the book that I stumbled upon today:
"I do not hesitate to say that a major reason for the Church's decline in some areas and immaturity in others is what Amos called a 'famine of hearing the Lord's words.' (8:11) The low level of Christian living is due, more than anything else, to the low level of Christian preaching. More often than we like to admit, the pew is a reflection of the pulpit. Seldom if ever can the pew rise higher than the pulpit." -John Stott, Between Two Worlds, pg. 115

The faithful preaching of the word of God is the centerpiece of the church. We come to church primarily to hear from God through his written word expounded to us. It is unfortunate that Satan has tricked us into believing that our quiet time can substitute a healthy preaching of the word. Understand this, we are one of the only cultures where the Bible is so easily obtained or readily accessible.

In other places the word of God preached is the primary way that God speaks to his people. And I fear that as we substitute personal devotional time for hearing the word preached we actually lose the word of God altogether in our lives as our quiet time is crowded out by other things like work or family time or leisure. So, let me say that history has proved that the preaching of the word is the primary means by which God speaks to His people and we need to put an emphasis on the hearing of the word and the faithful preaching of the word.

God make us excited about hearing your word. Help us to gather together on Sundays as 'one man' and ask that Ezra (our pastors) would bring out the Book of the Law. God make us eager to hear from you. And make us jealous for your word. Make us uneasy when the word is not faithfully preached. God we lift up the Shepherds that you have placed over churches and ask that right now you would draw them to their knees. That you would speak to them in a fresh way and that they would 'speak as men saying the very words of God (1 Peter 4:11).'

Friday, September 26, 2008

John 10- In His Grip

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. (vs. 27-28)

Are you a listener? Can you honestly say that you listen intently for the voice of the Shepherd? Tell me if you hear him beckon you in the morning to follow and does he lead you besides streams of living water? Does he let you lay down and rest in green pastures? Or, is the sound of his voice distant and indistinguishable? Could you even recognize it if you heard him?

Isn't it more like us to forge our own path and see if the Shepherd is nearby when we get to our destination? We push our way out of the fold and try to achieve our plans and purposes and we hope that Jesus is near enough to justify our actions. We might even claim he led us but if we are honest we went astray.

I want you friends to pray today that you are completely obedient to the good Shepherd. That you wait to hear his command. That you are in his hand. Disobedience will not be tolerated. So, please make sure that you are in his mighty grip.

We all like sheep have gone astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (1Peter 2:25). Friend have you returned? Or are you wandering? Place your life in the hand of the only One who can Save you. Lay your life completely at the foot of the Cross. Listen to the voice of the good Shepherd.

How terrifying the words are that Jesus spoke to some and continues to speak today... "you are not my sheep (vs 26)."
God make us your sheep. Lord we are prone to wander but please return us to your fold.. Please by your rod discipline us not to wander. Snatch us in your grip and do not release us. By your grace keep us.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Read this Blog

I think the world of Dave Meding. He is does a myriad of things here at Central and he has much wisdom and insight. Last night while we were meeting for Fuel, Dave was in the prayer room going before the throne for us...

He wrote a blog on prayer and I want to encourage you to read it.
http://mycentralwired.com/blogs/?p=351

be blessed.

John 10- The Wolf Strikes The Sheep Scatter

The wolf strikes and the sheep scatter. Have you felt that? My only conclusion to you if you answer "no" is that your life is at its beginning and you will experience it in days and years to come. The reality is that there is a thief that comes to steal, and kill, and destroy (vs 10). There is a wolf that is opposed to you. This is the way it has always been.

In my estimation, the wolf, Satan and his legions of helpers, are at work. They hate sheep. They hate to see us in fellowship with our Shepherd and feeding in green pastures and responding to the voice of our master. So, they will do whatever they can to steal kill and destroy. This should not be news. This should be as ordinary as breathing. The bible describes Satan as "the god of this world (2 Corinth 4:4)." That he is hostile towards everything good. That he persecutes the church (Rev 2:10, 13-14). He is the prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). And that he desires to destroy the divine plans of grace towards mankind (1 Peter 5:8).

