irRelevant

Something To Think About:

2011-12-01T10:46:00.000-05:00

I love this quote:

"As much as I see God move in my life, I don't believe he cares what car I drive or how big my house is or what is or isnt' in my bank account. Especially when people exist in this world who are right now wondering where their next meal is going to come from. Jesus said that the first will be last in the kingdom of heaven. In light of his words, why would God wast his time making all of us first in line?"

-matthew paul turner, Provocative Faith

Friend

2011-11-21T08:45:00.000-05:00

It's a small word, the word friend, yet it carries tremendous weight for our hearts. Friend: "A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts. 2. A person whom one knows; an acquaintance. 3. A person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause."

That has value to me. Someone I can trust with my deepest fears and longings but also find in them support in my struggles and causes...is there much more in this life that really matters more than a true friend??

In Luke 7:34 Jesus describes His heart and His reputation: "I, the Son of Man, came feasting and drinking, and you say, 'He's a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of the worst sort of sinners!'

Jesus was a friend for the worst of the worst. Don't allow your quick processing and reading of this to gloss over the weight of this - those who loved evil, He befriended. He was not merely a friend to the broken and abused of society, but to those who caused the brokenness and abuse...WOW.

If I had to ask you who was the greatest sinner of all time, most would have Judas somewhere near the top of the list. He not only loved money more than just about anything, but he betrayed Jesus, his supposed friend; like a coward in the middle of the night he sold Him to his death. At the last supper meal when Jesus tells Judas to "go and do what you have to do" I would have thought that would have been the end, the straw that broke the relationship between Jesus and Judas. At this point Jesus had to turn him over to destruction and move on, right?? Wrong.

Hours after the scene just described at the meal, we find Jesus in the Garden, having entered into His great passion, the time has come for His betrayal.

Look at Matthew 26:46b-50: "...My betrayer is here!" 47 And even as he said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a mob that was armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent out by the leading priests and other leaders of the people. 48 Judas had given them a prearranged signal: "You will know which one to arrest when I go over and give him the kiss of greeting." 49 So Judas came straight to Jesus. "Greetings, Teacher!" he exclaimed and gave him the kiss. 50 Jesus said, "My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for."

Judas - betrayed his friend with the most affectionate action between two friends, a kiss. And yet, in the darkness of that moment, Jesus lovingly calls out to him - "MY FRIEND". To the last Jesus is a friend, to the final moment of hope He extends the offer of friendship. He's so patient. He is so loving. He is the greatest friend anyone can or could have. He never deserts His friends. He is loyal, trustworthy, and understand. He is my friend, and I am His. That blows my mind!

So what kind of friend am I to Him?

What kind of friend am I to the world??

A Different Perspective

2011-11-09T09:06:00.000-05:00

We tend to see life through a specific lens. Our perspective shapes everything. If we perceive that an injustice is being done, our actions will be affected by that. If we believe something to be true based on what we perceive, our choices will be completely influenced by that belief.

Examples: If I perceive I look cooler with tattoos, then I'm more likely to get a bunch of tattoos. If I perceive that you are a gossip, then I will most likely tend to avoid sharing any information with you. Perspective shapes how we live and interact with each other.

One thing I am pretty confident in - perspective is often very misleading, at the very least, it paints a very incomplete picture.

Its much easier to operate out of perspective because its safer and it requires much less of us. To discover the truth about something or someone takes work and with it comes responsibility to respond a certain way.

Rarely is what we see on the surface the whole story or even a hint of the reality of the true situation.

Jesus consistently moved beyond surface perception and invaded peoples souls to discover the truth. He looked beyond the circumstances that said "she's just a prostitute" or "he only cares about money" or "they do nothing but look out for themselves" or "they don't really care".

Much more is going on in each other's lives than we realize. Will you take the time to invade each other's souls to discover more?

Risky Relationships

2011-11-08T12:13:00.000-05:00

Being authentically relational with someone is extremely difficult.

We all deeply desire for people to be transparent and genuine with us, but when it comes to us living this back towards someone, we fight it tremendously. Fear plays a role in this attitude. What if I'm rejected? What if I'm betrayed? What if I'm left all alone? What if no one understands? What if I'm the only one willing to be real? What if they say something in return I don't like?

All of that is summed up in one word: risk.

To live this way is a risk. To put yourself out there in an authentic light is a huge risk. It's what I believe Jesus calls us to. I believe we shrink from what He desires for us and from us when we choose to live in the shadows instead. It will cost you, someway, sometime, somehow, it will cost you. Weigh the cost. Being relational with someone is a risk, but I believe, it's the greatest risk we can take.

Can Authentic Doctrine Be Meaningless?

2011-11-07T08:33:00.000-05:00

Yesterday at Relevant we started a new series going through the book of 1Timothy. Paul's whole purpose in writing the book is to teach, to instruct, to educate in doctrine. He writes to a young pastor (Timothy) for the sake of the church (Ephesus).

In verse 5 of chapter 1 Paul says this: "The purpose of my instruction is that all the Christians there would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and sincere faith."

Another way to say this is from The Message translation: "The whole point of what we're urging is simply love - love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God."

I said yesterday to our people that people don't care what you know until they know that you care. What can you gain by having GREAT doctrine if it doesn't motivate us to love in an uncontaminated way. That's the whole point of the Gospel of Jesus. Knowledge is void of value if it doesn't motivate me to reflect the glory of Jesus in a greater fashion. Sadly, most knowledge (especially authentic doctrine) today that I see displayed by people who claim to love Jesus is for the sake of casting an enormous spotlight on self.

We Fall Apart

2011-10-11T06:05:00.000-04:00

This Bebo Norman song is on my heart especially heavy this morning. I hope you find depth and hope within the music of this beautiful mystery.

YOU NEED ME, I NEED YOU

2011-10-06T14:50:00.000-04:00

Taken from: "Don't Call it a Comeback"

If you’re disconnected from the body, you will not grow up into the Head. It’s that simple. Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck have coined a wonderful term for describing the “grotesque anomaly” Stott rejects. They write, “If decapitation, from the Latin word caput, means to cut off the head, then it stands to reason that decorpulation, from the Latin word corpus, should refer to cutting off the body.” We now live in a Christian culture where many people want the Head but not the body. They want Christ but not the members of his body. They’d rather be “decorpulated.”

But a decorpulated member — an amputated foot or hand or arm, that grotesque anomaly — does not grow. It does not mature. It does not have life. It decays and it dies. To be an active part of the body, to live and grow as God intends, we need the church.

Thabiti Anyabwile

Senior Pastor

First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Why God? A Chance To Journey Deeper.

2011-10-03T12:14:00.000-04:00

Yesterday at Relevant we continued in our series on Holy Curiosity as we addressed the question from Mark chapter 15 where Jesus asks in His final moments of hanging on a cross: “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?”

Following are some additional thoughts about the event as taken from a sermon I recently read from Charles Spurgeon.

This is Jesus' lament from the lowest pit of misery. I do not think that the records of time or even of eternity contain a sentence more full of anguish. Will we adore what we cannot fully comprehend?

Who can endure the darkness when he holdeth back the face of his throne and spreadeth a cloud upon it? Death is bitter; but the love is Christ is sweet. To our Lord, the Father’s love was the foundation of everything; and when that was gone, all was gone.

We lose but drops when we lose our joyful experience of heavenly fellowship; and yet the loss is killing: but to our Lord Jesus, the sea fellowship with the infinite God was dried up. He cannot endure to be without God. “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?” is the holiness of Christ amazed at the position of substitute for guilty men.

Does it not show our Lord’s love of the sacred Scriptures that when he felt his sharpest grief, He turned to the scripture to find a fit utterance for it? Oh that we may so love the Word that we may not only sing to its score, but even weep to its music!

The Savior’s outcry is not against God, but to God. The child in the dark is crying after his Father. The cup must be bitter; but why this most nauseous of ingredients? At that moment the soul of the man Jesus came into awful contact with infinite justice of God.

He does not ask that the forsaking may end prematurely, he would only understand anew its meaning. For such a sacred and pure being to be made a sin-offering was an amazing experience. Sin was laid on him, and he was treated as if he had been guilty, though he had personally never sinned.

Surely our Lord dwelt on that “why” that we might also turn our eyes that way. He would have us see the why and wherefore of his grief. Truly the only Begotten was never more lovely to the Father than when He was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross!

He who bears sin cannot be in happy communion with God. If for a moment his manhood was perplexed, yet his mind soon came to clear apprehension; for he said, “IT IS FINISHED.” How much farther can obedience go? I see nothing beyond it. He must suffer in this particular way. He must feel forsaken of God, because that is the necessary consequence of sin.

The separation of the soul from God is spiritual death; just as the separation of the soul from the body is natural death. In God infinite love shines over all, but it does not eclipse his absolute justice any more than his justice is permitted to destroy his love.

As to my sin, I do not hear its harsh accusing’s any more when I hear Jesus cry, “Why has thou forsaken me?” I know that I deserve the deepest hell at the hand of God’s vengeance; but I am not afraid. He will never forsake me, for he forsook his Son on my behalf. As for me, if ever I am lost, it shall be at the foot of the cross. Jesus said, “Him that cometh to me I will in no way cast out.”

If my brother was murdered, and I made a friend of the murderer and daily consorted with the assassin who drove the dagger into my brother’s heart, surely I too must be an accomplice in the crime – at the very least claim it doesn’t bother me! Sin murdered Christ; how can I be a friend to it? Sin pierced the heart of the Incarnate God; how then can we embrace it? Sin, you are banished from the heart where Jesus reigns.

My God, Why?

2011-09-29T10:33:00.000-04:00

One of the last things recorded for us in the Scriptures when Jesus was hanging on the cross was his cry: "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" I was reading a famous old preacher named Charles Spurgeon and he said this about it:

"We lose but droplets when we lose our joyful experience of heavenly fellowship, and yet the loss is killing. To Jesus, the sea was dried up between Him and His Dad [when He cried out these words]."

Do you ever feel this way? Do you feel as if God is no where to be found in spite calling out to Him? Ever want to ask God why? This Sunday we'll continue in our series on Holy Curiosity and I hope you'll be able to join us if you are in town. The depth behind Jesus' cry could be life changing for you. I pray that you continue to allow the questions posed by Jesus to do the soul work He desires. I'm thankful to my friend and brother Winn Collier for this amazing read that's taken us to new depths with Jesus.

Birthday Wishes

2011-09-27T09:07:00.000-04:00

I received a lot of cards in the mail for my birthday a few weeks ago. A lot of times I keep "Thank You" cards and "Thinking of You" cards because you never know when you are going to have one of those days and you just need to read a "pick-me-up" kind of card. Rarely however do I keep birthday cards. However, this time around one card has stuck with me each day since, but not for why you may think. It was given from a very well meaning person whom I love dearly.

I am keeping this card as a reminder for my daily life. The card had two short sentences: one on the cover and one on the inside flap. It read: "Indulge your every whim... today is all about celebrating you."

My problem? I tend to live most of my days by this erred philosophy. This card is a great reminder that the opposite is true. It's not about me. It's not about indulging my every whim. The only thing truly worth celebrating is Jesus. Whenever I live by the philosophy of this card, I'm on a fast track to failure.

Robes of Royalty

2011-09-26T12:35:00.000-04:00

I believe that for the most part, the Pharisees in the Bible were sincere in their desire to be religious, the problem was that Jesus didn't really care for religion at all. Jesus, who often upset the Pharisees, said in Matthew 25: "Hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs -- beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. You try to look like upright people outwardly, but inside your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness."

In 1 Samuel 16 were told "the LORD said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at a person's thoughts and intentions."

Over and over again in the Bible we're given this lesson about God cares about what's inside, not what's on the outside for others to see.

However, when I come to Isaiah 61:10 I read this: "I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels."

Other places in Scripture we're told:

I put on righteousness as my clothing – Job 29:14

May your priests be clothed with righteousness – Psalms 132:9

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, – Ephesians 6:14

So here's the question - if the inside is what matters, why does our Creator dress us up on the outside with Righteousness for others to see? The simple answer is because we have been made NEW. We are a new creation with a new identity. We don't clothe ourselves, He does. Regardless of what we remember or think about the inside of ourselves, from God's perspective, our outside now matches our inside when ever He sees us.

