Pulpiteering

Yes or No

I preached on Matthew 5:33-37 this past Sunday on letting your "yes be yes, and your no, no" and how such an idea should revolutionize how Christians within the community of Christ communicate and commune with each other.  As an example I pointed out a familiar scenario:

You're standing there in church after the service minding your own business and you sense someone burning holes into the back of your head with their eyes.  You turn so spot for half a second a brother or sister glowering at you with all their might.  But just as quickly as you turned your head, they've averted their deadly gaze and seem to be pretending to be interested in the empty book rack or potted plant next to them.  "What's their problem?", you wonder.

What is their problem, indeed.  The irony is if you confront this seemingly angry person they'll usually dismiss it, "Really??  No, no, there's nothing wrong..."  But then the next week there they are again glowering at you.  You can't help but feel lied to and you probably were.

The problem, obviously is multi-faceted but in light of Matthew 5:33-37 one of them is that this angry person's "yes" really isn't their "yes" (or I suppose "no" is more apropos).  Can you imagine if the person actually trusted that the same sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit was also at work in you, and that you both commune under the salvation offered through Jesus Christ?  I think they'd be more honest with you, trusting and hoping that things could be restored.  And that would be refreshing.

John Piper making Snow Angels

Here's a video of Dr. John Piper having a great old time in the snow.  The guy's just so darned happy that you can't help but feel great after watching this.  I guess they edited out the part at the end where Mark Driscoll comes in and gives John a snow belly while cussing up a storm.

Because He cares for you

This past Sunday I preached on Psalm 56:3,4.  Verse 3 should be quite familiar to all who've sung the chorus, "Whenever I am afraid I will trust in You".  I tied this passage with one found in 1 Peter 5:7 which should also be familiar thanks to the choruses, "Cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you".  In my prep these last few weeks for this sermon the phrase "because He cares for you" has stuck in my mind more than anything else.  I didn't realize how we go about living as though we were looking out for ourselves, or "number one" as some put it.  We get so myopic in our view of things neglecting this one huge truth that our Heavenly Father CARES for us.  We act as unloved orphans when in reality there is One out there who supplies all our needs according to His riches in Glory.  I've posted this as a reminder to myself and to you the reader that whenever trouble comes your way, whenever some jerk makes you question God's love and provision for you, whenever you're tempted to fit in for the sake of fitting in, our Heavenly Father sees our struggles and will care for us.  Sometimes the most powerful truth for us to remember is that we're not alone in the struggles of this life.