Friends, cling to the Shepherd! He was willing to put himself between the wolf and you! He was willing to lay down his life to spare you... He laid down his very own life to rescue you. This does not mean that the wolf no longer attacks. But it is like the wolf has been de-clawed and has no teeth. He will attack be we can have a confidence in the cross. We can rest in the good Shepherd. For he knows his sheep and we know him (vs. 14).

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

John 9- Spiritually Blind and Slow

Oh how many of us are spiritually blind? Their is a blindness that is physical and I can't imagine living my life with the absence of sight? Imagine how the loss of sight or the lack of sight would effect you. It would change everything.... But to apply that blindness to your spiritual condition is scary. But, it is a real diagnosis that we must be aware of.

The Bible teaches that we are all blind... that we are born into a blindness. That we cannot perceive the spiritual realities that are before us but our physical sight masks and dismisses our inclination to even think we are blind. In fact, Paul says that the cross (spiritual reality) is foolishness to those that are perishing (1 Corinthians 1:18). We perceive the concept of being blind as foolishness because my eyes and my body tell me that I can see. That I am aware.

But, even though I have a hard time coming to grips with my blindness, it is still the truth. We are blind and have to have our spiritual eyes opened.

In John 9 Jesus heals a man blind from birth. I have heard this text quoted many times in sermons and I have even wrote about it before but the thing that is new to me today is the discussion Jesus has with him at the end of the conversation.
Jesus says to the man, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
"Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that so that I may believe in him."
Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."
Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.

Blind and slow apparently? How is it that the man needed to be explicitly told who Jesus is?

Here is my conclusion... we are all like that man. A little slow to perceive. Extremely blind but even with our sight comes a dense ignorance to the Son of Man. So, let us pray diligently that the Son of Man would blatantly reveal himself to us so that we can worship him.

Jesus came for Judgement. He came to proclaim us blind and to show us our blindness. He also came to give us sight. But please please do not fall into the group that "sees yet will become blind." Those are people that claim to have sight yet the Great Revealer will draw everything into the light. Humble yourself today and acknowledge your slowness and your lack of sight and your inability to perceive spiritual things. And pray that God will grant you the ability to look the Son of God in the face, in all his glory, and worship him.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

John 9- Do Work

"Do work"... that is a phrase that I used a lot when I was on tour with Operation 12. It was kind of a joke as we tried to be cool and tried to act like we know anything about the hip hop culture. I'm actually lame and try hard to be cool. Sometimes it works out, sometime, like this particular case, it makes me look very un-cool.

Nonetheless, Jesus used this language when asked about a blind man (but I bet he didn't say it with the urban emphasis added). He said the man was blind "so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day we must do the work of him who sent me (John 9:3,4)." Jesus is a man on a mission. He is doing work. The work of the one who sent him. And, I want to be about doing that same work! My passion is that I would not get lazy. That we would not get lazy or shirk responsibility or pretend that someone else will finish the work. God has given us the daylight and we are to work diligently before the sun sets. There is an issue of time here. We do not have forever and I feel that dusk is rapidly approaching. So, I hope that I can be used and wielded and put to work to magnify the Glory of Jesus Christ. To snatch people from the flames (Jude). To speak a word that awakens dead men (1 Peter 4:11, Ezekiel 37). I pray that God would let me say like the apostle Paul, "I have worked harder than all of them- yet not I but Christ in me. (1 Corinthians 15: 10)" God make me diligent to do the work of the Father.

6.o.clock


FUEL


Friday, September 19, 2008

Whats up at CSM

Just so you know what has been happening over the past couple weeks and where we are heading from here let me take a minute to tell you:

1. The Call (week 1)
All people are invited into a discipleship with Jesus. He invites and we respond. He sees potential in each of us and has a purpose for each of us.