Let me put it another way... Ephesians says that you are NOW seated with Him (Jesus) in heavenly places, but that you should not think it’s because of your own ability or specialness. It’s because Jesus came and made a way back to our Father for us. By having faith in Jesus, by believing that He is the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world… through your faith in Him as your personal saviour… you are made holy, blameless and without reproach.

"He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ's cross. 15 In this way, God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross of Christ." – Col 2:14-15

Wow. Do you see that? Having cancelled and wiped away the handwriting of the note … [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that rage against us.

So the enemy has no claim on you any more. Send the enemy away from you, from your life, from your home, from your finances and anywhere else he has had a stronghold because you are righteous - inside and out - before God.

Gift of Family

2011-09-19T08:19:00.000-04:00

I read a quote once and I am not sure who it was by, but they said, "We are not all called to be great, but we are all called to reach out our hands to our brothers and sisters."

Kathy and I love to watch the TV show "Modern Family" - mostly because it captures a lot of our quirks and because it's equally as close to reality as it is to being absolutely hilarious! The concept of family is really quite extraordinary. For the most part, at least in our culture, we choose who we are going to marry and commit the rest of our lives too, yet we have no say or choice when it comes to our parents. Our children are a never-ceasing gift and an unyielding mystery that we are constantly trying to solve. Yet, this collection of relationships comes together to form a union and a bond that can be relentless in its passion, determination, and commitment.

The reality is that outside of basic physical needs being met by each other, we really have no reason to return on a regular basis to each other, yet we cling to something common, a connection, and we call it family.

Jesus tells us in the Bible that we are brothers and sisters in Him. That His Father is our Father. That we are all family. Our common connection we believe is rooted in Jesus Christ.

I look at things in a unique light as a pastor. Rarely does anyone else in a church setting (at least in my experiences) view each other in the same light as they do their own family. Maybe very close friends, but family - rarely. I believe any pastor worth their calling should feel this bond of family towards the people they are able to journey with, shepherd, and lead. It's the heart behind Jesus' teaching that you can have a friend that is closer than family.

It can be an odd thing to say I'm as close if not closer to the people I pastor as I am to my own family; that I love them equally the same and that there is a connection there that only God fully understands. Nevertheless, it is the way things are. I believe in my soul that is what Jesus intends for each of us who are part of the family of God.

My sisters and parents are scattered all over the good ol' US of A, and it truly doesn't bother me. Not because I don't love them or care about them, but because I have been given the gift of family, and it's called Relevant Church.

We are all called to reach out our hands to our brothers and our sisters - I think the real question you have to wrestle with is who are your brothers and your sisters?

Relevant Sunday Preview (7/17/11)

2011-09-08T10:59:00.000-04:00

Last week we began a new series at Relevant called: “Holy Curiosity - Encountering Jesus' Provocative Questions.” There was standing room only, new relationships began, and it was a powerful subject Jesus introduced to us. This series is based on a book by the same title written by a close friend and spiritual advisor.

The heart behind this series is to examine some of the unusual questions that Jesus poses to people. He does so not because He needs to discover the answers, but rather because He wants us to look deeper beyond the surface to discover the soul work He desires to do in us. Last week we talked about Condemnation – both from others and from self.

This week were going to be in Matthew chapter 8 talking about Fear – an area we can all struggle with. I hope you plan to join us.

Our worship band is going to be leading us in the following songs:
There Is A Light
What A Savior
From The Inside Out
Wonderful Maker
Give Me Faith
At The Cross

Give Me Faith

by Chris Brown, Mack Brock, Wade Joye, and London Gatch

I need you to soften my heart

To break me apart

I need you to open my eyes

To see that you're shaping my life

All I am, I surrender

Give me faith to trust what you say

That you're good and your love is great

I'm broken inside, I give you my life

I need you to soften my heart

To break me apart

I need you to pierce through the dark

And cleanse every part of me

All I am, I surrender

Give me faith to trust what you say

That you're good and your love is great

I'm broken inside, I give you my life

I may be weak

But Your spirit's strong in me

My flesh may fail

My God you never will

Give me faith to trust what you say

That you're good and your love is great

I'm broken inside, I give you my life

I love that every week our worship band focuses our hearts on Jesus. I love their passion and enthusiasm. I love the joy they get from using their talents to serve our King.

Over the next few weeks we are working on expanding the RKids ministry. We are blessed to both have the space for this and to have the need. The RKids ministry director Sarah Potts is doing an outstanding job serving our children. She can’t do it alone though. We have an incredible team of parents and individuals that help make this ministry so impactful for the kids. Be looking and listening for opportunities where you can help out!

*REMINDER: THIS SUNDAY IS OUR UPPER ROOM MEAL, PLAN ON JOINING US RIGHT AFTER THE SERVICE FOR A MEAL TOGETHER, BRING SOMETHING TO SHARE IF YOU ARE ABLE, IF NOT, PLEASE DON'T LET THAT STOP YOU FROM STAYING!

Carpe Deim

2011-09-07T08:54:00.000-04:00

Opportunity.

That is what you and I have in this moment. I can't say today we have it, because we do not know what the remainder of this day will hold. We have no guarantees about this afternoon. We may have plans and a schedule, but the reality is, all we have for certain, is the opportunity of this moment.

So what are we doing with it?

What will be different as a result of what we choose to do or not do with these opportunities. I see them wasted on a regular basis. I waste them myself daily. I know Jesus. I have been given the gift of experiencing complete and perfect love. I have been placed in position to share grace and that love with others.

So what am I doing with it?

Rushing To Worship

2011-09-06T09:48:00.000-04:00

I was blessed to be in 4 different worship environments over the past week. I found it to be very thought provoking to think about how quickly I can exit from the God's presence when I worship in song. I was wondering what the Holy Trinity was doing/saying/feeling/thinking as I quickly left Their presence to move on to the next "item on the schedule"?

I'm so guilty of this. I suspect I'm not alone. If it was the other way around and I was lingering with God and His presence and they just up and left I would be heartbroken. It's doing my soul well to dwell on this thought. It also reminds me of how frequently I can approach God from a one-sided relationship mentality. I generally make it all about me, even as I sing, pray, talk, read, etc. - that's not relationship. Slow down. Breathe. Pause.

More Than Rejected Stones

2011-09-01T11:16:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago during my message, I talked about Michelangelo's unfinished works and his "David". A dear friend of mine from Relevant Church (Rick Batten) shared his experience with me and gave me permission to reprint an entry from his personal journal below. There is a great truth here...

In April of 2008 I was privileged to accompany my middle daughter, who was at the time a high school senior, on a Spring Break National Art Honor Society field trip to Italy. We spent eight days touring. One of the highlights was the trip to the Accademia in Florence. Below is my journal entry for that day:

April 9, 2008

"After a typical breakfast we bused into the city again. First stop, Accedemia. I was immediately impressed by Michelangelo's unfinished works. When I looked down the hall at The David I had that feeling I sometimes get when I know I will remember a moment forever. The feeling got even more powerful as I began to read about how he created the sculpture out of a rejected piece of marble [which he found discarded outside in a field].

I made the connection between this and the story of the real David in the book of Samuel. Just as this stone block had been rejected by man, so had David been rejected and overlooked by his father Jesse. As Samuel [the Prophet] could see the promise of a king through an ignored, rejected, seemingly inconsequential Shepard boy, so Michelangelo could see his greatest masterpiece within a rejected, ignored, and inconsequential block of marble. I imagine Michelangelo even saw this truth and drew from it inspiration.

During my time in the Accedemia, I found myself wiping my eyes and fighting back emotions. I realized that this is how God must feel about us...being certain that we are all masterpieces...needing only a Master to cut away all the pieces that don't belong. It was a powerful moment...one I will never forget."

Thanks Rick.

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Thanks Jesus

2011-08-25T10:26:00.000-04:00

I'm grateful that Jesus is far greater than me - even when I create the tension of wanting to be my own god. I'm thankful that Jesus does not settle for my half-hearted gifts or empty offerings that I bring Him from time to time. I'm glad Jesus always gives me what I need in life, not necessarily what I want.

I appreciate that Jesus will challenge me with tough questions, and that if I allow Him, He will satisfy my deepest cravings. I'm full of gratitude for His gentle reminders on a daily basis that are accompanied by much patience. Most of all, I'm thankful Jesus loves me relentlessly, regardless of where my head or heart is.

SUNDAY RECAP 8/21/11

2011-08-24T12:30:00.000-04:00

Sunday we concluded our two week message series talking about the authority of God. We titled the mini-series Ultimate Authority. This week we talked about choosing to live beyond the moment by living with and living out of God’s ultimate authority.

Our texts were Philippians 1:6-10 and Genesis 20:1-17. We looked at God’s desire for us to continue growing in our faith and also how that like Abraham, even if we don’t always get it right, we can continue to grow by confessing our faults and blessing others.

This truth makes us ask why our lives don’t look more like the grace and love that Jesus says He has begun in our lives. When we look in the mirror, we don’t always see people who look like they live with God’s ultimate authority. Instead, we see unfinished sculptures that show traces of this kind of God-life; like blocks of unrefined stone.

The picture of “the captives” reminds us of how Paul wrote, “For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time..” (Romans 8:22) The work of Christ is underway in our lives, but it is not complete. The process of living with God’s authority is a difficult one, full of pain and struggle. So how do we continue on this growth process and continue to look beyond the moment?

God has begun the good work in us, and He will carry it on to completion in our lives. But in the meantime, we must choose to live beyond the moment by living and working with God on what He is doing in our lives.

In verse 9, Paul gives us one clue. He prayed that the Philippians’ “love for each other will overflow more and more.” The more we live with God, the more love will mark our lives. Instead of seeking to gratify our desires in the moment, we will seek to demonstrate God’s love to others. …and that you will keep on growing in your knowledge and understanding.” (v. 9)

By living beyond the moment, we will demonstrate more and more wisdom and make choices that reflect both love and wisdom. The result of this wisdom is that we will be able to “understand what really matters so that you will live pure and blameless.” (v. 10) This may seem like a pipe dream, but it really is possible.

If we want to live with God’s authority, we need to embrace the work God has already begun in our lives and choose to look beyond the moment. This is a lifelong journey that is rarely ever easy, but the good news is that God is with us through it all. This kind of life is harder than living under God’s authority with the careful steps of toddler faith or living over God’s authority with the know-it-all attitude of adolescent faith, but it is a fuller way of life.

When Abraham told this lie, Abimelech, the king of Gerar, took her. But before he slept with her, God came to him in a dream and told him he was as good as dead. This message started a chain of events that revealed Abraham’s lie. Abraham had been caught in a scandal, and his response showed that he was dedicated to living out of God’s authority.

The first thing Abraham did was to confess his sin. He confessed his action – lying about his wife’s true identity. He confessed his rationalization – the half-truth about her being his sister. He even confessed that he had repeated this sin over and over by telling Sarah “wherever we go, say you are my sister.’” (v. 13)

Abraham’s confession couldn’t have been easy. It must have been embarrassing. Abraham chose to live out his understanding of God’s authority through confession, in spite of the danger. Authenticity. Apologies and confession are signs of maturity in our lives and especially in our relationship to God’s authority.

Abraham also blessed Abimelech in an amazing way. When he took Sarah, God closed up every womb in Abimelech’s household and made him unable to father children. After Abraham confessed his sin to Abimelech, he then blessed him. “Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and the other women of the household, so they could have children.” (v.17) Abraham asked God to restore Abimelech, and God did so.

The amazing thing about this blessing was that Abraham asked God to give Abimelech something that he himself didn’t have. Abraham trusted God’s authority enough that he could live it out by offering a gift he had not yet received. Instead of being jealous or covetous, Abraham was generous, hoping for the best for Abimelech.

This is what the life of blessing should look like in our lives. As we live out God’s ultimate authority, we will encounter situations where others will have things we do not – money, relationships, educational or job opportunities, talents, etc. The life of “living out” calls us to want these blessings for others and to help them achieve them, even if we ourselves don’t have them. This is not a natural way of life for us, but it is the kind of life that God wants us to grow toward.

We were blessed to have some amazing new faces on Sunday in addition to our college students coming back into town. God continues to work in people’s hearts and lives in what is sometimes very challenging ways. We were blessed to have Brad and the band also lead us in worship, we are so blessed in this area. I hope you’ll plan on being with us this coming Sunday.

This Is Not The End

2011-08-22T10:45:00.001-04:00

I shared this Bible passage yesterday at Relevant:

Isaiah 25 (the Message Translation)

1 God, you are my God. I celebrate you. I praise you. You've done your share of miracle-wonders, well-thought-out plans, solid and sure. 2 Here you've reduced the city to rubble, the strong city to a pile of stones. The enemy Big City is a non-city, never to be a city again. 3 Superpowers will see it and honor you, brutal oppressors bow in worshipful reverence. 4 They'll see that you take care of the poor, that you take care of poor people in trouble, provide a warm, dry place in bad weather, provide a cool place when it's hot. Brutal oppressors are like a winter blizzard 5 and vicious foreigners like high noon in the desert. But you, shelter from the storm and shade from the sun, shut the mouths of the big-mouthed bullies. 6 But here on this mountain, God-of-the-Angel-Armies will throw a feast for all the people of the world, A feast of the finest foods, a feast with vintage wines, a feast of seven courses, a feast lavish with gourmet desserts. 7 And here on this mountain, God will banish the pall of doom hanging over all peoples, the shadow of doom darkening all nations. 8 Yes, he'll banish death forever. And God will wipe the tears from every face. He'll remove every sign of disgrace from his people, wherever they are. Yes! God says so! 9 Also at that time, people will say, "Look at what's happened! This is our God! We waited for him and he showed up and saved us! This God, the one we waited for! Let's celebrate, sing the joys of his salvation. 10 God's hand rests on this mountain!" As for the Moabites, they'll be treated like refuse, waste shoveled into a cesspool. 11 Thrash away as they will, like swimmers trying to stay afloat, they'll sink in the sewage. Their pride will pull them under. 12 Their famous fortifications will crumble to nothing, those mighty walls reduced to dust.

Regardless of where you might find yourself today, be encouraged in knowing that if you and Jesus are in relationship, your current circumstances don’t compare with what is to come. You have a King who knows about the thick cloud of gloom you feel, He knows about the tears this life brings you, and some day, He will do away with it all!

Sunday Preview

2011-08-19T09:10:00.000-04:00

This Sunday we'll conclude our look at God's supremacy and sovereignty with part 2 of our message series Ultimate Authority. Last week we contrasted the two concepts of living under and living over the authority of God. This week we'll be talking about two alternative views - living with and living out of God's Ultimate Authority.

Pastor Brad will be leading us in worship this week. We'll be singing: How Great Thou Art, Mighty Breath Of God, Give Us Clean Hands, and Jesus Paid It All. Feel free to listen to any of these on iTunes or YouTube to help prepare your heart in advance for worshiping together.

I hope you can join us this weekend. We look forward to all of our college students coming back into town over the weekend too - WELCOME BACK!!

Finally, if you have any interest in signing and/or ministering to the deaf (whether you know a lot about signing or nothing at all) we'd love to hear from you. One of Relevant's own, Amanda Kuzma, has a passion and heart to reach out and minister to the deaf in our community. Your involvement would both be an encouragement to her as well as an appreciated help to get the ball rolling so to speak. If you are interested please email us at love@relevantva.com or fill out a Connect Card on Sunday!

Keeping The Faith Can Be Hard

2011-08-18T09:15:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I wrote about Anxiety. One of the things I said was: "When I worry, I profess my lack of faith in God's ability to handle a situation."

I wanted to write a little bit more about what I've been wrestling with in this area of "lacking faith".

It's one thing to verbally profess faith - to use words to make a claim that may not always line up with what we truly think in the depth of our soul. It's another thing to have full confidence in God - to know with certainty that whatever He things, wants, does, etc. is best and that's good enough for me.

Let me share an example - I have faith that God is God alone, that He is all powerful, and that He loves me completely. When I say those words, I believe them to be true. The challenge can come though when I desire God to work or need His help in something and there is no response or the response I get is not what I want.

I was watching a show on NatGeo the other day (because I'm a nerd like that) and it was showing these under water creatures and landscapes in the deepest depths of the oceans. Millions and millions of oceanic life along side of some of the most amazing scenery never to be seen. I was thinking how that thousands and thousands of feet above that we live and are completely oblivious every day, and will be for the rest of our lives, of whats taking place at the bottom of these ocean depths.

The Bible says if you go down to those deepest depths - God is there and that He is aware of what's going on down there all the time and He is maintaining it all. Wow. It's PITCH BLACK down there. Do I have the faith to believe that? Verbally every time I've read that in Scripture I would say yes. Visually seeing these places though takes me to a new place. All of sudden I'm at the point of thinking, it's not enough to just verbally express something - I have to know it with confidence in my heart to be true. Do I believe that to be true this morning even though I can't see those depths of the ocean any more? Yes. Why? Because I have experienced it before.

Which is my final point in all of this (hopefully my ramblings are making some sense). It's not enough to verbally profess something. We most believe with a blind confidence if necessary that it is absolutely true. I can choose this type of faith in Christ even when I don't see Him, or hear from Him or if He acts in a way foreign to my thinking because of my past experience with Him.

my blog

Anxiety / Worry

2011-08-17T09:24:00.000-04:00

In reality, anxiety makes absolutely no sense, yet all of us battle it. Some of us on a regular basis, others, on occasion maybe when things get stressful. The truth is that all of the circumstances of life can change from one moment to the next - even the next hour, or 5 minutes are completely out of my control. Any of us could get a phone call before finishing reading this blog post that would completely change our world.

So what are we to do about anxiety. Dietrich Bonhoeffer (a German Theologian) says, "When we allow ourselves to be taken up in worry, we are dethroning God. I am in the hand of God; and thus, I am under His protection and control."

I've never approached anxiety or worry from this mindset - when I worry, I profess my lack of faith (more on this in the next blog post) in God's ability to handle a situation and I am basically pushing Him off His throne so I can sit there and try and manage the situation.

I don't think any of us like that concept, I know I don't.

So I am left with questions: Do I have confidence in God? Am I waiting with a sure hope that it will be exactly the way He wants it to be? Do I believe that whatever way He chooses for things to be will be best? For me, the answers to these questions reveal the bottom line true measure of my faith. The beauty of it is, that even if our faith is lacking, we too can pray, "I believe, but Jesus, help my unbelief (Mark 9)."

my blog

To Tattoo or Not Tattoo

2011-08-16T09:33:00.000-04:00

I've had some people say some negative things about my recent tattoo and I've also had some people ask some good questions. Today's blog is about those questions: Did you research scripture to see if you should get a tattoo? Aren't they connected with paganism?

I did search the scriptures years ago before I got my first tattoo - the last thing I would want to do is offend Jehovah. Scripture is limited in what it says, but here's my take on it. It seems every Christian anti-tattoo argument is based primarily on one thing...a single verse from Leviticus. However, that verse must be understood in proper context and the pre-text and post-text are also important. Leviticus 19:28 which says, "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord."

Leviticus 19:26-31 deals with pagan practices and God's prohibitions against adopting those practices. In verse 28, God is warning the Jewish people about a pagan practice at funerals, where pagans would mutilate/mark themselves to appease their false gods. The pagans hoped that by cutting themselves and marking images/symbols of idols on their bodies, that they would obtain favour in the afterlife from their false gods, both for themselves and for those who just died. I don't know of any Christians getting tattoos in the hopes of appeasing false gods. Also, the whole point of the Levitical law was to set the Jewish nation apart from the Gentile nations.

The verse before this condemns cutting your hair or beard - yet strangely you don't hear the same people that condemn tattoos condemn short hair or beardless faces, in fact, they do the exact opposite of that command - they generally insist on short hair and being clean shaven. We're also told not to wear clothes made of blended fabrics, not to eat bacon, ham, or pork chops. Were told not to mix breed animals. On and on the list goes, yet Christians sadly are content on picking and choosing verses that fit their personal preferences and then make a law for everyone else to follow to appease their conscious. Christ came to free us from this nonsense - pretty much the theme of Paul's writings in the New Testament.

Isaiah 44:5 speaks of someone writing the name of the Lord on their hand. In Revelation we're told that "On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, King of kings and Lord of lords." -Revelation 19:16

The verse shows Christ as the "Master of the Universe" whose name, which is the Word of God, is more than just a title on a royal garment. Instead, it is something that belongs to Jesus alone and is intrinsically linked to who He is...through a unique marking on his body.

These verses are not tattoo proof verses. They only show that permanent markings and outward signs of devotion, similar to tattoos, are not foreign to God or His people.

It is beyond doubt in my mind that tattoos are NOT sinful and that Christians expressing their faith with some ink under their skin have NOT succumbed to Satan's wiles (at least, not because of the tattoos). Yet, we need to remember that just because I believe we are allowed to be tattooed, doesn't mean that this is what is best for everyone. St. Paul tells us that we need to be careful that our actions do not lead others away from the faith:

"Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for any one to make others fall by what he eats; it is right not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your brother stumble." -Romans 14:20-21

We can't use this to claim "Your tattoo offends me so you shouldn't get one" or "You are defiling the Temple of the Holy Ghost by getting a tattoo" - there is no basis for this claim or form of argument in Scripture. The meaning of this teaching in Romans is that if your action (any action including tattoos) is causing someone who is a believer to fall into sin, you should avoid that action. It has nothing to do with "I don't agree with that or like that so you shouldn't do it."

I don't know if I just made the water more muddy for you or not, but that's my thoughts about the matter as I have been impressed by the Holy Spirit through Scripture study and prayer about it. With that in mind, let us pray that, through the intercession of the Holy Spirit, each of us may understand God's intention for us, and whether or not that calling includes some permanent ink under our skin.

Relevant Sunday Recap 8/14/11

2011-08-15T13:54:00.000-04:00

Some highlights from yesterday that I’m thankful for:

*Seeing new faces; it never gets old.

*Praying for one another.

*Sharing a meal together.

*Encountering a BIG God on a small Sunday.

*Hearing of potential answers to prayer.

*Reconnecting with Jinkyu who was ministering in Bolivia all summer.

*Being impressed by the Holy Spirit that Relevant is just as much in danger as any other church of thinking we have “church figured out”. When we begin to live over the authority of God as if we know it all, we are no different than the Pharisee’s Jesus constantly challenged. A big take away for me personally as pastor: Know That You Don’t Know It All.

*Arriving early to help set up only to discover that our amazing Creative Arts Pastor Brad had done a lot of the big stuff already.

*Having Chris lead us in worship and powerful Scripture from the book of Hebrews!

*Participating in worship surrounded by our older kids singing at the top of their lungs.

*Hearing a powerful word from John that the Holy Spirit shared with him that lead us into communion.

*Modern technology – allowing us to receive and share prayer requests as the service started.

Relevant Sunday Preview (07/31/2011)

2011-07-29T14:22:00.000-04:00

Main text we'll be in:

Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 (HCSB)

¹ Guard your step when you go to the house of God. Better to draw near in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, for they are ignorant and do wrong. ² Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. ³ For dreams result from much work and a fool's voice from many words. ⁴ When you make a vow to God, don't delay fulfilling it, because He does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. ⁵ Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it. ⁶ Do not let your mouth bring guilt on you, and do not say in the presence of the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? ⁷ For many dreams bring futility, also many words. So, fear God.

Coming out of Ruth: A Book Of Rescue, we're moving into a response as a body. The next two weeks we'll be entering in to a really uncomfortable and beautiful thing...submission to rescue.

This week, we'll be talking about what that means, and exploring the truth in Ecclesiastes 5.

I pray you all will join us, and please, prepare yourselves to gather on Sunday. Don't treat it lightly, and please don't allow your heart to have a checklist with church on it. These next two weeks will be amazing at Relevant, and I believe and KNOW that God is going to do great things.

Our Worship

Corey will be leading worship at Relevant this week, so please keep her in prayer along with Bill, Andrew, Holly, Jeanette and Tara. This is such a beautiful outpouring of the body of Christ, so fill your heart with these songs, and come in Sunday ready to share with each other in communion with the King of Kings!