2. Now What: Saltine Crackers and Flashlights (week 2)
Jesus takes his disciples up the hill and begins to teach them what it means to be a follower. We are supposed to make an impact on the world. We are not called to hang out in a basement.

3. Come together and Worship (Sept. 21st and 24th)
What happens when we meet together? What is the point? Why do we have a youthgroup and what is my role in it?

4. Devoted to fellowship (Sept 28th Oct 1st)
Small groups started when the first church started. What CSM plans to do about it.

John 8- Come to Church and Be Offended

Right now I would say our youth group is going through some growing pains... Just like the ministry of Jesus, sometimes Jesus allows the group to whittle(chapter 6) and then rebuilds. We are in the heart of whittling. But, as I have noticed over the past couple chapters of John, Jesus is committed to saying and doing the hard things. He is committed to teaching the truth about a loving compassionate Father in heaven that is relentless about holiness. Jesus doesn't pull any punches. Then after Jesus establishes his core group they begin a ministry that changes the world literally. Let that be our prayer for this youth group. But, let's not miss the many difficulties that Jesus handles on the way...

"You are slaves to sin... Abraham is not your father... God is not your father... you're actually children of the Devil. (vs 34, 39-40, 42, 44)" You think that is a message we could preach at youth group? If I told you that you are a slave to sin and said, "who's your daddy? ...SATAN" How do you think that would go over? But, that is how Jesus preached. And I am convinced that we should be saying that sort of message. I am not a turn or burn preacher. I am a, "the bible says this so I need to say it" sort of guy. Let me help you figure this out... if Jesus came to speak at our youth group what would his message be? ...Really take a minute to think about this. Would he try to tell some jokes? Would he try to be cute and try to be cool? Would he be trendy and try to get you to like him? I'm not so sure. When I read John chapter 8 I think Jesus might have a hard message for you. I think the message would be even harder for myself and other leaders but I can assure you that youth group would have a different feel that night. It would haunt you.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Connecting Modern Teens to our Ancient Faith

This is a question that dominated my thoughts today... if I was in jr high or high school today... what would I want Pastor Cory to do? Ok, let me clarify. If I was a jr high student that was as far from God as any Wii playing, burp and fart joking, Hannah Montana watching, come to youth group because my parents want me out of the house, call myself a christian yet I have no idea what that means beyond a vague label. If I was that kind of kid (and the Beloit area is filled with them) what would be most beneficial to my faith?

Intense bible studies... BORING
Dry preaching... BORING
Small groups with shallow questions that I feel can be answered with, "God, Jesus, or Bible" ...BORING

I need youth group to be dynamic and riveting. I need to be shown why God is more exciting than shopping or Halo 3 or dating. I need leaders to be passionate and caring. I need someone to tell me that God loves me and prove it. I need a lot.

I don't need to be more entertained. I don't want to simply come to youth group to continue doing things I can do from home like watching videos or playing games... I want to meet God. If He is so great then why isn't He more of the priority at Church?

God give us wisdom to lead students to you. Help us to make you the priority. Help us to show you as our treasure. Help us to work harder to make you famous. Strengthen your workers for the task. Amen

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Shepherd

So, while I was in Africa over the past couple weeks I had so many thoughts racing through my head and so little time to express those thoughts... I hope that I can get them onto paper before they fly away to the colony of lost ideas.... I wrestled this one to paper for you... you're welcome.

What is my role as a pastor? As a youth pastor? What should my emotions, my mental capacity, my physical effort, and my time be aimed at?

The best answer that I can give is found from scripture... I thought about maybe a fatherly role but that doesn't embody all that is required of me. There is more, not less that is happening in youth ministry.... I am a shepherd. I tend a flock of sheep. This is an analogy for my role at the church, I don't actually chase sheep around but I am sure that some think that our days at the church are filled with fantastical ideas of what we do here. It is a funny question that comes up over and over again in ministry, "what do you even do?" Anyways, back to being a shepherd.

A shepherd is a weighty job. It requires an all out commitment. You cannot simply offer your services and then not show up. When the sheep begin to follow you are responsible. So, lets make a couple observations about shepherding.