Set List:

- Sing To The King: Passion

- Jesus Is The Lord: Robert Fuller/James Mark Gulley

- At The Cross: Hillsong United

- Nothing But The Blood: Hillsong United

- In Christ Alone: Keith & Kristyn Getty

At The Cross

Our Prayer

Father, teach us to worship you in spirit and in truth, as You are Spirit and Truth. Prepare our hearts to be fully in Your presence and teach us your precepts that we may learn them and obey them. You are holy God. We place our trust in You, and we place our hope in You. You will return for us, and right now, we return to You. All praise, glory, and honor be Yours, forever more. Amen.

Relevant Sunday Recap 7/17/11

2011-07-19T10:28:00.001-04:00

Sunday was a very uplifting time. I find that it can be challenging to sum up the day because it’s full of emotion and God working in so many different ways.

Our service started with Caleb (this week’s worship leader’s son) reading one of my favorite Psalms – Psalm 19. Straight from there we went into singing about the greatness of God. The band as always led us into the presence of Jesus and we worshiped there, lifting up amazing words to our King.

I have really loved having our older kids upstairs with us over the summer. Hearing them sing to Jesus about how great He is at the top of their lungs never gets old. We were also blessed to have some great families visiting with us again this week. There are so many places people could be other than Relevant on Sunday’s, so whenever someone chooses to be with us, it’s so uplifting.

We began the last of the 4 chapters of the Book of Ruth. Our text for the sermon this week was Ruth 4:1-8. This coming Sunday we’ll conclude our series in this wonderful book. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed our 10 weeks in it.

As we come to the last chapter in the book of Ruth the main question we should ask is, What is the lesson of this book? What one main thing does the author want us to take away from reading this story? Here's what I would suggest as the main lesson: We have rescue, but the life of the godly is not a straight line to glory, but we do get there. Rescue is available, but it doesn’t always look like we think it should.

The story of Ruth is a series of setbacks. Verse after verse is filled with loss, brokenness, lost hope, emptiness, hunger, etc. Chapter 3 ended with what appeared to be a potential setback – there was another who had a right to claim Ruth over Boaz. As we enter chapter 4 I want our focus to be on the reality and the truth that if we are the children of God, then The Best Is Yet To Come!

What we discover about Boaz in this chapter is a deeper look at our redeemer’s character. He does the right thing as God defines what’s right, regardless of the cost to him. The irony of the setback is that it is being caused by righteousness. The guy is doing his duty. Our frustrations are not only caused by sin but also by (apparently!) ill-timed righteousness.

To our great relief, the relative says in vs. 6 he can't do it. Perhaps he is married already. Perhaps he is worried about what people may think since Ruth is from Moab. We don’t know, the Bible doesn’t say. Whatever the reason we are cheering in the background as Boaz jumps in to claim his bride Ruth.

There is still a cloud overhead. Ruth is barren. At least she seems to be. In 1:4 she had been married 10 years to Mahlon and no children. It would seem that even now the suspense is not over. Can you see why I said that the lesson of the book of Ruth is that the life of the godly is not a straight line to glory?

Life is one curve after another. And we never know what's coming. But the point of the story is that the best is yet to come. The Happily Ever After will come, but not until the end. No matter where you are, if you love God the best is yet to come.

We ended the sermon by moving towards the table of grace. Christ’s invitation to dine with Him on grace and mercy never gets old. It’s a table of love as we looked at from 1John 4. We served each other Communion and closed with worshiping Jesus again. Please know that if you weren’t here Sunday, you were missed. I have people ask me every week with out fail: “Where is…” We need each other. Make the body of Christ your priority, Jesus did. The Relevant Community is not the same when you are not here.

RELEVANT SUNDAY PREVIEW (7/17/11)

2011-07-14T09:41:00.000-04:00

Our Text… 

Ruth 4:1-8 "So Boaz went to the town gate and took a seat there. When the family redeemer he had mentioned came by, Boaz called out to him, "Come over here, friend. I want to talk to you." So they sat down together. 2 Then Boaz called ten leaders from the town and asked them to sit as witnesses. 3 And Boaz said to the family redeemer, "You know Naomi, who came back from Moab. She is selling the land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4 I felt that I should speak to you about it so that you can redeem it if you wish. If you want the land, then buy it here in the presence of these witnesses. But if you don't want it, let me know right away, because I am next in line to redeem it after you." The man replied, "All right, I'll redeem it." 5 Then Boaz told him, "Of course, your purchase of the land from Naomi also requires that you marry Ruth, the Moabite widow. That way, she can have children who will carry on her husband's name and keep the land in the family." 6 "Then I can't redeem it," the family redeemer replied, "because this might endanger my own estate. You redeem the land; I cannot do it." 7 In those days it was the custom in Israel for anyone transferring a right of purchase to remove his sandal and hand it to the other party. This publicly validated the transaction. 8 So the other family redeemer drew off his sandal as he said to Boaz, "You buy the land."

Our story of the life of Ruth is nearing the end. This week will be the first half of the last chapter of Ruth, we’ll finish our series up next Sunday on July 24^th.

So much has happened in just the first 3 short chapters. There has been one setback after another. Love lost, famine, brokenness, hunger, exhaustion, fear, etc. This week Boaz makes his move in his attempt to win the hand of Ruth in marriage. We'll be looking at the main point I believe the author is trying to make throughout this book - life is full of one set back after another, but because of Rescue, the best is yet to come! This truth is reality, both for Ruth and Boaz and Naomi, and it’s reality for us. In spite of whatever “setbacks” in your own life you are in the midst of, I believe I can say with confidence if you are in relationship with Jesus, the BEST is yet to come!

Come a little early on Sunday before the service and share in some conversation, coffee, and refreshments!

Our Worship…

Chris will be leading our worship band this coming Sunday. As we worship, God manifests Himself to us. We sense His presence, He speaks to our hearts, emotionally we are moved, and the cares and worries of the world seem to become insignificant as we enter into the presence of God.

As we enter into worship we should feel passionate about God and be focused upon Him. Psalm 27:4 says, “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” Is this the cry of our hearts? Following are the songs we’ll be singing:

All Creatures Of Our God And King

Jesus Lord Of Heaven

Forever Reign*

How Great Is Our God

Jesus You Are Worthy

*Forever Reign

By Jason Ingram & Reuben Morgan (Hillsong):

You are good, You are good

When there's nothing good in me

You are love, You are love

On display for all to see

You are light, You are light

When the darkness closes in

You are hope, You are hope

You have covered all my sin

You are peace, You are peace

Whom my fear in crippling

You are true, You are true

Ever in my wandering

You are joy, You are joy

You're the reason that i sing

You are life, You are life

In you death has lost its sting

Oh, I'm running to Your arms

I'm running to Your arms

The riches of Your love will always be enough

Nothing compares to Your embrace

Light of the world forever reign

You are more, You are more

Than my words will ever say

You are Lord, You are Lord

All creation will proclaim

You are here, You are here

In Your presence I'm made whole

You are God, You are God

Of all else I'm letting go

Hallelujah forever

All the glory forever

All the praise to You

My heart will sing

No other name

Jesus, Jesus

ANNOUNCEMENTS...

1.) The Advisory Board for our church will be in town in July for our semi-annual meeting. In place of having our Upper Room Meal last week (July 10^th), we are going to do a meal together on Saturday night, July 23^rd so that you can have a chance to interact and meet them and vice-versa. So plan on July 23^rd, 6pm for a upper room meal together at the church building! Bring some games if you want also!

2.) Thank-you to everyone who donated all the shoes last week for the people of Uganda. Lets pause for a moment as you are able this weekend and pray that they would experience the love and grace of God with each step they take in their new shoes! Again, thanks to John Reece for leading the way with this project!

Our Prayer...

God our heavenly Father, You know how busy I must be this day. If I forget you, do not forget me. When the thought of you wakes in our hearts, let its awakening not be like a startled bird that flies about in fear. Instead, let it be like a child waking from sleep with a heavenly smile. You O God who have taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Spirit we may be always truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

With A Kiss

2011-07-13T09:14:00.000-04:00

Would that the traitor's kiss of Judas remained the only one of its kind. Jesus still endures it thousands of times over, on a daily basis. When I hypocritically confess Him with my lips but swear Him off by my life's conduct, I again caress His sacred cheek with deception. How do I choose to pollute His face?

"Hail, Master!" exclaims the traitor...and He calmly accepts it.

Comfortable Righteousness

2011-07-12T07:27:00.000-04:00

I can't find anywhere in the Bible where God invites us to be comfortable as we follow Him, yet that seems to permeate a lot of life. A pastor in Pennsylvania, Mike Jarrell, stated "A fresh approach to truth threatens long-established religion." We like what we like - that's a no-brainer. We like being comfortable and smooth sailing. I don't really know anyone who desires storms in their life - in any category - much less when it comes to their concept of who God is and how He works.

So here's a question I am at war with: What would God do if I got out of my comfort zone?

Can we lay down our preferences, our thoughts and concepts about what living righteous means and how God works or doesn't work and simply invite Jesus into the space of our life (and our church) to do whatever it is He desires to do? Jesus made people uncomfortable. He operated outside of "the box". He didn't do what people expected Him to do.

He's making me uncomfortable as a pastor, and I think that is a great thing...and at the same time, it freaks me out if I don't believe He has my best interest at heart. If I believe that, then I trust Him, and open myself to whatever He wants. Our comfortability and our trust of God I believe are inseparably linked to one another.

Relevant Sunday Recap 7/10/11

2011-07-11T07:00:00.002-04:00

Sunday’s at Relevant always feel special. This past Sunday was no exception. Seeing our Sprouts Kids department bursting with workers and kids, seeing the smiles and faces of each other, and discovering new relationships each week never gets old.

Brad and the band led us in amazing worship. Leading into our communion celebration Brad challenged us with an amazing thought – He said, “Wherever you are, Jesus is!” That is powerful. We also learned a new song this week: “Forever Reign” by Jason Ingram and Reuben Morgan of Hillsong. Check it out at this LINK on YouTube!

Our Text was Ruth 3:8-18 and our Big Idea was:

Be Counter-Culture, Do The Right Thing.

John Piper calls doing what is right "strategic righteousness.” “By righteousness I mean a zeal for doing what is good and right and appropriate when God is taken into account as sovereign and merciful. By strategic I mean that there is intention, purposefulness, planning. There is a passive righteousness which simply avoids evil when it presents itself. But strategic righteousness takes the initiative and dreams of how to make things right.” – John Piper

This was an amazing scene in our text. We can well imagine that Boaz was indeed surprised, waking up in the night as he turned in his sleep, knowing that someone was out there but not being able to see clearly because of the darkness and the sleep in his eyes.

Ruth identified herself and made a simple request. In beginning with the words “I am your servant,” Ruth again showed great humility and submission. She presented herself as Boaz’s servant. She boldly asked Boaz to take her in marriage. “Spread the corner of your covering (wing) over me. This was her saying, “I am a widow, take me as your wife.”

In Ezekiel 16:8 the prophet declares on behalf of God that He desires to do the same thing for us: “And when I passed by again, I saw that you were old enough for love. So I wrapped my cloak around you to cover your nakedness and declared my marriage vows. I made a covenant with you, says the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine.”

Boaz had the right to force himself upon Ruth as her redeemer, but he did not. He wasn’t going to just say, “There’s a woman I want, and I have her by right.” Just as Jesus doesn’t force Himself on us.

It also shows something else wonderful about Ruth: She based her attraction to Boaz more on respect than on image or appearance. Tragically, many people fall in love with an image or an appearance, rather than with a person’s true inner beauty. Boaz was also attracted to Ruth because of her character. Literally, Boaz called Ruth a woman of moral strength, good quality, integrity, and virtue.

And then comes a word of magnificent righteousness and self-control. He says, "According to custom, Ruth, there is another who has prior claim to you and I won't be able to proceed until all things are duly settled with him." The stars are beautiful overhead, it is midnight, he loves her, she loves him, they are alone, she is under his cloak … and he stops - for the sake of righteousness he does not touch her.

The mood of American life today is, if it feels good, do it, and to hell with your guilt-producing, old-fashioned principles of chastity and faithfulness. God would say, let the morning dawn on your purity. Don't be like the world. Be like Boaz. Be like Ruth. As John Piper describes the two of them: “Profoundly in love. Subtle and perceptive in communication. Powerful in self-control. Committed to righteousness.”

This was a time of considerable anxiety for Ruth. She was like us, having a hard time with patience waiting on her Redeemer to act. BUT BE PATIENT. Wait. God is at work, even if we don’t see it.

God Moments Today:

People asking for prayer and sharing a genuine heart.

People moved by God to pursue new ministry opportunities not yet discovered.

New faces and some familiar friends visiting with us.

A LOT of shoes collected for the poor of Kampala, Uganda.

Tears. Smiles. Brokenness. Wrestling. Laughter. Beauty.

Relevant Sunday Preview

2011-07-08T10:12:00.000-04:00

Our Text… 

Ruth 3:8-18 "Around midnight Boaz suddenly woke up and turned over. He was surprised to find a woman lying at his feet! 9"Who are you?" he asked. "I am your servant Ruth," she replied. "Spread the corner of your covering over me, for you are my family redeemer." 10"The LORD bless you, my daughter!" Boaz exclaimed. "You are showing even more family loyalty now than you did before, for you have not gone after a younger man, whether rich or poor. 11Now don't worry about a thing, my daughter. I will do what is necessary, for everyone in town knows you are a virtuous woman. 12But while it's true that I am one of your family redeemers, there is another man who is more closely related to you than I am. 13Stay here tonight, and in the morning I will talk to him. If he is willing to redeem you, very well. Let him marry you. But if he is not willing, then as surely as the LORD lives, I will redeem you myself! Now lie down here until morning." 14So Ruth lay at Boaz's feet until the morning, but she got up before it was light enough for people to recognize each other. For Boaz had said, "No one must know that a woman was here at the threshing floor." 15Then Boaz said to her, "Bring your cloak and spread it out." He measured six scoops of barley into the cloak and placed it on her back. Then he returned to the town. 16When Ruth went back to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, "What happened, my daughter?" Ruth told Naomi everything Boaz had done for her, 17and she added, "He gave me these six scoops of barley and said, 'Don't go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.'" 18Then Naomi said to her, "Just be patient, my daughter, until we hear what happens. The man won't rest until he has settled things today."

The main thought we’re going to be talking about this week is the challenge of doing the right thing in spite of what our culture tells us. Sounds simple enough, but living it out is very challenging when “everyone is doing it…”.

Our Worship…

Brad O’Hara will be leading our worship band this coming Sunday. Let us anticipate experiencing Jesus on Sunday and worshipping Him with all of our hearts. Following are the songs we’ll be singing:

Christ Is Here

Mighty Breath of God

*Always Forever (listen on YouTube)

Forever Reign

*Always Forever

By Phil Wickham:

You are the hand that catches my fall

You are the friend that answers my call

You are my day, You are my night

You are my love and all of my life

You are the love I need

You are the air I breathe

You are my love my life always forever

I would lay down my life

Just to be by Your side

You are my love my life always forever

You are the grace that covers my sin

You’re everything the beginning and end

You have my soul, my heart and my mind

You have my love and all of my life

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, forever

*ANNOUNCEMENTS*:

1.) One of our servants at Relevant, John Reece, has invited us to join him in a project of loving others. If any of you have any gently used shoes that you would like to donate to a church in Kampala, Uganda...John is going to be shipping them boxes of shoes. If you want to join in, you can bring them on Sunday to Relevant. We'll have a tub placed in the back upstairs by the "Connect Table" specifically for this purpose! Preferably flat and comfortable (tennis-shoes etc.) shoes and all sizes are needed especially, children's shoes. I love the heart behind this! Thanks John for leading the way!

2.) The Advisory Board that meets with the leadership for our church will be in town July 22-24 for our semi-annual meeting. In place of having our Upper Room Meal this Sunday (July 10^th) instead we are going to do a meal together on Saturday night, July 23^rd so that you can have a chance to interact and meet them and vice-versa. So plan on July 23^rd, 7pm for a upper room meal together at the church building!

Our Prayer...

I am consecrated to You, Father god. I go forward in Your Faith and Your  Strength and Your Mercy and Your Power. Guide me, guard me, protect me.  Keep me safe in You and help me to be able to do the Work that You have  laid out before me to do. Help me to walk through this experience so that  at the end of this experience, I am a greater warrior for You, I am a stronger person for You, I am a better and more able and more confident  person for You.   I do not go by appearances. I know the outcome of this test is not  important. The outcome that is important, is that I persevere in You and  keep going straight in You and focus on you and keep going in this  spiritual path towards You, towards the goal, towards the Work You have  laid out for me.   I surrender to You, I am consecrated to You, I am aligned with You this day  and all that You would have me do, and I am aligned to Your desire and Your  wishes for me this day. Keep me strong in You this day Father God.

Being The Shoes Too...

2011-07-05T11:07:00.000-04:00

Jesus teaches us that we have been grated the opportunity to be His hands and His feet to the world. I love the passage of Scripture in Matthew 25 that says:

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.' "Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you? Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me - you did it to me.' "

One of our faithful servants at Relevant, John Reece, has taken this to heart and is pursuing more than just being the feet of Jesus, He desires to be the shoes too, and he wants us to join him in this project.

If any of you have any gently used shoes the you would like to donate to a church in Kampala, Uganda...John is going to be shipping them boxes of shoes. If you want to join in, you can bring them on Sunday to Relevant. We'll have a tub placed in the back upstairs by the "Connect Table" specifically for this purpose! Preferably flat, comfortable (tennis-shoes, etc.) and all sizes are needed especially, children's

I love the heart behind this! Thanks John for leading the way!

RELEVANT SUNDAY PREVIEW

2011-06-30T10:44:00.000-04:00

Our Text… 

Ruth 3:1-7 "One day Naomi said to Ruth, "My daughter, it's time that I found a permanent home for you, so that you will be provided for. 2 Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he's been very kind by letting you gather grain with his workers. Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor. 3 Now do as I tell you -- take a bath and put on perfume and dress in your nicest clothes. Then go to the threshing floor, but don't let Boaz see you until he has finished his meal. 4 Be sure to notice where he lies down; then go and uncover his feet and lie down there. He will tell you what to do." 5 "I will do everything you say," Ruth replied. 6 So she went down to the threshing floor that night and followed the instructions of her mother-in-law.”

The main thought we’re going to be talking about this week is the concept that the Bible teaches on being fully humble and fully belonging to Jesus, when we live this way we have an amazing relationship with our Creator.

We all long for that permanent home, a place where we will be provided for, loved, and protected. Naomi knew that the only way Ruth would ever obtain this is by a marital relationship with her redeemer, Boaz. This is a beautiful reminder again of our relationship with Jesus.

Our Worship…

Chris Ruble will be leading our worship band this coming Sunday. Please pray for him, Holly, Brad, Bill, Jeanette, and David as they prepare the music and rehearse before our gathering on Sunday. As I mentioned last week, this is an opportunity for the body of Christ to express it’s heart to Jesus regarding who He is and what He’s done and is doing in our life. Following are the songs we’ll be singing:

My God Has Come To Save Me

All Because Of Jesus

The Glory Of It All (Click HERE for some info behind the song)

Mighty To Save*
Amazing Grace

*Mighty To Save

By Reuben Morgan (Hillsong):

Everyone needs compassion, love that’s never failing

Let mercy fall on me

Everyone needs forgiveness, the kindness of a Saviour

The hope of nations

Saviour, He can move the mountains

For my God is mighty to save

He is mighty to save

Forever, Author of salvation

He rose and conquered the grave

Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find me

All my fears and failures, fill my life again

I give my life to follow

Everything I believe in, now I surrender

Shine Your light and let the whole world see

We’re singing for the glory of the risen King

Jesus

*ANNOUNCEMENTS*:

1.) Dan & Lauren Schultz had their baby boy on Thursday, June 30^th. Mom and Baby are healthy and doing well. We haven’t been given a name yet, but the stats are: 8pds. 4 oz., 20.5 inches long.

2.) Thank you again to everyone who worked, served, and learned something new last Saturday at our Volunteer Fair / Work Day for Relevant. You are amazing; you inspire and encourage the rest of us.

3.) The Advisory Board for our church will be in town in July for our semi-annual meeting that we has pastors host with them. In place of having our Upper Room Meal on the 2^nd Sunday of this month (July 10^th) we thought instead let’s do a meal together on Saturday night, July 23^rd so that you can have a change to interact and meet them and vice-versa. So plan on July 23^rd, 6pm for a upper room meal together at the church building!

Our Prayer...

Lord, I am yours, and I must belong to no one but you. My soul is yours, and must live only by you. My will is yours, and must love only for you. I must love you as my first cause, since I am from you. I must love you as my end and rest, since I am for you. I must love you more than my own being, since my being subsists by you. I must love you more than myself, since I am all yours and all in you. Amen.

"Jesus, I've Got Some Bad News..."

2011-06-29T10:18:00.001-04:00

I love the humanity of Jesus. I love that He chose to become like us. He loved like we do. He lost things like we do. He hurt like we do. He laughed like we do. All of this and more, and yet He was fully God at the same time - simply amazing!

One day just after overcoming some major temptation and trying times in life, we're told Jesus was given some very sad news. Imagine being the guy who's looking for Jesus to tell Him I've got something you need to hear, and it's not very good? Matthew 4:12-17 tells us the story. Someone finds Jesus and tells him, your cousin John (who Jesus loved very much) has just been arrested and thrown in jail and the outcomes not looking to great...

In spite of getting this difficult news right on the heels of overcoming what He did, Jesus never lost sight of His purpose or His calling. In fact, as soon as he heard the news were told he acted immediately and began ministering. Being faithful and obedient, in spite of circumstances, were absolutely essential to Him.

So He goes out and ministers with one big idea in mind: "Repent! God's Kingdom is near!"

Don't let the circumstances of this life keep you from being faithful and obedient to Jesus - there will always be difficulties, sad times, and bad news; it's what we do in those situations that define us as the sons and daughters of the King.

And remember - you have a King who knows what you're feeling and going through, He's felt the same thing before...

Relevant Sunday Recap 6/26/11

2011-06-28T10:51:00.001-04:00

Sunday’s at Relevant are so special – I never leave discouraged or down, but always challenged and encouraged, God is so faithful. When we are intentional with each other as the body of Christ, Jesus blesses and works, and that is always uplifting. Once again we were blessed to have several new individuals chose to visit with us yesterday.

We celebrated Jeff Echoff – a awesome young man - who has been diligently working hard at the church each Sunday for the past several months setting up chairs, coffee and refreshments, unpacking cases, hanging signs, etc. Jeff, THANK YOU for all you have done to serve the body of Christ.

Chris Ruble led our worship time! Its so beautiful how the words we sing in song match up with what we see in the Bible and what we talk about in the message time! Chris added in a old familiar chorus during our time of singing: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

That is what Sunday’s at Relevant are about, as a body united together, turning our eyes on Jesus and allowing the frustrations, hurts, wounds, failures, longings, struggles, addictions, dreams, etc. of this world to fade away in comparison to His glory and grace.

THE MESSAGE TIME:

Our Text this week once again picked up in Ruth as we concluded half or our series through this amazing 4 chapter book. The last time we focused on the principle that We Broke It (life), He Bought It (life) – the idea that the kindness of God (grace) is poured out on us even though we’ve done nothing to deserve it. Boaz modeled this for Ruth as a type of Jesus. So this week we focused on in light of that truth, We Should Be Livin' What We’re Given!

Ruth 2:19-23 "So much!" Naomi exclaimed. "Where did you gather all this grain today? Where did you work? May the LORD bless the one who helped you!" So Ruth told her mother-in-law about the man in whose field she had worked. And she said, "The man I worked with today is named Boaz." 20 "May the LORD bless him!" Naomi told her daughter-in-law. "He is showing his kindness to us as well as to your dead husband. That man is one of our closest relatives, one of our family redeemers." 21 Then Ruth said, "What's more, Boaz even told me to come back and stay with his harvesters until the entire harvest is completed." 22 "This is wonderful!" Naomi exclaimed. "Do as he said. Stay with his workers right through the whole harvest. You will be safe there, unlike in other fields." 23 So Ruth worked alongside the women in Boaz's fields and gathered grain with them until the end of the barley harvest. Then she worked with them through the wheat harvest, too. But all the while she lived with her mother-in-law.

The love, kindness and grace of God is overflowing. It’s more than we can contain. Sometimes I think we view it as barely noticeable or at most, barely enough. We too should love out of excess, love great, go the extra mile that says to others– wow, that is TOO MUCH!!