1. Entrusted with a flock:
-This is something that many pastors struggle with. It is very easy to lust after other sheep and desire to do whatever it takes to make the fold bigger... here is my words of warning; The sheep are not your own. They belong to the Master shepherd. He determines how many you care for. Some shepherds have many sheep some have few. Don't be bitter when you see others leading larger flocks and having greener pastures.
-The flock is not your own. You are an employee not an owner. Those sheep were purchased with the blood of the Owner and worth your best care but you do what the Master tells you to do with His sheep.
-You have been entrusted so make sure that you put forth your best effort
2. Leading Sheep
-They are sheep... that means stubborn and obstinate and stinky. This should not surprise you. With patience gently instruct... words to live by.
3. Loving the Sheep
-Although the sheep are not yours you will grow fond. As you spend countless hours leading and caring for them you will notice each sheep and fall in love with them. You will learn to care for them like a father.
4. Leading them to pastures
-This takes time. A shepherd must know the hillside. He must have an awareness of the Master's land and where he can take the sheep that will be best for them. Much time in study and prayer will draw a mental map of the pastures and talking to the Owner helps the shepherd to lead to the areas that have been freshly quenched by rain. The pastures change and a Shepherd must be able to move about. A Shepherd that feeds in the same place will quickly find that the grass will be trampled and consumed if the shepherd doesn't move about the lands. This means a flexibility to the means but a commitment to the end. The need for grass(truth) doesn't change but the way to achieve it might.
5. Defend against wolves
-There are many things that oppose the health of the sheep. A shepherd must be keenly aware and vigilant in the defense. Woe to me if I lose sheep because of negligence or laziness or an unwillingness to fight for what Jesus was willing to give his life for. Shepherds should be fit with a staff and sling and ready for the battle.

As I shepherd the sheep of Central's Student Ministry pray that I would be a faithful shepherd. Pray for me to be wise and know the pastures and to love the sheep and to protect them.

Do Hard Things


Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris.
I just finished reading this book. I took it with to Africa and I was impressed by the message. It is great that two young people are challenging other young people to do more than the culturally low expectations placed on them. If all of our students would simply read this book I bet that our youth group would look and act much differently… My prayer is that as our students read this book they would catch the vision that they can do so much more than they currently are and that they would rise to the occasion.
The website that accompanies this movement is equally impressive… http://www.therebelution.com/
It is a website dedicated to young people who refuse to waste their teenage years simply writing them off as adolescence. If you cannot afford this book then simply browse some of the blogs on therebelution.com while you save up money for the book. Pay close attention to the articles on the ‘myth of adolescense’.

Fresh Season

On Sunday night we began our fall programming of 6 o’clock and this Wednesday will mark the first night of Fuel. I have an excitement for what I am praying God will do with these ministries. There is so much untapped potential in the youth of our community. Imagine with me for a moment what 150 youth (this is our typical attendance in a week) could do to the state-line area if their faith was more than ‘my mom made me come’ but was actually a group of young people dedicated to living out the Christian life!? Imagine if God transformed our youth group into a core group of radical Christ followers that encouraged and led even our adults to be more passionate about Jesus!?!

Please pray for our youth that their hearts would burn for Jesus. Pray that our leadership would be effective in ‘making disciples’ and that students would have a permenance in their faith that can’t be shaken even by calamity.

John 7- For Who's Honor

Jesus has a real firm grasp on glorifying the right thing… “He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him (vs. 18).” This is the fault of false prophets in Isaiah 23 and Ezekiel 13. They speak as if they are sent by God but I believe the heart of the matter is that they are acheiving an honor for themselves. It say’s in Ezekiel 13:2 that they don’t speak the words from God but rather words ‘out of their own imagination.’ Words that itch the ears of those that hear them(2 Timothy 4:3).