Loving like this stirs questions. Gives you a chance to share rescue, to speak of hope. You can’t live extreme without stirring up questions from others, it will make people take notice because it’s counter culture. As the Apostle Peter told us : “Always be ready to speak of the hope within you.”

Ruth could have easily stole the spotlight, not many would blame her either, she’s working hard. She could have made it about herself, she could have painted herself in a great light as the source of rescue for Naomi, but she didn’t, she projected it ALL back to Boaz (JESUS).

Notice also that she was specific, by name! Can we do this with Jesus and not just be casual by throwing out the title “God”. The word “god” is so overused today, it means so many different things to so many different people, but when you are specific and say JESUS CHRIST, you have just made a bold statement that causes people to take notice!

When we are redeemed, we are kept though it all to the end of the “harvest”! Jesus speaks of the harvest of souls…

Matthew 9:35-38 “Jesus traveled through all the cities and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And wherever he went, he healed people of every sort of disease and illness. 36 He felt great pity for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didn't know where to go for help. They were like sheep without a shepherd. 37 He said to his disciples, "The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send out more workers for his fields."

He also speaks to our security (being kept through it all) to the end…

John 10:27-30 “My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. So no one can take them from me. 30 The Father and I are one."

1 John 5:10-13 “All who believe in the Son of God know that this is true. Those who don't believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don't believe what God has testified about his Son. 11 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 So whoever has God's Son has life; whoever does not have his Son does not have life. 13 I write this to you who believe in the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.”

God wants you to know you are secure, don’t buy the lies of the enemy who will cause you to doubt and wonder about truth. This news is amazing, as Naomi said in our text: “This is wonderful!” It should cause us to worship, to celebrate, to be filled with joy, to be moved in our spirit to exclaim worship in praise and joy! Notice their circumstances haven’t really changed – they’re still living in the same conditions, still laboring for every scrap of food they get, but they shift to worshipping out of who they are in relation to their redeemer, not in what they have or circumstances!

So what is expected of Ruth as she journeys? She is to Obey (do as he says), Be Faithful (Stay with his workers through the end of the harvest), and Stay Close To Him (don’t wonder off into other fields).

So Ruth Worked – so many Christians today are lazy within and without the church walls. I have heard a lot of people say to me, “I don’t want to serve or do anything, I just want to be, I don’t want to do.” Can I tell you something hard? You and I disappoint God when we take this approach. We rob Him and the body (each other) when we take and never give. Working comes out of Relationship. I work for Jesus because I love Him and want to, I don’t work for Jesus so that He’ll love me more or to be a good Christian.

What a great example from Ruth – she worked hard, day in, and day out, doing what she could for the benefit of her community (in this case, Naomi).

BIG IDEA: We Should Be Livin' What We’re Given!

We followed the message with Communion and worship. Know that if you weren’t here yesterday you were missed. The Relevant Community is not the same when you are not here. We'll continue in Ruth this coming Sunday. We want to see you if your town this weekend.

Music That Moves Me

2011-06-21T07:36:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while I come across a song that simply stirs something deep in the depths of my heart and soul. Were all like this – that’s the beauty of music, it speaks to each of differently and usually when it does, it’s in the depths of our life. This is one such song for me. I’ve always been fascinated by the Bible verse in Zephaniah and the concept it teaches: that God sings over us!

Zephaniah 3:17 “For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song."

For me, I imagine the song must be something like Todd Agnew’s Martyr’s Song. This song moves me – to tears, to laughter, to longing, to anticipation for the day when I get to see Jesus face to face.

Take a listen to the song while checking out the lyrics below:

Martyr’s Song

By Todd Agnew

I've been waiting to dance with you

In fields full of colors you've never seen

I've been waiting to show you beauty

You never dreamed that's always been in you

I've been waiting to see you tremble as you're embraced

By a world saturated with my love

I've been waiting for the day when at last I get to say

“My child, you are finally home.”

Sing O son of Zion

Shout O child of mine

Rejoice with all your heart and soul and mind

For you are finally home

I've been waiting to watch you realize

What all your longing was for

I've been waiting to show you the thread of grace

That ran through all your pain

I've been waiting to let you drink the water of which

Your greatest joy on earth was just a taste

I've been waiting for the day when at last I get to say

“My child, you are finally home.”

Sing O son of Zion

Shout O child of mine

Rejoice with all your heart and soul and mind

Sing O daughter of Zion

Cry out O child of mine

Dance with all the strength that you can find

For you are finally home

Every tear you cried dried in the palm of my hand

Every lonely hour was by my side

Every loved one lost, every river crossed

Every moment, every hour was pointing to this day

I've been longing for this day

I've been waiting to dance with you

In fields full of colors you've never seen

I've been waiting to show you beauty

You never dreamed that's always been in you

I've been waiting to see you tremble as you're embraced

By a world saturated with my love

I've been waiting for the day when at last I get to say

“My child, you are finally home.”

Sing O son of Zion

Shout O child of mine

Rejoice with all your heart and soul and mind

Sing O daughter of Zion

Cry out O child of mine

Dance with all the strength that you can find

For you are finally home

You may not be able to pull up the music player via Facebook, if not you can listen by going directly to the blog itself...
http://www.relevantchurchwilliamsburg.org/relevantchurch/blog_travis.html

RELEVANT SUNDAY RECAP

2011-06-20T09:25:00.000-04:00

After we worshipped, before jumping into the message for the day, we spent a special time in prayer for those struggling and those in need. We also took a few minutes to recognize our dads. We were also blessed to have some people chose to visit with us yesterday while on vacation.

Our Text…

Matthew 1:18-21, 24-25 “The is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. 20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 …her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.”

Today to celebrate Father’s Day, we looked at the father of Jesus, Joseph(Joe) and how he was anything but average. Our big idea was built off of this idea, that we shouldn’t settle to be the average Joe.

Some facts about Joe…

He was a good man…

Jospeh was similar to His heavenly Father, he was righteous. He was a man of character – he did what was right as God defined what was right, regardless of the cost to him. (Colossians 1:19-22)

He was humble…

He would have been completely within his rights and justified to disgrace Mary or worse, to have her put to death, but he chose not too. This also requires great humility.

He valued others…

Putting others before ourselves is not only a Godly characteristic; it’s something Jesus modeled for us.

He didn’t react in the moment…

This is challenging – it’s so much easier to respond in the moment to something than it is to pause, stop, think, consider, before responding. It requires work. It requires a change of habits sometimes.

He needed reminders of his identity.

Joseph was a prince. And not just any prince – prince of the most beloved King in his history, King David. We too are royalty. Son’s and Daughters of the greatest King to sit on a throne, Jehovah God Himself. Because of this, God takes great passion and pleasure in us. You thrill Him! We need this reminder, constantly, because everything else around us will tell us and remind us of what a failure we are and how we fall short!

He was obedient to God. He did what God asked of Him, nothing more, nothing less. He didn’t start planning how to protect and provide for the King of Kings. He simply was obedient in what he knew – and for now, it was simply to name the baby Jesus. Don’t press into all the things that you think you are supposed to do and to be…rather, spend time with Jesus and the Word and ask the Holy Spirit, what do you want me to do today, then just obey.

READ Psalm 128…

In this rapidly-changing society where homes are breaking up all around us, the good news is, if you want to be blessed, then fear the Lord, Know who he is; spend time finding out who he is; meditate on his law day and night; follow him with your whole heart and walk in his ways.

Where are you going to get the energy the wisdom the courage the patience the spirit of forgiveness and the love that's necessary for this task? Where in the world are you going to get the kind of power that makes a whole community say yes there goes a husband of the way? From Yahweh. From Jesus. From The Holy Spirit.

We followed the message with Communion and worship. Know that if you weren’t here yesterday you were missed. The Relevant Community is not the same when you are not here.

RELEVANT SUNDAY PREVIEW

2011-06-16T05:43:00.000-04:00

Our Text…
Matthew 1:18-25 “Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her fiance, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly. 20 As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22 All of this happened to fulfill the Lord's message through his prophet: 23 "Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us)." 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded. He brought Mary home to be his wife, 25 but she remained a virgin until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.”

Our BIG IDEA for this week’s message: Don’t Settle To Be The Average Joe!

This week we’ll be stepping out of our series on Ruth as we jump back into our shorter series called “Home Sweet Home”. If you don’t know yet or have forgotten, this coming Sunday is FATHER’S DAY. This message is more than about just being a dad, it’s also about being a son or a husband, it’s really about being a man that God is satisfied with, but we’ll be focusing on dad.

It seems that unfairly, Mother’s Day messages encourage moms for who they are while Father’s Day messages can tend to beat up dad’s for not being who they are – I pray we avoid beating up dad but rather encourage him and those around us. I want to praise a dad from Scripture that prayerfully we can draw some life lessons from, Jesus’ earthly daddy, Joseph.

Our Worship…

Brad will be leading us this week. Please keep the band (Andrew Campbell, Tara Miller, Dan Schultz, and Brad O'Hara) in prayer as they all share in leading us in worship on Sunday and as you meditate on the music below.

The Power of the Cross
How Deep The Father’s Love For Us (click for story behind the song)
Holy, Holy, Holy
Give Us Clean Hands
Tasting Forgiveness

Tasting Forgiveness

By Robbie Seay Band:

I’m pleading my innocence here

Exposing my arrogance all the while

Hoping that nobody sees

Especially You

I've yielded to all that has cost me

And thrown to the side what is free

And I’m lying if I say that I've figured it out

But maybe this time

The bread and the wine

Will be more than food on my lips

I’m tasting forgiveness

And drinking of mercy

I feast on redemption

Tasting forgiveness

*ANNOUNCEMENTS*:

1.) Reminder: If you are new to Relevant you may not be aware of the days we as Pastors take and practice Sabbath Rest. We believe it's not only important to do so because Christ also modeled this, but it's expected of us by God. On these days we are unavailable for ministry issues (exceptions for emergency needs) and we have spaced them out so that someone will be available from a pastoral position to serve you. Please feel free to talk to us about this if you have further questions or just want to know more!

Travis - Friday

Brad - Saturday

Steve - Sunday

2.) On June 25th, 2011 from 10am to 1pm we are going to be hosting our first ever Volunteer Fair / Work Day for Relevant. The purpose behind this day is to make some minor repairs to some of our equipment that we pack and unpack each week and to also provide some insights into opportunities to serve and use your talents in the church without obligation. More details will follow later this week in the Sunday Morning Preview Blog post, but PLEASE, plan on joining us – lunch will be provided.

Tasks to Complete:

R Kids
• Clean out and reorganize Black Cases
• Shampoo and clean carpets
• Demonstrate Set-up for Sunday and “What We Do”

Signage
• Demonstrate Set-up for Sunday and “What We Do”
• New banners - obtain hardware and install in ground

First Impressions
• Fix upstairs wall area where Black Cases caused damage
• Clean out and reorganize Black Cases
• Demonstrate Set-up for Sunday and “What We Do”

Worship
• Clean out and reorganize Black Cases and back room area
• Demonstrate Set-up for Sunday and “What We Do”

Our Prayer...

Lord, You know what is best; let this be done or that be done as You please. Give what You will, as much as You will, when You will. Do with me as You know best, as will most please You, and will be for Your greater honor. Place me where You will and deal with me freely in all things. I am in Your hand; turn me about whichever way You will. Behold, I am Your servant, ready to obey in all things. Not for myself do I desire to live, but for You - would that I could do this worthily and perfectly!

RELEVANT SUNDAY RECAP 6/12/11

2011-06-15T11:01:00.000-04:00

Our Text…

Ruth 2:12-18 May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully." 13 "I hope I continue to please you, sir," she replied. "You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not as worthy as your workers." 14 At lunchtime Boaz called to her, "Come over here and help yourself to some of our food. You can dip your bread in the wine if you like." So she sat with his harvesters, and Boaz gave her food -- more than she could eat. 15 When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, "Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. 16 And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don't give her a hard time!" 17 So Ruth gathered barley there all day, and when she beat out the grain that evening, it came to about half a bushel. 18 She carried it back into town and showed it to her mother-in-law. Ruth also gave her the food that was left over from her lunch.