This is a real issue… Pride is the great killer of many good men and women. It is easy to begin to let pride creep into the Christian life. As you get closer to God it is easy to puff yourself up and even more so as others take note of your godliness. Becareful that you continue to seek humility and only say what the one who sent you has placed on your lips.

This is my burden. As a pastor it is really easy to fall in love with the romance of being listened to and followed and imitated. It is a dangerous place to be. Leading others is a heavy responsibility and the temptation to honor myself is real. So please pray for myself and the other leaders of this church that ‘our teaching is not our own.’ But instead that it comes from the ‘one who sends us.’ (vs. 16) It is a much more comfortable pastorate to preach what people want to hear… a message of ‘peace’ rather than convicting people to turn from sin. There must be a balance of ‘comforting the disturbed, and disturbing the comfortable.’

Lord let us play our part well. Help us to only speak what you give us and to make every effort to glorify you at whatever cost… even if it means we preach an unpopular message like your Son did. Even if we are hated by family and friends and even if it means we go the way of the prophets and are killed on account of your important message. Strengthen our resolve to preach the whole counsel of God.

What Now?

What do you do when you stare abject poverty in the face for two weeks and then you hop on a jumbo jet and fly to the land of plenty? What do you do with the experience of watching some of the most cheerful worshipers of God dance and sing in Jesus name with nothing more than a glorified karaoke machine for a sound system and then a week later you watch a group of begrudging people reservedly worship even though the lights are designed and amplifiers are cranked and the crescendos are applied to illicit some sort of response and… the response is little?

Tell me please what I should make of this? If it is ok with you to dismiss real worship in the face of adversity as merely “fanatical” and if you can justify how football or yard work or shopping gets more blood flowing and a more passionate response than a meager hand clap for what Christ did on the cross… if you are ok with these seemingly huge obstacles that I am staring at… then please counsel me and bring me back to planet earth. Or better yet how about we start praying that God would incline our hearts to worship him. That somehow he would be of more value than anything else this world has to offer. That we would view him as more valuable than our families or our finances or our comforts.

These are rhetorical questions. The answers are quite obvious. And although you might read frustration written all over this article, I feel a great deal of hope. I see so much potential! If it pleases God then I know He desires to take us deeper and to awaken a remnant to His truth. I know that His Spirit is stirring and that He is calling forth Lazarus from the dead. He is taking our dead hearts that get excited for worldly things and He is calling us from the grave to bring us real life and excitement and worship and praise for the things that matter. He is grabbing the hearts of many in our community and gently drawing them into a deeper and more intimate experience with Him. What am I doing with my experience from Africa? I am leveraging it for the Kingdom! I am contrasting slum life with mediocre casual Christian living. I hope your eyes are opened to the fact that many who are invited to feast opt out of coming because of their many distractions. So, the servant is ordered to go quickly into the streets to bring the poor, the crippled, the blind, the lame (Luke 14).

Let me finish by quoting James… “Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the the eyes of the world to be rich in faith… (James 2:5)”
I want to be rich! Don’t get me wrong! But let me be rich in the mercies of God! I would rather go hungry for days but feast on the bread of life than nibble at the table of this world and have my appetite curbed for the things of God.

God please minister to those that read this. Please help us to be a people that are more concerned with your ways than anything that this world has to offer. Please help us to desire to be poor on this earth if it means we will be rich in the things that really matter. Please continue to open our eyes to what you are doing globally and don’t let the great deciever trick us into a small mindset of viewing only what is happening in Beliot Wisconsin, but instead let us look globally at the work you are doing. Don’t let us justify a casual commitment to you. Help us to be disciples of Jesus that are willing to sacrifice because He layed down His life to purchase ours. Amen.

Monday, September 8, 2008

MyCentralWired.com/blogs

please click on link http://my.centralwired.com

I'm Back

Just wanted to inform that I am back safe and sound from Africa... It was an incredible trip and I have so much that I want to say! It might take me some time to sift through all my experiences and articulate what I learned. So, have patience as I try to get some thoughts onto the blog. Thank you for those that prayed. I would say that the trip was a success on all accounts.