Our big idea for Sunday was: You Broke It, He Bought It. Meaning, we have broken life and relationship as God intended it to be, and ultimately, we should have to pay to get it back to the way it should be – but, the great news is that Jesus chose to rescue us and bought it and us back by His death on the cross for no other reason than His great kindness.

We never see Ruth asking why all the hard things have come upon her in life. Instead, she asks why this good thing has come. This is a significant difference in attitude.

Ruth experiences and acknowledges the kindness of her “Redeemer”, Boaz. A redeemer was someone who purchased something back that had been already sold, to claim something with payment (type of Jesus).

She experiences kindness via Boaz’s comforting words of encouragement. God speaks so many words of kindness towards you, words of encouragement – we must spend time in His Word. He tells us: “You are loved. You are more than ‘this’. You are beautiful. You make me smile. You are complete. You are valuable. You are worth it. You are what I desire.”

True kindness is shown when we extend ourselves to others who have nothing to give us in return (JESUS).

Ruth’s reaction was one of humility. The actual word used for servants or workers is that of “Slave”. This is a term Paul uses over and over again in his New Testament letters to describe himself and also to describe Jesus (Philippians 2). It’s not self-pity or self-loathsome, it’s an acknowledgement to our Redeemer that we do not belong to ourselves, we belong to Him, as such, we have no rights of our own.

Every time Christians utter the word Lord, they make a subtle yet profound declaration-that God is their Master and that they belong to Him. In fact, the Bible describes believers as His slaves. They have been bought with a price and now live for Christ as a people for His own possession.

Jesus frees us from bondage into a royal slavery that we might be His possession. Those who would be His children must, paradoxically, be willing to be His slaves.

The Christian's great privilege is to be the slave of Christ.

Like Ruth we must approach our Redeemer with an attitude of humility and gratefulness for His kindness towards us, a heart that gladly embraces the concept of being a slave of Jesus rather than being a friend of the world. We are obligated to Christ if we are His.

Notice that when God gives these to us, it is more than we need. It is satisfying. It is sufficient. It is complete, there is nothing wanting. It is necessary for us to survive the labor of our day. Notice also where she received these benefits: at the table of the redeemer, now equal with those who harvest. Do you see the ramifications for us?

We are invited to the table of the King, the table of grace. We’re not pushed off into the back corner of some restaurant to be kept away from the important guests; we are front and center with everyone else that is worthy.

Lastly, God uses people to minister to people. YOU and I have a role to play in God’s story, and as slaves, it’s not optional to play our part, its expected. Do the work you are given. Ruth talked about what she had, nothing more, and nothing less; that’s what Christ expects out of us when it comes to sharing our faith. Ruth does what we’ve been talking about; she shares what she has received with Naomi – the ultimate leftovers.

The day also included Corey Jones co-leading us into some beautiful worship of the King. Sprouts Ministry was loaded with a bunch of kids this past week and we also had baby Bonanno out of the first time :) We followed the service with our Upper Room Meal and had a great time of communion together gathered around tables of grace. New relationships were created and I truly believe Jesus was pleased with His bride on Sunday.

*ANNOUNCEMENT*

On June 25^th, 2011 from 10am to 1pm we are going to be hosting our first ever Volunteer Fair / Work Day for Relevant. The purpose behind this day is to make some minor repairs to some of our equipment that we pack and unpack each week and to also provide some insights into opportunities to serve and use your talents in the church without obligation. More details will follow later this week in the Sunday Morning Preview Blog post, but PLEASE, plan on joining us – lunch will be provided.

Relevant Sunday Preview

2011-06-11T06:27:00.000-04:00

Text for Sunday:

Ruth 2:12-18 May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully." 13 "I hope I continue to please you, sir," she replied. "You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not as worthy as your workers." 14 At lunchtime Boaz called to her, "Come over here and help yourself to some of our food. You can dip your bread in the wine if you like." So she sat with his harvesters, and Boaz gave her food -- more than she could eat. 15 When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, "Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. 16 And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don't give her a hard time!" 17 So Ruth gathered barley there all day, and when she beat out the grain that evening, it came to about half a bushel. 18 She carried it back into town and showed it to her mother-in-law. Ruth also gave her the food that was left over from her lunch.

We will be looking at the kindness of Boaz as a type of Christ and how kind He is towards us. In spite of the fact that we often do not choose Him over this world, and in spite of the fact that we have broken our world, He is still kind to us.

So in light of this, how should we view our relationship with Him?

Corey Phillips is going to be leading most of our worship this Sunday along with Brad. Our theme for Ruth as been focusing on Rescue, and this theme shows up throughout our worship as well. Our song list for this week is:

1.) Lead Me To The Cross

2.) All Because of Jesus

3.) Glorious

4.) How He Loves

5.) The Power of the Cross

Once again as usual we will be celebrating communion at the end of the service. Immediately after the service this week is our Upper Room Meal, please plan on staying and joining us for this. If we can pray for you in any way or encourage you in any way, please don’t hesitate to let us know. Have a blessed weekend!

Longing To Belong

2011-06-09T09:35:00.000-04:00

Eddie (were on a first-name basis) sings the song of every
heart that has ever beat, we all want desperately to belong.
The Bible says about Jesus: "In Christ we live, and move,
and have our being, Christ in you, the hope of glory."

While I'm guessing most likely he's not singing about
Jesus, the longing remains and will only be satisfied in Him.

"Longing To Belong"

by Eddie Vedder

I'm falling harder than I've ever fell before

I'm falling faster, hoping I'll land in your arms

Cause all my time is spent here

Longing to belong to you

I dream of circles perfect, eyes within your face

My hearts a open wound that only you replace

And though the moon is rising, can't put your picture down

Love, it's a frightening way to fall

And when the time is right, I hope that you'll respond

Like when the wind gets tired and the ocean becomes calm

I may be dreaming but I'm longing to belong to you

http://irrrelevant.blogspot.com/

Relevant Sunday Recap 6/5/11

2011-06-08T09:29:00.000-04:00

Ruth 2:1-12 “Now there was a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi's husband, Elimelech. 2 One day Ruth said to Naomi, "Let me go out into the fields to gather leftover grain behind anyone who will let me do it."And Naomi said, "All right, my daughter, go ahead." 3 So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech. 4 While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. "The LORD be with you!" he said."The LORD bless you!" the harvesters replied. 5 Then Boaz asked his foreman, "Who is that girl over there?" 6 And the foreman replied, "She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi. 7 She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes' rest over there in the shelter." 8 Boaz went over and said to Ruth, "Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don't go to any other fields. Stay right behind the women working in my field. 9 See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to bother you. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well." 10 Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. "Why are you being so kind to me?" she asked. "I am only a foreigner." 11 "Yes, I know," Boaz replied. "But I also know about the love and kindness you have shown your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. 12 May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully."

Chris Ruble led our worship this past week. Chris also had the privilege of announcing the great news that Brad & Jeanette O'Hara are expecting their first child!!

We were blessed to have Pastor Fred Liggen from Williamsburg Christian Church come across town to preach at Relevant. Pastor Fred continued our look at the life of Ruth, picking up the story in chapter 2. He shared that this story demonstrates for us the invitation to mercy and grace that Jesus Christ provides to each of us. God’s mission is that of Rescue – the theme of all the Scriptures and of our study in the book of Ruth.

Fred shared a powerful truth: “It’s not that God’s church has a mission, it’s that God’s mission has a church.” It begins with God rescuing us (Grace: God doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves – rescue), and then we are invited and expected to join with Him on this mission of rescue. That’s what it means to be the church, to be a Christian.

Christianity and Mission isn’t something we arrange in life, it’s something we arrange our lives around. Ruth was in Boaz’s field in need of grace – who are the people “in our fields” in need of grace? That is our mission.

QUESTION FOR US:

How is your life and the lives of people around you different this week because of the Truth you have heard this past week??

Virtual Choir

2011-06-07T07:29:00.000-04:00

If you have 9 minutes and 30 seconds, this video is beautiful and I think worth your time...

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir 2.0, 'Sleep' from Eric Whitacre on Vimeo.

http://irrrelevant.blogspot.com/

Unusual Family Tree

2011-06-06T09:06:00.000-04:00

God the Father often works in unusual ways through unusual people to accomplish unusual things. He has a plan, even when it makes absolutely no sense to us!

Matthew, writing to a Jewish audience, escorts into the spotlight four unusual people (women especially which was a big culture "no-no") drawing attention to the lineage of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

1.) Tamar - prostituted herself getting back at her husband (weird story)

2.) Rahab - a prostitute

3.) Ruth - a woman from Moab where child sacrifice and sex were a regular part of worship

4.) Bathsheba - had an affair with the married king of Israel/husband murdered as a result

Unusual? Yes. Hope for you and me? Yes. Rescue came in verse 21. Jesus's family tree was full of mis-fits, the broken, the used, and the abused, and through this unusual line of men and women, He would bring Messiah to rescue you and me in the midst of our brokenness.

Relevant Sunday Preview

2011-06-02T19:50:00.000-04:00

Our text for this coming Sunday is...

Ruth 2:1-8 "Now there was a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi's husband, Elimelech. One day Ruth said to Naomi, "Let me go out into the fields to gather leftover grain behind anyone who will let me do it." And Naomi said, "All right, my daughter, go ahead." So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech. While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. "The LORD be with you!" he said. "The LORD bless you!" the harvesters replied. Then Boaz asked his foreman, "Who is that girl over there?" And the foreman replied, "She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi. She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes' rest over there in the shelter." Boaz went over and said to Ruth, "Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don't go to any other fields. Stay right behind the women working in my field.

You will want to be here this coming Sunday. We are blessed to have a guest pastor from across town speaking at Relevant, Pastor Fred Liggen from Williamsburg Christian Church. In God’s grace, Pastor Fred was given the honor to serve at WCC in October 2010. He is the husband of Alison Glenn, daddy to his son Ian and deeply thankful for his church family. He received his B.A. in Ministry/Bible at Amridge University and is completing his M.A. in Christian Ministry from Abilene Christian University.

He has a deep love for God, His Gospel and His Kingdom way of life. Fred is also passionate about seeing God's people learn what it means to participate in God's mission as everyday people in everyday places who offer tangible Kingdom-expressions of love, mercy and hope in everyday ways. Relevant will be blessed to have him lead us as we continue in Ruth chapter 2 focusing on how as the rescued, we participate in God's rescue mission.

Our songs we will be joining in for worship this week are:

My God Has Come To Save Me

Lead Me To The Cross

Jesus Is The Lord

*The Solid Rock

Nothing But The Blood

*The Solid Rock

by Edward Mote

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood

Support me in the whelming flood;

When all around my soul gives way,

He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh, may I then in Him be found;

Dressed in His righteousness alone,

Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain:

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand.

The name of Edward Mote does not often rest on the lips of the Church today. However, the testimony of his life is one that should inspire all Christians. Mote was not brought up in a godly home and did not have the advantage of early exposure to Scripture. In fact, his parents managed a bar in London and often neglected young Edward, who spent most of his Sundays playing in the city streets.

Of his theological upbringing he said, "So ignorant was I that I did not know that there was a God." Eventually Mote became exposed to the Word of God, and was baptized at the age of 18. This event, however, did not send Mote immediately into the ministry. He was apprenticed to become a cabinetmaker, a career which he successfully conducted for another 37 years. Eventually, at the age of 55, he became pastor of a Baptist church in Horsham, Sussex. He resigned from this pastorate in 1873 due to ill health, and died the following year at the age of 77.

It was with this background that Mote wrote the hymn we have today, "The Solid Rock." It was during his career as a cabinetmaker that the hymn came into being. One morning in 1834 as he was walking to work, it entered his mind to write a hymn. By the time he got to work, he had the chorus. He wrote four more verses over the course of that day and two additional verses before he was finished.

As to the doctrinal message of the hymn, several key thoughts and phrases qualify it as a "Hymn of Grace." Of course, the chorus itself clearly sets forth the message of grace. The metaphor of Christ as a rock is one with a firm basis in Scripture (1 Corinthians 10:4).

In the first stanza, hardly a clearer statement of total dependence on Christ could be made. Mote recognizes that our hope for eternal life depends completely upon Jesus’ righteousness, not on some sweet earthly frame. Nothing in this hymn ever hints that any work on our part can add to Christ’s work in order to secure our eternal salvation.

However, the hymn is not ignorant of the reality of our daily struggles. In the second and third stanzas, Mote recognizes that there are times when the doubts, cares, and darkness of this world will seem to weaken our fellowship with God and veil His face from us. Even in these times, when "all around [our] soul gives way," God has not left us. Our anchor of faith can still hold in the darkness, knowing through faith that even though not seen (Hebrews 11:1), He still sustains us. It is at these times that it is most important, in Mote’s words, to "rest on His unchanging grace."

From a declaration of God’s grace in the first stanza, to the application of that grace in times of trouble in the second and third stanzas, the writer brings his hymn full circle in the final stanza, with the ultimate realization of God’s grace.

This hymn, penned by the son of neglectful barkeepers in London, has become one of the most beloved gospel hymns in Church history. The basic message strongly sets forth Christ’s righteousness as the only requirement for salvation, making it very much a "Hymn of Grace."

Announcement Reminder:
Next Sunday (June 12th) will be our next Upper Room Meal immediately following the service. Please make plans now to stay after the service and share a meal with us. If you are able to bring a dish to share, awesome, if you can't bring something, still awesome, we just want to have you join us!

A prayer for us today:

"At the dawning of this new day, let it begin with you Jesus, our Saviour and Redeemer. In our weakness please be our strength. In our stumbling we ask that you be our guide. In our brokenness we plead that you become be our healing. And in our darkness we give thanks for You, our source of light, at the dawning of this and every new day. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Relevant Sunday Recap 5/29/11

2011-05-31T10:13:00.000-04:00

Our text for Sunday...

Ruth 1:15-22 "See," Naomi said to her, "your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same." 16 But Ruth replied, "Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. I will go wherever you go and live wherever you live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 I will die where you die and will be buried there. May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!" 18 So when Naomi saw that Ruth had made up her mind to go with her, she stopped urging her. 19 So the two of them continued on their journey. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was stirred by their arrival. "Is it really Naomi?" the women asked. 20 "Don't call me Naomi," she told them. "Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. 21 I went away full, but the LORD has brought me home empty. Why should you call me Naomi when the LORD has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy?" 22 So Naomi returned from Moab, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth, the young Moabite woman. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Brad led our worship this past week. I absolutely love how the lyrics we sing and lift up each week tie in directly to what we are talking about in the book of Ruth. Brad led us in the simple chorus of "I Have Decided To Follow Jesus" to kick off our worship for the morning. We then sung:

Christ Is Risen

Came To My Rescue

How He loves

From The Inside Out

The message this week focused again on rescue with the big idea being that we must maintain the right perspective in the wrong circumstances to live a life of freedom. We discovered that God often works in very unusual way that are counter-culture to bring about incredible things. We learned that people should be able to look at how we live life and say, "I want your God to be my God."

Ruth provides us a picture of God's ideal woman. She had faith in God that saw beyond present bitter setbacks. She lived in freedom from the securities and comforts of the world. She displayed courage to venture into the unknown and into the unfamiliar. Ruth had a radical commitment to the relationships in her life that were appointed by God.

Then there's Naomi. She is unshaken and sure about three things: God exists. God is sovereign. God is working in her life. Her time away from the God of Israel, had not been pleasant - it was bitter. Naomi wasn’t a phony. She was genuine, transparent, and authentic. She wasn’t going to show up and pretend everything was fine. We must live this way church! Naomi was honest and open enough to say, “Here I am and my life is bitter.”

We said that if you trust the sovereign goodness and mercy of God to pursue you all the days of your life, then you are free like Ruth. If God calls, you can leave family, you can leave your job, you can leave the state you live in, and you can make radical commitments and undertake new ventures.

You can find the freedom and courage and strength to keep a commitment you already made. When you believe in the sovereignty of God and that he loves to work mightily for those who trust him, it gives a freedom and joy that can't be shaken by hard times. The book of Ruth gives us a glimpse into the hidden work of God during the worst of times. And so like all the other Scriptures, as Paul says (Romans 15:4, 13), Ruth was written that we might abound in hope.

Our service ended with the band leading us in "More Than Ashes" which was a beautiful heart cry - I love this line: "There's going to be a wedding, that's the reason that I'm living, to marry the lamb." That is what it's all about. We were also blessed to have some friends from days past come out Sunday and visit with us, it was a great Sunday to be at Relevant.

Relevant Sunday Preview

2011-05-27T16:33:00.000-04:00

Our text for this coming Sunday is...

We'll be continuing in this our 3rd week of Ruth focusing on how we maintain the right perspective in the midst of wrong circumstances. Perspective is everything, but too often, it is much easier to live out of the circumstances of life because they are here and now, right in front of our faces. However, living out of our circumstances will not lead to living a life of satisfaction, last peace, and true joy. This was something Ruth and Naomi model tremendously for us.

If you are interested in additional mediation in preparation for Sunday, I would suggest reading Romans chapter 8 and looking up the lyrics to our songs for this week.

A list of songs we'll be worshiping to are:

You Came To My Rescue

Christ is Risen

From The Inside Out

How He Loves

and...

More Than Ashes

Verse 1:

I’m more than what these ashes say

They will fade away when He comes for me

By grace, through faith in Christ I’m saved

I am not the same when He looks at me

Chorus:

I am the rose, the joy for which You died

And this I know, I move You with delight

And when my heart condemns on every side

I take refuge in the truth: I am the rose to You

Verse 2:

My life is more than meets the eye

I’m hidden now in Christ and I’m one with Him

My love is real before His eyes

He’s ravished by the sight of one glance from me

Bridge:

I am the rose, I am the lily

I am Yours, I’m Your beauty

Tag:

There’s gonna be a wedding,

It’s the reason that I’m living, to marry the Lamb

Interlude:

I’m more than what these ashes say

‘Cause they will fade away when He comes for me

My love is real before His eyes

He’s ravished by the sight of one glance from me

ANNOUNCEMENT:

Sarah Potts, our children's ministry director has announced that we will be taking a break from RKids for the summer months (all of June, July, and August). She would like to plan 1 or 2 activities (a pool day, cookout, bowling or something????) this summer so the kids can all hang out. She will be figuring out and planning what the fall RKids ministry will look like and keep us updated as the summer progresses! Meanwhile, I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to have the older kids with us in the service upstairs to train and introduce them to worship, communion, teaching of the Word, etc.

A prayer for us today:

"Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety again into another day: preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purposes, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Relevant Sunday Recap

2011-05-26T08:38:00.000-04:00

Our text for Sunday...

Ruth 1:6-14 "Then Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had blessed his people in Judah by giving them good crops again. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland. 7With her two daughters-in-law she set out from the place where she had been living, and they took the road that would lead them back to Judah. 8 But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back to your mothers' homes instead of coming with me. And may the LORD reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. 9 May the LORD bless you with the security of another marriage." Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept. 10 "No," they said. "We want to go with you to your people." 11 But Naomi replied, "Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands? 12 No, my daughters, return to your parents' homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what? 13Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD himself has caused me to suffer." 14 And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth insisted on staying with Naomi."

We are blessed to have amazing musicians with amazing hearts for worship and music. Chris Ruble led our worship band this past Sunday. The songs we sung at Relevant were:

Arise, My Soul Arise - by Tom Birchwood, Lewis Edson, and Charles Wesley
*I especially love the line from this hymn: "With confidence I now draw nigh, and 'Father, Abba, Father,' cry." - ABBA = our word for this would be DADDY.
Christ Is Risen - by Mia Fieldes and Matt Maher
Glory To God Forever - by Vicky Beeching and Steve Fee
Came To My Rescue - by Joel Davies, Marty Sampson, and Dylan Thomas
Chris and the band introduced a song this week also called:
My God Has Come To Save Me - by Lori Chaffer

We continued our journey through the book of Ruth. Our big idea for Sunday was that Rescue Involves Us Making A Choice. We saw that you cannot separate God's blessing from God's will, that they go hand in hand. Sometimes, the "best" option isn't the right option. The answer to life's problems is always found in drawing closer to God, not in running further away from Him. Naomi showed that she trusted the sovereignty of God, and that she knew that despite her personal calamities, He is a good God who blesses.

Naomi had no idea of how greatly God was going to bless her in a short time. Often times, our current sufferings are preparation for what God wants to do in and through us later in life. There comes a place in our following after God where it comes down to doing. Ruth and Orpah both felt the same feelings but Ruth acted differently. It’s not enough to be content with “feeling” something. Feeling a love for God, feeling a love for His Word, feeling a love for His people, etc.; they are all valid and good, but the real question is what will you do differently based on those feelings?

We are glad that God didn’t just feel love for us; instead, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son" that we could have relationship with Him (John 3:16). Rescue involves making a choice.

The service ended with an amazing young man (Matthew Manning) displaying great courage by standing up and making the choice, in front of everyone watching, to be rescued by Jesus by starting a relationship with Him. That is what the life of Ruth is about - rescue.

Easter Sunday Baptisms

2011-05-04T15:57:00.001-04:00

On Easter Sunday we were scheduled to host our first ever indoor baptismal service as a church - our 2nd baptismal service since we launched. Originally we were supposed to have 7 people get baptized, but only 6 of the 7 showed up so we moved ahead with plans to baptize the 6.

However, after we finished with the 6, we opened it up (as did Philip in the New Testament) and said, "We have the water here for baptism if anyone else would like to make that choice today." Over the course of the next ten minutes, one by one we had 3 other men come forward to publicly let the church know that Jesus was King of their life and that they wanted to demonstrate that by baptism - so when it was all said and done, we baptized 9 brothers and sisters on Easter - what an amazing service!!

If you missed it, you missed it, but you can catch a glimpse of the beauty below...

http://irrrelevant.blogspot.com

Singing In The Midst Of Suffering

2011-04-27T14:25:00.000-04:00

We all are familiar with the story of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, the betrayal by Judas, the suffering that followed, and of course the cross and resurrection. There's a little detail that often gets overlooked that is overwhelming to me, just prior to all of this occurring.

Matthew 26:30 says: "Then they sang a hymn and went out... [towards the garden]" (Mark's Gospel tells us the same thing 14:26).

The singing of hymns and psalms was a regular part of the Passover Celebration that they had just finished celebrating. At the close of the passover-supper, they would sing a hymn called "The Great Hallel" (meaning the "Praise of God") which is Psalm 113 and the five that follow it. Fresh on the heels of telling His friends that "one of you is going to betray me" and knowing what lies just ahead of Him lurking in the shadows of the garden - Jesus sings. And He doesn't just sing the blues or anything along those lines, He sings about praise and thanksgiving! Seriously?? Were told several times in the Scriptures that Jesus is a singer. I like picturing Him sing, but how could He sing in the midst of such circumstances is mind-blowing.

Read the Psalm that He sang:

Psalm 113

1 Praise the LORD! Yes, give praise, O servants of the LORD. Praise the name of the LORD! 2Blessed be the name of the LORD forever and ever. 3 Everywhere -- from east to west -- praise the name of the LORD. 4 For the LORD is high above the nations; his glory is far greater than the heavens. 5 Who can be compared with the LORD our God, who is enthroned on high? 6 Far below him are the heavens and the earth. He stoops to look, 7 and he lifts the poor from the dirt and the needy from the garbage dump. 8 He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people! 9 He gives the barren woman a home, so that she becomes a happy mother. Praise the LORD!

The disciples were heartbroken and in sorrow. Jesus was entering into His darkest hours on earth, and yet, they could sing a hymn together. As the great theologian Matthew Henry said, "Our spiritual joy should not be interrupted by outward afflictions."

Tradition states that after the The Great Hallel has been sung, it would be punctuated by a refrain (out of Psalm 136) that emphasizes God's lovingkindness that is everlasting. Sometimes, that's all we have to cling to in the midst of difficult suffering and hard times, God's lovingkindness has no end, that's what I'm clinging to.

Sometimes...

2011-04-26T12:25:00.000-04:00

Sometimes God...

*Makes me laugh
*Confuses me
*Leaves me speechless
*Is quiet
*Feels as though He's right next to me
*Couldn't be further way
*Amazes me
*Angers me
*Teaches me
*Corrects me
*Holds me
*Answers me
*Works through me
*Challenges me

All things considered, I'll take this brief list as God's way of reminding me that He's God and I'm not, although there are moments that I wish I was and that I try to be Him...sometimes.